msbearkeley
Recycles dryer sheets
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2007
- Messages
- 51
So I've been really good by keeping my 10 year old 150k mile honda prelude instead of leasing yet another car (like I did for the 4 other hondas I owned in my younger days)....soon, it will be time to buy our next car for the next 10 or 20 years (Other info: other vehicle is a 10 year old ford ranger we hardly use...we hope to retire in 2 years - I'm 39, husband's 41).
We had planned to wait until July when I get my bonus and pay cash for a great deal on a 2008 hybrid suv. My husband's only criteria was an suv and I get to pick out the colors and brand and all of the other 'important' stuff.
Well - we went to the DC Auto Show last night and now, we're not sure what to do so we're asking our trusted mentors....
1) Buy a 2008 hybrid (Mercury Mariner) now and get the 3k tax rebate and get a great deal -- financially the 'best deal', but we will need to liquidate some stocks or get a 15k 4.99% heloc for 4 months (until I get my bonus) to buy it now.
2) Get the spiffier Honda CRV now and help save the environment in some other way (justification: I have owned 5 Hondas without problems - this could be the best choice financially long term since it will most likely last as long as we need it to). Same payment option as above
3) Wait until later this year to get the 2009 version -- has better hp, stabilizer and the most important thing: the color I want! Down sides -- we may not have the 3k tax rebate then and given the demand, probably can't negotiate on price much, but we can pay cash. Oh - another possible risk is that my car can break down before then and us being forced to get something sooner..
Given that it's been at least 10 years since we've bought a car, we are really wowed by the newness of it all.... So -- any thoughts on what we should do? Blessing to do any of the three?
We had planned to wait until July when I get my bonus and pay cash for a great deal on a 2008 hybrid suv. My husband's only criteria was an suv and I get to pick out the colors and brand and all of the other 'important' stuff.
Well - we went to the DC Auto Show last night and now, we're not sure what to do so we're asking our trusted mentors....
1) Buy a 2008 hybrid (Mercury Mariner) now and get the 3k tax rebate and get a great deal -- financially the 'best deal', but we will need to liquidate some stocks or get a 15k 4.99% heloc for 4 months (until I get my bonus) to buy it now.
2) Get the spiffier Honda CRV now and help save the environment in some other way (justification: I have owned 5 Hondas without problems - this could be the best choice financially long term since it will most likely last as long as we need it to). Same payment option as above
3) Wait until later this year to get the 2009 version -- has better hp, stabilizer and the most important thing: the color I want! Down sides -- we may not have the 3k tax rebate then and given the demand, probably can't negotiate on price much, but we can pay cash. Oh - another possible risk is that my car can break down before then and us being forced to get something sooner..
Given that it's been at least 10 years since we've bought a car, we are really wowed by the newness of it all.... So -- any thoughts on what we should do? Blessing to do any of the three?