Engine life threshold where you are satisfied with longevity?

When I purchased my 1988 M6 it wasn't a wise financial decision, but I drove it for three years and I loved every minute. If I'd waited until now to buy one it would cost me north of $100k for an equivalent car. Right now I'm looking at a 2016 M3. Impractical?
I sure hope so!
2016 M3 is pretty affordable for what you get. What's that run, $40-45K depending on options/miles? Totally practical, IMO if you are a city dweller.
 
2016 M3 is pretty affordable for what you get. What's that run, $40-45K depending on options/miles? Totally practical, IMO if you are a city dweller.

That's ballpark; the BMW center I worked at is only about 25 minutes away and they treat me very well with regards to BMW Club discounts, etc.
 
Kids can join the military or take out loans/get scholarships/pay for most of their own college. It shouldnt cost much to the parent vs what they cost you just staying home at present. Heck, I cut my dad a $5k check for the classes and books he helped me with over my 4.5 years a d we just called it good, as i also worked and covered a fair bit of my living expenses, which if I'd just stayed home would have been the same anyways.
I don't see my kids doing military--one is disabled, the other, I just don't see it in the cards. Not sure how it'd be cheaper to send them off to college--I mean, right now they live rent-free at home, it's not like I'm going to move to a smaller house so as to reduce my mortgage payment once they are out (I do have high hopes of repurposing their rooms into offices!). And some things are just cheaper in bulk.

Wife and I borrowed for college, and we just assumed that our kids would have to too. Just did not put enough thought into it. We should have paid off our college debt, then maxed out retirement, then figured out how we could pay for college--then determined if we could have kids. Coulda shoulda woulda. Hindsight is always more clear than foresight.
 
I don't see my kids doing military--one is disabled, the other, I just don't see it in the cards. Not sure how it'd be cheaper to send them off to college--I mean, right now they live rent-free at home, it's not like I'm going to move to a smaller house so as to reduce my mortgage payment once they are out (I do have high hopes of repurposing their rooms into offices!). And some things are just cheaper in bulk.

Wife and I borrowed for college, and we just assumed that our kids would have to too. Just did not put enough thought into it. We should have paid off our college debt, then maxed out retirement, then figured out how we could pay for college--then determined if we could have kids. Coulda shoulda woulda. Hindsight is always more clear than foresight.
Kids can pay just like you did. You earned your life, enjoy it! Let them figure it out.
 
Kids can pay just like you did. You earned your life, enjoy it! Let them figure it out.
I'm not so sure about that. When I was 18--I was dumb as a brick. And I did not have good peers to copy in terms of financial things. Hence my string of mistakes. [I know that is blame-shifting, I'm not trying to, but one does feel a need to examine their mistakes and find root cause.]

I do want my kids to have "skin in the game" when it comes to college. But how to guide (if not push) them into wise decisions... I haven't a clue. Making every decision for them is as unwise as giving no advice whatsoever. Personally I don't think my life is a good example for them to follow: I should not tell them "do it the way I did it" because I did it wrong. I'm not sure where they are going to turn to for good examples of how to do it.
 
I don't see my kids doing military--one is disabled, the other, I just don't see it in the cards. Not sure how it'd be cheaper to send them off to college--I mean, right now they live rent-free at home, it's not like I'm going to move to a smaller house so as to reduce my mortgage payment once they are out (I do have high hopes of repurposing their rooms into offices!). And some things are just cheaper in bulk.

Wife and I borrowed for college, and we just assumed that our kids would have to too. Just did not put enough thought into it. We should have paid off our college debt, then maxed out retirement, then figured out how we could pay for college--then determined if we could have kids. Coulda shoulda woulda. Hindsight is always more clear than foresight.
JC for 2 years. I worked for companies that paid part of my tuition. There are all kinds of scholarships. It can be done.
College saved my life.
Good luck.
 
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JC for 2 years. I worked for companies that paid part of my tuition. There are all kinds of scholarships. It can be done.
College saved my life.
Good luck.
Oh definitely--I would not be where I am today had I not gone. Not only that, but a number of extra-curricular activities greatly grew me too--I can't imagine how I would have turned out if I had to work while in college. Might have been good, might have been bad, might have been indifferent. Dunno. I plan to wait and see on my kids. I certainly can't afford a pair of six figure educations, so in a sense they are on their own--and I plan to argue with them if I sense that they are cavalierly taking on undue debt.

I got lucky and college was still cheap when I went. I got about half of it on scholarship, and the remaining $20k or so was still less than half my salary afterwards. Good gamble--I got lucky--I certainly did not contemplate cost vs benefit when I went. "Everyone goes to college, and everyone borrows to do so". With any luck I'll be able to discuss with my kids cost/benefit ratio when the time comes, and help them make good decisions about it.
 
200K to me is great on a car I buy new - that's at least 10 years for me. I feel like at 10 years I have gotten my money out of a vehicle. The car will likely have other issues at the point in the non-mechanical areas, interior, etc. My highest mileage car was my '00 Jetta bought new in '99. 220K when I sold it in 2013 and that car ran to around 300K with the next owner. It was in bad shape inside at that point and I probably kept it longer than I should have. Mileage isn't the only metric - time to me is more important as it will take into account hte breakdown of plastics and other materials in the vehicle. I can go drive a car 50K a year and at 300K it will still be fine to drive b/c it will be generally be in v. good shape inside as it will be 6 years old.
 
I'm not so sure about that. When I was 18--I was dumb as a brick. And I did not have good peers to copy in terms of financial things. Hence my string of mistakes. [I know that is blame-shifting, I'm not trying to, but one does feel a need to examine their mistakes and find root cause.]

I do want my kids to have "skin in the game" when it comes to college. But how to guide (if not push) them into wise decisions... I haven't a clue. Making every decision for them is as unwise as giving no advice whatsoever. Personally I don't think my life is a good example for them to follow: I should not tell them "do it the way I did it" because I did it wrong. I'm not sure where they are going to turn to for good examples of how to do it.
"Iraq or Scholarship. Figure it out." was my guidance. I applied for both. Overall ASVAB was in the low 90th percentile, and scholarship covered everything but my books, and knocked my college dorm down to $120/mo+utilities split 4 ways. I chose college. Kinda regret it, but, hey, it's a "grass is always greener..." type deal. Dad kicked in enough money to help cover my car insurance and I worked to pay for my rent, utilities, and books. Last 2 years of college I got a stipend from my then to be, future employer that covered my books and 1/2 my tuition, leaving about $1K/semester due. My Dad kicked me cash now and then, paid for insurance, doctor's bills, that sort of thing (about like if I were still home), and I cut him a $5K check (his amount) shortly after graduating to cover debts. Now, I buy him random cool stuff and it makes him smile, as well as him knowing he can come vacation at my house on the river and use my private range any time he wants, when he wants to get away from it all. I made sure his investment was returned to him both monetarily, per his valuation, as well as socially, by the above. He supported my college en-devours without really understanding them, except to randomly ask "Are you doing okay? passing? On course?" Guidance was internal, as part of my early Montessori education and how I was raised led me to be.

I had classmates who had zero help, and classmates who had it handed to them. Who they were determined the outcome more than that.


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Just how I grew up/handled it. YMMV.
 
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Depends on how the vehicle is driven. If mostly highway miles, I don't think expecting 300K is too much. If mostly city miles, then 150K-200K would probably mean the engine would outlast the rest of the vehicle...
 
Automakers design cars for a B50 of 150,000 mi.

B50 = 50% will make this mileage without a major repair. Major means like internal engine work.
 
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