Cars

[bertine]

My car is a 2000 Saturn SL1 and has 100,000 miles on it. It gets ~30 miles to the gallon and I maintain it pretty well. In the last year, including the $600 I am putting into it today, I have paid about $1300 to maintain it. That was mostly things I could have lived with out like recharging the air conditioning, fixing a seat and fixing a window.

Still, sometimes I want a new car so badly because it would look nice and have a sunroof and wouldn't need things like oil valve gaskets and serpentine belts replaced. Then I look at the car payment and get sticker shock.

Comments

[inkedmama.livejournal.com]

jake & i were talking about new cars last night - i'm due for the next one in a few years. i don't think i want one. i have no car payment, *knocks wood* everything works on it, i typically get 28 mpg average, both kids will fit, i like it, etc.

more than anything, i don't want to get a new (well, slightly used) car because i don't want to lose any gas efficiency & i *really* like not having a car payment. i'd like something slightly larger, but i'd lose about 2-5 mpg. i think we're probably going to end up waiting to see what happens with the gas drama, but i'm still so hesitant.

[bertine.livejournal.com]

I really like not having a car payment but I have had this car for 6 years (I bought it used) and it seems like I am always fixing things on it. Though, when I did the math the maintence fees are only about $100 a month (with oil changes).

The oil prices are going to be a big thing. I can see it hitting $5 a gallon in the next couple years and then that 2-5mpg is going to be a big deal.

[inkedmama.livejournal.com]

my thoughts exactly!

jake didn't seem to think that gas would get above $5/gallon, but i'm not willing to take a chance. i don't see our income going up exponentially within the next few years to offset that increased expense with the cars that we currently have, let alone try to figure out how to pay for a less fuel efficient car.

[bertine.livejournal.com]

With, more fuel costs and a car payment. Though he is a car guy, right? So that might be part of why he wants a new one.

[inkedmama.livejournal.com]

yeah, he perpetually wants a new car. :) when he got his new car 2 or 3 years ago now, it was THE car he'd always wanted (white honda accord coupe with 6 speed manual transmission, leather, sunroof). he's been scoping out his next new car since he brought that one home. :)

his car gets pretty good gas mileage (~26 mpg) considering he drives about 40-45 miles round trip daily for work, so he can't even justify it that way.

[bertine.livejournal.com]

Yeah, so he will always want a new car. How old is your car?

[inkedmama.livejournal.com]

both of our cars are 2003s, so we definitely don't *need* new cars. my plan was to drive my car for at least 3-5 years after it was paid so it would still have decent resale (we paid it off this spring).

with car & gas prices, driving it another 8-10 years doesn't sound so bad. if it's still puttering along safely & without many problems, it could be chase's first car. :D

[bertine.livejournal.com]

That is a good plan. My plan has always been to drive my car until it has something that isn't worth fixing.