Sold my first vehicle, felt like losing family

[92saturnsl2]

The topic title is a euphemism of course. It's been 19 years since I got my license, and just I sold my first vehicle private party. I had always traded them in, but it took me this long to realize what a waste of money that was. We're needing a bigger general purpose vehicle for our 6-person family (we already have a minivan for long trips and such) so our Mazda Tribute had to go. A small SUV that didn't fit everyone and made a poor commuter vehicle due to a 20mpg average.

Put it on Craigslist but that generated a lot of low-balls and scam type stuff, wasn't very successful. My wife sold it on a local Facebook sale network to a family with a daughter going to college, which I thought was a good fit. Took about 3 weeks, I'm glad my wife is more patient than I, because I was ready to lower the price significantly just to get it sold and move on.

Now that it's gone I still look for it in the driveway. Kinda miss it, giving it second thoughts because I maintained it meticulously, spent a lot of time washing, waxing, repairing, etc. Anyone else feel like their missing a bird is missing in the nest when their vehicle goes away, or just me? The vehicle-swap at the dealer is a lot easier because you have something new and exciting, it's easier to to leave the old one behind.

 

[dlundblad]

Sorry for your loss.

It’ll be a sad day for me if and when I sell my Jeep.

 

[Nick1994]

Why not just drive the minivan full time? A few mpg won’t make a difference once you pay for maintenance and insurance on another car. 15,000 miles a year is 1,250 miles a month, at $2.75 a gallon and 28 mpg for a gas sipper is $122 a month in gas. 20 mpg car is $171 a month. $49 a month savings in gas but insurance, repairs, maintenance, registration etc. gets rid of that.

 

[Trav]

You will get over it. I sold a Pan Head in Germany that I was riding at a red traffic light. The guy called me over asked me about the bike and asked if I would consider selling it, I threw a high price out, he accepted.

 

[double vanos]

I hated selling my 330ci but you know what they say about Bimmers: own them long enough and you will have bought the car again in repairs - and I was doing the labor!

 

[Mr Nice]

I felt the same way when I sold my 1990 5.0 Mustang.

About a month later it got stolen from the new owner.

 

[Bud]

Only car I regret selling was a 65 Corvette.

 

[FirstNissan]

Sold my nissan versa 6 years ago, that was the first car that I had ever bought new, all others previously were old clunkers / college student type cars. I still get a big smile when I see a white versa sedan in the grocery parking lot from time to time. I really loved that car!

 

[nickaluch]

I remember selling my 340 duster ,still upset ten years later.

 

[gregk24]

Yes, I was pretty sad when I sold my 2006 Accord. Still miss it and my first car, a 1996 Accord.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

I don't get along with my family too well and I didn't with my 1st car either. I guess the OP is accurate. 85 Cougar v6,3 speed auto, good riddance

 

[pandus13]

Just did this 2 months ago.
Was my 10 years old car. It brought one kid home...
Couple vacations, 3 accidents (neighbors with STOP sign problems).
No oil loss between oil changes, pretty new tires (less then 5k miles), new wiper blades.
Heat hot and AC cold.


Whoever got it, got a god deal.

 

[Schmoe]

I hear ya'll.....I was bummed out when I sold my 1990 Cutlass Ciera Special Edition in 06 and go the Accord in my sig block. Had the 4 speed OT trans and the 3.3 V6, great mileage. We when though a lot....divorce, long relationship that ended in pain for me, got remarried, both my kids have been in it, bought my first house, it was the first brand new car I ever bought, bought my first house, taken umpteen trips from Oklahoma to Clarksville, TN. and Texas, played many gigs hauling my drums and she got me home many times after partying and a bunch of other stuff I can't mention here. Like the OP, I took great care of her of time became a bandit...lights going out in the dash, headliner falling, windows barely moving, crank sensor went out and left me stranded on the interstate once and that was it. Got 210K miles out of her and all on dino penzzoil and egads......Fram filters!!!! Saw it a parking lot two years later and looked good...I was starring at it and getting watery eyed and my friends thought I was crazy.

 

[exranger06]

This is one of the reasons why I keep my cars forever. Selling one of my cars would be like giving my dog away to live somewhere else. I've only sold/traded in one car in my life, and that wasn't even really my car, it was my wife's. I never felt like I was very emotionally attached to that car and was pretty indifferent about it when we had it. Still, I felt a little sad when we left it at the dealer for the last time. I got over it eventually though.

 

[pandus13]

Originally Posted By: Schmoe
... Saw it a parking lot two years later and looked good...I was starring at it and getting watery eyed and my friends thought I was crazy.

I get you brother!
I'll raise a cold one for you tonight.
"Bluey", the Yaris girl was my first new one too.

 

[Silverado12]

I do have respect for econoboxes, but I traded my Cruze last year and am not going back to one if I can help it. It's just not worth the small savings in gas and they are made to a low price point and less safe (disclaimer: I ride a motorcycle lol).

 

[DweezilAZ]

Originally Posted By: exranger06
This is one of the reasons why I keep my cars forever. Selling one of my cars would be like giving my dog away to live somewhere else. I've only sold/traded in one car in my life, and that wasn't even really my car, it was my wife's. I never felt like I was very emotionally attached to that car and was pretty indifferent about it when we had it. Still, I felt a little sad when we left it at the dealer for the last time. I got over it eventually though.


The same, ex-ranger. I have given cars away. A 95 Saturn SL1 to my little brother and his wife. He's in love with it, had it painted, has driven it across country. Nearly 200,000 miles now. Gave the 86 Olds Calais to my parents. They gave it to the same brother. He gave it back to me. Been in the family nearly 25 years.

My 63 Valiant Signet has been with me since 1980. And my newest is 13 years old and 69,000 miles. No need for a new one.

I still regret trading the 84 Citation notchback in for the Olds. My first nice, 'modern" car [I'd had the Valiant as a daily driver for nearly 12 years by that point].

So many factors in keeping what I have, but the most significant is they've all become family pets over the years.

 

[Broo]

When I sell a car (only happened twice), I prefer not to sell it locally so as not to see it decay. Luckily, both times a buyer from another town came through.

My very first car I was sad to let go. The engine quit when it was 17 years old (spent 11 with me), yet the body was near perfect. It just didn't make financial sense to fix it since I already had a new car and the fix was worth as much as the car, despite its good body.

A local bodyshop guy learned of my demise and knew I took great care of the car so he bought it from me, swapped the engine with another identical car with a much worse body and gave it to his son in law. I never saw it again, but from what I know it survived the young guy's college years and pizza delivery duty and went on to another owner.

 

[2002 Maxima SE]

Originally Posted By: 92saturnsl2
The topic title is a euphemism of course. It's been 19 years since I got my license, and just I sold my first vehicle private party. I had always traded them in, but it took me this long to realize what a waste of money that was. We're needing a bigger general purpose vehicle for our 6-person family (we already have a minivan for long trips and such) so our Mazda Tribute had to go. A small SUV that didn't fit everyone and made a poor commuter vehicle due to a 20mpg average.

Put it on Craigslist but that generated a lot of low-balls and scam type stuff, wasn't very successful. My wife sold it on a local Facebook sale network to a family with a daughter going to college, which I thought was a good fit. Took about 3 weeks, I'm glad my wife is more patient than I, because I was ready to lower the price significantly just to get it sold and move on.

Now that it's gone I still look for it in the driveway. Kinda miss it, giving it second thoughts because I maintained it meticulously, spent a lot of time washing, waxing, repairing, etc. Anyone else feel like their missing a bird is missing in the nest when their vehicle goes away, or just me? The vehicle-swap at the dealer is a lot easier because you have something new and exciting, it's easier to to leave the old one behind.


I know exactly what you mean. I sold my 2002 Maxima for similar reasons (starting family) and sold it to a co-worker who's daughter needed a vehicle. The Maxima was well maintained and I could have kept it as a 3rd vehicle at the time (2012).

I'm finding though, after selling my wife's car, that I'm attached to ALL my vehicles.

We buy them new, maintain them well and want to keep them forever. The only way I've justified it to help the grieving process: I'm helping someone who needs a car and adding a more capable/safer car to the fleet. Also keep in mind, after 10 years OEM support of the vehicle falls off. I'm having a hard time keeping my Ford Taurus serviced due to some "boutique" parts that are not available OEM or after market.

 

[wtd]

I get attached to my vehicles and is why I keep them so long. My longest ownership so far is my 1970 Monte Carlo that I have owned for 31 years. My second is my 1998 chevy ext-cab Z71 that I bought new and still own after 20 years.

I've owned my two 92 Cavaliers for almost 12 years and my 98 K3500 chevy truck for almost 11 years. I've owned my 14 Mustang GT for almost 5 years and is my last vehicle purchase.