fix van or buy new ?

[pyrxtc]

seems to be the season for car questions.

I have an 04 Chevy venture. i bought it almost new and own it outright. Haven't had a car payment on it in years. It has it's share of rust on the bottom from winters gone by but has never been in an accident and it has one very small blip in a door which can be suctioned out and one ding on passenger side door from some inconsiderate who opened their door into it. It has never been in an accident and never needed any major repairs.

The wipers keep breaking, motor, blades, everything. The back wiper motor broke last week and I have to make an appointment to have the front ones fixed again this week. the van has 123,967 miles on it.

I am torn whether or not to buy a new vehicle. I want/like the Chevy Traverse. It seats 8 (as does my van) and comes with all the options I would like. I would have to have it custom ordered since nobody within 500 miles carries the 2LT, never mind having the sun/moon roof option in it. I know I will be driving this another 8-10 years.

My DH just got a raise that will cover the monthly payments to finance it but I am unsure if I want to jump into it right now. And by jump, I mean that I have been looking at this vehicle for the last 2 years, since it came out. Before his raise we were doing great financially so this really is a bonus.

He says yes, do it. We have great credit and hopefully can get the 0.0% financing and get it paid off sooner.

What do I do ?

 

[pyrxtc]

oh, and we owe no CC's and the only bills we have are the ones we need to live in our house monthly and DH's commuter car.

 

[herdtoDisney]

I love the Chevy Traverse too-since I first saw it at Test Track 2 years ago! I'm also driving an older van, a '98 Chevy Astro. Not daily driving it now but still for family transport.

What is the difference in mileage with the Traverse vs. the older van? If it's better (I think the Traverse is supposed to be 24 mpg?) with the high price of gas, that might be another factor to consider. I don't even commute in my van anymore because of the mileage, and the Traverse supposedly gets nearly the mpg of my small commuter car (which I cannot fit my family in). 24 mpg is likely better than what your van gets.

Gosh, now I want to go order one

 

[tipsytrtle]

thats fairly low miles, my 01 van has 140k miles on it..

if i were you, i would bank hubby's raise in bank between now and next year...then buy your new van...

 

[Funwith4kids]

Be aware space behind 3rd row is dramatically less than a van. We have 2 vans and looked at the Traverse family (buick and GMC) to replace a 2004 Odyssey.

 

[FINFAN]

check what your insurance may raise by, and sales tax...our van is a '96 Nissan Quest...every repair hurts, but we have yet to total what tax/fees/insurance would add up to on a new car, even befire downpayment and monthly payments. If you are good with the initial outlay, and you know the repairs on the chevy van are going to become a black hole...go ahead. Would you be trading the current van in or keep it as a back-up? If trading in negotiate that first, then bring up the Traverse.

 

[pyrxtc]

trading in the current van definitely. Gas mileage is the same. 17/24

I don't need room for car seats or anything like that, just enough to fit my family of 6 when needed or a kid with their friends. We hardly use the back seat anyways. When we were at Disney last year, I threw the kids and my Aunt in the backseat and no problems. The youngest are still small enough to fit while the older ones will sit in the middle seat.

Here I am working on convincing you and I can't convince myself... haha.

Oh, and no sales tax in NH.