How often do you replace a car?

[Anonymous]

I make $100K and drive my cars into the ground. My dad was a broker (made good $) and he did the same, and my brother and sister are the same way. I buy good cars and spend a bit more for something I really like (the Acura instead of the Honda, in my case), and then once they are paid off, I keep track of how much I spend on repairs/maintenance. My car has typically cost me $1,000-$1,500 per year to repair and maintain, which is way cheaper than a car payment. Last year I had a bad year ($4,000) and was bummed at the thought of selling it, but this year I've had no repairs at all. So I'll keep driving it. Friends tell me that a well-maintained Acura could probably go to 200,000 miles.

[Anonymous]

My buys a new car every 2-3 years. It drives my mom crazy. Especially since there are things in their house that need fixing.
Me - I drive my car until it can give me any more. I drove my 90' Toyota Celica 170,000 miles, made many repairs til finally I couldnt afford to keep it running anymore & it wasnt reliable. Now I have another car (I've had since 2005). I'll drive that until it dies.

[Anonymous]

OP here - Thanks everyone. I am hoping to keep my current 10 year old car another couple of years...I had some pricey repairs last week that made me re-think ditching it sooner. I actually test drove some new cars this weekend and didn't really like anything.

Everyone is touting their new blind spot detection. I agree with the PP who suggested that this wasn't all that much of a new safety feature, like ABS, or side airbags, both of which my 10 yr old car has. If you can't use your mirrors or peripheral vision, you probably shouldn't be on the road anyway.

[Anonymous]

Ha, I read that in the title line as how often do you replace a CAT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my family its almost a contest to see who can keep a car running the longest. My mom basically had one car my entire childhood (had an 82 corolla) and my dad one for 14 years (89 volvo). My mom still has her "replacement" corolla ( 98) and my dad has an 03 accord..both still running strong. Our household consists of a 00 camry and a 12 pruis. We will replace the camry the second we have to put money in it over normal maintenance. My mom always had this theory that cars should last about how long dogs last.

You sound like you have a low HHI.

Ya we do (comparatively speaking to most DCUM) at 180k but my parents who I referenced in this post have had an HHI above 300k since the mid 90s. Sometimes fancy cars don't equal more money people!

I agree but the peasant like attitude seems trashy.

no flashy cars are trashy - see all the broke ball players and rappers that splurge on Bentley's and Rolls only to claim bankruptcy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my family its almost a contest to see who can keep a car running the longest. My mom basically had one car my entire childhood (had an 82 corolla) and my dad one for 14 years (89 volvo). My mom still has her "replacement" corolla ( 98) and my dad has an 03 accord..both still running strong. Our household consists of a 00 camry and a 12 pruis. We will replace the camry the second we have to put money in it over normal maintenance. My mom always had this theory that cars should last about how long dogs last.

You sound like you have a low HHI.

Ya we do (comparatively speaking to most DCUM) at 180k but my parents who I referenced in this post have had an HHI above 300k since the mid 90s. Sometimes fancy cars don't equal more money people!

I agree but the peasant like attitude seems trashy.

New poster here but I can tell you keeping a car till it dies is actually a habit of A LOT of millionaire next door types.

Signed, A CPA who prepares a lot of 1 million dollar + tax returns on people who drive to my office in 12 year old hondas.

+1 That's us

[Anonymous]

12,000 car I have ben drving for 14 years.. Almost no maintenance as it has only 65K on it. We don;t take it on long trip (obviously) so I am hoping it keeps chugging for a few more years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a 7 year old Honda that needs nothing but maintenance (so far). Just hitting 100,000. I will likely keep it til at least 150,000. Not sure how many years that will be. Longer if it is still going strong.

I am diligent about preventive maintenance. I do not want a car to leave me stranded. As long as it doesn't do that, it's all good, and I'll keep it.

Oh, and I should add it has all the current safety features. Nothing new of great importance has been added since I got this car. Huge advances in safety would make me want to buy new.

Does it have blind spot monitoring? Will it warn you if you fall asleep or are on path to hit something?

PLEASE, pp, what cars do this?

I drive a 15 year old Honda. It works great. 120K miles. Lots of dents, a little rust, but it runs great. Does not tell me when I'm falling asleep though. That would be useful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a 7 year old Honda that needs nothing but maintenance (so far). Just hitting 100,000. I will likely keep it til at least 150,000. Not sure how many years that will be. Longer if it is still going strong.

I am diligent about preventive maintenance. I do not want a car to leave me stranded. As long as it doesn't do that, it's all good, and I'll keep it.

Oh, and I should add it has all the current safety features. Nothing new of great importance has been added since I got this car. Huge advances in safety would make me want to buy new.

Does it have blind spot monitoring? Will it warn you if you fall asleep or are on path to hit something?

PLEASE, pp, what cars do this?

I drive a 15 year old Honda. It works great. 120K miles. Lots of dents, a little rust, but it runs great. Does not tell me when I'm falling asleep though. That would be useful.

We just bought a new Acadia that has all of these features -- a little light goes on at the top of the side mirror when a car is in your blind spot, it beeps if you cross over the line on a road, and it warns you if you get too close to a car or object in front of you (you need to be going over a certain speed and not applying breaks). It also has a fantastic backup camera with guidelines and colored warning zones, and it will even tell you if a car or person is approaching from the side when you are backing out of your driveway or parking spot. Also has heads up display, which projects your speed and any navigational directions at the base of the windshield as you are driving.

[Anonymous]

We drive honda and toyota. A car with 100k miles is a baby. We keep them at least 10 years, so we are only on our second cars each for the duration of our marriage. We wait till the wheels fall off. We hit 215k on our last car And sold it to a teen neighbor who still has it running. The car is a 96 And pprobably now pushing 300k.

We don't car about cars and our image. We by far have the most banged up cars of people we know/ and neighbors.

[Anonymous]

We just bought a new Acadia that has all of these features -- a little light goes on at the top of the side mirror when a car is in your blind spot, it beeps if you cross over the line on a road, and it warns you if you get too close to a car or object in front of you (you need to be going over a certain speed and not applying breaks). It also has a fantastic backup camera with guidelines and colored warning zones, and it will even tell you if a car or person is approaching from the side when you are backing out of your driveway or parking spot. Also has heads up display, which projects your speed and any navigational directions at the base of the windshield as you are driving.

Our new Toyota Highlander has those features, also. Quite an upgrade from my 1999 Sienna!

[Anonymous]

every 4-5 years. I have low mileage (average about 6-10 miles per day) and am vigilant about maintenance. So the trade-in value is high.

I pay all cash for the new purchase. I never purchase new and look for a 1 year old car w/ less than 12k miles. I get most of the latest safety features and tech upgrades and benefit from the timing of the purchase (always close to end of year when dealers will deal to get the car off the lot).

[Anonymous]

10yrs or 100k miles, whatever comes first. A bit earlier if we sense that a big repair may be coming up soon, like indications of engine oil leaks or such.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We drive our cars into the ground. My husband has a 9 year old truck with over 100k miles on it. I have a newer car. We will replace the truck when it starts costing us money not on any set schedule.

Same here. We have a 2002 and a 2006. Both are paid for. When the 02 dies, we'll replace it, but not until. Financially, it's wisest to drive your cars into the ground since they depreciate so much. We also only buy used, not brand new. HHI is 350k.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We drive our cars into the ground. My husband has a 9 year old truck with over 100k miles on it. I have a newer car. We will replace the truck when it starts costing us money not on any set schedule.

Same here. We have a 2002 and a 2006. Both are paid for. When the 02 dies, we'll replace it, but not until. Financially, it's wisest to drive your cars into the ground since they depreciate so much. We also only buy used, not brand new. HHI is 350k.

This is generally my take too, but is it really true. Of course, I am in an argument with DW who is pressing me to buy a new car for DD. Right now she drives a 2009 Volvo with 100K on it. We just put a lot of money into repairs - replaced timing belt, new struts, wheel bearings, etc. and it should be good to go for another 100K. However, because DW has a prejudice for a certain brand of car, she hates the Volvo and constantly pressures me to get rid of it. I've said if she thinks DD needs a new car, since she is also working, she can go ahead and buy it, insure it, make the payments, etc. Otherwise, DD can continue to drive the paid for Volvo until it is ready for the junkyard and she can go out and buy a new care with money from her first job.