How long do you generally keep a vehicle before thinking about a replacement?

[NYlakesider]

I never pay car payments. When I have saved up enough money to buy a new vehicle i usually start thinking about buying a new one. Sometimes that thought process takes me 2 or 3 years to decide. Cash is KING and gets the best deals.

Nope and that has not been true for a longtime. The dealers make a lot of money on the finance end of things. (Many people do that at the dealers) (Talking new cars here)

So they get paid by cash by you or its credited to their account by the finance department when the papers are signed, the difference in time they get their money is not much! Many times they make more money doing it that way than taking in cash.

 

[Rastoff]

Cash is KING and gets the best deals.

Nope and that has not been true for a longtime.

In this case NYlakesider is correct. In the world of today, dealers make as much or more money through getting a buyer to finance a car than through the actual sale itself. The incentives to get the buyer to finance a car is huge. So, they're just as likely to drop the sticker price when financing as when paying cash; maybe even more.

Also, if you really know what you're doing, cash isn't even king for the buyer. If you can get one of those low interest loans, one lower than the inflation rate, you make more money by leaving your money in the bank and using someone else's money to buy the car.

 

[Maddog 521]

Order the vehicle you want and never pay what they're asking. It's best that you know the dealers cost and ask about every option, discount everything. Don't forget the Hold Back, never pay that either.

 

[forindooruseonly]

I keep cars until they are done. Current Honda Accord has 477,000 miles on it, and I wouldn't hesitate to take it on a long road trip - I routinely drive from Oklahoma to Nebraska in it.

I'll think about what to do when this one needs a major repair. Until then, I'll keep pounding highway with it. I have other cars, so I won't be stranded, but the other cars aren't necessarily good daily drivers, they are more weekend warrior types of cars. Still, I'll run it until that day comes.

 

[WR Moore]

Years? I keep vehicles for decades.

I well remember the days when oil usage of 1 qt/1000 miles was considered normal. Cars with 50K miles were considered about used up. Making 100K without an engine overhaul was rare.

Couple of years ago I was torqued when my '92 Toyota pickup needed a clutch after only 297,000 miles. Still wasn't burning 1 qt/1000 miles.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

About 12-20 years depending on how well they hold up.

 

[christak]

It's all about reliability for me. I see no need to replace a vehicle until it gets well over 200,000 miles on it "or" it leaves me stranded for the second time!

 

[Rustyt1953]

Our 2011 Honda Fit just rolled over 100k. It has been well maintained (always ahead of schedule). It is kept clean inside and out and the tires are 8 months old. It looks good and runs like new.

Ruthie is easy on the brakes, transmission and eyes.

It will outlast me.

 

[moosedog]

About 8 to 10 years for us. Being retired, I don't drive anywhere near as much as I did.

 

[HorizontalMike]

Are Two and a +Half Decades TOO MUCH?

Years? I keep vehicles for decades.

I well remember the days when oil usage of 1 qt/1000 miles was considered normal. Cars with 50K miles were considered about used up. Making 100K without an engine overhaul was rare.

Couple of years ago I was torqued when my '92 Toyota pickup needed a clutch after only 297,000 miles. Still wasn't burning 1 qt/1000 miles.

Yeah, I remember selling my 1992 Toyota Hilux 4x4 after only 1-1/2 yr. I was peeved because of the high interest rate at the time (it was my 2nd Toyota after my 1981 also bought new). Well... traded it in on a then new 1993 Toyota Hilux 4x4 and it runs great! Sure, I replaced the clutch at some point, and the tires too. BUT, truth be told, I could, have taken, and still could take this thing from TX to IN without hesitation. THAT SAID, I have to admit that the last two times I headed to IN I used a much newer vehicle... my 1997 Harley FLSTC. Yeah had it forever too. Best part about the Harley is that AFTER hitting three deer (you get new parts!) it really looks great! Even after THAT I ended up blowing the EV80 motor on the Harley for the 5th time. I had rebuilt it FOUR times, but no more. Put a brand new S&S 111" in as a replacement (120hp vs 67hp OEM).

So bottom line is...

• I have had my 1993 Toyota 4x4 Hilux for +25yr
• I have had my 1997 Harley FLSTC +21yr
• AND THAT IS IT! NEVER HAD ANYTHING ELSE AFTER 1993!

And BTW, they are NOW/ARE both running great and I would take either cross-country in a heartbeat, but my mother died a couple of months ago in IN, at 94yr of age, so no longer need to do IN trips. As for me, yeah, the deer have taken a toll on my ribs and back. I think 50 of my +55 bone fractures are either ribs or back. Yup, very lucky to be alive, but no complaints from me!...

 

[Squarebutt]

We try to run them forever, but here in New England the road salt eats the metal parts long before the running gear is tired. No matter how often you wash it, salt takes its toll. Now they're laying down a salt water brine solution ahead of expected snow storms, and that stuff works its way into everything.

 

[Old 44 Guy]

I tend to keep them a long time. Tires, batteries, brakes are cheaper than new car payments. My present ride is a '07 Ford Ranger 4x4, just turned 86 grand. It will outlast me, I believe.

 

[sw1834]

The older the better

Almost every vehicle I currently own will outlast me as long as parts are available. I love working on my own vehicles and will continue until I cant find what I need to maintain them. My current stable of vehicles consists of the following.
1968 mustang
1969 RS/SS 396 Convertible Camaro
1980 Winnebago motorhome with 454 Chevy motor
1995 Dodge Ram 1500
1996 GMC Conversion van
1998 Jeep TJ
2002 Dodge Ram 1500
2003 Nissan Altima
2012 Chevy Impala LTZ(wife's car) newest we have.
I'm not even going to get into the motorcycles and 4-wheelers.

My point is that nothing is too old if you can find the parts and turn a wrench.

SWCA #1834

 

[Farmer17]

Anybody have a Buick Lacrosse? How has it been for you? Since Mercury was terminated after 2011 I may have to consider other "large" sedans if my current cars conk out on me.

We just sold my wife's 2008 Buick Lacrosse with 149K miles on it and the car was well taken care of and always got regular service by the dealership. We spent a lot of money repairing that car and it would have been financially wiser to get rid of it before it hit 100 K miles.

 

[gregintenn]

Does she have a sister?

Yes, but the frugal gene skipped her sister completely.


Like ol' Tim Wilson said, "A high maintenance woman ain't looking for a maintenance man."

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

The ecomomics of car ownership are interesting. First off, cars/trucks/SUV's are EXPENSIVE. Period. What you need is reliable transportation (with ability to do other things, like towing, transporting, etc) for the cheapest price possible. My Suburban is a 1999. It cost me 32k when I bought it. Figure about 3.5k more in interest by the time I got it paid out. My note was around $660 and change. I got 18 mpg when new, now I'm getting around 16mpg which I attribute to the fact hat I am now using ethanol gas which I wasn't at the beginning. TThe beast has 409k miles on her right now and has been in the shop for what amounts to around $1100 in repairs-first repairs I've put in in about 14 months. The suburbam gets me to and from work, tows my boat and I have no problems taking it to Houston or Pensacola other than the fuel mileage. A repair of $1100 on a vehicle who's blue book value fluctuates based on the amount of gas in it? Why not? It's cheaper by far than buying a new car. A new Suburban id gonna cost north of 50k. I've just spend $1100 for (if past experience id any evidence) another 14 months of driving or less than $100 per month. That's one more year that I don't have to get a BIG note. Sure-she looks like ****. But the AC is cold, the radio works and I just got a brand new 2 year inspection sticker on her. She tows my boat and hauls my stuff. Would I take her to Alaska? HELL NO. But the money I save now will help pay for that Alaska drive trip when I DO finally decide to put her out of her misery.
Now my NEW car is my wife's 2006 Trailblazer-that only has 260,000 miles on her and we use that one for a LONG trip

 

[DWalt]

Barring something catastrophic, I would probably drive the same car forever if I could. To me, a vehicle is purely for transportation, not looks or features or performance, and certainly not for snob appeal or to impress friends and neighbors. I have bought only two new cars in my life, one in 1967, and another in 2013. All other purchases have been used cars, and always for cash. The latter new car purchase was only because my wife needed something that was easier to get her elderly mother into for trips to the doctor, etc., than the car she had, and also under the assumption it would last until the end of her ability to continue driving it.

By far, the most expensive component of a vehicle's ownership cost is depreciation. You can pay for an awful lot of repairs on what you save by not re-starting the depreciation clock as the result of buying a new (or newer) car every few years. It really doesn't bother me to pay a thousand or two for repairs on a car that is worth not much more than that if it allows me to forgo buying a newer car that will lose half its value due to depreciation in three years or less.

 

[Tom K]

....
I had a 94 Isuzu Trooper for 18 years, loved it, kept it looking and driving like new, then after production stopped in 2002, started having trouble finding parts and service for things beyond brakes, batteries and tires, which actually was seldom, as it was very reliable. The last straw came when the gas tank rusted out from driving on the beach to fish two or three times a year since I got it. I had to have a gas tanked shipped from a junkyard near Seattle to Virginia. I sold my old friend.
....

My current car is a 2002 Isuzu Trooper that I bought used in April 2003, had about 35K on it. The odometer now has just under 300K on it. It consumes a bit of oil, about a quart every 1500 miles, but it's always done this. Consequently I don't change the oil very often, last time was probably 100,000 miles, just figured it was probably time for a new filter. I think I've had to replace a starter once or twice, but I could be confusing it with my previous Trooper, a '97 I think. I just had a tuneup done, which consisted mainly of replacing the spark plugs after 100,000 miles, and an O2 sensor.

I also had a '94 and a 2-door 4-cylinder '85 which I believe was the first year they imported them - all bought used.

My wife's car is a '97 Jeep Wrangler, also with about 300K on it and compared to the Trooper, it's a money pit. She's had to put in a new engine and transmission and it still has occasional costly problems. But she loves it, so whaddaya gonna do?

 

[PJO1425]

Hats off to those of you who run the wheels off of your vehicles (and in many cases, install new wheels & start over) Our 2010 Accord has 150000 on it, we sold previous Accord to neighbor with 202000 on it, he still has it with 298000 on it. As for a vehicle having snob appeal, your true friends only care if your beer is cold when they stop by.

 

[johngalt]

My 1997 Tahoe.

It has been somewhat expensive to maintain the last 5 years (new transmission, water pump, fuel pump and lines, brake lines, replaced cracked transfer case shell, painted hood and roof).

I still runs good, I like it better than the new ones.