When and why did you decide to be done with beater cars?

[Bob5150]

I have been going through a rough patch with repairs on my vehicles, and have been considering buying a new vehicle.

I have always driven well-used beater type of cars and trucks, and when adding up all the expenses of this, I feel like it would be better (even if not strictly from a $ sense) to go with something new that can have a good maintenance history and last a good long time.

I am thinking about stuff like:

- purchase price
- tax/title/tags/fees, etc
- initial tune-up/oil change, repairs needed, tires needed, etc to have the car roadworthy
- often these cars are dirty so the big initial cleanup
- these cars end up needing repairs, some of which I can't do due to lack of time/tools/skill/confidence
- not always having ac/heat

I am 34 years old, and since I started driving at 17, I've gone through the following:

1992 Taurus
1991 Firebird (admittedly a dumb 17-year old purchase)
1995 Sable
2001 Dodge Ram
1996 Dodge Ram
1996 Cavalier
2004 Cavalier
2008 Dodge Ram
2009 Chevy Cobalt

Some of these were owned concurrently, I've usually had a truck and a gas-sipper at the same time. the 2008 Ram and the 2009 Cobalt are the current fleet, with 140k and 150k miles respectively.

When I think of all the purchase price/tune ups/repairs/tax, etc. paid on these vehicles, plus all the time and effort spent to keep them roadworthy, I feel like I am at the point that I would rather have something bought new that I can just maintain and drive.

I spoke to my neighbor a few weeks ago, she is 49 years old, and since she started driving, has had a 1994 Jeep Wrangler, and a 2008 H3 Hummer, both bought new. 24 years of service from 2 vehicles, both well-maintained and hardly any problems according to her. A stark contrast to the effort of finding these used cars, getting them home, and the time/money/effort put into keeping them going.

I'm wondering if anyone else has gone from driving beaters to buying something new and have you enjoyed/regretted that decision?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[JHZR2]

Different folks have different opinions on this for sure.

Keep in mind that now isn’t a great time to buy anything except maybe a private party super deal.

Recent used cars IMO are poor values, because the “cars lose 50% of their value as soon as they drive off the lot” claim is never true. The question is if the amortized cost of replacement parts, which a recent used vehicle is obviously closer to than a new vehicle, is worth the “discount”. Often I find it is not. For me, the purchase of new vehicles without too many of the overpriced bells and whistles results in a vehicle that is a good value bought new and kept for a long time.

There is a sweet spot with higher mileage quality cars where if they were well maintained, have records, and are in good shape, you may be back closer to square one with parts replacement and per mile amortization of those costs. A 150k mile car with minimal service is a worse buy than a 200k mile car with a sorted out suspension, cooling system, and decent tires… for example. I have a number of vehicles with >>200k that I wouldn’t hesitate to drive across country tomorrow. But it is because they were cared for and upkept from the start.

 

[jeepman3071]

I think it depends on what you define as a beater. I don't know too many people who went from a beater to a new car.

In my area, a beater will cost you more money than something a bit more expensive in better condition, because most beaters are constantly falling apart due to rust. They become a black hole you throw money into. I've had decent luck with used cars, I buy them with cash, work out the bugs (I'm a perfectionist), and drive them until I want something different. It helps that I can fix my own stuff, and never having a car payment along with cheaper insurance has allowed me to afford other things, and be in a better financial situation.

With that said, I'm sure at some point when I'm older I'll want to just go buy something brand new, but knowing the value of something slightly used vs. brand new is a hard pill to swallow even though I can afford it. It's also very different for someone who is an enthusiast like myself, versus someone who sees buying a new car as buying a new appliance to do a job.

 

[RhondaHonda]

I sold my $50 Honda Accord and bought a brand new Jetta TDI in 2006. First new car and car with a warranty. The reason I quit driving the beater Honda is because I could afford to at that point. Bought new vehicles ever since and love not having anxiety about breakdowns or looming repairs.

 

[Cujet]

The mistaken idea that a cheap purchase price saves money is just that. Cars have a specific lifespan, and purchase price is only about 1/3 of the total cost of ownership. Add in that old cars don't have a long expected lifespan and the price reflects the expected service life.

A well purchased new car is only about 10% more expensive "per mile" than a used car.

 

[DweezilAZ]

I've only had six since 1980. Three are still in my driveway.

Two brand new ones and if the bought new [and just paid off and detailed ] '99 Cavalier hadn't been destroyed in a rear-end crash I'd still have it. The purchased new car that replaced it, I have had for 17 years now.

I waited a long time to pull the trigger on a new one with the intention of keeping it forever and giving it preventive and preemptive care. I looked for long production runs, common parts, ease of repair and something easy on the eyes.

New ones still have bugs but they can be sorted. And there's a warranty as well.

As it stands I may never buy another car. The newest only has 80,000 miles on it and just tossed off a 1000 mile round trip to LA and delivered an average 33 + mpg fully loaded with the AC blasting, headwinds and 70-75 mph speeds.

Sounds like you have paid your dues. I bought my first brand new one at the age of 43. The 63 Valiant I drove for 10 years before I bought a newer used beat down '84 Citation in 1992. Loved all of them.

Buy it to keep it and maintain to your standards. Get the full value from it and never look back.

 

[WylieCoyote]

Frugality isn't a trait that typically goes away, so my advice would be stay away from new, as they depreciate as soon as you join them off a lot. Let somebody else pay that initial depreciation, and buy a three or four year old car that's been well maintained. I'll add that right now is the worst possible time to attempt this, as used cars are coming at a premium. Hold out until this madness subsides, if you can.

 

[fisher83]

I went the opposite direction from usually owning new or a couple year old cars to my current beater. Reason being that I'm now working from home permanently so I drive maybe 5-10 miles per day. It is just not worth the cost to drive a newer vehicle for so few miles. Wife still drives a new car though. I see no issue with your new car idea. Sounds like you deserve something newer after the string of older cars you've been dealing with.

 

[jeepman3071]

The mistaken idea that a cheap purchase price saves money is just that. Cars have a specific lifespan, and purchase price is only about 1/3 of the total cost of ownership. Add in that old cars don't have a long expected lifespan and the price reflects the expected service life.

A well purchased new car is only about 10% more expensive "per mile" than a used car.

I agree but to a certain point. Things change a bit when you live in the salt belt, where all vehicles start to become trash after 5 years old. I've seen 5 year old 80k dollar pickups that are literally falling apart from rust. Sure, fluid film and other treatments slow down the rust, but they won't stop it. One could argue that buying a slightly used vehicle from a rust-free climate and driving it for about the same time before it rusts out is a better value.

To me it all depends on a person's needs and preferences. I have family who lease vehicles and want nothing to do with owning them, and I also have family who are currently stuck in rentals for several months because their new vehicles they bought to avoid potential breakdowns have been stuck at the dealer waiting on parts. It's really a toss up, people should just focus on buying what they want and can afford over what might potentially be a better value 10 years down the road. I wouldn't recommend many used vehicles to people who don't have the ability to work on their own cars, or ability to know if a shop is taking advantage of them.

If you aren't car savvy, and buy a beater that needs to go to the mechanic every time something breaks, you'll be ahead buying something else.

 

[LazyDog]

If you got the funds, driving a new car is a good choice. I like older cars because if you know your way around them, it is much easier to maintain.

If I had the extra cash, I would probably get an EV.

 

[javacontour]

Well, my beaters have gotten nicer.

Started at $100 many many years ago. I'm up to $10k beaters today

 

[nomas]

I missed out on an older Toyota pickup with relatively low mileage . Maybe 150k or so . It had some dings and dents but ran well and the A/C was cold . No rust . I could have bought it for $1500 . I hesitated and my son got it . I could kick my butt for procrastinating ..

 

[ChrisMU]

My definition of a beater has changed over time, as well as location. Prior to getting married and moving to Texas, all of my vehicles were sub-$1,000, had some rust, and all except one didn’t have working a/c.

Now, that nice new Corolla my wife bought back in 2003 has descended into beaterdom (200k, paint starting to fade on roof). My first nice daily driver (2000 Town Car purchased for $5200 in 2016 with 39K) is headed that way too (140k, my “almost” professional deer collision repair, coolant smell fills the cabin when I gun it) is headed that way too. So…we basically have $3,000 beaters. Also, living in Texas, we wouldn’t dream of having a daily car without working a/c.

If I still lived in the rust belt, I would buy a $3,000-ish car from Texas, NM, AZ, etc., likely a clean Toyota with 150-200k from a private seller, and drive that. If the engine or transmission bit the dust, there’d be plenty of rusty powertrain donors available. Paying $20k+ for a car that will rot out in 12 years (no matter how well I maintain it) is something I wouldn’t do.

Considering the fact that my wife is an attorney, we probably will buy a new car someday, but not in this market, not without a true garage (instead of a rickety carport), and only when we have saved the cash. That’ll be a while.

 

[IndyIan]

The mistaken idea that a cheap purchase price saves money is just that. Cars have a specific lifespan, and purchase price is only about 1/3 of the total cost of ownership. Add in that old cars don't have a long expected lifespan and the price reflects the expected service life.

A well purchased new car is only about 10% more expensive "per mile" than a used car.

Sounds about right, if your not in the rust belt. And you sell at the right time.
In the rust belt, I think 12-15 years is about when the average car is getting hard to work on, and lots of things with small but critical parts are failing.
I'm kind of targeting 15 years on the Outback when its scrap value and that equals just under $2k/year in depreciation alone. I've now had my latest Focus for 2.5 years and it was $2200, and has needed maybe $1500 in work if taken to a garage. I've put about $700 in parts on it and it needs a couple hundred more, but should go for the next while with no more brake, or suspension work. So its been quite abit cheaper than the Outback so far, as its still worth the purchase price(in normal times).
Obviously they aren't the same quality of vehicle, but other than awd, they have the same functionality.
IMO if you make a good beater purchase(with proven reliable major drive parts), and can do some parts swapping, a $2-3k private car is still much cheaper to run than the same car new. As long as nothing expensive breaks! But that's the same issue for any car 5+ years old and out of warranty.

 

[Rmay635703]

I’ve gone the other way from a decent car to a beater

Irritating getting nickel and dimed but the odd part was I got long stretches of reliability but the last 2 years of inconsistent driving seems to be harder on the beaters that need daily driving

 

[javacontour]

My definition of a beater has changed over time, as well as location. Prior to getting married and moving to Texas, all of my vehicles were sub-$1,000, had some rust, and all except one didn’t have working a/c.

Now, that nice new Corolla my wife bought back in 2003 has descended into beaterdom (200k, paint starting to fade on roof). My first nice daily driver (2000 Town Car purchased for $5200 in 2016 with 39K) is headed that way too (140k, my “almost” professional deer collision repair, coolant smell fills the cabin when I gun it) is headed that way too. So…we basically have $3,000 beaters. Also, living in Texas, we wouldn’t dream of having a daily car without working a/c.

If I still lived in the rust belt, I would buy a $3,000-ish car from Texas, NM, AZ, etc., likely a clean Toyota with 150-200k from a private seller, and drive that. If the engine or transmission bit the dust, there’d be plenty of rusty powertrain donors available. Paying $20k+ for a car that will rot out in 12 years (no matter how well I maintain it) is something I wouldn’t do.

Considering the fact that my wife is an attorney, we probably will buy a new car someday, but not in this market, not without a true garage (instead of a rickety carport), and only when we have saved the cash. That’ll be a while.

You live in a beautiful area.

We spent part of a day in Dripping Springs in March as part of our Hill Country Day Drinking tour. I managed to have a pint at Acopon Brewing and then a whiskey at Dripping Springs Distillery.

And for the BITOG police, I had a full glass of water between each, so 2 drinks over 3+ hours isn't going to make a 200+ pound man anywhere close to unsafe to drive.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I used to be able to afford only free cars.

 

[930.engineering]

I sold my $50 Honda Accord and bought a brand new Jetta TDI in 2006. First new car and car with a warranty. The reason I quit driving the beater Honda is because I could afford to at that point. Bought new vehicles ever since and love not having anxiety about breakdowns or looming repairs.

Exactly.
Bought my first new car when I started earning 'real' money.
Cars often begin being more costly when they approach their
second half of the lifespan (which I'd say is roughly 20 years).
Let's not miss it's a matter of peace of mind to start a longer
trip and not have to worry about getting in any kind of trouble.
That said cheapest car to hold by far is my oldest as it doesn't
suffer from depreciation.
.

 

[SevenBizzos]

I stopped with the $2000 specials when I became employed full time. In saying that, I've owned a dozen cars in my life and only one was purchased new.

 

[nomas]

I'm retired and don't drive enough anymore to make it worthwhile to search out a beater . If a good one fell in my lap I might consider it but that rarely happens anymore . If it runs and drives somebody will jump on it .