My spin is just a bit different as we have NEVER bought a new car. Even when the lovelies were growing up and we had a minivan, it was used--or, new-to-us. Now that the lovelies are all grown up, I've been completely enjoying my 1987 Mercedes! That's it in the picture.
10 Reasons We Never Buy A New Car:
- I much prefer a BMW or a Mercedes to any other car and who can afford one of those brand new? Not to mention that I'm not a fan of the newer models. I prefer the classic look of the older models.
- I don't like the look of hardly any new cars.
- The husband can handle the auto repairs himself if we have an older car. And I like not spending money on car repairs. He can even go to the junk yard to get parts! LOVE IT! It's like recycling!
- The price they ask for new cars today is LUDICROUS. I wouldn't buy a new one if I was a millionaire.
- I don't care for all the bells and whistles in the new cars. They're unnecessary for me and seem to add to driver distraction. Which we don't need any more of around here.
- Most are GAS HOGS.
- Depreciation.
- Factory defects.
- Insurance is WAY higher on newer cars. And I hate insurance companies. And the taxes are higher too.
- I feel safer in an older car- STEEL BABY!
Have a fantastic Monday!
I have had one brand new car in my life. The one I currently own but it is 12 years old. We had all of the kids at home and we had a travel trailer. We had our car built with the ability to pull the trailer and still haul all six kids on vacations.
ReplyDeleteI have no desire for a new car either. I like how heavy it is and I like being up off the ground. We haven't had a car payment in 25 years and I don't plan on having one of those ever. I think used is the best too. :) Nice questions.
We would NEVER EVER buy a new car. Why pay for the depreciation on those first few years?? I agree with your whole list of reasons. Personally, I love my old Jeep, before the Jeep got sissified. AND, an older car has a shorter list of things to go wrong with it, isn't dependent upon computer chips, etc. Cool vehicle, btw. :-)
ReplyDeleteWe never buy brand new either. If you can live with a car that's more than a year old you get so much more value for your $$$. We can live with it : ) I have a BMW with a pre-owned warranty. It's a win-win.
ReplyDeleteMy husband so wishes he married one of you ladies and it is the one thing he 'caves in' with me on (we make all our big decisions together, I would never jeopardize our family budget over a car) . I don't tend to spend money on a lot of things, I don't have a lot of shoes,purses or clothes, we don't even have many knick knacks BUT, I do buy a new car and it is rather expensive,it is one of my indulgences and my husband the accountant cringes but he does agree to the indulgence :)
ReplyDeleteI'm totally with you on not buying new cars. We've never bought a new car and have no plans to do so. In fact, we drive our cars until they die! We've owned Subarus and Toyotas our entire married life, and they are always at least 5 years old when we buy them. We recently bought a 5-year-old Honda Odyssey minivan, and it feels like the newest, nicest vehicle we've ever owned. I can only imagine how much it would have cost new!!
ReplyDeleteRight now, something that's not always in the repair shop appeals to me SO much! New or not! We don't buy new cars. Even if I won the Lotto, I'd still let someone else suck up that new car price and pay less myself! I agree that the price of new cars is CRAZY. The thing that's going out on my current ride is in the car's computer and they don't know how to fix it- lovely! You know that when you drive out of a car lot, a new car's value spirals downward at a rapid rate of speed. Let someone else have all that fun. I'd rather pick up a bargain:)
ReplyDeleteI have a black vehicle too. I might rethink that next time. It sure gets hot!
My first car was used and I ran that poor thing into the ground. My second car was new - and I still have it, 10+ years later. I only drive it locally and it's fine for that. We use my husband's car (new but nothing fancy) for longer trips, etc.
ReplyDeleteInsurance and repairs and state taxes all go down with age. Wish the same could be said for us humans.
ReplyDeleteKim- My dad loves to buy new cars to this very day. We always had new cars growing up but I’ve never had one in my married life. And I don’t mind at all because I disagree with buying new- it seems such a waste. Not to mention the fact that we’ve never had the money to buy a new one. LOL
ReplyDeleteJudy- We wouldn’t either. My dad always did though. He still does. He holds onto it for about 5 years or so and then buys a new one. He’s on his first truck right now. But he did need it to haul that new airstream he bought. LOL Yes! Those computer chips can cause such headaches!
Joyce- DD1 has a BMW…it’s a 199something model and she loves it! The only thing I like about her car better than mine is that a BMW seems to hug the curves better. A win-win can’t be beat!
Lucy- You’re like my dad. We always had new cars when I was growing up and dad still buys new cars after about 5 years now. He just really loves them. Your hubby sounds so nice. Mine would shoot himself, or me, if I insisted on a new car. LOL I don’t spend money on those other things either. But, once I get all this excess weight off, you never know.
Marie- We drive ours until they die too. I think your Honda would have cost enough to make you faint! There just seems to be something wrong with the price of cars these days.
Patrice- Those computer issues are the WORST! I’m so glad mine doesn’t have one. It seems they can never figure out the problem when it’s computer related. I wouldn’t have gotten black but it just called my name in such a loving way. LOL
MMS- All of MY cars have been used. But my dad always bought new ones for his and the family car. He still buys new cars all the time. We never do. But I love my used cars- especially this one. I hope it never dies!
South- LOL Amen to that!
I drove beaters - the 'little woman's' car - for so long that I have now promised myself that I'll only have new cars when I need to buy. Having said that...our current car is 6 years old and will probably be around here for a while. Because I am so with you on the bells and whistles!
ReplyDeleteI have never bought a new car. I too love the look of the older cars over the newer ones, but my taste has always run towards compact or muscle cars. There is a lot of talk about the new hybrids, but I don't see where they are that great. I owned a 1984 Toyota corolla in the 90s. It got 40 mpg in city and 45 on the hwy. The new hybrids barely get 40. They know how to build more efficient cars, proof is in the past. I agree with you on insurance as well. I just gave my car to my son, it's a 2002 Lancer, it gets 30 mpg city/hwy and I only had to pay $25 per month on insurance. Like you, I gave up trying to work on my own cars when they added computers to them.
ReplyDeleteMy youngest son bought 2 new vehicles. The second he made sure to pay for bumper to bumper for warantee, sure enough he ended up with a huge repair bill for something that wasn't covered. He swears he will never buy new again.
I like new cars.
ReplyDelete...and the rest of my comment didn't appear...
ReplyDelete...but I wrote that I'm not running away and hiding my head in shame....
ARGH!!
ReplyDeleteI NOW running away and hiding in shame...
...but mostly because I seem incapable of writing a coherent comment.
My minivan that passed away earlier this month was a used, ten year old one. I think my husband panicked when he saw how it just died, in the middle of the road and that is why he opted for a new one this time around. But I could not agree with you more. Also that is some very nice wheels y have there. Our President was driven in one of those when I was younger!
ReplyDeleteStephanie- I know! It’s just like my phone and camera- too many buttons. I’ll never learn to use everything! I’m afraid I’d wreck a car looking for how to turn on the headlights. Unless it’s one of those you just tell to turn them on. LOL
ReplyDeleteLois- We can still work on the Mercedes. Although it really doesn’t break down. Thankfully. And we run bio-diesel in it so we get well over 35 miles/gallon which I LOVE! Ah, yes. One of our daughters wants to buy new. She’s in for a surprise!
Chloe- So does my dad and DD2! My dad still buys new ones about every 5 years or so. And, every time, he says that’s the last time. hahahahahaha! I love your comments! Isn’t Blogger wonderful sometimes? lol
Stasha- There was a time I probably wouldn’t have turned down a new car…or a newish one. But now I just really like my Mercedes! Thanks! And thanks for hosting this fun hop!!!! I really like it!
After reading all these comments, I'm a little shy to admit I'm a new car-aholic. And since I blogged endlessly lately about my new car, I can't hide :)
ReplyDeleteWe own a 1949 chev firetruck. A 1961 chev firetruck. 2 1988 chev 1 ton. 3 1990 suburbans, 1 is a 4x4 1/2 ton, 1 is a 4x4 3/4 ton and one is called marshmellow. It's the worse one in shape and drives soft like a marshmellow. 2 chev blazers, 1987 and 1991 and Mike's suburban is a 1991 4x4. So as you can see, we are able to work on our own (me too, I can pull an engine, rebuild it and put it back in working order). I would be afraid to own something new, what happens if I took it out to the pits and scratched it or someone banged into it or .... just not worth the hassel.
ReplyDeleteLove your older car.
Take care Pam. Blessings!
My pleasure Pam. It is lovely to meet you. I adore your profile picture, can tell you and I would paint the town purple!
ReplyDeleteYou beat me by 18 months. I had an '88 Nissan Sentra up until about 6 months ago. I had it for about 15 years, and it was very reliable. Sadly it got to the point where the repairs were more than the value. Now I've bought a 2001 Honda Integra. I'll probably keep it at least 10-15 years as well. New cars are just too expensive where I live.
ReplyDeleteI won't buy new ... too much value lost when it pulls off the dealer's lot. The mini van I'm driving now is what was referred to as a factory car ... a car driven by a factor exec for about a year. Factory cars have 10-12k miles, are about a year old, and have the full balance of the manufacturer's warranty. And that's the kind of car I'm going to buy next! But I'm going to keep this van until it either falls apart of costs more to repair it than it's worth ... I don't need a new car every year either. Give me something that starts, has A/C and a radio, and I'm happy (although because it gets so cold here and because I just can't tolerate cold any more, I would like heated seats - that would be my only indulgence).
ReplyDeleteKim- Don't you dare hide! Some of us like the new ones and some don't! But we still all like each other! :) My dad buys new cars all the time- he just loves them! And he only drives them about 5 years before he gets another one!
ReplyDeleteJulie- I love that you can do that. The husband has taught the lovelies enough to be able to do a lot by themselves and, when they do need a mechanic (which is only when they aren't living close to their dad) the shop can't take advantage of them.
Stasha- Thanks! That was taken at a wedding last November. They had a photo booth there and it was the most we'd all had in AGES!
Me- Sometimes that does happen. Even when the husband can repair them, there comes a point where it's best to get rid of it and try again.
Kathy- The A/C is a MUST for me too. It's so hot down here during...the year. LOL Wonder if they make seats that cool as well as heat? :)
i currently am driving a used car--i have had new cars before--only because i didn't have the cash to buy anything decent so had to have a payment anyway--but i would buy new if money was no object :)
ReplyDeleteMy Subaru I have now was the first car I have ever bought brand new. It came with everything I wanted for a cool $20K Seems like a lot yes. But my husband is a mechanic, and after fixing stuff all day long the last thing he really wants to do it come home and fix yet another thing. So its peace of mind having something reliable that we know isn't going to break down anytime soon. Plus I love it. :)
ReplyDeleteYou are SO right on all accounts. They certainly don't make anything like they use to! Its almost impossible to even check your own oil these days. Airing up a tire takes four thousand calls and an act of congress if you're wanting to do it yourself instead of paying some bozo $80 for a little air.
ReplyDeleteWe always buy new. I keep my car in excellent condition with very low milage so when I go to get a new one it is still worth a lot of money. Nothing feels better than picking up that new car you ordered. Always park on an end, perferable with the car next to you on the left and hope there is no passengar. Then you wait for that first ding! It's the hardest but I have had many cars with no dings at all.
ReplyDelete