Driving a car until it dies...

I didn't think it was appropriate to hijack a thread so I started a new one.

I am 26 years old and when I was 16, my dad gave me a 1985 Ford Tempo. I drove that until it died and being 16, a lot of it was stupid stuff I did. Anyway, then a few years later I got a 1991 Ford Tempo. Again, drove it until it started to have shop visits every week costing $400 or more each time.

Fast forward to 2005 and I bought a USED 2002 Toyota Corolla CE. Couldn't be happier with the car. Other than minor maintenance, a tensioner pulley replacement, a new cat (thanks to me using gas cleaner all the time), a new oxygen sensor, and brakes -- nothing MAJOR has gone wrong. It consumes no noticeable amount of oil that I am aware of. It gets great gas mileage. Really, not a problem car at all... and I have driven it from Medford, OR to Fresno, CA and back more times than I can count. That's a 7 hour, 500 mile drive ONE WAY.

Any way... my question is:

Why don't people tend to drive vehicles into the ground? I sure as hell don't want another car payment. I have 2 years on this and I plan on KEEPING the car until the damn thing keels over. Or possibly

-- sell it in 2 years for $3-5k or whatever and then hopefully have some money saved and pay cash and finance very little if at all on a newer model Toyota something or other.

Just curious why most trade them in as opposed to keeping them until they die. Perhaps it's a cost thing. I would think it's more economical to drive it until it dies and/or starts costing an arm and a leg. So far, 147,000 miles and mine still runs like a champ... knock on wood.

TIA,

Steve

Reply to
mrsteveo
Loading thread data ...

Steve, most people don't drive their cars into the ground because they apparently, even if they are in debt or lease, have more MONEY than brains. We bought our 99 camry 6 cyl. brand new in May/99 and plan to keep it at least until 2016 even though we could buy practically any vehicle under

100K.
Reply to
Sharx35

  1. A lot of people can afford to buy a new car every 3-4 years.

  1. Even though repairing a car is using cheaper than buying a new one, it takes time to get a car repaired. Even going to a dealer for a warranty repair is a hassle for busy people. For many people who make a good living, time is money and it is not worth the trouble. I have a 1998 Camry in excellent condition, but now I am having brake light problems, I am having some regrets about keeping it this long. I have replaced all the bulbs, the fuses, and there still is a problem (apparently in the wiring). I work 50-60 hours a week, make a very good living, and I don't have time to mess with these problems. Considering how hard I work, I want to relax during my time off.

Reply to
Mark A

The way the market use to work and probablly still does was a teir system. Those who could afford to get a new car every 3 years would. The rest bought used.

Also, the longer you drive your car outside of your capability of getting a new one... the trade in value nose dives...

many answers could go for this one i guess... vanity, capability of affording a newer model, etc

Reply to
Don't Taze Me, Bro!

Delegate it to your wife.

Reply to
Sharx35

Being able to AFFORD something..rather THINKING that you can afford something is one very common reason why so many end up in bankruptcy. Just because I can AFFORD something is a very feeble excuse for BUYING something. I buy, usually, because I NEED something, not because I necessarily simply WANT something. I could afford to buy new EVERY year..but unlike some people here I have both brains AND money, choosing to buy my 99 Camry NEW and to keep it at least 15 or so years. It still looks 98% new, BTW.

Reply to
Sharx35

unfortunately people like to get in debt....

Reply to
Don't Taze Me, Bro!

Because people like new cars. It's boring for some people to drive the same car for 15 years.

Reply to
bucky3

Marketing.

People feel good thinking that they can afford to buy the newest car.

My dad went to lunch yesterday with a guy who buys two new Chevy vehicles per year, one for him and one for his wife. He keeps the cars a year and trades them in for new ones. Every year.

Figure those Chevies lose $6K in value the moment they're driven off the lot. This guy is paying $12K/year for the privilege of getting a new car every year.

This is his entertainment or something. It makes him feel good.

Reply to
Elmo P. Shagnasty

They have more dollars then sense.

Reply to
ray

: ...

Most people do what they do, but I agree with you, we should not tie up our self-image in new cars.

They are utility items, expensive ones at that. So buy a good one, take care of it, and get the most out of it.

Reply to
Newbie

I drove my GTS into the ground; one of these days I'll get the ambition (and the money) to do the body work and drive it into the ground again.

I think it has to do more with boredom, among other factors. One factor is, how much money do I want to put into a car? I got a Celica from a guy for $250, it was an '85 and I bought it in 2003. I drove it for 2 years, and then the amount of repairs would have exceeded the value of the car. Too bad, because I had just put a motor from a '91 truck into it and it ran great. It was 50/50. Of course, by this time I had the Supra, a more valuable car in much better shape mechanically, so the effort went to that. That car I will probably keep 'refurbishing', since it is in good shape and the value keeps increasing, thanks to kids buying them up on eBay as soon as they come up...

As far as boredom, the Corolla GTS was a car I really wanted, and it ran great, looked good and didn't cost much for over 20 years. It was everything I wanted in a car, and still is.

The Tercel I had was a good car and got great mileage, but I sold it to get the Supra. If the Supra hadn't come up I would probably still be driving it, it was a great car, but not quite what I wanted.

Now the Scion...except for the seating position, it's every bit the car the GTS was/is, and perhaps moreso. It's comfortable, I just don't 'love' the seating position; it certainly is /fast/ and I like the looks. I think this car will be around for a long time. But it also came with a payment, which I don't really want. If a 'deal' comes up (say, a 2002-3 Camry with ~50,000 for

Reply to
hachiroku

If you buy boring cars! ;)

Reply to
hachiroku

For the most part I always kept a car as long as it was fiscally reasonable. Problem 'was' I used to buy 'merican cars. And they died young. No longer a problem with my toyota..The longer I own my 01 camry, the more attached to it I've become.

I'll be sad when I have to let go of it. I've alot of memories that are tied to this vehicle..

Reply to
Charles Pisano

I guess all comes down to ones financial status. The average new vehicle buyer in the US replaces that vehicle with another new vehicle in three to four years with 45K to 60K on the clock. Those that do not by new in three to four years will replace their vehicle with a new vehicle over the next three years. Onluy arond 2% of new vehicelbuyers keep a daily driver till it dies. Those that keep them till they die must do so becasuse they can not afford another new vehicle. Same is true of used car buyers, they can not afford new vehicle.

They will point to the fact vehicles cost less when they are used but that merely proves the point they can not afford new vehicles, since used cars have accumulated mileage and obviously the more mileage the sooner it will need to be repaired and the more it costs to maintain it if one expect it to start and run every time one NEEDS it to start and run. The question has to be how many of those used car buyers will choose to buy used furniture, clothing, or appliances etc. if they car afford to buy new?

Ever know a person with an old car who did not buy a new car as the first thing they did when they came into money? ;)

Reply to
Mike hunt

You wouldn't happen to sell cars, would you? Something tells me you do or have. ;)

Reply to
Norm De Plume

No so, I run two daily drivers, a luxury car and a sporty car. I buy a new vehicle every year to replace the one that is two years old. I replaced my luxury '06 in September of '07 with an '08, at a total cost of $7,500. I have on order a '09 sporty convertible that will be replace my '07 sporty convertible in early June, at a total drive home price of $6,200. I have been doing that for many years as well. Some of the increased cost is reflected in the rise in new car prices of around $1,200 in two years, on average.

If one bought a new $30,000 vehicle today it will cost him nearly $40,000 plus interest to replace it in ten years as well as a lot in normal maintenance costs. It will cost him as much, or more, per year over ten years than the $3,000 to $3,500 it is costing me per year to drive new cars. The only expense I have in two years is three oil changes and one inspection. ;)

Reply to
Mike hunt

In my 82+ years I built and drove race cars, help design new cars for two manufactures, sold just about any brand one can name, as well as maintained thousands of cars and trucks for others. LOL

Reply to
Mike hunt

I have to admit, I kinda liked having a new car every two years or so, unfortunately, it wasn't often out of choice. Usually someone would pull out in front of me at the LAST GD SECOND and leave me no place to go.

But, since I had Toyotas, and since the price of gas increases on a regular basis, the most I ever lost was $500!!! So I would take the cash, buy a new Toyota and finance the rest for

Reply to
hach

After several years, the cars here (NE - upstate NY) tend to rust, due to the winter road conditions - salt, etc. The engine could be *great*, but the body's eventually another story. So... I keep my cars an avg. of 6 years - it's in very good condition at that point, but if I kept it longer, would have to start to pay big-time for upkeep of the car's body. IOW, I tend to get rid of my cars while there's still enough value to count towards a good portion of a down payment on the next car & wghile it's still inexpensive to maintain, before it *really* starts to depreciate - on an even steeper downhill slide. That allows me to drive each car loan-free for at least 2 years. Not ideal, but semi-reasonable; gives some breather space bwtween loans.

Cathy

I sure as

Reply to
Cathy F.

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.