Reasons to Keep an Older Car

[ecotourist]

Many people have a daily use vehicle and a "lightly used, once in a while, local vehicle".

If the "lightly used, once in a while, local vehicle" starts and runs well and doesn't look too bad it can be quite old. Our "lightly used, once in a while, local vehicle" is a 2007 Honda Accord. Before that it was a 2000 BMW 528i. To be honest the Honda could go anywhere but we generally restrict it to local use.

We generally buy a new vehicle when the "lightly used, once in a while, local vehicle" needs to be replaced for reliability reasons or my wife says she doesn't want to be seen driving that old clunker anymore. Or the daily use vehicle is starting to look more useful as a local only vehicle.

In our current use situation I usually drive the Honda if both vehicles are in use.

 

[GSCJR]

I have two Honda’s : 2012 Honda Civic & 2015 Honda FIT.

The FIT isn’t very quiet, but same for the older A320 I fly at times ( 321 is pretty quiet….cockpit further away from engines ) and it’s very fuel efficient.

The FIT is my 360 KM round trip airport commuter car.

My wife has a 2013 Civic.

I'll keep driving my Legacy, but it just doesn't seem to have the quality I was expecting from Subaru:

G

Thread '2012 Subaru Legacy 2.5 N/A CVT 266k Kms'

Dec 10, 2021

This is going to be my new DD. I've never owned a Subaru, so I'm looking for some advice and tips. I'm going over it to get it road worthy and so far it needs, ball joints, pads and rotors, tires, LCA bushings and the LF window won't go down. The car has been sitting for two years after the CVT failed. The CVT was replaced with a USED unit however, the car never went back on the road. I've started replacing some of the aforementioned parts and while doing so, I noticed broken engine ground harnesses, which I've started fabricating. Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

• GSCJR
• Replies: 81
• Forum: Vehicles

• 

 

[Just a civilian pilot]

I'll keep driving my Legacy, but it just doesn't seem to have the same quality I was expecting from Subaru:

G

Thread '2012 Subaru Legacy 2.5 N/A CVT 266k Kms'

Dec 10, 2021

This is going to be my new DD. I've never owned a Subaru, so I'm looking for some advice and tips. I'm going over it to get it road worthy and so far it needs, ball joints, pads and rotors, tires, LCA bushings and the LF window won't go down. The car has been sitting for two years after the CVT failed. The CVT was replaced with a USED unit however, the car never went back on the road. I've started replacing some of the aforementioned parts and while doing so, I noticed broken engine ground harnesses, which I've started fabricating. Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

• GSCJR
• Replies: 81
• Forum: Vehicles

• 

I really like the
Subaru
Cross trek but they use more gas with the full time FWD.

 

[fdcg27]

As long as a vehicle suits you in its function, appearance and reliability, then you do you.
There is no reason to dispose of a vehicle merely because its getting older.
New or used?
I've always said that the best way to get an old beater is to buy it new and then keep it for years.

 

[ecotourist]

Many people have a daily use vehicle and a "lightly used, once in a while, local vehicle".

If the "lightly used, once in a while, local vehicle" starts and runs well and doesn't look too bad it can be quite old. Our "lightly used, once in a while, local vehicle" is a 2007 Honda Accord. Before that it was a 2000 BMW 528i. To be honest the Honda could go anywhere but we generally restrict it to local use.

We generally buy a new vehicle when the "lightly used, once in a while, local vehicle" needs to be replaced for reliability reasons or my wife says she doesn't want to be seen driving that old clunker anymore. Or the daily use vehicle is starting to look more useful as a local only vehicle.

In our current use situation I usually drive the Honda if both vehicles are in use.

The other thing I forgot to mention is when we do buy a vehicle we generally buy a new one with the intention that we'll drive it 'till it drops.

The exception was the BMW which was 3 years old, about half the new price, and still under warranty. We got all the deficiencies corrected during the warranty period and after that it was pretty reliable, didn't cost an excessive amount to maintain, and we kept it for 18 years so I think we got our money's worth. I also needed a "flash car" at that point in my career which it delivered in spades.

 

[Leo99]

I'd buy something new tomorrow except, there is nothing new that I love and my Camry runs fine except the AC might be broken. Maybe it's considered an older car at 11 years old with 175,000 miles.

 

[Kestas]

Buying new or used is a personal decision. I've always bought used and done all my own work. This saved me a lot of money in my lifetime. Now I'm older and my days of crawling under the car and wrenching are numbered. Joint pain and arthritis have set in. With the money I saved I can now buy newer cars.

 

[gfh77665]

All to their own. I buy a new one every 10-12 years...

 

[CKN]

I love these "kumbaya" threads for the beater club that pops up at least 1 a month now.

 

[02SE]

I love these "kumbaya" threads for the beater club that pops up at least 1 a month now.

I saw the thread Title, and that you had posted, and knew your comment would be along those lines.

 

[svtrit]

If I lived in CA still I would have a hard time justifying a new car. However, here in IA, the rust monster makes that next to impossible. I try hard though, using Fluid Film or Surface Blaster. I got rid of my 2014 T&C because it perforated in the dogleg, had a problem in Cylinder 2 (bad valve, bad rings, etc.) and the doors were not working quite right in electric mode. I spoiled my bride with a new Sienna.

At the age of 16, after I totalled my dad's stepside 78 D100, in 1992, we cut it up for scrap. It was scary how much rust was unseen. He had repainted the truck 3 or so years sooner, so it looked great, but rust was hiding between the panels. Had we not built a plate to keep the seatbelt useful I may or may not be in the condition I am in today, as there was nothing holding in that seatbelt bolt before we fixed it.

I am keeping my 2020 Wrangler soaked in anti rust stuff, and try to not drive it in the winter since I have a company vehicle. I might be able to keep the Wrangler alive for a long time since it is still a hand crank window, manual lock rig with minimal electronics, but I do think it is the computers that will ruin our ability to keep new cars "forever".

 

[loneryder]

Some time back, I posted some things I thought would help a person keep a car running for a long time. But then I thought, what are the economic reasons for doing that.

1. When you buy a new vehicle, generally you are charged sales tax on the difference between the sales price and the trade-in value, at least here in PA. We pay 6% sales tax. So if you buy a car at $45.000 with a $15,000 trade-in, you will pay tax on $30,000. In PA at a 6% rate, that is $1800. What do you have to show for that $1800? Absolutely nothing. You are better off using that money to keep an older car running (if you have kept it in good shape). Have all the fluids changed, replace drive belts, timing belts, water pumps, etc.

2. New car or truck? Large and rapid depreciation. Vehicles are one of the major things you buy in life that takes away your money through depreciation. Generally, real estate goes up; vehicles go down. In five years, depending on what you buy, you can lose 50% of the value or more. $45.000 could mean you lose $22,500. Trade it in? You know are faced with more sales tax. It is a losing game.

3. Insurance on new and complicated vehicles is going to be higher than on an older vehicle, particularly if you get to the point (10 years of ownership or thereabouts) when you can drop collision coverage. Less outlay, more money in your pocket! And if you do get a dent, a scratch or some rust, you are less likely to be moved by emotion to get it repaired than a new car.

4. New cars have a 3 year, 36,000 mile warranty ( there are exceptions) so after this time, you are now faced with possible repairs on very expensive systems. With new cars, you have screens, computer control of most everything, lane keeping, stop/start, etc. Repairs can be EXPENSIVE on systems like this. It is one reason not to buy a used Mercedes or BMW where systems are staring to age out.

5. Take the money lost on depreciation and sales tax and you quickly realize that paying a few thousand dollars on a well maintained, well running car to do preventative maintenance to get another five or more years is really a no brainer.

Any thing I missed on this?

An older car is not spying and recording what you do in the car. Also it’s not taking control of the car away from you among other fancy things.

 

[CKN]

I saw the thread Title, and that you had posted, and knew your comment would be along those lines.

Of course!

 

[CKN]

An older car is not spying and recording what you do in the car. Also it’s not taking control of the car away from you among other fancy things.

No-the myriad of cameras mounted every else does this. (plenty of stories how a guy got his picture taken by a red light camera with his mistress in the car)
Yes-older cars are inherently less safe.

Sorry-your post is a little weak.....

 

[dogememe]

Financially it makes more sense to keep a mainstream, reliable older vehicle.

But you don't get modern tech features, the latest safety tech, the fastest performance, etc. Which some people care about!

 

[IndyIan]

Financially it makes more sense to keep a mainstream, reliable older vehicle.

But you don't get modern tech features, the latest safety tech, the fastest performance, etc. Which some people care about!

I won't argue on the performance aspect, especially for EVs.
But the safety tech is way over blown if you look at the statistics. Tesla has the highest manufacturer driver death rate, by quite a bit!
https://www.iseecars.com/most-dangerous-cars-study#v=2024
If the safety tech actually worked better than paying attention, they should be the lowest, as they have no "old unsafe" low tech cars, they are significantly heavier than the average vehicle in their class, and all have the "safety tech". Also I would assume Tesla's have a higher rate of urban usage compared to non-EV brands, which makes the high death rate even more likely related to how drivers use safety systems.
So unless you truly are a terrible driver at assessing risk, and understanding what situations you are driving into, you are likely better off driving a "dumb" car and keeping your eyes on the road and your brain engaged, than getting a car with all the nannies and trusting them with your life.

 

[CKN]

I won't argue on the performance aspect, especially for EVs.
But the safety tech is way over blown if you look at the statistics. Tesla has the highest manufacturer driver death rate, by quite a bit!
https://www.iseecars.com/most-dangerous-cars-study#v=2024
If the safety tech actually worked better than paying attention, they should be the lowest, as they have no "old unsafe" low tech cars, they are significantly heavier than the average vehicle in their class, and all have the "safety tech". Also I would assume Tesla's have a higher rate of urban usage compared to non-EV brands, which makes the high death rate even more likely related to how drivers use safety systems.
So unless you truly are a terrible driver at assessing risk, and understanding what situations you are driving into, you are likely better off driving a "dumb" car and keeping your eyes on the road and your brain engaged, than getting a car with all the nannies and trusting them with your life.

I am not going to go in to reaction times,drivers skills, etc. Simply because I got warning from the mods last time. But your last sentence is an argument that comes up every time and is ridiculous no matter who posts it.

 

[loneryder]

No-the myriad of cameras mounted every else does this. (plenty of stories how a guy got his picture taken by a red light camera with his mistress in the car)
Yes-older cars are inherently less safe.

Sorry-your post is a little weak.....

You trying to start a fight?

 

[IndyIan]

I am not going to go in to reaction times,drivers skills, etc. Simply because I got warning from the mods last time. But your last sentence is an argument that comes up every time and is ridiculous no matter who posts it.

Do you have an alternative theory why Tesla's are so deadly to their drivers?

My new(to me) car has automatic braking and adaptive cruise, but there was a bit of a learning curve on the adaptive cruise not causing an accident, on 2 lane highways. And the automatic braking is probably better than me if I'm asleep, but otherwise at 100km/h on a 2 lane road, I doubt it will hit the brakes early enough to scrub much speed before impact... It has such a narrow awareness of what is occurring on and beside the road ahead, compared to a person.
I can see though with lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise, lots of people just spacing out and not seeing the first deer cross the road ahead, and then drive into the next one without slowing at all...
I'm not the worlds fastest reacting driver, but I do have lots of years of experience, and I can see, anticipate, and adapt to situations that could lead to accident pretty well.

 

[CKN]

Do you have an alternative theory why Tesla's are so deadly to their drivers?

My new(to me) car has automatic braking and adaptive cruise, but there was a bit of a learning curve on the adaptive cruise not causing an accident, on 2 lane highways. And the automatic braking is probably better than me if I'm asleep, but otherwise at 100km/h on a 2 lane road, I doubt it will hit the brakes early enough to scrub much speed before impact... It has such a narrow awareness of what is occurring on and beside the road ahead, compared to a person.
I can see though with lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise, lots of people just spacing out and not seeing the first deer cross the road ahead, and then drive into the next one without slowing at all...
I'm not the worlds fastest reacting driver, but I do have lots of years of experience, and I can see, anticipate, and adapt to situations that could lead to accident pretty well.

One guess would be the self driving feature -several stories about drivers of Teslas not correctly monitoring that.
You can't take one segment/sedans/Teslas/self driving and make it anecdotal. Too many vehicles on the road with driver's assist features to do that.