New or Used: “My Car Is A Bar Of Soap!” Edition

2001: A Parking Space Androgyny Hi Steve, After reading TTAC for a few years now, I have totally drunk the Kool-Ade: it's always cheaper to keep you car on the road than to buy a new one.  But where does one draw the line between saving a few shekels and personal satisfaction? I bought my 1999 Solara SE (3.0L V6 5MT) in 2000.  It had 12,000 miles when I bought it from Carmax–basically a new car. Almost 12 years on, I've now got 99,000 miles on it, and I've put almost no money into it, save for regular oil changes and service.  Unless someone changed the brakes before I bought it, it still has the original pads.  I've definitely gotten my money's worth out of it, especially since there's been so little hassle with repairs.  I give it an annual detailing, so aside from the late-90′s bar-of-soap styling, it still looks like a new car.  It is roomy, nominally fun to drive, and has enough juice to hold its own on LA freeways. But I'm tired of it. At my last major service, my trustworthy mechanic gave me a to-do list for next time: brakes, all new struts, new clutch (maybe), timing belt and water pump, and new plugs He's not trying to milk me–I do feel the suspension rattle, and the shifter grinds a bit going into second and sometimes fifth, although it's not slipping yet.  This guy drives to his shop in a CRX with 375,000mi–I like the way he operates.  But I'm thinking that the repairs will be at least two grand, when the resale value on my Solara is only about $3500.  It's worth more to me than to anyone else–but is it worth the investment? We'll be welcoming our first kid in November.  My wife drives an '05 Outback Sport.  I have my eye on either the Outback 3.6 or the Acura TSX wagon (or the new Escape.  I drove a diesel Ford Kuga in Scotland recently and loved it).  My MO: buy slightly used, no cars with trunks, and keep this next car for at least a decade.  I don't need AWD in SoCal, I can slum it with an automatic, and I've had enough 350 V8s in my past to quench my need for speed. So–for you and the B&B: Should I fix up the Solara and drive it for another 3 years, or should I go for the wagon? Congrats on becoming a father! As for everything else, you answered your own question when you wrote this. "This guy drives to his shop in a CRX with 375,000mi–I like the way he operates." You obviously want the longevity.  But you also want the excitement and, let's face it, you're a cheapskate. There is some good news for you. That car you're driving is still worth about $5000 to $6000 retail (depending on the features) and if you fixed it up, you would probably have at least seven to ten years of mildly entertaining driving ahead of you with minimal depreciation. However you want excitement, and you're cheap. Sorry to tell you this but fatherhood will only make you even cheaper. Trust me. So my advice is to buy a go kart. Wait until the neighborhood has trash day. Then engage in a community beautification project by smashing your ride and/or a baseball bat onto every neighborhood garbage can that has ever given you crosseyes over the last few years. When you're finished with that fantasy, just upgrade your stereo system a bit and follow the mechanic's recommendations. A new belt and pump will give you another 90k before the next service interval. Upgrade the struts. Maybe even consider a nice seat upgrade on Ebay, or visit the nearby upholstery shop and improve your seats and door panels. The ones on the Solara are a bit cheap and sometimes a nice stereo system, and a first class interior upgrade, are all you need to enjoy an older car. I would spend $3k on the car making it right for another 100k. Then drive it until it drops dead or qualifies for an antique license plate. As for a healthy dose of fun, enjoy a weekend rental special Mustang convertible every few months or so. Oh, and consider treating your family to some nice vacations and cruises. When it comes to cars, it's the stingy guys who pay the most. Be generous with your maintenance and penurious with your purchases. Good luck! Editor's Note: Questions? About cars? Hopefully? Feel free to reach me at steven.lang@thetruthaboutcars.com.  from The Truth About Cars http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com

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