$10,000 to throw at a car problem--which would you choose

[Anonymous]

We recently moved from the city to a more suburban/rural setting. We are now putting at least 1,000 miles per month on our 11 year old Jeep with 123,000 miles. It is slowly becoming a bit of a money pit. It's our only car and is paid off. DH will need to commute to the office 2-4 times sometime in the near future. We have about $10,000 cash to throw at the problem. WWYD?

1.) Keep jeep, buy $10,000 beater for DH
2.) Turn jeep into DH's beater, use $10,000 as a DP for new family car
3.) Trade in Jeep, Use $10,000 as a DP for new family car, wait and see what happens with DH's return to office plan and finance a used car for him

[Anonymous]

3 because you need a reliable car in a more rural area, and it will be safer for the commute. But buy new, used cars are artificially expensive now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:3 because you need a reliable car in a more rural area, and it will be safer for the commute. But buy new, used cars are artificially expensive now.

+1

OP, we are maybe going to be in a similar boat next year (1-car family but likely moving further out than the walkable neighborhood we now live in, and DH has to commute 3 days a week so will need two reliable cars). Our 1 car is not quite as old as yours -- a 13yr old chef with just 70k on it. But it's already becoming a money pit and we've already spent more on it than I think it is worth in trade in value.

Our plan is to trade in the Chevy (so we no longer have to keep fixing it) and use cash on hand to get a new family car, and then plan to finance a car for DH's commute when it happens. Well actually our plan is to see if we can find a house with a public transportation commute option, even if it means driving him to a train station on commute days, to avoid buying a second car. But that's unlikely, so we're probably going to finance his commuter car.

You can't have the car he uses for work breaking down all the time. And you can't have the car you use for kids/groceries/etc. breaking down all the time. It sucks but if you live far out and one person commutes, you have to have two reliable cars. This is why the argument that families can save so much money by just moving further out is annoying! Some things are much more expensive!

[Anonymous]

Cheap daily drive for your husband. I’d do 1 or 2.

[Anonymous]

OP here, thanks for the feedback so far. Clarifying that Dh's commute is 2-4 times per month, not week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We recently moved from the city to a more suburban/rural setting. We are now putting at least 1,000 miles per month on our 11 year old Jeep with 123,000 miles. It is slowly becoming a bit of a money pit. It's our only car and is paid off. DH will need to commute to the office 2-4 times sometime in the near future. We have about $10,000 cash to throw at the problem. WWYD?

1.) Keep jeep, buy $10,000 beater for DH
2.) Turn jeep into DH's beater, use $10,000 as a DP for new family car
3.) Trade in Jeep, Use $10,000 as a DP for new family car, wait and see what happens with DH's return to office plan and finance a used car for him

If gas prices are going to hang around $4 or more for a while, I'd ditch the Jeep and get something more fuel efficient.

[Anonymous]

Do you think you can get a reasonable used car in your area? I'm driving a 2007 Civic with 185k. I was hoping to trade up just a bit. I was looking for a honda fit or nissan verso less than 10 years old/less than 100k miles for 10k and am just not coming up with anything. I guess I would do 1 or 2 but I would want the car that is traveling the most miles to be fuel efficient. 3 I wouldn't like because then you are going from no car payment to 2 car payments.

[Anonymous]

4. Sell Jeep separately, use that money + $10,000 as a down payment on a new car.

Trade-ins never get the full value, and the difference is even bigger now that used cars are getting such a premium. At the very least go to Carvana and see what they'll offer you for your Jeep so you can ask the dealership to match it.

[Anonymous]

I'd do #2.

Definitely go the new car route over used. Used used to be a better deal but not right now.

[Anonymous]

I would go with option 4 as well. Sell the jeep, use the money plus your down payment to buy a fuel efficient long lasting new car (Honda / Toyota, etc). Do not buy another Jeep!

[Anonymous]

Get a Prius or Corolla hybrid. Ditch the Jeep - sell it private party you’ll get a better price.

[Anonymous]

Would have never bought Jeep in first place. It takes gas, higher insurance and endless repairs. Sell it, get a good Japanese.

[Anonymous]

I'd keep the Jeep for a few more years, while saving another 10 grand and then buy a much newer used hybrid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get a Prius or Corolla hybrid. Ditch the Jeep - sell it private party you’ll get a better price.

If you’re living in a rural area, make sure you will have someone to service a hybrid before you go that route.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a Prius or Corolla hybrid. Ditch the Jeep - sell it private party you’ll get a better price.

If you’re living in a rural area, make sure you will have someone to service a hybrid before you go that route.

Even in rural areas, there are Toyota dealers and they sevice their entire line of vehicles.