I get a weekly circular, I see amazing lease deals like a subaru imprezza (or even an outback) in the 200-250 range/mo out the door, no hidden stuff. Even if it is is a few bucks more a month it seems like a good deal. These cars keep their value so the leases are less. Probably cars with few options, but today even the base model is quite loaded.
Then I think of my older cars, I do pretty much all the repairs on them and I just pay for parts at the lowest price. The explorer needed a complete exhaust system, including cats, and paid a bit over $500 for parts with the rebates and lowest prices I could get. Estimates for this work were in the $1500-$1800 range. Even the stupid coil I just replaced, 40 bucks for me but if someone had to bring it to the dealer in its $170. Even in an Indy it would probably be $120-$150, because they would mark up the part to retail. And there are many other nickel and dime repairs these cars need - Even a trans fluid flush is $80-$100 in materials (filter/fluid, etc). I don't think the repairs on the explorer are crazy compared to even newer cars, but I also know that even though the trans is meticulously maintained there is a always a risk of total failure due to its design.
The other thing is putting parts in a 20yo car does nothing for its value - you could have a brand new moog front end, new brake lines and hoses, new calipers, new ford radiator, new this, that and it is worth the same as someones neglected POS.
Most shops also make you leave the car for a day(or more for some things), so you have to make arrangements. So whether you do the repair yourself or bring it in there is a time factor as well.
Granted, sometimes I may go a year or two without repairs, but something like the Subaru deal comes close in pocketbook and time factor to keeping an old clunker on the road. Am I missing something here?
Then I think of my older cars, I do pretty much all the repairs on them and I just pay for parts at the lowest price. The explorer needed a complete exhaust system, including cats, and paid a bit over $500 for parts with the rebates and lowest prices I could get. Estimates for this work were in the $1500-$1800 range. Even the stupid coil I just replaced, 40 bucks for me but if someone had to bring it to the dealer in its $170. Even in an Indy it would probably be $120-$150, because they would mark up the part to retail. And there are many other nickel and dime repairs these cars need - Even a trans fluid flush is $80-$100 in materials (filter/fluid, etc). I don't think the repairs on the explorer are crazy compared to even newer cars, but I also know that even though the trans is meticulously maintained there is a always a risk of total failure due to its design.
The other thing is putting parts in a 20yo car does nothing for its value - you could have a brand new moog front end, new brake lines and hoses, new calipers, new ford radiator, new this, that and it is worth the same as someones neglected POS.
Most shops also make you leave the car for a day(or more for some things), so you have to make arrangements. So whether you do the repair yourself or bring it in there is a time factor as well.
Granted, sometimes I may go a year or two without repairs, but something like the Subaru deal comes close in pocketbook and time factor to keeping an old clunker on the road. Am I missing something here?
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