How to convince wife it's time for a new car?

[BrocLuno]

Unless you live in the rust belt, or can depreciate it as a business expense, there is no real rational for an actual new car. The numbers just do not work ...

A late model used car with a warranty - sure. Those numbers work better - way better.

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
Unless you live in the rust belt, or can depreciate it as a business expense, there is no real rational for an actual new car. The numbers just do not work ...

A late model used car with a warranty - sure. Those numbers work better - way better.



I have never bought a new car because I needed one. It was because I wanted one. If you have the $$$ that's plenty of rational.......

If the OP feels he wants/needs a new car-and has the credit and/or cash-that's also rational enough.

The typical "anti-new car sentiment" thrives on this board. I think it's a little bit of your rational (numbers) and a little bit of jealousy.

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
Unless you live in the rust belt, or can depreciate it as a business expense, there is no real rational for an actual new car. The numbers just do not work ...

A late model used car with a warranty - sure. Those numbers work better - way better.



I have never bought a new car because I needed one. It was because I wanted one. If you have the $$$ that's plenty of rational.......

If the OP feels he wants/needs a new car-and has the credit and/or cash-that's also rational enough.

The typical "anti-new car sentiment" thrives on this board. I think it's a little bit of your rational (numbers) and a little bit of jealousy.


Let's say you're at a point where replacing an existing car makes sense since you've either driven your money out of it or it has become increasingly troublesome to a point where at my current age I no longer feel like wrenching on it.
The savings on a late model used car are rarely compelling as compared to a brand new one bought right.
I've never regretted the cost of any car we've bought new although we've also had some really good cars bought used.
A new car is simply less of a roll of the dice and gives considerable recourse in the event of trouble, like the factory warranty as well as the lemon laws most states have.

 

[4WD]

Originally Posted By: Huie83
I have been maintaining our 2010 Impala for the past 5 years and close to 100K. It's at around 130K miles now, is starting to show it's age and well... I'm sick of working on it.

Some more serious issues have all popped up the past year or so:
- The airbag light is on.
- The rear defrost stopped working.
- The trans is starting to not shift so great. I slapped a shift kit in it and flushed the fluid which helped a lot. Still slips sometimes on start so I know it's not healthy.
- The struts all need to be replaced soon. The passenger front sits lower that he driver side by about 3/4 inch.
- What I think is the sway bar end links in the rear are clunking around over bumps.
- Drivers side CV output seal is leaking trans fluid.
- Valve covers are weeping.
- Needs new tires this year and an alignment.
- Front doors are starting to rust on the bottom inside where the door skin folds over the frame.
- Needs a coolant flush, its on factory orange fill.
- Front end starting to feel loose and clunky over bumps. I'm sure tie rod ends and or ball joints need to be looked into. Starting to cause uneven tire wear.

The stuff above is on top of what I did this past year:

- Rotors and pads all around.
- Replaced Evap solenoid and purge solenoid.
- Tune up ( plugs, air filter, serp belt)
- Air blend door motor.


Question is, how do I convince my wife it's time to dump it while it's still worth a little money? I've tried to relay that it needs substantial work and isn't worth it, but the vehicle has sentimental value to her. It was the first car she ever purchased on her own and she just wants to keep throwing money at it. The list of things it needs compared to how little it's worth makes justifying fixing it very hard to me.

Should I make a list of all the things it needs and the cost VS putting that into a newer used vehicle? Stop maintaining it and drive it till it breaks then junk it? What's worked for you in the past?


It was easy … wife hears me cussing under the Explorer … asks what’s wrong … I roll out and ask if she wants to go look at some Tahoe’s …

 

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted By: PimTac
Am I the only one here thinking that the Impala didn’t hold up very well for only 130,000 miles? While I’m not a fan of GovMo this car should be in much better shape for that mileage.

I would consider something else.


I was thinking that the vehicle had a lack of maintenance issues.

 

[Huie83]

The vehicle was a government vehicle for it's first 30K miles, She purchased it after that and I maintained it shortly after that. I've changed the oil per the OLM using AC Delco filters and name brand oil. I serviced the trans with Dexron VI and a new filter @ 70K and again at 110K. Air filters every 30-50K, spark plugs and new serp belt @ 100K. Brakes all around with AC Delco parts as well as the EVAP stuff around 100K.

Before this past year it had a few issues but nothing crazy. I'd say once it hit 100-110K is when it started to go down hill.

I talked to my wife a bit about it last night. She wants to "drive it until it breaks". Still need to work my case.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
Originally Posted By: PimTac
Am I the only one here thinking that the Impala didn’t hold up very well for only 130,000 miles? While I’m not a fan of GovMo this car should be in much better shape for that mileage.

I would consider something else.


I was thinking that the vehicle had a lack of maintenance issues.


Yeah I was thinking the same thing. I've done struts, ball joints, tie rods, sway bar links in the 80-100 K range. Over half those problems are just due to deferred maintenance. You can expect those problems with pretty much any car with that kind of mileage.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
Originally Posted By: PimTac
Am I the only one here thinking that the Impala didn’t hold up very well for only 130,000 miles? While I’m not a fan of GovMo this car should be in much better shape for that mileage.

I would consider something else.


I was thinking that the vehicle had a lack of maintenance issues.


Yeah I was thinking the same thing. I've done struts, ball joints, tie rods, sway bar links in the 80-100 K range. Over half those problems are just due to deferred maintenance. You can expect those problems with pretty much any car with that kind of mileage.

I got a sense from the OP that he already had his mind made up about getting this car upgraded to something new(er), so he purposely delayed doing some things that should have been considered routine maintenance, not wanting to spend more money and time on a car that he wants to ditch.

All he was asking was how to get wife's buy-in on this plan.

He is not asking how to make the current car work.

 

[boulderdentist]

I purchased a 1989 Ford Ranger from my Dad, it was his retirement reward and toy. I took it in 2002 with 75,000 miles and kept it until 09-17, too much wrong at 336,000 miles, despite sentimental value. This vehicle stranded me four times during the 15 years of ownership. First time it was the ignition lock cylinder, next fuel pump, failed without warning, then transmission at 269,000, again no warning, lastly alternator which I managed to change in an Advance Auto parking lot. The inconvenience, the unreliability, the tows were a pain. Emphasize sudden failure, and being stranded at the worst possible time. I would be concerned for the air bag light. For me it finally came down to the probability of being stranded despite my maintenance and repairs.

Scott

 

[Huie83]

Quattro Pete is exactly right. Once the trans started to have issues, I pretty much stopped thinking long haul maintenance. I mean, it really is a gamble. It could very well make it another 50K miles limping on it's current transmission.... Who knows. I put the shift kit in which helped greatly but in my mind how do I spend $500-1K (or more) in all that other stuff with the trans possibly taking a dump a week or month later. No way I'd spend $2-3K on a trans for it when it has the list of other issues.

With 3 kiddos and a busy schedule, I kind of just don't want to deal with it or worry every time she is driving it. I just need to keep working the wife on something lower mileage and not a GM of that era.

Of course, now that I start talking about getting rid of it, the airbag light goes out and the defrost was working for her yesterday. It knows somethings up!

 

[SatinSilver]

Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
Unless you live in the rust belt, or can depreciate it as a business expense, there is no real rational for an actual new car. The numbers just do not work ...

A late model used car with a warranty - sure. Those numbers work better - way better.



I have never bought a new car because I needed one. It was because I wanted one. If you have the $$$ that's plenty of rational.......

If the OP feels he wants/needs a new car-and has the credit and/or cash-that's also rational enough.

The typical "anti-new car sentiment" thrives on this board. I think it's a little bit of your rational (numbers) and a little bit of jealousy.


The last truck you purchased for yourself was a few years old and not a brand new one. I remember it was a year newer than the previous one but had more options on it.

 

[KrisZ]

Stop changing oil and wait for the engine to seize.

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: SatinSilver
Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
Unless you live in the rust belt, or can depreciate it as a business expense, there is no real rational for an actual new car. The numbers just do not work ...

A late model used car with a warranty - sure. Those numbers work better - way better.



I have never bought a new car because I needed one. It was because I wanted one. If you have the $$$ that's plenty of rational.......

If the OP feels he wants/needs a new car-and has the credit and/or cash-that's also rational enough.

The typical "anti-new car sentiment" thrives on this board. I think it's a little bit of your rational (numbers) and a little bit of jealousy.


The last truck you purchased for yourself was a few years old and not a brand new one. I remember it was a year newer than the previous one but had more options on it.

That is true. And then a few months later I bought my wife a brand new Hyundai Sana Fe XL Limited. The 2012 Sierra SLT I bought was 4 years old with 24,000 miles on it. I couldn't pass it up.

 

[vavavroom]

When the time came, I told my wife the new car would make her butt look smaller.

 

[Gasbuggy]

Originally Posted By: Alfred_B


Keep the old car since it's not worth much (don't mention how much work it needs) and get a new car -- something much better than an Impala. After the old car sits on the driveway for a while, she will want to sell it.




Alfred, you are a smart man. That is exactly how to do it cleanly, without an argument. And trading in vs selling privately... You'll get more $$$.