New car vs. used car.

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Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
One more time: is it truly a problem...or will it run another 200,000 miles as long as the oil is checked regularly? A CC is only $200 on Rock Auto.


Someone lower down the automotive food chain will have fun figuring that out.

A dealer/MFGR is going to say 1K mi per qt is perfectly fine... Now do you really think they could make that statement if oil usage were damaging the cats??
 
It is perfectly fine if it was a mid 70's air cooled 911.


As oil consumption continues to increase you will start to run into other issues. I don't know exactly what point that is on that car, but its pretty sad quite frankly on a modern Toyota to have to contemplate old European car oil burning issues.
 
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Originally Posted By: Brybo86
Originally Posted By: eljefino
A couple years back we were feeling slightly flush and thought we should have a good-ish car for my wife and kids to cruise around in.

So we got a 6-year old HHR with the famed ecotec engine, 137k miles, for $3600.

Man that was about $1600 too much.
smile.gif
I think the cute ute fad is floating prices up, even on dogs like this thing.

It is, mechanically, falling to bits fairly quickly. Both lower control arm bushings conked out; fine. But the captive nuts in the frame busted loose and I had to sawzall my way in, cutting right through those huge bolts, to cobble a solution. It's like every other FWD GM in eating brake rotors, and the radiator fan siezed over the winter. It's basically a 15 year old beater at half the age. Never again! Get me another $400 car with blown transmission I can change in a weekend. At least with that the gamble is low, payoff high, and you have an idea why the seller is dumping the car.


I never said get ANY cheap used car, you need to do your homework, and you WILL get a great reward for doing so


The problem is the HHR model run was from 06 to 12, so buying an 07 was at a point where the idiosyncracies aren't well discovered yet. I'd have done better buying a 1996 cutlass ciera with 14 years experience in both manufacture and repair.
wink.gif


But if I had waited longer, HHRs would have gotten cheaper, and their foibles more obvious. The ecotec motor has been in constant improvement since 1999 and knock wood I haven't had problems there. Just the rest of the car is shoddy.

I can't imagine buying a new, new car with all its unknowns, unless it's something like a crown vic that's been unchanged for 30 years.
 
We buy new and hold on to them till they rust out or a major mechanical problem happens.
My Contour is 20 years old, my F-150 is 14 and my wife's Explorer is 10. The only major mechanical issue was with her 2002 4.0 Explorer. It developed the timing chain cassette issue and the replacement ones were identical. The job was thousands of dollars to only happen again. She traded it for her 2005 4.6 V8 Explorer. At 175,000 miles it's still a great vehicle.

Whimsey
 
Originally Posted By: Whimsey
We buy new and hold on to them till they rust out or a major mechanical problem happens.
My Contour is 20 years old, my F-150 is 14 and my wife's Explorer is 10. The only major mechanical issue was with her 2002 4.0 Explorer. It developed the timing chain cassette issue and the replacement ones were identical. The job was thousands of dollars to only happen again. She traded it for her 2005 4.6 V8 Explorer. At 175,000 miles it's still a great vehicle.

Whimsey


Wow, I gave up on my Contour about 8 years into it, had a 95. The problems of a first year model. Didn't even hit 100k, just too many problems with it. Don't know how long I'll keep my current Mercedes, I'm already sorta tempted by the 2012 or 2014 E350's but I think I'll wait a couple more years before doing anything, depreciation on those are really tremendous and you can get them for 20-30k after 3-5 years. Way better than a new run of the mill Toyota or Honda.
 
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Not all used cars are traded in, one of mine that I bought a year ago was for sale because the previous owner was shot in the head.

BTW, I paid cash, and no debt.


I hope he wasn't in the car at the time.


Nope, bound & gagged in an alley.
 
Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
One more time: is it truly a problem...or will it run another 200,000 miles as long as the oil is checked regularly? A CC is only $200 on Rock Auto.


Someone lower down the automotive food chain will have fun figuring that out.


Stop auditioning for Dancing with the Stars and answer the question.
 
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
One more time: is it truly a problem...or will it run another 200,000 miles as long as the oil is checked regularly? A CC is only $200 on Rock Auto.


Someone lower down the automotive food chain will have fun figuring that out.


Stop auditioning for Dancing with the Stars and answer the question.

Maybe we can find out the answer on TV if he actually gets past the audition...

Still havin' a problem visualizing the choreography though...
 
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
One more time: is it truly a problem...or will it run another 200,000 miles as long as the oil is checked regularly? A CC is only $200 on Rock Auto.


Someone lower down the automotive food chain will have fun figuring that out.


Stop auditioning for Dancing with the Stars and answer the question.


Whats your problem? I answered your question, you didn't like it. Quite frankly I don't owe you anything so *uck off.
 
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I generally buy used vehicles with mileages between 6,000 and 36,000 miles for two main reasons:

Lower Taxes

Lower cost of insurance

I despise the ridiculous taxation rates and insurance costs on new vehicles.
 
Originally Posted By: MolaKule
I generally buy used vehicles with mileages between 6,000 and 36,000 miles for two main reasons:

Lower Taxes

Lower cost of insurance

I despise the ridiculous taxation rates and insurance costs on new vehicles.



People don't generally sell cars with that little miles on them.

Slightly lower property taxes from a 1-2 year old car I can see.

As far as lower insurance, a 1-2 year old car isn't going to save you much on insurance. When I bought my 2013 Silverado it costed me ~$30 a year more in mt full coverage insurance, hardly an increase worth talking about.
 
Originally Posted By: stchman
Originally Posted By: MolaKule
I generally buy used vehicles with mileages between 6,000 and 36,000 miles for two main reasons:

Lower Taxes

Lower cost of insurance

I despise the ridiculous taxation rates and insurance costs on new vehicles.



People don't generally sell cars with that little miles on them.

Slightly lower property taxes from a 1-2 year old car I can see.

As far as lower insurance, a 1-2 year old car isn't going to save you much on insurance. When I bought my 2013 Silverado it costed me ~$30 a year more in mt full coverage insurance, hardly an increase worth talking about.


The nice part if you can find a car that old is that if it's under 36k, it usually has some of the manufacturer's warranty left on it and you can buy an extended warranty if you want to. Luxury cars are even better, they typically do 4 years/50k. Here we have excise tax so it's a lot higher in the first 5 years, once you hit 5 years, you only pay $25 per thousand based on 10% of the list price. First year it's 90%, then 60, 40, 25 til you're down to 10% in the 5th. Depreciation is typically 40-60% after 3-4 years so you don't pay as much on sales tax also.
 
Originally Posted By: Kawiguy454
I dont think it is possible to definitively answer the question as far too many variables.


In the upper segment, where folks go through vehicles on a whim one could find good deals given patience. I bought many 3-4 y o Lexus LS and LX, used them in livery service and flipped them for a good profit. Benz G is a love-hate vehicle, and patience helps there too. A good SUV for midgets with dough and ego. C-Class = wannabe class goes for nothing on Mannheim. So does Expensive VW for Architects and Foreigners, as they call Lord of The Rings in Bavaria. Value segment with Accords, Camry and their siblings are very well priced and re-priced by millions
 
I bought My Maxima for $1,600 cash about 6 years ago. I've put about 100,000 miles on it since then (315,000+ now). I've spent under $200/year in maintenance/repairs. Registration is $67/2 years. It still rides/drives/sounds/runs like new and uses no oil. With Craigslist and mechanical aptitude you can save ALOT over a new purchase.
 
Originally Posted By: stchman
Originally Posted By: MolaKule
I generally buy used vehicles with mileages between 6,000 and 36,000 miles for two main reasons:

Lower Taxes

Lower cost of insurance

I despise the ridiculous taxation rates and insurance costs on new vehicles.



People don't generally sell cars with that little miles on them.

Slightly lower property taxes from a 1-2 year old car I can see.

As far as lower insurance, a 1-2 year old car isn't going to save you much on insurance. When I bought my 2013 Silverado it costed me ~$30 a year more in mt full coverage insurance, hardly an increase worth talking about.

There are plenty with 24-26k miles after lease returned cars out there. Go to MB, BMW and so forth and see a bunch. There are also certified cars. Property tax declines very rapidly linearly in-phase with depreciation rates. At 36 mo. cars depreciate about 40% and the property tax gets cheaper by the same rate.
Having said that I hate used cars and try to buy new or even lease one. It is a bit more money but who cares if I have it. If short then I buy used. But there is a little saving in there (considering every thing)unless it is a beat up.
 
Originally Posted By: stchman

Slightly lower property taxes from a 1-2 year old car I can see.

As far as lower insurance, a 1-2 year old car isn't going to save you much on insurance. When I bought my 2013 Silverado it costed me ~$30 a year more in mt full coverage insurance, hardly an increase worth talking about.


I am so glad our state has none of these ridiculous property taxes on vehicles nonsense!
smile.gif


The insurance thing - yeah - the rates are not that bad at all on new. Wife just replaced her 03 Escape with a 16 Escape. Our rates jumped $100 a year. Yes, we had full coverage on the old car. Insurance rates are funny - I pay more for full coverage on my F150 than I do for the Taurus SHO .
 
Originally Posted By: asand1
I bought My Maxima for $1,600 cash about 6 years ago. I've put about 100,000 miles on it since then (315,000+ now). I've spent under $200/year in maintenance/repairs. Registration is $67/2 years. It still rides/drives/sounds/runs like new and uses no oil. With Craigslist and mechanical aptitude you can save ALOT over a new purchase.


Sounds a lot like my method over the last 49 years... If you detest payments as badly as I do(I've financed four in 49 years, still own two of those), you'll find good used and cut ownership costs to maybe 25-50% of new... I've sold a few for more than I paid...

Originally Posted By: itguy08
Originally Posted By: stchman

Slightly lower property taxes from a 1-2 year old car I can see.


I am so glad our state has none of these ridiculous property taxes on vehicles nonsense!
smile.gif



If you don't think you're paying similar due to some other rate, fee, tax, etc you're in dream land...
 
Originally Posted By: TFB1

Originally Posted By: itguy08
Originally Posted By: stchman

Slightly lower property taxes from a 1-2 year old car I can see.


I am so glad our state has none of these ridiculous property taxes on vehicles nonsense!
smile.gif



If you don't think you're paying similar due to some other rate, fee, tax, etc you're in dream land...


Well, let's see - here in PA it's $43 to register my car every year, new or old, $80 or so for my truck. Our property tax for our house is $2900 or so. Income taxes are about 3%. We do have local taxes but they are 1%. Our gas taxes are among the highest in the nation now. Sales Tax is 6%.

Not a fantasy land but sure beats "personal property tax" nonsense in some states.
 
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