Do You Have a Spare Car in Your Driveway? (insurance, vehicle, auto)
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I've always loved the idea of having an "extra" car, and now, as a semi-retired single woman, I'm going to do it. I am a real car nut, and took a bunch of auto tech classes when I was a young person.
I love, love, LOVE everything about cars.
I recently purchased a stunningly beautiful Camry V6 (to replace an aging Camry hybrid), and the V6 gets fair mileage (25 city - 35 highway - my averages).
However, I am filling it up twice a week. For my 2nd car, I've picked out a low-mileage slightly-used Prius C (the tiny Prius), and it's a sweet little ride. The savings in gas will offset extra costs of a second car. The previous owner was getting almost 50 mpgs around town (according to the car's computer).
Do you have a spare car in your driveway? Is it worth the extra trouble? Does it make you smile?
Several times after getting a new car, I've kept the old one for a year or two. Most recently, I kept my old 1997 Chrysler T&C for a year until I donated it to a relative.
The costs of registration and insurance continue with a rarely driven old car. You just need to decide if it's worth it. I decided that is was not because I used that old car just 2 times in its final year.
With that relative it lasted about 7 months until its transmission gave up the ghost. Then it was towed to Goodwill.
Not today, but yesterday I had a 3rd car (my wife's old commuter, a 50mpg Jetta). It's money and time... the old car was needing more attention (mine), money for parts, nevermind the registration and insurance. It just didn't make money sense to keep it around.
That's based on our history of cars failing/being replaced from Age, not miles. The Jetta, I'm confident, would have gone from the 300k it has now to 500k so long as the maintenance was kept up, but the paint was in bad shape, headliner falling, foam blowing out the vents, drivers seat pretty worn, endlessly hunting down the most current split hose, etc... to be expected on an 18y/o car.
I've had an extra car for the past 20+ years. During most of that, I had a motorcycle as well. I buy cars to satisfy certain criteria that one vehicle alone can't satisfy. For example, having an SUV to cart the family around, and a sports car for spirited drives. Or a convertible, when you want an open air experience.
Gotta say, I can't see much difference really between a Camry and a Prius, as it sounds like your primary concern is gas mileage, which both give decent ratings. For a second car, I'd want something different, like a convertible or SUV, maybe a Jeep Wrangler.
Not today, but yesterday I had a 3rd car (my wife's old commuter, a 50mpg Jetta). It's money and time... the old car was needing more attention (mine), money for parts, nevermind the registration and insurance. It just didn't make money sense to keep it around.
That's based on our history of cars failing/being replaced from Age, not miles. The Jetta, I'm confident, would have gone from the 300k it has now to 500k so long as the maintenance was kept up, but the paint was in bad shape, headliner falling, foam blowing out the vents, drivers seat pretty worn, endlessly hunting down the most current split hose, etc... to be expected on an 18y/o car.
I hope it went to someone who wanted to keep and care for it, and not to the scrapyard.
The father of one of my best friends has been a Subaru guy for decades. They've had Subarus from back in the 70s onward. Until he retired recently, he would always have two. The older one would be the work car because he worked downtown and had to park in the street where it would get dinged up, etc. The newer one would be for all of his personal/fun driving. When the work car reached a point where it was time to go, he'd get rid of it and replace it with the newer one. Then of course he'd go out and buy a brand new Subaru to be his personal car.
I think it was a good system. He always had a pretty nice car for trips and such, and always had a beater to take to work.
I have 6 cars in my driveway right now. Well, not this very second. I have my truck, both kids have a car, my wifes work car, my Mustang and our Enclave. The Enclave is technically our "spare" car., but doubles as our "family" car.
Our spare is our workhorse, GMC 2500HD 8.1 liter that we use for hauling and doing the dirty work. My daily driver is an Audi A4 Avant and hubby has a 5 series BMW.
We also have a 1979 Chevy square body truck and a Mercedes 380SL droptop that we keep for summer use
Right now it's not really worth it as I work a lot and don't really have any time to enjoy it. If I still lived in the rust belt I would definately have a second car for winter use but there is no need for that where I am now.
I do. But why a Prius and a Camry? That makes no sense.
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