Long long long term car ownership

[billt460]

Originally Posted by Railrust
This your daily driver? Sounds like more of a side vehicle, and absolutely nothing wrong with that. I do a lot of driving, my yearly average is 28,000, but lately I've been taking the wife's car on the weekends...firgure I'll be able to shave 5,000 a year off or so. But I think it's awesome you're hanging on to that Ford pickup...can't believe that thing still uses the R12! No conversion, probably best you didn't.

I have 2 newer vehicles. A 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and a 2018 Toyota Camry we just bought last year. So while it's not considered a, "daily driver", it gets driven several times a week. I can't really justify owning 3 cars being retired, and driving so little. But as I mentioned, the truck is worth far more to me than I would ever get by liquidating it through sale. Plates and insurance for it are also very cheap. So there is simply no good reason to part with it.

 

[MCompact]

I've owned 11 BMWs since 1983, and all but one were owned out of warranty for 30k-80k miles. The only car that actually requited an expensive fix was my 2004 X3 which had a transfer case failure. I still owned it to nearly 200k. I prefer the inline fours and sixesI budget an amount roughly equivalent to a car payment to maintain all five of my vehicles- including the Wrangler. To each his own... .

 

[Ws6]

Originally Posted by Railrust
I always go into buying a vehicle with the thought of...I'm going to keep this thing forever. Then it's sitting there at around 170,00 plus miles, it needs a major repair (and small ones) and I bail. Just did it with a Lexus, it needed $4,000 in various reposts and I traded it in. Kind of regretting that when I'm paying my monthly car payment and that yearly $500 plus excise tax bill comes in. Never mind the dealer hidden fees when I bough the thing...the paper work prep crap.

I'm a tech, I know how vehicles can go south pretty quickly and start nickel and diming you, but maybe it is worth fixing these things? My Lexus had to go simply because almost every part for that car was three times as much as a typical brand, but I'm seriously considering keeping my latest vehicle (2018 Silverado) for a ridiculously long time.

Anyone go very very long term on a vehicle and was it worth it? Paying for those big big repairs.



You just can't with newer vehicles, unless you're cool spending more than the car is currently worth, just on repairs. I'm not. So I buy new/LIGHTLY used, and get 150K mile bumper/bumper warranties on them, and motor on, and after the warranty period is up if it breaks, I trade it in.

 

[HowAboutThis]

Originally Posted by Ws6
Originally Posted by Railrust
I always go into buying a vehicle with the thought of...I'm going to keep this thing forever. Then it's sitting there at around 170,00 plus miles, it needs a major repair (and small ones) and I bail. Just did it with a Lexus, it needed $4,000 in various reposts and I traded it in. Kind of regretting that when I'm paying my monthly car payment and that yearly $500 plus excise tax bill comes in. Never mind the dealer hidden fees when I bough the thing...the paper work prep crap.

I'm a tech, I know how vehicles can go south pretty quickly and start nickel and diming you, but maybe it is worth fixing these things? My Lexus had to go simply because almost every part for that car was three times as much as a typical brand, but I'm seriously considering keeping my latest vehicle (2018 Silverado) for a ridiculously long time.

Anyone go very very long term on a vehicle and was it worth it? Paying for those big big repairs.



You just can't with newer vehicles, unless you're cool spending more than the car is currently worth, just on repairs. I'm not. So I buy new/LIGHTLY used, and get 150K mile bumper/bumper warranties on them, and motor on, and after the warranty period is up if it breaks, I trade it in.


Where are the warranties through? Half those aftermarket warranties on used cars are pretty much a scam. So many exclusions and requirements to keep in place.

 

[Railrust]

Originally Posted by Ws6
Originally Posted by Railrust
I always go into buying a vehicle with the thought of...I'm going to keep this thing forever. Then it's sitting there at around 170,00 plus miles, it needs a major repair (and small ones) and I bail. Just did it with a Lexus, it needed $4,000 in various reposts and I traded it in. Kind of regretting that when I'm paying my monthly car payment and that yearly $500 plus excise tax bill comes in. Never mind the dealer hidden fees when I bough the thing...the paper work prep crap.

I'm a tech, I know how vehicles can go south pretty quickly and start nickel and diming you, but maybe it is worth fixing these things? My Lexus had to go simply because almost every part for that car was three times as much as a typical brand, but I'm seriously considering keeping my latest vehicle (2018 Silverado) for a ridiculously long time.

Anyone go very very long term on a vehicle and was it worth it? Paying for those big big repairs.



You just can't with newer vehicles, unless you're cool spending more than the car is currently worth, just on repairs. I'm not. So I buy new/LIGHTLY used, and get 150K mile bumper/bumper warranties on them, and motor on, and after the warranty period is up if it breaks, I trade it in.

When I was car shopping I was finding that the slightly more used/almost new cars/trucks were almost as expensive as a new one, especially with thrucks. So I just bought new. Next time I'll probably go used...like maybe 4-5 years old with 60,000-70,000 miles on it.

I've never done the extended warranty thing, like I said, I'm a tech so I can the repairs (sometimes I admit I don't want to), but I've just seen too many "deductibles" and other things that spring up on some of these warranties. Just last week a guy I know bought a 2010 Ford Edge, now I warned him that the PTU (power transfer units) go bad on those things and sure enough a month after he owned it the thing was junk. Typical on that vehicle. So he had a warranty...6 month unlimited mileage from whatever company, it came with the vehicle. The repair was $1,600. The warranty company wanted pictures of the transfer case split open. So the mechanic was nice enough to take the time to open this thing up outside and take some pictures. Then they insisted a used unit would be installed. The tech talked to the warranty company and made them understand that there really is no such thing as used PTU's because they're all garbage and a new one is $900. So they agreed. Well this is what happened...after all of that the warranty company only paid $500! All that back and forth, the pictures, the BS...and my friend was on the hook for the remaining $1,100 bucks. I mean I guess it's better than nothing, but imagine paying for an extended warranty and having that happen? I'd go out of my mind. I'm sure your experiences are better, especially if you have experience with aftermarket companies, etc.

 

[JeffKeryk]

For me, the best warranty is a car with a well earned reputation and regular service using high quality parts and fluids.
Everyone knows which vehicles fit that description.
Just sayin'...

 

[supton]

I thoroughly enjoyed my VW but really hated going out of state for repairs. After 11 years & 314,000 miles I realized it needed like $4k in repairs. I decided it was time to move on. It also didn't fit our family real well either. In some ways it was done well: at the end it needed good sized list of stuff, and if you ask me, that's better than sending a vehicle to the junkyard that has new everything, save for the one thing that broke the camel's back. Cars should go out worn out.

That was the vehicle I've owned the longest. Everything else tends to be just a few years before I feel like moving on.

I've only had my Camry for 2 years now but am thinking of moving on. Not sure why. It does everything I want, at least on paper, save for being an automatic (and even then it's a well behaved auto). I wouldn't mind more mpg but I know that any gas savings would be eaten by insurance costs. I guess two hours a day has me finding every minor thing that I don't care for.

 

[Nick1994]

My Jeep was my grandpa's, and I'll keep it forever. I will never sell it. It sits in the garage most of the time, but I some times take it out exploring in the desert. I drive it to work maybe once every few weeks.

It's cost a lot to keep it going, right when I do a big repair I think "ok, now it'll be fine for a while" and then something else goes out. Which is fine, I'm happy with repairing it. It's currently dismantled in the garage awaiting a starter and alternator. I might do that today.

The Sonata, eh, not sure how long I'll keep it. It's been great and I love the car, but I might get bored and switch it up in a couple years. Or I might keep it long term, no plans right now.

The Camry isn't worth anything but it's an excellent car. I let my brother drive it.

 

[wtd]

I also tend to keep my vehicles forever.

1970 Monte Carlo. Bought in 1987. My second car.
1998 Chevy K1500. Bought new in 1998. 137,000 miles
1992 Cavaliers. Got both of them in 2006. The RS had 76,000 miles on it and was wrecked. I fixed it and it was my daily driver to work for many years until I retired in 2017 but I still drive it the most because it gets good gas mileage. The other Cavalier was given to me with a blown motor. I had a junkyard motor installed and my fiancee drove it from 2006 until 2014 when she bought a low mileage 1994 Cavalier. My RS has 231,000 miles and I don't know how many the other one has since we swapped out the gauge cluster years ago.
1998 Chevy K3500. Bought in 2007 with 94,000 miles. 117,000 miles now.
2014 Mustang GT. Bought new in 2013. Almost 31,000 miles.

My fiancee also tends to keep vehicles for awhile. She kept her 2003 Ford Superduty from 2003 when she bought it new until 2017.
Her 2007 Mustang GT was bought in 2010 with 6,900 miles on it and now only has about 25,000 miles on it.
2017 F150 she bought new and it only has about 7,500 miles on it.
1994 Cavalier bought in 2014 with 59,000 miles and now has about 152,000.

With the high prices of vehicles these days, I have no desire to get another one anytime soon. Along with higher insurance and personal property taxes, I prefer to just fix what goes wrong.

 

[billt460]

Originally Posted by billt460
Originally Posted by Railrust
This your daily driver? Sounds like more of a side vehicle, and absolutely nothing wrong with that. I do a lot of driving, my yearly average is 28,000, but lately I've been taking the wife's car on the weekends...firgure I'll be able to shave 5,000 a year off or so. But I think it's awesome you're hanging on to that Ford pickup...can't believe that thing still uses the R12! No conversion, probably best you didn't.

I have 2 newer vehicles. A 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and a 2018 Toyota Camry we just bought last year. So while it's not considered a, "daily driver", it gets driven several times a week. I can't really justify owning 3 cars being retired, and driving so little. But as I mentioned, the truck is worth far more to me than I would ever get by liquidating it through sale. Plates and insurance for it are also very cheap. So there is simply no good reason to part with it.

I spoke a bit too soon. This morning I went out, fired it up, and was going to top off the tanks. I noticed the voltmeter was showing a low reading. Alternator was shot. $168.00 and 2 hours later I was at the station filling up, with a new alternator and serpentine belt. Hopefully this one will last another 28 years.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Any forever person should be mentally prepared to get the transmission rebuilt if it fails. This is often a deal breaker since that may be more than the car is worth. If the car had bad exterior rust, that would be enough for me to give it up. Other than that, if you like doing small repairs, keep it up. Don't forget many people just can't resist that new car spell or are are embarrassed to be seen in an older car. Not to mention the attitude of their spouse.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted by Snagglefoot
Not to mention the attitude of their spouse.

Heh, the wife and kids hated my last car. One winter the wife had to borrow it, and wound up taking the kids to school--my six (8?) year old daughter started yelling at the car to stop the squeaking. Wife tried really hard to never drive my current car but the other day decided she'd rather drive that than deal with taking the truck (was doing the snow tire change over). She had hoped to never drive it--I think she never wanted to ride in it--but I won.

[She actually doesn't care that much about cars, she doesn't really care, although to her there has never been a automatic transmission made worth driving. I taught her to drive stick and then wound up only owning automatics, shame on me.]

 

[caprice_2nv]

Originally Posted by A_Harman
I bought my 2002 Camaro new and have put 271k miles on it. It's not just my car, it's MY CAR!
I have used it for track driving ever since I got it, and have had to do a lot of major repairs on it over the years:
4 sets of rear axle shafts.
3 rear end swaps, including a custom rear end build.
10 sets of front wheel bearings.
2 complete sets of springs.
at least 30 brake jobs, probably closer to 50.
1 broken front sway bar.
2 alternator replacements.
2 trips to body shops to repair crash damage, but nothing serious.
1 transmission rebuild when reverse got hard to find
1 clutch replacement as preventive maintenance when the trans was rebuilt
engine still runs good, but is consuming a lot of oil

I drive the car year-round, so I have 3 sets of wheels and tires for it: Blizzaks on the factory 16's for winter, Conti high-performance all-seasons on 17's for the other 3 seasons, and soft tires on 17's for track use.
I also have a set of C5 Corvette front brakes that get put on before track season, then go back to the factory front brakes for winter.

Why go through all this?
I just like driving it. It fits me.


That is awesome. 271k miles of beatings. When I was young and first drove I did a burnout almost every time I drove. Only thing I eventually broke on 2 of my cars was the rear end.

 

[Ws6]

Originally Posted by Railrust
Originally Posted by Ws6
Originally Posted by Railrust
I always go into buying a vehicle with the thought of...I'm going to keep this thing forever. Then it's sitting there at around 170,00 plus miles, it needs a major repair (and small ones) and I bail. Just did it with a Lexus, it needed $4,000 in various reposts and I traded it in. Kind of regretting that when I'm paying my monthly car payment and that yearly $500 plus excise tax bill comes in. Never mind the dealer hidden fees when I bough the thing...the paper work prep crap.

I'm a tech, I know how vehicles can go south pretty quickly and start nickel and diming you, but maybe it is worth fixing these things? My Lexus had to go simply because almost every part for that car was three times as much as a typical brand, but I'm seriously considering keeping my latest vehicle (2018 Silverado) for a ridiculously long time.

Anyone go very very long term on a vehicle and was it worth it? Paying for those big big repairs.



You just can't with newer vehicles, unless you're cool spending more than the car is currently worth, just on repairs. I'm not. So I buy new/LIGHTLY used, and get 150K mile bumper/bumper warranties on them, and motor on, and after the warranty period is up if it breaks, I trade it in.

When I was car shopping I was finding that the slightly more used/almost new cars/trucks were almost as expensive as a new one, especially with thrucks. So I just bought new. Next time I'll probably go used...like maybe 4-5 years old with 60,000-70,000 miles on it.

I've never done the extended warranty thing, like I said, I'm a tech so I can the repairs (sometimes I admit I don't want to), but I've just seen too many "deductibles" and other things that spring up on some of these warranties. Just last week a guy I know bought a 2010 Ford Edge, now I warned him that the PTU (power transfer units) go bad on those things and sure enough a month after he owned it the thing was junk. Typical on that vehicle. So he had a warranty...6 month unlimited mileage from whatever company, it came with the vehicle. The repair was $1,600. The warranty company wanted pictures of the transfer case split open. So the mechanic was nice enough to take the time to open this thing up outside and take some pictures. Then they insisted a used unit would be installed. The tech talked to the warranty company and made them understand that there really is no such thing as used PTU's because they're all garbage and a new one is $900. So they agreed. Well this is what happened...after all of that the warranty company only paid $500! All that back and forth, the pictures, the BS...and my friend was on the hook for the remaining $1,100 bucks. I mean I guess it's better than nothing, but imagine paying for an extended warranty and having that happen? I'd go out of my mind. I'm sure your experiences are better, especially if you have experience with aftermarket companies, etc.

This is why I bought the warranty from the dealership that sold me the car. They have used this company for a long time. There is no deductible at THAT dealer (and $200 elsewhere), and they deal with any negotiations with the warranty company, and ultimately will eat the charge so as not to lose the customer. BS, you say? They ate a $2700 diff replacement that I accidentally flooded in my last CX5, so I'd say they're good for it, especially if I don't do something like that, etc. I trust my local dealer b ased on previous actions like this that show their character.

 

[borgward]

In 1980 I bought a 1972 Datsun 1200 Coupe w/180,000 miles on it. Just out of school and new job. After a year I put $1200 into it rebuilding the engine, front suspension. That got me down the road another 80,000 miles. I then got a A1400 crate engine reman by Nissan in Japan from the dealer for $800. Not a 30,000 mile used engine from Japan. Got another Nissan reman from the dealer. went through several speedometer cables, learned to pony up the bucks for a Nippondenso alternator after going through many rebuilt for life ones. Had close to 800,000 miles on it before my wife turned her 99 Tracer over to me. The Datsuns seat was beginning to kill my back.

Keeping a new car for a long long time depends on the car. Front wheel drive, automatic transmission is probably not going to get you there. Turbo either. I looked at New Mazda, and off lease BMW's. They looked like a real pain to service.

 

[A_Harman]

Originally Posted by JamesBond
Originally Posted by A_Harman
I bought my 2002 Camaro new and have put 271k miles on it. It's not just my car, it's MY CAR!
I have used it for track driving ever since I got it, and have had to do a lot of major repairs on it over the years:
4 sets of rear axle shafts.
3 rear end swaps, including a custom rear end build.
10 sets of front wheel bearings.
2 complete sets of springs.
at least 30 brake jobs, probably closer to 50.
1 broken front sway bar.
2 alternator replacements.
2 trips to body shops to repair crash damage, but nothing serious.
1 transmission rebuild when reverse got hard to find
1 clutch replacement as preventive maintenance when the trans was rebuilt
engine still runs good, but is consuming a lot of oil

I drive the car year-round, so I have 3 sets of wheels and tires for it: Blizzaks on the factory 16's for winter, Conti high-performance all-seasons on 17's for the other 3 seasons, and soft tires on 17's for track use.
I also have a set of C5 Corvette front brakes that get put on before track season, then go back to the factory front brakes for winter.

Why go through all this?
I just like driving it. It fits me.


What is your process to keep rust at bay? That's an impressive amount of driving.


Obsessively wash it all through the winter. Not so much the upper body; the wheel wells and undercarriage. I can't stand to let salt stay on the car for longer than 2 days. I take it to the quarter car wash in temperatures down to 20F. Or I wash it in my garage, and use a wet or dry vac to suck up the water.
But rust never sleeps: it has some bubbling in front of the driver side wheel well, and I fear that it's going to go through.

 

[A_Harman]

Originally Posted by caprice_2nv
Originally Posted by A_Harman
I bought my 2002 Camaro new and have put 271k miles on it. It's not just my car, it's MY CAR!
I have used it for track driving ever since I got it, and have had to do a lot of major repairs on it over the years:
4 sets of rear axle shafts.
3 rear end swaps, including a custom rear end build.
10 sets of front wheel bearings.
2 complete sets of springs.
at least 30 brake jobs, probably closer to 50.
1 broken front sway bar.
2 alternator replacements.
2 trips to body shops to repair crash damage, but nothing serious.
1 transmission rebuild when reverse got hard to find
1 clutch replacement as preventive maintenance when the trans was rebuilt
engine still runs good, but is consuming a lot of oil

I drive the car year-round, so I have 3 sets of wheels and tires for it: Blizzaks on the factory 16's for winter, Conti high-performance all-seasons on 17's for the other 3 seasons, and soft tires on 17's for track use.
I also have a set of C5 Corvette front brakes that get put on before track season, then go back to the factory front brakes for winter.

Why go through all this?
I just like driving it. It fits me.


That is awesome. 271k miles of beatings. When I was young and first drove I did a burnout almost every time I drove. Only thing I eventually broke on 2 of my cars was the rear end.


I prefer to think of it as "abused with the greatest of care".

 

[Bamaro]

Still driving my 70 Camaro that I bought new.

 

[Gasbuggy]

I bought a 95 accord during high school, in 2004, with 192k on it for $250 and drove it 13 years. Threw a rod at 386,000+ Still ran and drove on two cylinders with a hole in the block. By the end I was doing ok for myself but still driving this absolute death trap. It smoked like crazy. That car was my Christine. Couldn't kill it.

 

[Revving2Redline]

Going for as many miles as it will go. If I can go another 250,000 miles for under 5 grand I will do it. I am buying new driver seat and steering wheel but those are necessity not repairs. Heck I will probably go 0w40 M1 full time at 500,000 miles. Might celebrate and go to the Honda museum in Japan(https://jalopnik.com/the-honda-collection-hall-is-a-salute-to-ingenuity-and-1820141525)
Stop in Guam on way home to see Doberman burial site https://nationalpurebreddogday.com/doberman-pinscher-war-dogs-in-guam/. Best things to have;a good car and good dog AND WIFE too if shes reading this.