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Author Topic: A new car  (Read 391 times)

Offline MrCoffee

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A new car
« on: October 28, 2002, 03:08:57 PM »
When do you know if its time to buy a new car or continue to fix and make due with the car you have now. Mine is falling apart. Upgrade or make do with what I now have. Im driving an old VW jetta at the moment. Its what I know and I love it :) but parhaps a new car is in order at some point in time. Hondas, Fords, beemers?

:(
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Offline Ripsnort

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A new car
« Reply #1 on: October 28, 2002, 03:15:44 PM »
Budget dictates that for me, always has...if I couldn't afford payments in my younger years, I poured money into the car I had at the time.
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Offline john9001

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A new car
« Reply #2 on: October 28, 2002, 03:29:00 PM »
when repair costs equal 50% of replacment costs, well thats the way the military does it .

cars have no life span, they can be repaired forever , when a part wears out replace it.

i had a 74 ( bought new) it went through  3 paint jobs, 2 timeing belts , 3 water pumps, 1 valve job , 1 trans overhaul, replaced the interior once, finely sold it because i just got bored with it
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Offline AKDejaVu

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A new car
« Reply #3 on: October 28, 2002, 03:40:24 PM »
When the car ceases to be reliable, its time for it to go.  Minor repairs and maintenance are one thing... but not being able to trust it to get you from point a to b is another.

AKDejaVu
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Offline capt. apathy

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A new car
« Reply #4 on: October 28, 2002, 03:48:06 PM »
2nd what DJV said.  if it needs work fine. but if it lets you down with one thing after the other get a new one.

it doesn't take to many days of not making it to work before a car is more trouble than it's worth.

btw- if you work on your own car don't buy a ford.  every ford car I've had newer than 80(mostly cars not so much trucks) have had one 'special', 'buy it from the dealer' tool required for just about any repair job. the price of these tools is usually about 5% more than the price of shop labor to perform the job.  it doesn't seem to mater how complicated the tool is the price has more to do with how much you could pay them to do the work than how much it costs to make the tool.  

maybe other brands have this too. but my experiences have shown ford to be the worst for it.

on the other hand my old volvo seems to be the easiest car I've ever worked on.  they actually design things to be easy to fix.  instead of throwing roadblocks in your way to get money out of you in shop fee's
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Offline gofaster

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A new car
« Reply #5 on: October 28, 2002, 03:49:50 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by AKDejaVu
When the car ceases to be reliable, its time for it to go.  Minor repairs and maintenance are one thing... but not being able to trust it to get you from point a to b is another.

AKDejaVu


Three strikes of $300 or more and its outta here.  Dead batteries are excluded, since they typically cost less than $300, but if you're spending $300 a month in repairs, heck, that's a car payment.
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Offline Mickey1992

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A new car
« Reply #6 on: October 28, 2002, 04:04:38 PM »
I agree.  Reliability is the issue.

I have a paid off '95 Camero and the ignition switch gave out last week.  Tow and repair cost $280.  This is the only non-scheduled expense this year, but The Woman still wants me to get a new car.  (Actually, she just wants me to get an SUV so she has more room for her shopping.)

She pays a $300/month lease, I have paid $280 ALL YEAR.  I will never buy/lease a new car again.  If your car is reliable, drive it.

Of course, that's easy for us non-single guys to say. :D
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Offline Sandman

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A new car
« Reply #7 on: October 28, 2002, 04:12:38 PM »
I'd say go for the Honda except for their popularity to car thieves.

I've bought two new vehicles in the past four years.

I like the following:

Honda
Nissan
Mazda
Volkswagen

I'm okay with:

Toyota
Dodge

I'll never purchase:

Another Ford
GM (except Cadillac)
Any vehicle manufactured in Korea
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sand

Offline capt. apathy

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A new car
« Reply #8 on: October 28, 2002, 04:15:04 PM »
btw- my 87 volvo turbo wagon, not just affordable and easy to work on.  it's a nice respectabe 125mph family car
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Offline Sandman

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A new car
« Reply #9 on: October 28, 2002, 04:16:57 PM »
Ohh... you're talking upscale...

Hell, I love Volvo... and Audi... and Acura... :)
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sand

Offline GWH

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A new car
« Reply #10 on: October 28, 2002, 09:59:23 PM »
I'm in a similar situation.  Currently, I drive a 1991 Plymouth Grand Voyager LE (FWD, 3.3L V6).  I can't complain too much, she was a hand-me-down gifted to me from the 'rents, she's come in handy moving from state to state, and she's still working, but she has her quirks.  But, with repairs/maintenance sometimes it feels like I'm making monthly payments on her - ~$150-$300+ every other month or so.  :(  Plus, I'm single, 26 years old, and I make decent money, so the minivan puts a crimp in the mojo.  :)  

I've been looking at purchasing a new car, myself.  It's tough.  The single young dude in me wants to get something relatively snazzy, like a VW GTI or an Acura RSX.  However, the tightwad engineer in me wants to get something economical with a good reputation for reliability, like a Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla.  :)

Based on my own experience and observations, I would stay away from Fords.  Honda and Toyota (and corresponding Acura and Lexus) are good buys, depending on what you're looking for.  Don't know a whole lot about VW (just how old is your Jetta?), but I do know they recently beefed up their warranties.  However, I suspect that has something to do with the QA/QC issues from their Central and South American assembly facilities (which is why I'm a bit reluctant to buy a GTI - I want a car that won't be making regular visits to the shop after 10000 miles - warranty or not).  I dunno much about other makes to comment.
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Offline capt. apathy

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A new car
« Reply #11 on: October 28, 2002, 10:02:23 PM »
actually you can get a decent used volvo for about 3-4k.  they run forever.  and it's saved me a fortune in missed work.  (the $1500 pos I'd been buying most of my life left me on the side of the road to much.  and the brand new ford escort I bought in 86 wasn't much better)
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Offline Saurdaukar

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A new car
« Reply #12 on: October 28, 2002, 10:10:26 PM »
Well...

You can get a "reliable" car thats no fun...

or a completely unreliable car thats loads of fun!

There is no substitute!  :D
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Offline texace

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A new car
« Reply #13 on: October 28, 2002, 10:49:36 PM »
At least you guys can get a car if you wanted...I can't get one cause I'm 17 and the one person I wanted to have co-sign wih me has already co-signed with my brother...

I've been very angry for the past hour or so over that...at this rate I'll never get rid of my car...
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Offline lazs2

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A new car
« Reply #14 on: October 29, 2002, 08:50:58 AM »
buy an old car and restore/hot rod it.   breakdowns are an adventure.   There is no adventure in cars anymore.    If you are a particularly helpless woman get a KIA with the 10 year warrenty and throw it away every so often.

mini vans and volvos.... man am I out of touch...
lazs
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