Assume that you are part of a family with two adult drivers. Would you rather have two cars (one for each driver) or a fleet of three (of equal total value to the two).
With three, you can have a car with special capabilities - more fun to drive, or able to pull a trailer or have an open bed - that might not be practical or economical as a daily driver. With three, you can get away with owning less reliable daily drivers. When the "dailies" need work, you can take your time and fix it right or and enjoy the leisure of not being forced to fix it quick to get to work the next day.
But, with three you have another vehicle to maintain, store, inspect and register, and the additional cost of insurance. I think the taxes come out to about the same if the total value of the vehicles is equivalent.
How would the calculus change if your total budget was greater or smaller?
We've done three cars for two drivers for about 9 years now, and it's worked out pretty well. The third car was a fairly rough Ford Ranger, but it came in handy enough times out of the year that the battery stayed charged.
With three, you can have a car with special capabilities - more fun to drive, or able to pull a trailer or have an open bed - that might not be practical or economical as a daily driver. With three, you can get away with owning less reliable daily drivers. When the "dailies" need work, you can take your time and fix it right or and enjoy the leisure of not being forced to fix it quick to get to work the next day.
But, with three you have another vehicle to maintain, store, inspect and register, and the additional cost of insurance. I think the taxes come out to about the same if the total value of the vehicles is equivalent.
How would the calculus change if your total budget was greater or smaller?
We've done three cars for two drivers for about 9 years now, and it's worked out pretty well. The third car was a fairly rough Ford Ranger, but it came in handy enough times out of the year that the battery stayed charged.
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