Help! Dilemma on new car purchase

[Thrif-t]

I'm in such a quandry can't decide best option for our family. Here's some background: We have 3 paid for cars. One a 1985 Chevy Conversion van that we are going to use the cash for clunkers program on. I have a '01 Buick Lesabre 80k miles...work part time 3 day week, 20 miles round trip from home. DH has an '01 Chevy Malibu, 170k miles, 75 miles round trip from home to his full time job.

Do we get a '10 Chevy Equinox, gets 32 mpg, sticker 24k-4500 cash for clunkers, price we're figuring out the door 20k. We could pay cash for this. My problem is giving up the conversion van and not having another van for the kids (3 of them) and to travel in. DH would take over my Buick and alternate between it and the malibu, and I'd drive the equinox for now.

DH thinks we should buy the equinox take the 0 financing, save our money buy a used van sometime next spring for cash.

I was thinking buying a new odyssey now,we'd need a little loan as we don't have all the cash for it, but we'd just get the basic model, I think they're listed around 27k. I'd drive the van and he'd still alternate between the buick and malibu for his job. But how long will those last before we need something new for him? Would it be better to go his route and get the equinox since the gas mileage is so good and he travels away's? He'd eventual use it for a work car if we got a used mini van. I just dont know the best path to take. And we're firm on the two vehicles we've selected so he won't look at anything else but the Equinox. His dad works for GM and he is totatlly against the Honda, I'd just go buy it myself w/o him.haha

So would you buy the Equinox take 0 financing, save your 20k and also buy a used min van later on

or

Just buy a new Honda Odyssey now and worry about getting him a work car whenever the Lesabre and Malibu die?

Thanks!!

[buildmybudget]

Can you continue using the conversion van until you've saved up to purchase the van you want? How long will it take you to save the extra you need?

[Thrif-t]

Can you continue using the conversion van until you've saved up to purchase the van you want? How long will it take you to save the extra you need?

I wouldn't have enough saved up this year and then the cash for clunkers program will expire and I"ll need even more. If not for the program we woulnd't be doing this, but we are going to need to replace cars in the near future and we'd not get anything for the conversion van. I was thinking of just donating it or scrapping once it became too costly in repairs. It only has 77k miles on it but we don't trust it because of its age to drive too far from home, so we've not travelled in it the past two years. We've driven my buick but the kids are getting older and 3 in the back just won't work for too much longer :-(

My goal has been to pay cash for our next car but with two older cars and the driving we do, dang it we're on the same schedule for needing replacements. We've never had a new car and just thought the 4500 plus the deals they have out there now were too good to pass up.

[MonkeyMama]

How often would you use the van?

IT appears from your post that the van would then be a 4th vehicle that would get little use. More than the initial cost, I would be concerned about the insurance and tags on maintaining a 4th vehicle. Yikes!

Why not just rent a van when you need one? Would probably come out far cheaper in the end.

I'd also drive the Chevy to the ground first, so you can drop insurance/tags on a 3rd car, sooner rather than later.

I think better mileage is a huge consideration, with that commute. From what you posted - don't see any rush to get a van. Get a used one when the Chevy bites the dust.

[tzsgti]

First of all you should check the clash for clunkers rules. I don't believe you can trade in a van for an SUV. I think its car for a car, van for van, truck for a truck and suv for suv. I could be wrong but you should check.

Second i do not recommend getting a chevy equinox as they are not that good. If you are dying to get an SUV and really need one i would look into the Honda CRV, Subaru Forester and if you must have 7 passanger a Toyota Rav4. I would stay away from anything else in that segment.

Third- Let me give you tips on that car. If you take the 0 precent you cannot get most of the rebates. But that still doesn't mean you should pay remotely close to MSRP. Right now never pay a penny over invoice unless its the new camaro. Invoice on a 2009 is $23,673 and i would shoot anywhere between 23 flat and 23,500. The clash for clunkers is not the dealers business on what your purchase price is.

4th- If you feel you need a minivan then the Honda is the best one out there so you are on the right track.


Edit: I see that you are willing to pay cash. Also you have other GM vehicles so you would qualify for more rebates. If you are willing to pay cash then you will save alot more by taking about 4500 worth or rebates. So reallly by the time you figure cash for clunkers and all the rebates you should be buying the car for about 16,000 out the door which is not that bad.

[Thrif-t]

How often would you use the van?

IT appears from your post that the van would then be a 4th vehicle that would get little use. More than the initial cost, I would be concerned about the insurance and tags on maintaining a 4th vehicle. Yikes!

Why not just rent a van when you need one? Would probably come out far cheaper in the end.

I'd also drive the Chevy to the ground first, so you can drop insurance/tags on a 3rd car, sooner rather than later.

I think better mileage is a huge consideration, with that commute. From what you posted - don't see any rush to get a van. Get a used one when the Chevy bites the dust.

We would only have 3 car's we'd get rid of the conversion van, buy the equinox and he'd keep the buick and malibu and drive till they die. OR we'd get rid of the conversion van, buy a odessey and still have the buick and malibu...we'll keep the 3 car's. Eventually we'd trade in the buick for a used car for DH when it or the malibu goes. Right now our conversion van is only used on the weekends or when we're all together, it's a gas hog. I hate to not take advantage of the cash for clunkers, and to the other poster I have checked the rules if we are buying something that gets 10mpg more we get the whole 4500 the '10 Equinox qualifies for that. We're still trying to decide what to do. Now DH is saying get a used mini van and just get him a vibe for work with the cash for clunkers...gggrrr. He will not buy other then american, it doesn't matter if Toyota and Honda are better. His dad works for GM he has been brainwashed since birth, nothing I can do about that.

[tzsgti]

We would only have 3 car's we'd get rid of the conversion van, buy the equinox and he'd keep the buick and malibu and drive till they die. OR we'd get rid of the conversion van, buy a odessey and still have the buick and malibu...we'll keep the 3 car's. Eventually we'd trade in the buick for a used car for DH when it or the malibu goes. Right now our conversion van is only used on the weekends or when we're all together, it's a gas hog. I hate to not take advantage of the cash for clunkers, and to the other poster I have checked the rules if we are buying something that gets 10mpg more we get the whole 4500 the '10 Equinox qualifies for that. We're still trying to decide what to do. Now DH is saying get a used mini van and just get him a vibe for work with the cash for clunkers...gggrrr. He will not buy other then american, it doesn't matter if Toyota and Honda are better. His dad works for GM he has been brainwashed since birth, nothing I can do about that.

If you are only willing to buy American i would look into the Ford Taurus X i don't know if it will qualify under 10MPG better but it should if you have a conversion van.