When your vehicle reaches middle age...

[jumpr]

Do you enjoy driving and working on your car more than ever, or is middle age when you start getting the new (or different) car itch?

For me, it's a mixture between the two. I've had my 2004 Outback for about 4 years now (purchased it from my parents, who kept all receipts and had all work done at the dealer), and I'm proud that it's running better than it ever has, now that I've started doing all my own work, including 7500 mi. OCIs with GC, 2 transmission fluid drain-and-refills every 15K miles, and changing the front and rear diff oil out (admittedly late, at around 70K mi., but the oil looked okay when it came out and the magnetic plugs looked fine). It's nice to know exactly where everything is under the hood, on the drivetrain, and elsewhere.

At the same time, I'm starting to feel like it might be time to start researching new cars. I love the Subaru, and the H6 is a great engine (without the HG issues of the 2.5l), but I'm getting tired of 20-24 mpg, having to buy 4 new tires at a time, $100 for each strut, etc.

I'll probably end up driving this car into the ground (my wife and I agree it's pretty much the perfect car for kids, sometime in the future), but I just wanted to know if anyone else was in the constant state of "keep it or trade it" when it comes to their middle-age cars.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: jumpr
I'm getting tired of 20-24 mpg, having to buy 4 new tires at a time, $100 for each strut, etc.


This is a little bit off-topic, but you mentioned the supreme utility of having that wagon...so I'm wondering what you else you would get that would get significantly better than 20-24 MPG, would allow you to replace two tires at a time, and would cost less than $100/strut to re-damp?

My itch for something new/different usually hinges on me wanting or needing a different type of vehicle. If that wagon/SUV type vehicle works well for your family, I'm not sure you'd find anything else other than a new version of what you have. And maybe you'd like that, but you wouldn't be able to escape the list of things you're getting tired of with your current ride.

 

[jumpr]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: jumpr
I'm getting tired of 20-24 mpg, having to buy 4 new tires at a time, $100 for each strut, etc.


This is a little bit off-topic, but you mentioned the supreme utility of having that wagon...so I'm wondering what you else you would get that would get significantly better than 20-24 MPG, would allow you to replace two tires at a time, and would cost less than $100/strut to re-damp?
That's a good point. There's not a lot out there that meets my requirements. I love the Subaru AWD system, and the reliability of the boxer engine is pretty unbeatable. The cars I've been researching online are the Outback Sport (marginally better gas mileage and a bit smaller, lighter and sportier), the Honda Civic (significant jump in gas mileage, but no AWD and a bit too small for my liking), and the Volvo XC 70 (kind of a pipe dream as it retails for over $35K in the configuration we would want). I would consider the new Outback, but I'm disappointed with Subaru's redesign for 2010 and will have to wait 'till the next facelift to make that call. So yeah, I think another Subaru is really the only thing that would make me happy at this point.

 

[daves87rs]

Just keep it....much better at this point.

 

[CharlieJ]

When does a car reach middle age? One of my cars' is 4 years old and the other is 27. Both run fine.

 

[123Saab]

Originally Posted By: CharlieJ
When does a car reach middle age? One of my cars' is 4 years old and the other is 27. Both run fine.


Kinda my question as well, I have two cars with over 150k and over 10 years old and for some reason still think of them as somewhat new.....

 

[The_Jeff]

An 04 as middle age? Will you trade it when the ashtray light burns out?

It's not just cheapness; newer cars really don't appeal to me in style or substance. Now the brand new stuff... like turbo family sedans pulling high 30 MPGs... Call me in a few years.

My 95 drives better than new with the KYB struts and 15" tires "they should have put on". Age for many lowers the barrier of fear over screwing their car up by making such improvements.

 

[440Magnum]

I drove one car from 1979 until 1993, stored it for 6 years, then drove it again from 1999 until 2007. Its now stored again waiting for me to decide whether to do a full restoration or let it rust in pieces (its a '73 Plymouth Satellite, >400,000 miles, 318/904 but with swaybars, polygraphite bushings, intake/carb/cam package and good shocks- it could autocross competitively if I wanted to).

I don't generally itch for new cars much, I like cars I'm familiar with provided they're sufficiently fun to drive. Although I will say that the 2011 Challenger 392 is definitely putting fiberglass in my underwear... some serious itching going on for that one.

 

[Thermo1223]

For safety reasons you definitely should replace all 4 tires at once but Subaru's AWD system is not as demanding in respects to tire wear thresholds.

You could get away with pairs IF they were close but like I said safety is the better reason to replace them in 4's

All automatic transmission Subbies are primarily FWD until you need it.

 

[jumpr]

Middle age for me is 7 years because the longest my family ever kept a car was 14 years -- 1984 Toyota Tercel wagon; finally got rid of it in 1998. Still ran, too!

 

[rslifkin]

I'm kinda with 440Magnum's theory there. If a vehicle is fun to drive, runs well, and I like it, I see no reason to replace it. Plus, replacing one doesn't necessarily mean the next one will be newer.

 

[scotth324]

I like the older vehicles before they came with covers over everything in the engine compartment and I like to be able to do most of the work on my own without having to rely on a computer to reset things and test things. That said I have a 92 Toyota 4x4 pickup and I put a 95 Toyota 4 cyl turbo diesel into it with fairly high miles. The truck has 300000miles on it now since a week ago and still runs and drives like a top. Everything still works on it perfectly. Just needs new fenders and cab corners. I don't want a new vehicle because no company makes a smaller truck with a tiny diesel in it that will get decent miles and will tow something without drinking the tank up fast. The older vehicles can be diagnosed easily and parts are cheaper.

And jumpr I would recommend having a look at a Toyota Matrix. They have a really good motor and they come in AWD and they are a wagon. My grandparent have one from 05 its an auto AWD and on the highway in a hilly location in the bush of NW Ontario I got 42.5 CAN mpg at 65mph. I think that is pretty good for an AWD wagon. Never had a problem with it either.

 

[widman]

I love my 88 BMW 325ic and 60 Corvair, using them for most paved driving, but they are not for going between cities here.

I kept my 99 4Runner 10 years and then thought my 09 Grand Cherokee would be another 10 year car, but the 2011's have a whole more to offer, and for sitting in them 10 to 14 hours at a stretch through mud, sand, rock and mountains, I'm close to changing it.
(and also may buy a 1975 Mini pickup tomorrow).

 

[sciphi]

Have I got the itch to change? You bet. But I'm holding off since my Buick does everything necessary very well, and gets ~25 mpg with the driving I use it for. Plus it's easy to fix, and parts are available almost everywhere for it.

 

[Falcon_LS]

I get attached to my cars very easily, and I particularly have a soft spot for vehicles I buy new.

The ownership experiences become more enjoyable for me as the vehicle ages for several reasons. First and foremost, you get to know the car like the back of your hand. So if you experience a certain problem for a second time you know exactly what to do, the part number and cost, where you can get the best price for it and how to go about installing it. You also get to know the car's limits and capabilities real well.

The other thing I enjoy is the reaction I get from people. I take really good care of my cars, and spending 4-5 hours detailing each one over the weekend is not uncommon. So when I get compliments from people about how the car looks almost like it's been driven off the showroom floor, it puts a smile on my face. I get a double kick when the person complimenting finds out the mileage!

 

[ARB1977]

My Tacoma gets better with age. Just the other day i said to myself id be a fool to sell this thing. Next year it will be ten years old. The only time it will become a pain if it starts to nickle and dime me...i dont mind changing out stuff that wears out. Nature of the beast.

 

[GenSan]

I love well-maintained, late model vehicles and hate the idea of keeping up with the Jones'.

I admire the new 4th & 5th generation 4Runners as I pass them by in a 3rd generation and still feel proud to drive such a reliable SUV.

Same goes when I see 2nd generation Sequoia's while driving a 1st gen.

Until maintenance costs hover more than $12,000 a year that's when I will say enough is enough, part ways, and look for a new vehicle.

 

[subiedriver]

I'm with Falcon, I get attached to my cars easily. I take a lot of pride in a well maintained, clean vehicle. It brings a smile to my face driving it down the road. People will pace me on the highway, looking at my car, dumbfounded at how clean it is. Contrary to their car, which hasn't been washed in probably 3 months or more.

I spend a good 4 hours once a month cleaning and buffing my vehicle. My Subie just clicked over 115,000 miles and its been a great car, very reliable, 32+ mpg in summer. I change all my fluids at regular intervals and I'm not afraid to pay the repair cost of an item that is about to fail. In the 20 month's I've owned the Subie, I've spent about $2500 in maintenance, which isn't too bad.

 

[MCompact]

I keep my 2002, 318ti, and Wrangler in very clean -but not pristine- condition; they are daily drivers after all. They always bring a smile to my face when I slide behind the wheel. I plan to keep all three forever. The X3 is my wife's truck and will get traded for a Mini Countryman in a couple of years. The Mazda eventually be sold off as well- its replacement will be something that is fun to drive.

 

[ltslimjim]

When I married, I made it a project to bring her newly owned '230k' mile Civic VX up to maintenance.

It still gets better than new-EPA estimated MPG.