What will your next car be?

[bjl584]

Ford F350 Dump Truck

[sakigt]

Right now I have a 2003 PT Cruiser with 51,000 miles. Im going to keep it for another 5 years or so, until I graduate Pharmacy School.

Next after that is something like this...definitely used.


I want turbo, hatchback, 6 speed, and good mpg.

[lucasrd]

2000 Pontiac Trans Am -

[MonkeyMama]

If I had $20k-$25k cash, on top of a decent e-fund, I would think it would be okay to buy a new car. I know I am very PRO -used-car, as is my family. But the 1 brand new car my family ever bought lasted 18 years - 1982 Toyota. It had 250k+ miles when it finally bit the dust, I hear a lot of them made it further than that. When I have the cash for that kind of purchase I may consider it. Though I would still likely look for one that is "used" with virutally no miles. Overall cars depreciate something like 25% the minute they are driven off the lot. So I am not sure if I Would ever buy a brand new car. For now I just don't have the cash - when we're older something to consider I guess.

Right now dh's car is still relatively new - he rarely drives it and it has hardly had a repair in its life - a 2001 Ford Escort. (Cost $8k with 15k miles and it is a GOOD car). & I just bought a 2005 Caravan - I am assuming these babies will get us through a LONG while, and haven't worried so much on the car replacement fund. Paid $15k for the Caravan - by FAR the most we have ever paid for a car. That is plenty for me. In 2008 we wil start adding to the car replacement fund, for now the e-fund if something unforeseen happens. But with a "brand new" car we just drained our car replacement fund.

If we need a new car in 10 years and dh is working I would like to get a nice hybrid. I Am assuming we can afford to pay cash for one by then and some of the kinks will be worked out, but overall I have no idea. If he's not working and we replace a car I Will likely look for an old model with low miles. There are some great deals for virtually new cars just because they are a few years old and have never been driven. I paid $5k once for a "brand new" mustang convertible simply because it had been garaged and rarely driven for 10 years. The thing still had a new car smell!

I do also want to get a 2000 Chevy Camaro as a fun car. It all depends when/if dh goes back to work. A Toyota Celica convertible would probably be my top choice for a fun car, but hard to come by and pricier to justify. Camaro just is the best deal today on a quality convertible, in my price range. Something $5k. Who knows when we will be able to afford it - not in the near horizon. So that may be our next car - that's what I am pulling for anyway. Just not practical in the least for a family car - why I had to dump my Mustang - *sniff*

[scfr]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

My current car is a 1998 Toyota Camry with 95,000 miles on it. I'm hoping to get at least 150,000 miles out of it, which would mean about another 5 years.

I'm thinking that maybe I'll buy disneysteve's Camry when it hits 150k, since I figure it will be good for at least another 50k after that!

[MonkeyMama]

Originally Posted by frugalmomof1

DH and I have each owned 1 new car...for me it was the 6 speed 35th anniversary 2002 Z28 Camaro, the last year they were made...boy did I love that car. When I bought it in 2001, I was able to get 0.9% financing for 4 years.
Although not practical, I would LOVE to buy a new one when they are reintorduced with the 'retro' styling.
Other than that, I think any other car/truck we will buy will be used....unless it makes more sense to finance a new model with a super low interest rate.

I want one of those - hehe.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by scfr

I'm thinking that maybe I'll buy disneysteve's Camry when it hits 150k, since I figure it will be good for at least another 50k after that!

I'll try to remember that and let you know. I'm sure you'd give me more for it than I'd get if I trade it in.

[PRICEPLUS]

Toyota. First cars we have owned that have been remarkably repair free over time. They are pretty ecent ongas too and they have a decent resale value over time!

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Cool, guess most people like used cars?

[Broken Arrow]

Originally Posted by LivingAlmostLarge

Cool, guess most people like used cars?

I do. I have no intentions of ever buying one new.

[Daylily]

Originally Posted by threebeansalad

I first got tipped off to this under-appreciated car on Car Talk.

I LOVE CAR TALK!

[Broken Arrow]

Heheh. Me too. That and Prarie Home Companion, Who's Line Is It Anyway, and ... that cooking show that I can never seem to remember the name of. Besides the usual news and radio documentaries of course.

[Gruntina]

My current car is in excellent shape but it’s a 98 firebird with 110,000 miles on it. However it such a pain to drive up in the mountains where our roads are just one single road and the driveways are very slanted and muddy. I am new to the area and I already have seen 2 cars flipped and landed up-side down going down the hill to the city (extremely windy hwy in the Santa Cruz Mountains) I am nervous because I know the impact when rolling over a car and I have done that once 9 years ago.

The current firebird has the T-bar so it’s all glass up there!!! I want a Honda CRV as I think that would be most practical and useful. It would be higher than the car so parking up hill and driving sharp turns up/down hill without scratching the nose or bottom of the car. Also, the closest groceries store is about 40 minutes away and I rather buy in bulk than to go often. The back space of the vehicle would be perfect and easily accessible. Also it would be children ready. I have not decided if I want to buy used or new.

[Gruntina]

forgot to mention... my fiance is a mechanic... he would like to get a newer vechicle with a warranty so he can take a break from "working" at home. hence why the "new" but personally I would not do it unless it is a 2 year or 3 year old model and pay in cash.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by LivingAlmostLarge

Cool, guess most people like used cars?

New cars lose up to 30% of their value in the first year. It just makes no sense to spend that much money on something that will depreciate that quickly. I'd much rather buy a 1 or 2 year old car and let someone else eat that depreciation. I get a great deal on a car that has very low mileage and then keep it for the long term.

[tinapbeana]

so many used vehicles come with existing manufacturer's warranty, it's almost nonsensical to buy one new and eat the depreciation.

unless you're doing it for the new car smell, in which case you can buy that in an airfreshener

[ren]

My next car purchase is hopefully very far off (haven't even hit 50K on the current one, bought at 17K in early 2004) and will probably be a used Civic, possibly a hybrid if they end up being reliable.

Or I might just go for my dream car and get a pre-1970 Mercedes diesel. You can't see it, but I'm drooling at the thought. So pretty. So durable. Wannnnnnt. But not as good on mileage as a Civic. Oh well, I have plenty of time to think about it.

[PRICEPLUS]

I was into my 40s before I got a new car. I always got the clunker. It is nice to drive some where without much fearof breaking down!

[sakigt]

Originally Posted by PRICEPLUS

I was into my 40s before I got a new car. I always got the clunker. It is nice to drive some where without much fearof breaking down!

My mom bought her first new car for her 50th birthday, a Scion tC.

I bought my car new when I was 19. Thank god I never have to do that again!

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I hear that statement often that people will say used cars depreciate 30% in the first year. Yet, when asked what used cars they buy I find it to be more American cars. Not many people buy a used 1-2 year toyota or honda with that much of a depreciation hit. Most will turn to new. If they do buy a used toyota or honda, typically they are substantially older or with a lot of miles.

I've tracked the depreciation of our two cars bought new 1999 toyota corolla and 2000 ford focus and my corolla held value way better than the stupid ford. The ford by the way also had massive amounts of money thrown in to repair a lot things during these years we've owned it. It eats money like crazy.

If I buy a used car it will be american because of the depreciation. If I buy a new car I'll buy either a toyota or honda. I haven't decided yet, depends on the deals available when we need a newer car. Both our parents always bought new after their first used cars, and kept cars about 15-20 years each time. So I don't necessarily think they got hit too bad on depreciation.

My mom's most recent car is a 1997 Toyota avalon after buying and holding a 1980 volvo for 17 years. DH's mom had a 1985 jetta that she sold off last year. Our dad both have cheap american cars for their business which never seemed to last as long. I'd love if my mom offered me her toyota. Too bad neither of us ever got a car from our parents, we both had to save and buy cars after college.