Oops, I see Shawnee already said it... I should have read the whole thread first!

In general I would agree, especially with the cars that are 4 or 5 years old, enough for problems to start kicking in. But you'll often find cars on the lot that are only 1 or 2 years old, because it was a lease and the person just decided not to renew. (The whole concept of leasing a new car seems insanely foolish to me, but hey, I appreciate that other people do it I guess.)

I've been driving shitty used cars my whole life... eventually, inevitably starting down the road of throwing countless dollars down an endless pit (how long do you keep getting it fixed, how soon before you roll it off a cliff and get another?), periodically at the mercy of some unknown, untrusted mechanic, periodically wondering whether the former owner knew full well about the mechanical issues and that's why he sold it (and simultaneously pondering the ethics of doing the same thing to the next guy). I've had quite enough of that. I have other things to worry about.

My latest purchase is a brand-new Honda, fresh from the factory. I will have every service done at the dealership where it was purchased, thus removing all complexity from the equation. I will drive this vehicle for many, many, many years to come. I will get every last use out of this vehicle. My kids will drive it. When it stops moving, I will scavenge it for parts. Then I will scavenge it for scrap metal.

The way I see it you have two choices in life, with all purchases: buy a series of cheap, shitty, ten dollar items which last a month, so that you spend $120 a year, or buy ONE good $50 item which lasts ten years. In this example, you save $1150 over ten years by spending "more" for a good product.

A Honda doesn't need to be brand new to be a great purchase. One or two years old, same car pretty much. You've lost your 1150 just driving it off the lot.

But yeah, hondas will run forever.

I thought this until I realized that I had spent more than the value of the entire vehicle on repairs on said vehicle. Essentially, I could have bought a whole "new" used vehicle with all that repair money. But, what would be wrong with that one? More money spent. How much money does one spend on a series of old, shitty vehicles before just STOPPING that whole process and getting ONE good, NEW vehicle?

Nothing, as long as you realize you won't actually drive it forever like you say you will. In about 8-10 years, it's going to be that same shitty used car, needing repairs every month, just as if you'd bought it from someone else. But I fully agree, at some point the repairs become a losing game.

Maybe. Maybe. Or maybe not. Maybe. Or maybe I have to spend more than $1150 in repairs. You know what? I don't have the time or patience to have my transportation be a freaking roulette spin every time I turn the key. I need my vehicle to reliably transport me to work so I can earn money, every day. Hoping that it will probably run pretty good :::fingers crossed::: is not good enough.

Maybe that previous owner, that nice older gentlemen, had a crackhead grandson who snuck the thing out and drove around in first gear all day. Who knows? "Good" cars aren't immune to shitty owners/borrowers.

Wrong. It will be a well-kept, well-maintained older vehicle. I will know the history of any issues it has ever had. I will have the information to make those decisions.

I hear ya brother. My vehicle is killing me, but I can't seem to make myself be ready to take the plunge of a car payment, and the looking for a car, and the deciding on the car, and the haggling over the car (for which my sis-in-law will be in tow because I'd just say "Oh, it costs that? OK") and all of that.

I also see the point that you don't have a clue how the previous owner drove it, and seemingly good parts could be on the edge...with carfax you can find some things out, but not everything.

I don't know. I've also looked at the Honda Fit, which would have to be new, but I also know I will drive it until it dies, like I do every car.

Heh, when my last Honda died, I called my mechanic to find out the verdict. His office manager was like "Um, hang on, let me get Mark." It was like she was getting the doctor to deliver the news. Mark was like "Oh, man, I hate to tell you this (Shawnee) but it's bad..." He knew I loved that thing.

But... new vehicles need quite a bit of money in annual maintenance as well, and on top of that you have a big car payment. I'm skeptical.. but then, I'm on my second car, I'm 38, and I bought the thing for $500 and then put about $2k into getting it as perfect as an older car can be. So, $2500, and I'm in the same boat in terms of knowing exactly what's been wrong with it, because I basically had it rebuilt. Then, no car payments, $400/year insurance, about $100/month in maintenance over the last eight years, and it's just now needing major repair, and I'm thinking about getting a newer model... mostly because the interior door panels are starting to fall apart, and you can't buy them new anymore.

We had our Accord for 22yrs. It was a wonderful reliable car for most of that time. Even at the end we only had to have major work done every year or so.

We only gave it away when I was worried about the darlets driving it.

08 Hyundai accent (good as new except the passanger door is a bit beat up)
11,853.59 (@13.5APR) about 335 monthy payment
ten year warrenty was the seller,
i never even changed the oil myself
(tho in my defence, she drives it more then i do)

misses says yes, but all i remember is the unemployment coverage

Hay-zeus Creesto. I forget what it's like to have questionable credit.

We bought new because the 0% interest rate made the payment the same as what a used (2yr old off lease) one would go for.

yeah i have a bad habbit of not paying doctor bills.