Car

[dancerjodi]

My car is at around 115k miles. I replaced the transmission at around 97k miles (thankfully under warranty). The transmission is starting to act odd again like it did before (it did it for a while before it totally crapped out). The alignment is constantly off despite best efforts to realign/balance. It isn't the most efficient or safest thing out there. But I own it.

I don't want to be put in a "oh crap I need a new car" position. I'm trying to do some research and make a plan for the next thing.

I like the size/feel/trunk of my car. I'm a 70s hot rod girl at heart, and the impala is the best modern option to get near that. But it isn't efficient. I love the huge trunk, but Brian has a truck, so do I really need that much space?

I've debating the hybrid options but the cars that are big don't have that much more efficiency. I'm kind of curious about the Prius V, but there is the cost of that, the drastic change of moving from a kind of slick/cool car to a WAGON. And then adjusting to a car payment.

Maybe I should just start saving more to purchase something, should the time come and let it go. Hrm. Thoughts?

Comments

[lsl.livejournal.com]

My standard advice when thinking about buying a new (or new to you) car, is to start making the car payments now (into an account set aside for your new car) and keep driving the one you own until it no longer makes sense to keep it. "No longer makes sense to keep it" might be the next time it needs a costly repair or if it gets unreliable enough that you are no longer comfortable driving it. Or you have found the next car you want to buy and are ready to make the change.

In the mean time you are used to making the payment already and you may save a substantial chunk of the new car's price allowing you to save money by taking a shorter loan term (or maybe even pay for it outright).

It is almost always more cost effective to continue driving a car you own outright (even factoring in worse gas mileage and some repairs) than to buy a new car.

[tk7602.livejournal.com]

It would be awesome if yours could hold out until mine is paid. That's, what, 2 more years?

[sajuka.livejournal.com]

Ford Fusion Hybrid and Toyota Camry Hybrid are two Impala-sized sedans that don't look like hybrids, but they don't have the muscle car heritage of the Imp (and I haven't looked at prices in a while, so they may carry the Prius V sticker shock). I've gotten the Chevy Malibu several times on business trips and the modern incarnation is actually a pretty nice car, but again I haven't looked at stats in a while.

Watching some of the European car shows they have (non-hybrid!) four door hatchbacks creeping into the 60-70 mpg range, so I'm curious if some of that tech will trickle down to the "gas guzzling" Americans.

And I second lsl -- start saving now, it'll make the purchase a whole lot less painful.

[shnells.livejournal.com]

i am loving my passat (which isn't cheap on the gas and i have to get premium gas since it's a turbo) but it's a very smooth and easy drive, handles like a smaller car and has the same engine as what's in a porche. also in car accident, my car was only scuffed while the other guy's car (a suburu) got a hole in the bumper. i believe there is a jetta hybrid car which looks to be the same size as my passat (which is a 2009 komfort model). i was going to check that out when it came time to get a new car.