Get New Car or Not ??

[Katmandu]

I've been pondering getting a new gas miser to help with the fuel bill.

Been weighing out the options of Buying/Leasing a new car or just sticking with my 18 year old BMW 530i. The BMW is paid off and in great shape for the miles (204k) and age. Literally doesn't need anything. Even the AC works. The engine only has 110k on it. It's rated at 25MPG highway, but I only get 20. I can't seem to keep in under 80MPH (sweet spot!) on the open road. :lol: If you ever drove a BMW you know what I mean!

Anyways, my commute is about 60 miles/day. 90% on the highway. Pay about $240/month alone in gas (at current prices).

I love the idea of owning a new car that would get 38+ MPG highway, but I'm not crazy about the idea of paying the Depreciation factor. :rolleyes:

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/ has a bunch of calculators on it.

38-40MPG would cut my fuel bill in 1/2. $120/month.

What would you do ?





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[97dustang]

What cars are you looking at? Just because they are rated at 38 mpg doesnt mean your going to get it, just like in your bmw. Maybe there is a happy medium in buying a good gas mileage used car, so you get good mpgs, and you dont have to take such a depreciation hit.

[06V6Andrew]

cut your fuel bill in half but would have a car payment on top of it. save up some money and buy a cheap gas saver out right (keep the BMW) and drive it until the wheels fall off.

[qwk93ta]

I would not buy a new car to drive it 60 miles a day, the value will drop like a rock. Stick with your car or buy a used car you can pay cash for.

[ibstrokin]

If it's purely a question of cost, then keep what you have. If your looking for an excuse to buy a new car...that's entirely different. Give your car a tune up, filter's, proper tire pressure, and slow down, you should see an increase in mileage without buying a new car.

A car with over 200k miles will cost you money occasionally, a new car will cost you every month for years to come.

[Dirtyd0g]

I bought my truck new and it has been great to me. It was about the cheapest vehicle you could buy at the time and if I had gotten it without some options it would have been. The minute you pull a brand new car off the lot you lose money, a minimum of 10% in some cases more than 30%. I think the smart buy is to buy a car that has low mileage that is only a year or 2 old. They lost the money and you are buying a car worth the price you pay. Financing options is the only reason to buy new, dealers make great financing options compared to banks. I got mine with 2k cash back that I put on the purchase price immediately and I also got 2.9% apr. The other option was a better apr with no cash back. I did the math and the cash back going right on the loan made more sense and saved more money. It also lowered my payment amount which was important because I was in tech school at the time. Sadly at 19yrs old in Kentucky my insurance was $15 more a month than my truck payment....It didn't stay that way long thankfully about 6 months.-
Alan

[Mista Bone]

$3500 for a four cylinder Accord, 96-2000, 29-30 mpg mixed city/highway, no car payment!

Look into a newer Focus since the new ones came out.

[331lx]

Just buy new car lol

[91boost]

Buy one outright. I repair slavage cars and sell them. It would be alot cheaper to go that route and you get a newer car with low miles. I am repairing a 07 G6 now that i got cheap and its only got 44k on it.

[Blackout]

Buying a new car is a pain in the ass. If you don't know the dealer or work for the company, your kindof in the dark as far as prices. I work for GM so I get a little off but even working for them, I still pay out the nose for new. It's just rediculous how much money that the companies make on cars. Just as an idea.... a new Duramax is like a $10,000 option.

Here's something else to think about:

When you look at a new car, compare what the base car is. The price will be listed and then look at how much the car is with the engine upgrade for instance. And then the upgrade price is added to the base price.. My question is, where did the engine that was in the base car go? Your paying for it and the upgrade engine. It don't make any sense to me...

[90fastgt]

I like a clear title to a vehicle

[firestang70]

New mustang 3.7 gets 31 mpgs. Just sayin.

[zoomie]

Golf tdi (diesel)is the way to go or smartcar with a hyuabusa engine

[Katmandu]

New mustang 3.7 gets 31 mpgs. Just sayin.What year did that 4.0L V6 come out that "supposed" to get 31MPGs ?

Thanks for the input guys. Good stuff. :bigthumb

[firestang70]

What year did that 4.0L V6 come out that "supposed" to get 31MPGs ?

Thanks for the input guys. Good stuff. :bigthumb
The 4.0 ran 05 to 10. The 11 up has the 3.7. My buddy has a mt with the 2.73 gear. He has a heavy foot and gets 30 mpgs. The car still has pretty good power. Much better than a 4.0.

[Ranger50]

You are going to be hard pressed to get your money back out on a new vehicle any more for the cost savings in gas alone.

I would buy the nicest used car in your price and MPG range you can comfortably afford. And dump the Bimmer. Sorry.

But really, I would just keep the 5 series and live with it until it completely dies from either body rot or complex mechanical failure. Slowing down would save you bunches of money. Is the VANOS working properly? Compression numbers ok? "Proper" tires and inflated correctly?

[Katmandu]

But really, I would just keep the 5 series and live with it until it completely dies from either body rot or complex mechanical failure. Slowing down would save you bunches of money. Is the VANOS working properly? Compression numbers ok? "Proper" tires and inflated correctly?
I hear ya. There's nothing complex in it. It does have 3.0L DOHC V8. No VANOS in this model. Little rust on bottom of the front doors...

Compression good....110k on engine. Tires good/pressure/maintainence all good.

I can't drive 65! :o

[93cobra]

$3500 for a four cylinder Accord, 96-2000, 29-30 mpg mixed city/highway, no car payment!

Look into a newer Focus since the new ones came out.

I have a 95 accord ex 2.2 vtec auto loaded leather "ONLY 95,000 ORIG MILES" Light blue ext, gray inside, one owner all service done at dealership since day 1 "was my great aunts 75 years old"...besides some scratches on front & rear bumper cover & one little rust spot above rear passenger fender...its a 9 out of 10 outside & literaly 10 out of 10 inside "like brand new". good tires...needs nothing, new k&n airfilter & service, ready to go for years...I bought on impulse & really do not need it.."already have a little toyota". I paid good money for it. $4000 to anyone looking. Car is in better condition then most mid-late 2000's you see on the road. Drives like a new car...

[93cobra]

whats crazy is the fact a man can barely get out of home depot with a cheap little riding mower for little 1 acre yard for $4000. LOL

[Katmandu]

whats crazy is the fact a man can barely get out of home depot with a cheap little riding mower for little 1 acre yard for $4000. LOLWhat MPG does it get ? :lol:

[93cobra]

What MPG does it get ? :lol:

mid 30s. didn't mean to jump in on your thread. It was just ironic that somebody posted, "buy a honda accord for 3500 etc.." and i was debating literaly this morning if i should keep around and pay for an extra vehicle on our insurance policy etc or sell it. i just don't need it in reality. we found a 2010 nissan murano to replace our 2005 we are getting ready to sell and she keeps telling me now she wants to just drive this accord. i'd be all for saving money but im not putting her, our 3 yr old & 6 month old out on the road with it. she has been arguing about it all day LOL. Im sure this accord would be a safe vehicle for them but if I don't drive it to work as a commuter, we don't need it. ill save money where i can but not sacrificing more vehicle around them to save a buck :bigthumb

[Katmandu]

mid 30s. No! The yard tractor from Home Depot! :D


didn't mean to jump in on your thread. No biggie. Sounds like a good deal. :bigthumb

[93cobra]

No! The yard tractor from Home Depot! :D

No biggie. Sounds like a good deal. :bigthumb

:rofl:
i didn't buy a home depot mower...lol im just amazed how much everything costs these days. i never thought the day would come a new motocross bike with some minor suspension/exhaust mods/ basic bolt on aftermarket accessories would set a guy back $10K...don't know where people get their money or credit card bills stacked to the ceiling. Go to a little local arenacross or mx event where kids are racing for trophies & you see families pulling in class a motorhomes with a trailer full of $10,000 bikes for their 2 kids...unbelievable...$25K don't get you much in basic new economy cars...$50-60K is now the norm on full size diesel trucks...where does it stop...

[Katmandu]

im just amazed how much everything costs these days. Try finding a DECENT beater car under $1500 these days! :eek:

I was looking around awhile back for a poor neighbor and was amazed at the lack of cheap vehicles anymore! Scrap prices and desparate people have scooped them all up!

[Ranger50]

Try finding a DECENT beater car under $1500 these days! :eek:

I was looking around awhile back for a poor neighbor and was amazed at the lack of cheap vehicles anymore! Scrap prices and desparate people have scooped them all up!

C4C started it all....

And I remember when you could by a nice <insert any Jap dirtbike here> for under $4k. $600 in suspension mods and a pipe/muffler fixed nearly everything.

[Galaxie]

I have a friend who had a Tdi we opened up the exhaust on it and he put bigger injectors in it . It ran really well afterwards and got 50 on the highway and still in the 40's on local trips . It was funny after the injectors it would throw out black smoke when you stood on it . Just be sure you put a timing belt in it when you buy it cause it has a interference motor in it .

[04 Venom]

Look into a newer Focus since the new ones came out.

Or an older Focus. My 2001 ZX3 gets 35-36 mpg at 70 mph.