Is it time for me to buy a new (used) car?

by Elsewhere 14 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Elsewhere

  Well, first of all I never buy *new* cars... so when I say "new - used" I basically mean: sell my current car and buy another used one that is about two years old.

  My current car is a 1999 Ford Contour SE V6 with about 106,000 miles on it. It's got a few minor bumps-and-bruses and a bit of peeling paint due to a bad paint-job, but it does look good when you step back and look at it as a whole. Most everything on it works great and the engine will get-up and go when I put the pettle down! (It is a light-weight car with a big V6 in it, so it's FUN to drive) The things that have me worried are that the transmission is starting to shift hard and the fact that the car is getting to be about 6 years old. (I last changed the transmission fluid at about 80,000 miles)

  One nice thing about this car is that it has had all sorts of maintenance (breaks, tires, etc...) done to it so it can probably last a long time more on the road, assuming the transmission does not give out.

  I looked on Kelly Blue Book and it said I could expect $2000 traid-ingor about $4700 if I sell it person-to-person.

  What do you think? Is it time to sell this one and buy another car?
• 

  Tim Horton

  I would say the car still sounds fine.Hey I'm driving a 1987 dodge colt 4 door. Believe me your car sounds like luxury right about now. I would be very worried about the transmission though. We bought a ford taurus from my Dad. One of those pay off the lease sort of deals. It was a really good deal or we never would have bought the car because it had already had the transmission replaced. It was about 5 years old when we bought it. The transmission was replaced 2 years earlier, but then after a couple of years the transmission was going again. Now I'm very careful when I hear the word transmission on a car. Get it checked out. If it's fine then hey maybe the cars got a couple good years left to give ya. But not transmission problems.Yikes!Then I'd say flip it baby!
• 

  notperfectyet

  I always buy new, but I have connections with the new, if you know what I mean.

  I bought last week a 325ci BMW. Black sedan. Sweet.......once you go black................

  Go for what you want, it's only money, and you will work harder for how you feel when you drive what you feel good in.

  My opinion only.
• 

  eyegirl

  you have to do what ya think is right for you. fortunately for me, i've got an advantage--my brother's a mechanic and works for a used dealer about an hour from here in my hometown. currently i'm driving a contour too, but it's a 95 (with the V6), manual transmission and about 165,000 miles on it. it runs great, uses/leaks no oil, etc. i was thinking about getting something different last year. at this stage in the game though, i'm probably just better off driving it until it dies. really, i wouldn't get much for it if i sold it outright anyway.

  too bad ya don't live up this way..........last week my brother hooked my sister (scootergirl) up with a sweet ride from their dealership. it's great, he checks everything over before it goes on the lot--will replace anything that needs to be fixed/replaced--brakes, tires, suspension, anything.
• 

  drwtsn32

  Why dismiss buying new? Sure, it costs a bit more but the car is in perfect condition and the dealer will fix any problems with it for FREE! I bought my current car brand new in 1999 and don't regret it at all. I'm definitely going to do it again for my next car.
• 

  Princess

  I agree with Doc...wait...did I just say that?

  We like to buy new also. Our last car was a '99Toyota Sienna that I drove for five years and never had to pay for any of the repairs. Brakes...malfunctioning automatic doors...whatever, all under warranty. The resale value was so great we sold it for more than half what we paid for it. Not bad for a five year old car.

  Now I'm driving my 2004 Ford Excursion, gas with a V10. It moves and we all feel so comfortable while it's moving. I didn't even have to pay for the first oil change. Dealer did it for free.
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  Big Tex

  The only thing I ever agreed with my father about was his attitude toward cars. He used to say that there is a reason the previous owner got rid of the car and if the car were good they'd have kept it.

  I know that's not true all the time, but I know zilch about repairs (I can barely change the wiper blades), so as a result I've always bought new, paid them off early and drove them into the ground. My feeling is that if you buy new, you'll have dependable transportation for 6 or 7 years minimum. I've always put over 150,000 miles on my cars and when they start breaking down, I repeat the cycle and get new.

  However if you know what to look for, used can be more cost effective. With me I know my limitations, and plan accordingly.

  Chris
• 

  Midget-Sasquatch

  All I can say is if I were in a position where I could get financing for a new car I would. Otherwise unless you or a friend who really knows their cars can help you, buying used is a crapshoot.
  

  I've always been limited to used ones. With one particularly bad used car I had, the purchase price + the total cost of repairs over the 3 years, came out to nearly the same amount it would have costed me to lease a new corolla. Others weren't as draining but were just as frustrating with inopportune break downs.

  When ever a car repair nears or surpasses the trade in value its time to scrap it, as I'm sure you know. Recently my sib had to decide what to do with her car with tranny trouble. Even from a scrap yard, that used tranny will cost you about 2/3 of that trade in value you gave. Rebuilt will definitely come close to that if not more. So I'd trade in it now.

  [ edited to remove alot of unnecessary detail - maybe I should have did it to the whole post? ;) ]
• 

  obiwan

  Well, I don't like car payments. My car is 1992 Chevy Lumina Z34. It has 257,000 miles on it. Take care of it, and it will last a long time. Plus, I haven't had a car payment for quite a while.

  But alas, I need to start considering getting another car. It won't last forever.

  I'd look at the trade off. What's the price of a new transmission, versus the extra cost you will be out for another car? Plus, your buying someone elses problems. At least you know how well your car has been taken care of.
• 

  drwtsn32

  I agree with Doc...wait...did I just say that?

  <-- Checks to see if it's snowing in hell