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Where are people getting this idea that "used" is somehow synonmous with "beater" or "basic??"
"Used" can be a *really* nice car, with all the toys, and even the new-car smell (they bottle that, ya know )
The only difference is a few thousand miles, and that someone else has eaten the initial depreciation...
Or, you coud just want the feature set on the new one that isn't on the used one.
For an example, I leased the 2013 Volt brand new (naturally). The '13 had some aded features that made it a better driver than the '11 and '12 versions, and you could get the $7500 federal and $2000 state tax credits for buying/leasing new that you couldn't get buying used.
The '13 added a bit more range, and had a feature called "hold" mode that allowed you to choose to run teh generator on teh highway while the bateries still had plenty of charge, thus "holding" the battey charge until you needed it later (the engine still didn't drive the wheels, it simply held the charge at that point). This allowed you to use pure electric when it was most efficient (in town and in traffic) and the gas generator when IT is most efficient (on the highway, where you could get upwards of 50+mpg). the '13s also did away with the black painted roof and hatch panel, making them look better, plus they had some new options for the interior (the pebble beige leather and suede that I got, for example). This car uses no gas on my daily commute and errand running, and only uses gas when teh temps drop below 25 degrees F or when using Hold mode on the highway. I've put less than a tank of gas in it in a year of daily driving. And I love the tech and I love driving it, so it was nice to have it new.
My wife's MINI was leased brand new, and is the second one we've done. It's the new '14 version with the 3 cyl turbo, and I like it much better than the older versions (the turbo S models were known to be problematic, even though the non turbo, non-S models were fine). So she's in something new with a warranty that I don't have to fix if something goes wrong, leaving me more time to work on my '63. And since she uses it for her home business, we write it off on the taxes.
And the Suburban was bought used because it had the specs we wanted at a reasonable price (I wanted the 8.1 liter gas big block 2500 series with the 12,000lb tow rating). It's simply a specific tool for a very specific use.
And the Suburban was bought used because it had the specs we wanted at a reasonable price (I wanted the 8.1 liter gas big block 2500 series with the 12,000lb tow rating). It's simply a specific tool for a very specific use.
I'm sure it wasn't easy finding that 2500 Suburban. I couldn't find one used when I was looking and ended up with and Excursion. Like you , it is used for a specific use. Most of the time it just sits.
Too many miles for me. Paid $10k for a 77k mile 4wd Excursion that was set up exactly like I wanted ..other than being a gas powered Ford. Although I do like the styling. Couldn't come close to that price for a Suburban in the same shape. It gets the job done though.
What kind of mileage does the 496 get ? Can't believe it could be any worse than the Triton V10.
I get about 14 mpg unloaded and 12 towing the travel trailer. I've got 130k on mine, and it's really just getting broken in. OTHER than it came from PA and had rusty brake lines, which I had to replace when one of them burst last spring. Luckily I was in the driveway and not out on a trip... Got the $350 kit that replaces all the hard lines with stainless steel, then put on new rubber lines from the hard line to the calipers, so now it should be good for another couple hundred thousand miles. But I only paid $6500 for the truck, which was a screaming deal for a 2500 series 'Burban wth the 8.1. I also looked at those Excursions, but I couldn't find any decent ones under $10k, so I went with the Chevy.
I get about 14 mpg unloaded and 12 towing the travel trailer. I've got 130k on mine, and it's really just getting broken in. OTHER than it came from PA and had rusty brake lines, which I had to replace when one of them burst last spring. Luckily I was in the driveway and not out on a trip... Got the $350 kit that replaces all the hard lines with stainless steel, then put on new rubber lines from the hard line to the calipers, so now it should be good for another couple hundred thousand miles. But I only paid $6500 for the truck, which was a screaming deal for a 2500 series 'Burban wth the 8.1. I also looked at those Excursions, but I couldn't find any decent ones under $10k, so I went with the Chevy.
Yeah here in MI , when I was shopping the Suburbans were priced more than the Ford, if you could find one. Unloaded I can 14mpg if I really try. Throw a trailer on it though and it doesn't matter if it's 1000lbs or 10,000 and it drops to 9-10.
Where are people getting the idea that depreciation even matters if you buy a new car and keep it for 10 or 12 years?
To me losing 20 grand compared to 2 or $4K is significant.
The one exception I've seen is if you are in my parents situation. They were looking for a newer small SUV perhaps 2 years old, 20K at the most and expecting to save some money. The price difference between a new one and the used ones were not that much and it was hard to justify not buying new. They may just keep it for two years and sell it.
To me losing 20 grand compared to 2 or $4K is significant.
The one exception I've seen is if you are in my parents situation. They were looking for a newer small SUV perhaps 2 years old, 20K at the most and expecting to save some money. The price difference between a new one and the used ones were not that much and it was hard to justify not buying new. They may just keep it for two years and sell it.
That is usually the case with most NEW vs NEWER vehicles when people start to cross shop, especially with high resale vehicles (Toyota, Honda).
With incentives, rebates, 0% financing, and negotiation many times you will come out even or ahead.
To me losing 20 grand compared to 2 or $4K is significant.
The one exception I've seen is if you are in my parents situation. They were looking for a newer small SUV perhaps 2 years old, 20K at the most and expecting to save some money. The price difference between a new one and the used ones were not that much and it was hard to justify not buying new. They may just keep it for two years and sell it.
Then they will take a depreciation hit.
Go out 10 years and what is the value difference in a 10 compared to 12 year old vehicle? At that point, for either of them, depreciation is a wash.
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