Should daughter sell her Jeep? (moving to S Korea)

[corn18]

Our youngest daughter graduated from Ohio State this past summer. She wanted to go teach English in China (she speaks fluent Mandarin), but COVID put a stop to that. So she is now going to teach for a year in S. Korea. She owns her 2014 Jeep Wrangler 2 door. It's worth about $19k right now (offer from Carvana). She's living with us until she leaves in Feb 2021.

I think she should sell the Jeep and go from there. It is in great shape and has given us no trouble, but it is the worst rated car in the history of Consumer Reports. And it's a 2 door, it is not practical. It will be a year older when she gets back. We don't want to drive it while she's away and it will be stored in our 3 car garage, which is fine. She is waffling back and forth but I think she is leaning towards selling it. I own it per the title, so that isn't an issue.

Should she sell it now?

[Jluke]

Sell it now but Dad has to buy her a new one when she returns.

[kork13]

Is she highly attached to it for any reason? Unless she's a Jeep nut (I have many friends who are), I'd sell it. It's a great vehicle for off-roading if she does that for fun, but otherwise it's totally impractical. As a 2-door, it only easily seats 2 (and nobody comfortably). Gas mileage stinks, almost zero storage capacity in the back, and they just always seem to need some kind of work done to them (going back to the consumer reports rating).

Sell the thing while the market for them is good (so I've heard... Folks want to escape COVID by going off-roading), then whenever she gets back to the states, she can buy a more fun, practical, & less demanding vehicle.

[corn18]

Sell it now but Dad has to buy her a new one when she returns.

If we sell it, she gets the money. She's a saver, so she will save the money and buy something when she comes home.

[disneysteve]

I guess the question is what advantage is there to keeping it?

You have to store it. You need to insure it. You need to drive it occasionally and maintain it.

Jeeps aren't hard to come by. If she returns and decides she wants another one, she can go out and get one.

I'd sell it.

[ua_guy]

Case in point, they hold their value really well, so keeping it won't lose you a bunch of money. Just insurance and maintenance costs, should put it on a battery tender if you don't plan on driving it much, keep it out of the weather if possible -- even more important if it's got a soft top. Keep rodents out, keep the fluids fresh.

They're great vehicles, and if you do decide to part ways with it, at least try to sell it private party first. They're popular and have a huge following, should have no problem sending it down the road for a little higher than $19k. No need to go to a low-offer shop like carvana or carmax. It's still new enough that a bank will lend a private buyer money to buy it.

[Butterscotch]

The worst thing for a car is for it to sit unused. It may have no issues now, but if it sits in a garage for 12 months she will come back to fin problems with it. If you’re not going to take it out at least 1-2 times a week then you should sell it.

[Snicks]

How long is she going to be there? If it was just for one school year, I might consider keeping it. But, if she is going for 2 yrs or more, I would sell it.

[bjl584]

I love Jeeps, so I'm biased.
I'd be inclined to keep it and drive it now and then just for the fun of driving a Jeep.
But, if it is going to be a burden to keep it, store it, pay for insurance, then practicality says to sell it.
Jeeps hold their value. You'll probably get a premium for it if you sell privately.