Car Advice- drive into ground or sell?

[Forevryoung]

I have a 2003 Nissan Sentra that I purchased outright in 2004 (it was "little old lady church" used).

My boyfriend, who leases his car, has been putting ideas into my head that I should buy a newer car. I drive a LOT for work. I go from place to place throughout the day, spending 2-3 hours in the car some days and it's put a ton of miles on my car (around 300 miles a week just for work).

BUT, I don't NEED a newer car. Mine runs fine with 82,000 miles on it. However, the current Kelly Blue Book value is 1/2 of what I paid for the car.

Do I contemplate selling my car and purchasing a newer one? Or would my budget buddies stick with my original plan to drive the car till the engine falls out?

Thanks!

 

[badblackpug]

Is your car reliable? If so, I would continue to drive it. I hate car payments, and I think leasing a car for personal use is a waste of money. (especially if you are putting that many miles on it) My policy on cars: I'm driving it until it dies or I die, whichever comes first!

 

[Dictator]

Honestly, What I'd do is start putting $ away as if you had a car payment. Continue to drive what you've already got. Let that $ grow. Let it make a little bit of extra $ for you. when/if your current car does die, you've got a nice bit of money to apply to the purchase of a new one.
Either way, it makes no sense to buy a new car if your current car is still reliable.

 

[msmayor]

82,000 miles is YOUNG for a car. You own it outright? Take care of it by ensuring the oil is changed regularly and performing regular maintenance? Then by all means, drive it until it dies.

Realize that a year from now it may need $500 brake job. Is that cause for alarm? NO...brakes wear out and spending $500 one time is better than $400 a month.

Don't be swayed by actual REPAIR bills for items that wear out over the course of time. With proper care, your car can last until you double the current mileage or more.

I drove a Volvo for 14 years before it finally needed a part too expensive to warrant replacing. My husband's car is 9 years old with 160,000 miles on it...he expects to drive it another 2 years (and 30,000 miles!) before we end up replacing it.

Just remember that the single most important thing you can do to ensure a long life for your car is regular oil changes, every 3-5,000 miles. The $25 or so you spend every 3-5 months can easily be the best investment you can make in your car.

 

[Darcy03231]

As long as its reliable I would continue to drive it. Do what a PP suggested and bank the amount of the car payment each month. When it finally becomes unreliable/too costly to repair hopefully you'll have enough saved to either pay for a new car outright, or at least put a large amount down.

I bought my car 8 years ago and am taking advantage of the Cash for Clunkers program to get something with better gas mileage. Once I paid it off I continued to bank the amount of my payments. I'll now be buying a brand new car for the amount of my trade and paying the rest in cash. Trust me, its a great feeling!

 

[beccasmom]

I drove my previous two cars 10 years and 14 years. (I'd probably still be driving the 14-year-old one if someone hadn't plowed into me and totaled it.) I've had my current car for 2 years and plan to drive it as long as I can. I have a great mechanic and make sure regular maintenance and old changes are done. I have a car payment now, but am paying extra every month to get rid of it earlier.

DH is driving a 10-year-old truck too. He is perfectly happy with it and even prefers the styling to some of the newer designs. If you're content, don't let anyone change your mind!

 

[mc'smommy]

Keep the Sentra !!!

 

[jaminmd]

You boyfriend leases a car & is trying to convince you to sell a perfectly good car? Not good advice, IMO.

Why waste money on a new one if what you have works well? I wouldn't do it. I drive mine until they fall apart. I have one that is a 1995 & the other is a 2005.

As a PP suggested, put away the amount each month you'd pay for the new car so when you you have to buy, you'll have a large down payment for it.

 

[CowboyCO]

You boyfriend leases a car & is trying to convince you to sell a perfectly good car? Not a good advice, IMO.

Why waste money on a new one if what you have works well? I wouldn't do it. I drive mine until they fall apart. I have one that is a 1995 & the other is a 2005.

As a PP suggested, put away the amount each month you'd pay for the new car so when you you have to buy, you'll have a large down payment for it.

I'd also recommend that the OP not move on the next stage of the relationship with BF unless they get on the same page financially. If I were you, I'd sock away a "phantom car payment a month until your car dies and then pay cash for a replacement. You'll probably have YEARS until your Sentra croaks.

 

[pyrxtc]

I have an "04" Venture. It has 94,000 miles on it currently. as much as I like a new car and would love to ahve one, I know the only way I am getting it is if someone totals my car (preferably without us in it). Almost got my wish last week when it was hit while parked.

I would drive your car til it's dead. If you can afford it, put aside a monthly car payment and then when your car dies, you will probably be able to pay cash for the car you really want, or at least you'll have enough to put down that your payments can be really small.

 

[Forevryoung]

I'd also recommend that the OP not move on the next stage of the relationship with BF unless they get on the same page financially. If I were you, I'd sock away a "phantom car payment a month until your car dies and then pay cash for a replacement. You'll probably have YEARS until your Sentra croaks.

DBF and I are 90% on the same page financially and we both have our own splurges (that are reasonable). His is his leased car, I happily drive my Sentra. My splurge is my $25 a week that I give myself to eat lunch out while he brings lunch to work. It's a newer relationship and he simply made a comment that made me question my plan to drive the car forever. He knows how much I want a Prius to decrease my gas expenses (I do all "in town" driving).

Thanks guys for reminding me that I should continue to happily drive my car till it dies because it's the "smart" thing to do. I've owned it outright from the start, paid for in cash originally so I really don't have any concept what it's like to have a car payment.

 

[tnd]

I am a drive it into the ground person. We still have my 13 year old ugly car because it's still reliable and runs. No reason to replace it! I love not having a car payment.

 

[disneystacy]

I had a 1992 Nissan Sentra. When I traded it in (2001), it had 200,000 miles on it and was still running, no issues. I even got 500.00 for it. The only reason I traded it in was my hubby was using it for work and drove it all over and I was afraid it would break down somewhere far from home. We replaced it with a Nissan Altima and we still have it and it runs great.

I would trade in the BF if I were you.

 

[ilovebassets]

80,000 miles on an '03 Nissan? Baby, that thing is only middle-aged! Did your boyfriend give you any reasons why you should get a new car because yours still has plenty of life in it.

I drive a 98 Nissan Altima with 105,000, and it better still go another couple of years at least!

 

[PinkRhombus]

He knows how much I want a Prius to decrease my gas expenses (I do all "in town" driving).

Sentras get pretty good gas mileage.

But what struck me is you say you own the car...and are wanting to start making a car payment to save money on gas.

Something isn't quite right with that way of thinking, if you know what I mean.

 

[Bob NC]

If you drive "A LOT" for work, why in the world would you want a new car?

I also drive a ton for work. I'd rather be killing my car and putting a gazillion miles on something that is paid for. I have friends at work that do the same thing I do and every one of them is sorry that they got "new car fever."

When you buy a new car and put a lot of miles on it you are upside down in NO time.

I have a 2000 Jimmy with 183,000 miles. It runs great, it looks great, it costs very little to maintain. I don't have a car payment.

I see no reason in the universe to take advice from someone who leases a car, that is the worst financial decision anyone can make....for ANY reason.

 

[momx2]

80,000 miles on an '03 Nissan? Baby, that thing is only middle-aged! Did your boyfriend give you any reasons why you should get a new car because yours still has plenty of life in it.

I drive a 98 Nissan Altima with 105,000, and it better still go another couple of years at least!

Love the Altima. My DH is still driving his 98 Altima with 228,000 miles on it. We plan on driving it until it the wheels fall off or whatever part that costs too much to fix. Then replace it with another one.

 

[hanutedmansionmomma]

both of our cars have over 100K miles and are paid for.

Get a good roadside assistance number and drive it into the ground

Love the idea from PP to sock away "car payment". If you do have some $ to do that, might want to read Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover book. You may be able to give BF some advice about leasing (basically bad idea...)!

 

[crazelion]

Keep the Nissian Sentra honey. You can drive the wheels off that car. I have my Nissian Sentra 1993 for 16 years and had well over 200,000 miles on it before driven the wheels off. That car stills runs fine just need alot work done to it. I am using it as my back up car. I just bought a brand new Nissian Sentra 09 and I plan to drive the wheels off that one to.

Nissian is good cars.

 

[mrsklamc]

If your boyfriend is a keeper, don't dump him for just this one recommendation, but please take very seriously the PP's recommendation to get on the same page financially with this guy before you move any further. It's trying to be the financially responsible one married to someone who isn't. Many, many folks on this board will attest to that.

And keep your car.