No wonder GM can't sell a damn vehicle

[skb12172]

This simply reinforces my long held opinion that you have to be an idiot to buy a new car; and that goes double for a fully optioned up new car, or a new "premium" car.

Same here. I'll buy a car that's 2-3 years old, then drive it for ten years...at least.

[Ben S]

S
This simply reinforces my long held opinion that you have to be an idiot to buy a new car; and that goes double for a fully optioned up new car, or a new "premium" car.

While I generally agree with you, there is one exception. My father always buys cars with manual transmissions. (Can't blame him. I won't drive auto. I hate it.)
But since a stupid driver, or new driver can really wear down a clutch, and screw up the gears if he doesn't know what he's doing, my father always buys new. This way he knows he's not buying a car that is going to need several thousand dollars of parts and labor to replace a clutch that only had 2K miles left on it when he bought the car. (clutch replacement is a pretty expensive job)

[Netpackrat]

Well, I guess that makes me an idiot, because the last 3 vehicles I have bought have all been brand new, and I would do it again if I were in the market. I don't expect that will be for a while though, since 8 years later, my Jeep is just getting run-in at around 77,000 miles, and I still occasionally drive the Chevy pickup that my dad (clearly, another idiot) bought new in 1973.

As for the $2000 cost to repair Chris' current vehicle, you can figure on either paying depreciation on a newer rig, or maintenance on an older one. Taken over the life of a vehicle, I think the cost of ownership pretty much evens out. I would personally rather pay that cost at the newer end and get more trouble free service life (or at least, problems covered under warranty), than pay large and variable maintenance bills at the lower end (or have tackle major repairs myself). And I'm still going to have benefit of those middle years where it will not be under warranty, yet still relatively low maintenance, just like those of you who buy the cars with the warranty almost used up.

Now, the equation changes if you are also making payments on a car needing $2000 worth of repair, that is only worth $5000 to begin with. I'm not going to call anybody names, but I think that is kind of a dumb situation to get oneself into.

In my case, a further reason to buy new, is because I have spent several thousand dollars upgrading my vehicle to fit my particular needs. The vast majority of these additions will stay with the Jeep if and when I choose to sell it, and won't add a lot to the resale value. Assuming I will keep my Jeep until it becomes no longer economical to repair (I'll probably keep it longer, but for the sake of argument...), by purchasing a new vehicle, and adding most of the improvements at that time, I am maximizing that investment (bumpers, armor, winch, etc). If I had bought a 2-3 year old Jeep, I would be less inclined to have spent the money on what has turned out to be needed equipment.

[HTRN]

Suburbans.



HTRN

[BadgerVet]

I had a 1989 Suburban I bought used in 1991. I had over 120,000 miles on it when I traded it. The engine and tranny were still rolling along but the tie-rods, U joints, other stuff that escapes the memory at the moment needed replacement. Estimate of $2,000 of repair work on a vehicle that had a trade in value of $2,500. Also I was no longer towing snowmobiles so I didn't really need that size of vehicle any longer. Still want another one though.

[Netpackrat]

I had a 1989 Suburban I bought used in 1991. I had over 120,000 miles on it when I traded it. The engine and tranny were still rolling along but the tie-rods, U joints, other stuff that escapes the memory at the moment needed replacement. Estimate of $2,000 of repair work on a vehicle that had a trade in value of $2,500. Also I was no longer towing snowmobiles so I didn't really need that size of vehicle any longer. Still want another one though.

That's about right. A couple years ago I rebuilt the front end on the '73, one side at a time in my driveway. Between parts and getting it re-aligned, I was probably into it for $500-$600, but if I had to pay somebody else to do that work, probably about what you were looking at. The thing is with those old Chevies, you reach a point where as long as the body is good, it's more or less routine maintenance. The '89 Suburban was still on the '73-87 truck chassis, which can be kept running basically indefinitely, until it rusts out. With good maintenance they are as good as they ever were, and in many ways, are superior to what is being peddled as a new truck these days.

I tell you what, if I had the time and still had the shop space, I'd find me another rusted out mid 70's Chevy 3/4 ton 4x4, strip it down to the frame, and build it back up with all new suspension joints and a rebuilt drive line. Install a modern fuel injected small block and modern automatic with overdrive, and one of the available fiberglass cabs and front bodywork, steel fleetside box or flatbed. I would have the best pickup truck ever made, have spent far less than a new truck, and I would be able to maintain it basically indefinitely.

[randy]

Another idiot here.

I am not mechanically inclined (I tend towards electronics and such) and had enough of keeping the family vehicles limping along during high school and college, because we couldn't afford any better.

Since then, we've been fortunate to be able to afford new and my wife is adamant about that, so as long as we can afford to, we will buy knew and keep them 6 to 8 years. (rotating who buys a new car every 3-4 years so we only have one car payment at a time).

The only exception has been this year, when my Father-in-Law sold off his RV and no longer needed his 2006 Trailblazer as a tow-behind vehicle, and basically gave it to me. 4WD and tinted windows (meh, see below) but the price was right. I know it's been maintained and never been in an accident or had a major malfunction, low mileage (16k at that time). So it's just about a good as new.

I also like buying new as, if I'm spending that much money on something, I am damn well going to get exactly what I want. Example, my 2001 Cherokee had to be custom ordered to get a 2WD version (in 16 years I have never encountered a need for 4WD in South West Ohio, so saw no reason for the added expense and maintenance) and without tinted windows (I despise them. Maybe necessary in a climate like Arizona or Texas, but a safety hazard due to reduced visibility in low light conditions IMHO). Impossible to find on any lot, new or used.

At some point, I may be forced to buy used and accept someone else s wish list of equipment and options, but so long as I have the luxury to, I'm buying new, all other factors being equal.

[crazylegs]

My very first vehicle was my grandpas old farm truck. 1984 Chevy Silverado with a 350 V-8. My second truck was a 1986 Chevy S-10. I still miss both of those trucks. I would love to find an early seventies to mid eighties pickup for cheap. Unfortunately I'm low on money and short on sellers.

My third truck was a 2002 GMC sonoma. It was pretty, and had about half the mileage, but it was no where near the quality of the two older trucks, (Both of which I had sold, I'm still kicking myself.) The engine was anemic, and the body was weak. It was more like a car with a bed then a truck. Although I must say in its defense, that it did perform quite admirably when that little Hispanic woman augered her Toyota Corolla into its nose. Totalled the truck, I walked away without a scratch.


Man, those trucks were great. Short of napalm, you couldn't kill them for nothing.

[Lokidude]

crazylegs, I've gotta agree. I used to drive an 83 Chev 4 door longbed 454 named Goliath. It was the size of a small yacht, would tow a battleship, and pass anything but a gas station. The thing was a beast, and I swear it will survive Ragnarok alongside Keith Richards, cockroaches, and Twinkies. And, like the rest of us, I got dumb and let it go. Somebody needs to start making real trucks again, trucks for a working man. They don't have to be fancy, they don't need all the bells and whistles, but I demand a solid engine, a real 4 wheel drive, good towing capacity, and a price tag that is affordable to people for whom a truck is a tool, not a status symbol.

[chrisb]

IMO, there is no better way of throwing money away, than buying a new vehicle. I bought a 1999 Tahoe this year with 80,000 on it for $5k, and the wife will be driving it for at least four or five years, if not longer. It runs like a dream.

My DD is a 1984 Ramcharger with 180,000 miles on the odo. My Dad put 3k into it about 5 years ago to rebuild the engine and tranny, and it is running strong. Now, putting gas in these two beasts is another story, but even then, the costs are nowhere near a $500-$700 car payment, and especially not two payments.