What would be the best car to own if you drive 40,000 per year?

[bigshot500]

It seems that I may be offered a position as a DM (the good) it will require driving 160-180 miles round trip per day (the not so good) currently my only vehicle is an 02 ford explorer with 135k on the clock. I love it (my three dogs need something with room inside to move around, plus I live in the sticks and a 4 wheel drive is needed). The cost to operate is about 18 mph on the highway but it isnt comfy, the seat is like a rock and well...it does smell like dog. Should I ever have to take someone from one store to the next, they would never stop bitching about the smell. As most dog owners you become immune to your dogs smell but to others it can be somewhat offensive.

Taking all this into consideration what would be the best USED car to purchase that can be driven 40k a year, gets decent mph, is comfy and safe???

Thanks in advance

 

[oldman45]

Way too many unknowns in the equasion.

For a good used car, a Buick LeSabre would be great. I put over 200,000 miles on one I got for $3000 when it was 7 yrs old. Never a problem with it. The car was fully loaded and I got 31 mpg on the road.

Now would be a good time to mention I drive about 60-80,000 miles each yr in work since I have to cover about 12,000 sq mile area doing accident & crime scene reconstruction and am repaid my vehicle use at thirty eight cents per mile.

If you need 4WD, then go for a late model Chevy 1/2 ton four door with the Duramax-Alison drive train. While mine is a one ton and 2WD, the milage is a lot different but friends that have them say they get close to 20mpg with them and well over 200,000 miles before any major expense takes place.

 

[bigshot500]

what year buick lesabre do you have, engine size?

 

[Cobroller]

Ford Taurus (or 500), Impala, etc are available as program cars. They are roomy enough for passengers.
I really like the Outbacks if you want four wheel drive.
I personally used up two Taurus' and a Buick Century before going to a 1997 Dodge van two year ago. Estate sale with 73000 miles on it for $4000. It is roomy and more comfortable than a car, but lower gas mileage.

 

[sar4937]

The cheapest, newest (under warranty) highest MPG car you can exist with. Your exposure to rock chipped windshields, accidents are greater. Saving 5 MPG really starts to pay off (do the math). A Ford Escape Front WD will get around well in the outback. It has room for your dogs. Put snow tires on the front in the winter.

 

[Maximumbob54]

For a car I know I’m going to kill I bought a 02 Honda Civic EX for the same reasons you listed. I have put 30K miles on it per year for the last two years. I just had new struts put in all the way around, new tires, and everything aligned. It rides like it’s brand new again. No it’s never going to ride like a Buick, but unless you like stopping every other day for a complete fill up from the “E” you might want to think about the same thing. I don’t like that there wasn’t an American car that I could think of that I would put this much trust in as the cheap-o Honda but that is part of why I think we are slowly losing the car war. If I keep my foot from being like a lead weight I can average in the high thirties to even low low forties if I keep the cruise set at 65. I know that’s not everyone’s bag but if you are looking for a reliable, efficient, non-wallet breaker until you figure out your living set up with a possible move then a Civic may be your best bet.

 

[bigshot500]

my explorer will be kept and used for my dog hauler, the potential car to purchased will be used as the high mile daily driver to work

The cheapest, newest (under warranty) highest MPG car you can exist with. Your exposure to rock chipped windshields, accidents are greater. Saving 5 MPG really starts to pay off (do the math). A Ford Escape Front WD will get around well in the outback. It has room for your dogs. Put snow tires on the front in the winter.

 

[oldman45]

what year buick lesabre do you have, engine size?

A 2003 Buick with the 3800 engine. There are some really nice ones out there that have been taken good care of by adult drivers.

 

[David LaPell]

Ford Focus, and I'll tell you why, my wife did put over 40,000 miles a year on that car. When we got married she would drive to see her father in a nursing home 2 hours each direction twice a week. That car is an 03 with 146,000 miles on it right now (for the last two years she hasn't worked so it is only driven sparingly). Never a hitch, an issue, or a problem. That car right now with its 4 cylinder gets 30 mpg at highway speeds. When we eventually get another car with AWD (a must here in the Adirondacks) she is thinking of a Subaru Outback (another excellent choice) and I will drive the Focus as an everyday beater car again. If you can find one used in decent shape with low mileage, get a Jeep Cherokee, they tend to be bulletproof and its one of the few vehicles Chrylser didn't screw up too much. Mine has 150,000 and gets a good 20 mpg with a 2 -inch lift and a Cherry Bomb exhaust.

 

[m1gunner]

You are talking over $20,000 a year in vehicle expense. Are you able to deduct this amount on your tax return? If not, it doesn't matter what you drive, it will be a losing proposition every time your tires hit the street.

As far as a used car, Honda Accords do well to about 200,000 miles and hold value well.

 

[bigshot500]

As a w-2 I dont see how you would be able to deduct auto expense from your taxes.

 

[Jeff423]

As a person who has traveled 50K per year for the last 5 years I can tell you that I have had good luck with used Lexus'. I have purchased a used LS400 and LS430. I get them with 80,000 miles for about $13K and drive them to 250,000 - 300,000 miles. Apart from scheduled maintenance they have not needed any repairs.
It's an "old school" car - V8, rear wheel drive.
I get 25 mpg. on the highway.

Jeff

 

[7003006]

A friend of mine who drives 70 to 80 miles each way for work just bought a used hatchback VW with a diesel,I think it was a Jetta.Nice car and good milage but not cheap to purchass.This guy does his research and rarely makes a bad decision.

 

[John Ross]

C-Class Mercedes 4-door. Bought one for $3500 with 90K on the clock. Got 35 MPG and went over 300K with only belts, brake pads, tires, and fluids. Was tighter than a new GM car and still going strong when my girlfriend totaled it. She walked away.

 

[GRIZZLYBEAR]

When my job transferred me, my daily commute became 204 miles daily. Since I had 4 years to retirement I was not going to sell my home and move.

I went the other way, I bought a new Toyota Land Cruiser, V8, 4X4, a/c, etc.

This vehicle averaged 17mpg as 90% of this commute was expressway. I ran the land crusher till I retired and sold it for $18,000 with 192,000 miles on the clock. I looked like new both in and out and with the majority of the mileage being highway the motor wasn't leaking or using oil and was running strong.

I'd do the same thing over again in that situation. I had no major repairs.

 

[truckemup97]

As a w-2 I don't see how you would be able to deduct auto expense from your taxes.

Check with your accountant, but if you itemize, it would be an unreimbursed business expense. IIRC, it's a little over $.50/mile now, but you have to keep track of mileage used for business vs. personal.

As to the car, I would get either a two year old, high mileage Taurus/Sable or a 10 year old low mileage Accord. FWIW, I drove a 2010 Kia Optima 2700 miles a few weeks ago. It wasn't comfortable, but it got 30 mpg at 75 mph. They are pretty good cars if you just do the proper maintenance. BTW, if you get a Taurus/Sable, service the transmission at the intervals recommended in the book, but use ONLY synthetic transmission fluid. Ford recommends a mix, but the trans gets too hot and burns the mineral fluid. The synthetic can take a much higher temp before scorching.

 

[ladder13]

I'd get a ZO6 Vette,505 HP, 25 mpg hway, and tons of fun.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Check with your accountant, but if you itemize, it would be an unreimbursed business expense. IIRC, it's a little over $.50/mile now, but you have to keep track of mileage used for business vs. personal.

As to the car, I would get either a two year old, high mileage Taurus/Sable or a 10 year old low mileage Accord. FWIW, I drove a 2010 Kia Optima 2700 miles a few weeks ago. It wasn't comfortable, but it got 30 mpg at 75 mph. They are pretty good cars if you just do the proper maintenance. BTW, if you get a Taurus/Sable, service the transmission at the intervals recommended in the book, but use ONLY synthetic transmission fluid. Ford recommends a mix, but the trans gets too hot and burns the mineral fluid. The synthetic can take a much higher temp before scorching.

Uh no it is commuting expense which ain't deductible. Once he gets to the job site, any driving amongst stores is business mileage, but the daily commute is NOT.

Me, I would clean the snot out of the car I already own to get the dog odor out and use it. Get one of those dividers so the dogs can stay in the rear. Cars/trucks should be viewed as expense items, not assets-period. As far as mileage do the math. You're getting 17mpg now on a car that's paid for. You buy a used roadworthy car for , lets say, $10,000 that has no doggie smell but gets 20 mpg. You got to drive a LOT to make up that extra 10k at 3 extra mpg. I'm one of those guys that car delearships hate to deal with
Plus the money I save allows me to buy essentials.....like firearms, fishing tackle, boats and whisky!

 

[truckemup97]

Caj, if he's a district manager (that's what I understood), then he could claim his house as an office and any travel to stores would be deductible. If his office is somewhere else, you are absolutely correct, only mileage between that office and other locations would be deductible. That's the tax law as I understand it, but I'm not a CPA and I've not read all 70,000 pages of it, either.

 

[coobie]

Way too many unknowns in the equasion.

For a good used car, a Buick LeSabre would be great. I put over 200,000 miles on one I got for $3000 when it was 7 yrs old. Never a problem with it. The car was fully loaded and I got 31 mpg on the road.

Now would be a good time to mention I drive about 60-80,000 miles each yr in work since I have to cover about 12,000 sq mile area doing accident & crime scene reconstruction and am repaid my vehicle use at thirty eight cents per mile.

If you need 4WD, then go for a late model Chevy 1/2 ton four door with the Duramax-Alison drive train. While mine is a one ton and 2WD, the milage is a lot different but friends that have them say they get close to 20mpg with them and well over 200,000 miles before any major expense takes place.

Ditto on the buick lesabre,we have had 1993,2000,2004 all we great cars with good MPG,s for there size.Our last used 2000 had 105,000 miles on the OD when bought($3000)in 2009 we now are pushing 145,000 runs like a top.coobie