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This is the trap that lots of people get themselves into. They don't save, they buy more car than they need or can afford, and then they're trapped into predatory high interest car loans, or predatory expensive leases. They can never save their way out of them, once trapped.
The way I look at it is amortizing out the cost of the car over ten years or so. I would buy a utilitarian inexpensive car, either new or young used, depending upon what was the best deal, say a $15-20K car. I'd get the cheapest loan I could, if I couldn't buy it for cash - either 0 percent from the dealer on a new car, or the best rate I could get from the credit union. Drive it for ten years or so. Once the repairs got to the point that they were costing me more in money and aggravation than it was worth to me, I'd sell the old one, and buy a new one. But I'd always have saved up enough so that I'd never have to take a high interest loan for the new one.
That way, you're never looking at having to put a couple of thousand into keeping an old car running, when you could simply sell it for a couple of thousand, and get a new one. But if you can't save up the cost of buying a new car over ten years or so, then you can't afford your car, plain and simple. You're living beyond your means.
July 13, 2025. If you want a new car just go buy it. We are not your parents. You do not need permission. No one needs to justify spending the money but you.
75K miles isn't even broken in. Most of the stuff you list is just routine maintanence. A brake job at 75K miles is around when it's time to do them. New headlights? Eh that could be normal wear and tear for a 12 year old car. How much could they possibly cost for a pair of ebay?
Your issues aren't anything special really. Pretty much anyone who owns a car goes through the same stuff. I have 170K miles on my car and could rattle off a laundry list of issues with it. If I picked up a car with 75K on it it would feel new to me.
start by getting off your lazy backside, and get yourself some sandpaper, and some rattle cans of krylon or duplicolor paint shop and start working on your car.
All that at 73,000 miles?!!! Yikes! you got a lemon, babe. Most cars these days will go 125,000+ miles with nothing except tires and maybe an electrical component or two. Interestingly, my 2007 Impala began having problems at about 60,000 miles. I peddled it, like pronto. Glad I did. My Caravan now has 85,000 miles and nothing ever happened so far.
Bite the bullet. Borrow the money if you have to. You are set to get nickel and dimed.
All that at 73,000 miles?!!! Yikes! you got a lemon, babe. Most cars these days will go 125,000+ miles with nothing except tires and maybe an electrical component or two. Interestingly, my 2007 Impala began having problems at about 60,000 miles. I peddled it, like pronto. Glad I did. My Caravan now has 85,000 miles and nothing ever happened so far.
Bite the bullet. Borrow the money if you have to. You are set to get nickel and dimed.
All that at 73,000 miles?!!! Yikes! you got a lemon, babe. Most cars these days will go 125,000+ miles with nothing except tires and maybe an electrical component or two. Interestingly, my 2007 Impala began having problems at about 60,000 miles. I peddled it, like pronto. Glad I did. My Caravan now has 85,000 miles and nothing ever happened so far.
Bite the bullet. Borrow the money if you have to. You are set to get nickel and dimed.
Lemon? doubt it.
More like he never took care of it.
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