How long do you keep your car??

[FloridaNative]

Okay I have no idea how to create a poll, but I thought this might be a fun topic for an informal poll. Are you a leaser or a buyer? Do need a new car every couple of years or do you find a keeper and driver her into the ground??

For me, I buy cars, never lease and try to drive them for about 10 years before getting a new one. I wonder who on AG will wind up being the one to have had their car for the longest. ;)

[NorahCRV]

I bought my first Honda Civic in Oct.'74 & kept that for 10 years.
In October '84, I bought the '85 Civic Wagon which I kept for almost 22 years til we sold it this summer, so Bryce could buy his 07 Honda Fit.
Now I'm working on my third Honda (the '04 CR-V), which I've only had for 2 1/2 years, but at the rate I change cars, it will be another 27 years before I'm ready to replace it. :eek:

Car dealers don't like me!! ;)

[FloridaNative]

I bought my first Honda Civic in Oct.'74 & kept that for 10 years.
In October '84, I bought the '85 Civic Wagon which I kept for almost 22 years til we sold it this summer, so Bryce could buy his 07 Honda Fit.
Now I'm working on my third Honda (the '04 CR-V), which I've only had for 2 1/2 years, but at the rate I change cars, it will be another 27 years before I'm ready to replace it. :eek:

Car dealers don't like me!! ;)

WoW! 22 years!! That's amazing!! How many things did you have to repair/replace in that time span??

[NorahCRV]

WoW! 22 years!! That's amazing!! How many things did you have to repair/replace in that time span??

Thanks Jen :)

Just the engine five years ago :eek: - actually, that was due to an oil change done at Jiffy Lube - engine seized the next time I drove it - seems they weren't too particular about tightening the drain plug :(

And the windshield after it got hit by a "stray bullet" one day at work.

I think there were a couple of brake jobs in there and two new sets of tires but other than that it was still on the original transmission, shocks, etc. It had never been in an accident, so all the paint, trim etc. was still original. :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v422/coolchid/DSC00040_edited.jpg

[Rapidity]

2 sets of new tires in 22 years?! Thing sounds like a death trap.... with those bald ass tires on it. omg!

We change cars like underwear. I'm actually really happy with the corvette though so I just might hold on to this one for a long while to come. I've got a baby on the way too which will slow down my car buying. My wife has an expedition that she seems to really enjoy too so I think we're good for a while.

[aceshigh73]

I've leased 2 pathfinders, but now I buy..... My wife likes to keep cars as long as possible (10 years) I like to get rid of them once they "start to go".... so we'll see who wins this war.... :-)

[NorahCRV]

2 sets of new tires in 22 years?! Thing sounds like a death trap.... with those bald ass tires on it. omg! . . .

That was two new sets of Michelins after the originals started wearing down - I put over 60,000 miles on the first set & they still had 3/32" of tread left, when I replaced them. They were not bald!

The OEM BridgeRocks on the CR-V, I replaced when they were down to 3/32" of tread remaining, but I only got 23,000 miles out of them. :( I won't take chances with tires!!

[Rapidity]

yeah but tires are only designed to last 5yrs or so... after that the rubber really starts to harden, weaken, and possibly crack. Which could lead to catastrophic failure at bad times... like under load or at higher speeds.

I'm not saying they have to replaced at 5yrs but you should really start to inspect them for problems because of their age.

[NorahCRV]

Not to take this thread further off track, but the tires were inspected both by my mechanic & by my Michelin dealer on a regular basis for signs of wear & rubber degradation. There were none, and when they reached 3/32" tread remaining, I replaced them. The car was not used for freeway driving in the last few years, nor was it ever heavily loaded. Believe me, I would not have trusted my son's life in it if I had any reason to believe that it was not a safe vehicle for him.

[FloridaNative]

Thanks Jen :)

Just the engine five years ago :eek: - actually, that was due to an oil change done at Jiffy Lube - engine seized the next time I drove it - seems they weren't too particular about tightening the drain plug :(

And the windshield after it got hit by a "stray bullet" one day at work.

I think there were a couple of brake jobs in there and two new sets of tires but other than that it was still on the original transmission, shocks, etc. It had never been in an accident, so all the paint, trim etc. was still original. :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v422/coolchid/DSC00040_edited.jpg

I cannot believe that that car is 22 years old! You really kept it looking good! It is a true testament to your prowess as a fine detailer! You da woman Norah!! :applause: :grouphug: Im the MAN :awesome: :cheers:

[FloridaNative]

Ay nothing yet from Gearhead?? I want to see how long a mechanic keeps his car. ;)

[ScottB]

Until the day after their paid off ... or well (SRX already paid), the day the factory warranty ends. Always Buy ...as I dont relish someone telling what or how I can mod my cars. And I always try to buy new ... dont need someone else's trouble.

[Brace1]

At least until 100K miles, don't really measure it in years. Gotta get my money's worth outta the vehicles. Keep them in good shape (basic mechanical maintenance and periodically detailed) to get a couple/few grand on resale.

[GearHead_1]

Ay nothing yet from Gearhead?? I want to see how long a mechanic keeps his car. ;)
That has really varied for me over the years. I'm probably different than most car buyers. I've never owned a brand new car. I've had a few new bikes but never a car. I wouldn't lease on a bet (that's just my preference), I wouldn't rent a house either. I pay cash when I buy and I try to buy cars that are 1 to 2 years old from private individuals when possible though I have picked up on a corporate buy back from time to time. I won't buy one that has more than 20K on the clock. That particular age means it's taken it's major hit in depreciation and I'm not paying the premium price. Assuming it hasn't been crashed there isn't too much they could have done to hurt it in that time frame and of course I look them over with a fine tooth air gun before buying one. :) I always buy the current model body style also.

I keep a vehicle until it's time to sell it. Sometimes that means a year and I've had an old Mach for as long as 20 years. In most cases I sell a vehicle when someone asks if I would sell it to them. Assuming the price is right it's time for me to go shopping for the next ride. This method has worked fairly well for me, it allows me to drive a relatively new car and I never have a car payment. It also means I've never had to preform a major repair on my own vehicle unless I've wanted to put in a hotter engine, lower set of gears or something like that. I keep them clean enough and have bought smart enough that on two occasions I've driven a car for over a year and sold it for the money I paid for it. If you can drive a car and only pay gas and oil for the time you drive it you're doing something right. Sometimes saving the money to pay cash for the first car is difficult but the formula has worked well for me. I probably keep my cars on an average of 2-3 years.

You have to be willing to suck it up from time to time when using this method because sometimes a good buy isn't your favorite color or option group. Of course you have to buy a car that meets your needs none the less. It's also important to remember that the best time to sell a car is when it's looking good. Don't wait until it has a few problems that you don't want to deal with, nobody else wants to deal with them either and you won't get top dollar. It's actually been a while since I bought a car for myself. The last four vehicles that I have driven have been trucks. I have two presently one is 4 years old and the other is an 06 that I picked up a month or so ago. My wife's Lincoln is an 05.

[joe.p]

The buick i have was 5 years old which makes it the Newest car i have owned it is 11 now:( . I opted for a mortgage at the time i could of purchased a brand new Car.I manitain the car to the highest standard but if repairs out weigh the expense of another car i get another car. Someday i hope to have a new car i just can't stand to have a car note. Both of my older Girls have had brand new vehicles before mom & Dad. I think my Park Ave was the longets i've owned a vehicle,