New to Us Vehicle - FIRE Is Great

[katwillny]

After much analyzing researching and agonizing over parting with 31.5 USD cash, we finally pulled the trigger on a 2018 Toyota Highlander Limited Premium. The vehicle is in great condition and has an impecable maintenance records. It currently has 137k miles on it. We paid cash for it in my home country of the Dominican Republic. We have been living here for 3 years almost and have our trusted 2017 Honda HRV which we bought new in the states and shipped here in 2023. This vehicle is something I have been wanting to buy for some time, but here vehicles are much more expensive than in the states and wanted to make sure we were ready to purchase cash. Took it on a long drive yesterday and in true fashion we caught a flat. Welcome to the family. Not sure if this is the right forum, but wanted to share with this great group.

 

[RxMan]

Congrats! It must feel good to be able to make a purchase for exactly what you want. I wasn’t familiar with the vehicle price premium in the DR. Car prices in the US have been going up for several reasons.

 

[Koolau]

I'm happy for you that you found what you were looking for. Decent, reliable transportation is one of the features that makes independent Early Retirement possible.

Sometime, tell us about your life in DR.

 

[Texas Proud]

Wow... sounds like a lot of miles for an 8ish YO car... especially on an island... must have been doing some kind of delivery or driving people around..

 

[rk911]

Congrats!

 

[Koolau]

Wow... sounds like a lot of miles for an 8ish YO car... especially on an island... must have been doing some kind of delivery or driving people around..

Yeah, our last car purchase was a 5 year old RAV4. It had 70K on it and our Island is only 600 square miles. Where did they "go" to put that many miles on an Island car??

By comparison, 9 years later, the car still has fewer than 100K on it. We don't drive it much!

 

[katwillny]

By comparison, 9 years later, the car still has fewer than 100K on it. We don't drive it much!

I can attest to this. Our 2017 Honda HRV was my wife's commuter car and when we shipped it to the island it had 169k miles back in 2023, 3 yearslater its 177k. I live very locally.

 

[katwillny]

Sometime, tell us about your life in DR.

Its where I was born in the early 70s and in early 80s my parents moved to NY, after 40+ years of living there, I have found my way home and absolutely love it here. Island life in its truest form. Slow mornings, lazy afternoons and hot evenings. gym and which beach or which river we will go on any given day is often the hardes decision. PM for more details. Very happy to be Home.

 

[Koolau]

Its where I was born in the early 70s and in early 80s my parents moved to NY, after 40+ years of living there, I have found my way home and absolutely love it here. Island life in its truest form. Slow mornings, lazy afternoons and hot evenings. gym and which beach or which river we will go on any given day is often the hardes decision. PM for more details. Very happy to be Home.

Thanks. Sounds familiar. We do "live" a retired life in the Islands. It's not like vacation. BUT just driving to the USPS is enjoyable because of the lush scenery and balmy weather. In many ways, our Island has felt like "going home" though we didn't move until we were in our 60s.

Island life IS unique, I think. Much slower paced and more laid back. Even our Island with its traffic is bearable because of the whole Island Vibe.