How long are you planning on keeping your car?

[kork13]

Since you are getting stationed there by the military, the will pay for the storage costs. Is the car paid off? If so I would keep it so you have a car waiting for you when you get back from the tour, 2-3 years will go fast. I was in Okinawa for four years and it went so fast! .......

Ronin, thanks for the perspective, I appreciate it. Thankfully it is paid off, so I have the freedom to do what I will with it. It's because there would be no storage costs that I'm considering it as an option. I think for now, it's just a decision I'm gonna delay for a while.

But as you mentioned, I do expect to find a boonie car out in Okinawa, though I'm also hoping I can also use a bike to get around (looking at maps, it seems like it might be a decent possibility).

[FrugalTexan75]

I have a 97 Honda Civic with ~120k miles. Other than normal maintenance and replacing the A/C compressor about six years ago, I had no problems with it until this past summer. Then I had problems galore - the computer went out on it (plus had replacement one stolen), problems with the starter/ignition, etc.

Currently the following items don't work: cruise control, the first two speeds of the windshield wipers, the electric locks, the radio was fried and had to be removed, the cigarette lighter (don't smoke, but did like to use it for charging my phone!), etc.

I would like to get a different car. My Honda's served me well, but now I constantly have to wonder when it's going to give up the ghost on me. The only way to get another car though is through a loan - most likely from a relative since it's unlikely a bank will loan money to someone with my current income. That is why I keep hoping this car will continue to limp along until I graduate and have a good paying job again.

[Radiance]

I have a 2006 Honda Civic, I want to keep it for 10 years until 2016.
At that point I want to sell if it starts to ask for recurrent repairs.

My previous car was a Kia Rio, had it for 5 years, it was very good, but a crane truck hit me at a red light, sandwiched my car against the SUV in front of me and the car was totalled by the insurance. Mind you the 4 doors were still working and the engine was still running. There was some white smoke coming out of it so I turned it off. The back of the car and most of the windows were gone. I was planning to keep that car for 10 years, but God had other plans.

[MonkeyMama]

When you drive an older car make sure you profit and stay secure by having a cell phone, triple A (or reliable people that can always come get you), and/or a tow service phone number handy. And always a thousand in a car fund to cover any repairs. And an honest mechanic.

Honest Mechanic is the most important of the bunch.

As far as repairs - an ounce of prevention... I have known people who rather buy a new car than change a spark plug. But, I have also known people too broke to do a necessary repair, which turned into a more expensive mess down the road. We have always been good about maintaining our cars (reasonably - the main thing being an oil change every 6 months) and taking our cars in to our mechanic the second we notice anything wrong. This really prolongs the life of a car and limits repairs. As a caveat, you don't have to follow the "rip off" maintenance schedule that most car dealers/mechanics sell people on.

People all the time tell us we must maintain our cars so well to keep them so long with so little problems. The irony is we do less "maintenance" than average. BUT, we don't put off necessary maintenance, either. Which is the more important side of the coin.

[bjl584]

[QUOTE= As a caveat, you don't have to follow the "rip off" maintenance schedule that most car dealers/mechanics sell people on.QUOTE]

How true. The same dealership that encourages you come in for service every three months so that your car will "give you years and years of worry free driving" are the same dealership that runs countless radio and tv spots encouraging you to trade your car in every year. You can't have it both ways.

[autoxer]

I don't ever want to get rid of any cars, I just want to collect them and add to my fleet.

I just revived a '95 F150 that has 150k miles on it, but I saved a lot of money by doing the work myself. The work included replacing the A/C compressor, the rear pinion bearing, new leafsprings and mounts, the rear window, new tires and various other little things. So I plan on keeping that for a while. I also have a '94 Sentra w/ 123k miles on it, that has been incredibly reliable, so I'll keep that for a while also.

[LuckyRobin]

One of our cars is a '92 Ford Crown Victoria with 138,000 miles on it that we bought used in '98. It is still going strong. We've had one repair along the way that was expensive, totally redoing the brake system, but not as expensive as buying a new car would have been. I think other than that big expense the most expensive repair was replacing a fuel pump. It runs smoothly and well and is a very nice car still.

[segmond]

My 20yrs old Lexus has 250k miles, if it makes it to 300k miles. I will get a benz after, if it doesn't die and is good and makes it to 400k miles, then I guess I will have to get a Lamborghini after it. and if it keeps going, I will still get the Lambo and keep it.

[PrincessPerky]

Unfortunately I expect to have a new car within the next few months. Our current car wont fit the new baby.

That makes this car only ours for 4ish years. Though it is paid for.

[segmond]

I bought a Hyundai Elantra brand new in 2005. It currently has 96,000 miles on. I've been religious about servicing the car, and it still runs like new. I've never had any major trouble with the car, and other than a few minor scratches and dings it still looks good. I'm thinking about driving the car as long as it continues to be reliable. On another automotive forum that I belong to I've seen the other members saying that getting 300,000 out of one of these cars is not unrealistic. I think I'm going to see just how far I can push this car. Does anyone else have a high mileage and/or older car that they have no plans on getting rid of?

My car is a 1990 lexus aka toyota. I got 250k miles to it. I fly in it anytime, meaning, I can just get in it and drive it 2000 miles one way cross country! I just keep changing the oil, and doing all routine maintenance. Your car can definitely get 400k miles.

a lot of people are ignorant about cars and neglect it. but there are a few things anyone can do to keep a car going for a long time.

change your oil. lack of friction kills engine. don't worry about expensive special oils. regular oil is cool.

keep your car cool, make sure you always have coolant. heat will kill your engine too. dry up things, cause friction or blow head gaskets.

change your belts when it's time. belt's don't snap randomly. as cars get older people start ignoring important things such as timing belt.

when you do your timing belt replacement, do everything else, change water pump, thermostat, all the reachable gaskets, orings, tensions. (this will easily give you another 100k miles!!!)

change your engine mounts when they are worn, this will reduce less stress on your transmissions! if you live in very hot climates, vegas, arizona, texas, etc. get a tranmission cooler!! everytime i check out older cars for sale in those regions, they almost always have tranmission problem or blown head gaskets.

love your car, a lot of people neglect their car and when it looks like a total POS, then they rationalize the reasons on why they should get another one. if you keep it free of junk, wash it once in a while and baby it, and it looks newer than other people's own of the same year. you won't be pressured to want a new and different one.

it's 2010. getting 200k miles out of ANY car is easy, if you want to. those hyundais and kias are lasting really long time too.

[Ima saver]

all of my cars look brand new, we don't have a ding on ANY of them. My husband is a perfectionist and keeps all the cars polished and shiny!

I guess I have the oldest cars on this panel. We have a 1978 tu tone blue corvette that we bought new in 1978. We also have a 1933 ford victoria.
Two more corvettes and two work vans round out our line up of vehicles, but these four vehicles are all 2001 or newer. Our 2008 corvette has only 8000 miles on it because we drive the other vehicles more often.

[wfhouses]

I have a 2004 Saturn Vue and a 2005 Chevy truck. Both will be paid off this year and I hope I will be able to drive them at least 2-3 more years.

[BadSaver]

My old Chevy

I bought my truck new in 1994 and it is/has served me well. Recently rebuilt the engine for $1,800 and it's going strong again. Last summer replaced all the ball joints, steering box, u-joints, shocks, and radiator. It's surprising how cheap parts are now. On the hard to replace parts I put on higher quality parts. On the easier to replace parts I went with Chinese parts. All have lifetime warranty. I think I'm on my third set of free shocks...

My truck costs more in gas, but it saves in other areas. Plus, it pulls my travel trailer.

[SmarterSpend]

I can't believe you guys drive all these older cars, I can't have a car older than 2-3 years. The most mileage I had on a car was like 25,000.

I currently drive a 2008 BMW 328i.

[autoxer]

I can't believe you guys drive all these older cars,

Older cars have more character.

I can't have a car older than 2-3 years.

Why?

Do you realize how much money you are spending in depreciation?