Buying New vs Used Amortization / value calculation?

So with that said... what do you drive right now?
I have added that back into my footer. However my next purchase will be for my almost adult daughters, so its a different need. I would like a full size sedan for myself, but since no one else would drive it - it will need to wait. I did have a Grand Marquis long ago. Strangely it was the only lemon I have owned. Burnt a valve at 130K for no reason, fixed that. Seems like I changed every sensor twice. I finally scrapped it at 180K - mostly highway even - due to far too many things needing fixing.
 
People still hadn't learned with used Lexus. It's well documented that 300k is likely, 1 million miles exists.

So you have a car with 80k selling for $14k, and one with 23k selling for $20k. What possible benefit is the low miles, on a 10 y.o. car, when 300k miles is shooting fish in a barrel? :ROFLMAO:
It’s just such folly to make claims like that. Rust consumes. Wear parts wear. Rubber degrades. Seats get squashed by butts. Paint gets hit by UV. There are major growing costs as a car passes 150k that justify significantly lower valuations, regardless of realizable service life.
 
My sweet spot is to find cars that are so worn out people think they’re only good for parts, buy them dirt cheap, and drive them another 50-100k. For some reason I seem to get a lot more enjoyment out of my jalopies than from any newer vehicle I’ve ever purchased.
 
Let me help you with this...

A full-size car is usually a far better value in the marketplace than a compact SUV.

The sweet spot if you live where rust is minimal to non-existent is approximately in the 10 year / 100,000 mile range assuming all the maintenance and needed repairs have been done.

Defunct brands, discontinued models, stickshifts in non-sporty vehicles, and any midsize or larger Mitsubishi that has been well kept will be exceptionally high up the value chain.

Finally, a car that you truly love and keep until you can drive it no more is the ultimate value play.

So with that said... what do you drive right now?
They will pry the Club Sport from my cold dead fingers. I’ve owned it since new and I hope to drive it for at least another 10-15 years at least.
 
Defunct brands, discontinued models, stickshifts in non-sporty vehicles, and any midsize or larger Mitsubishi that has been well kept will be exceptionally high up the value chain.

Finally, a car that you truly love and keep until you can drive it no more is the ultimate value play.
This post is old but I hadn’t read this thread at the time. I didn’t realize you had described my 09 Scion xB so well. Defunct brand, discontinued model, stick shift. I paid $3700 for it in October of 2021 with 145k miles. The paint has a bunch of flaws. Once I fixed the oil burning problem it‘s been one of my all-time favorite vehicles to drive.

I just wish it was an auto…
 
Please note-we have not been in a "tradiitonal market" in the last 4 years. Nor-will we be in the next two.

Trucks don't depreciate much-other vehicles to a slightly more degree - but still not as much as the "pre"C" period.
 
100k miles/6-7 years old scares people off and great buys there used if you can afford / have access to decent auto repairs that occasionally crop up.
 
Please note-we have not been in a "tradiitonal market" in the last 4 years. Nor-will we be in the next two.

Trucks don't depreciate much-other vehicles to a slightly more degree - but still not as much as the "pre"C" period.
I’m seeing 2010 sedans with 180k miles listed for $8-9k. More if it’s a Toyota. There’s certainly nothing normal about that.
 
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