Bertel Schmitt recently spread the news about America’s new-found frugality when it comes to cars. The average registered car in the United States is now 10.8 years old. Almost enough to forget about the presidency of George W Bush. But not quite enough time to eliminate the memory of other failures such as the Daewoo Lanos, the Saab 9-7, and almost anything with the name ‘Mitsubishi’ on it.
Since so many of us have now become keepers when it comes to our rides, the MSM will likely find new and exciting ways to stereotype our behavior. Why? I don’t know. They always do. So my question to the B&B is simply this.
Why bother waiting for them to stereotype us? When we can so easily do it ourselves?
The Bundy: “No brakes! No brakes! Squueaalll!!!
“Pheeewww!!! That was close! Don’t even ask me about buying a new car. The shoe store I worked at got bankrupted by Walmart, and now I have to give thousands of complete strangers a shiny happy ‘welcome!’ for $8.50 an hour. I can’t maintain the damn thing at all. But hey! At least I got my health thanks to Medicaid. Food thanks to the local food bank. And shoes, thanks to my old boss who works at aisle number eight.”
The Loyalist: “Toyota makes the best cars in the world. Why? Well, because I never drive anything else. All my life it’s been Camry, Camry, Camry and let me tell you. The Toyota Camry is the best value in the entire planet. I once purchased a domestic 25 years ago and let me tell you, it was crap!”
The ‘Custom’ er: “What type of car is it? Who knows at this point. It has a Volvo 240 body. A 302 V8. Seats from a Jaguar. Fartcan muffler from Ebay. 20’s on the front. 22’s on the rear. Spinners. Power antenna. Plus it’s got awesome bass thanks to a steal of a deal at the local pawn shop. What do I call it?…. Santorum!!! and sometimes Hillary Clinton…”
The ‘Cuss’ tomer: “This Canyonero is the biggest piece of junk I have ever owned! I’ve replaced everything in it. Brakes, Engine, Transmission, Mass Air Flow Sensor, Catalytic Converter, Tensioner Pulley, Rickets, and something my repair guy calls ‘The Johnson Valve’. I hate it. But I can’t sell it. I’ve got too much money in it.”
The ‘Blue Car’ Owner: “What type of car do I drive? Beats me. It’s got wheels, red stripes, tint in the windows, and it looks like a big Tylenol. I change the oil every 3,000 miles. Have all my maintenance done at the dealership… and it still just keeps on going. A new car for me? Hmmm… do you think I could get this same car in a different color?”
The Time Warp: Cell phones? Ha! Only for the work slaves! I don’t tweet. I don’t ‘friend’. I don’t even have a computer in my home. Why should I? Waste of time if you ask me!
As for my car, it’s a square deal. A Dodge Dynasty made by the last great American. As for your so-called new cars… why bother? They’re all overpriced and unreliable nightmares. If I can’t check the transmission fluid, I ain’t buyin’ it.
The Grad: “I don’t get it. Grandpa has all the money. I’m $23,000 in debt. My parents have no savings, and they want me to buy a new car? What the hell? I just want to find a job that doesn’t involve making coffee for someone, and yet I can’t even blink without seeing a new car ad. Wait.. what’s this? BMW says that I’m an “adventurer and explorer?” Alrighty then!”
The Accountant: “25 roundtrip miles in my 50 mpg Toyota Prius 5 days a week. Carry the one. Add in the lower maintenance costs and temporary loss of automotive soul. Take the 60 cent per mile tax deduction and multiply by the 15,000 miles I drive. Hey! I make money with this car! I’m keepin’ it! Cha-ching!”
The Lord of The Realm: “You name it. I fix it. Appliances. TV’s. Furnaces. Elections (My day job is in Chicago), and of course my car. I have done all the maintenance since day one. Oil changes, belts, fluids, hoses, battery. I use top quality components and never scrimp on anything. I may not be funny. But hey. I’ve got my finances together and my worries behind me. What? You want a joke? OK then… I voted for Jon Huntsman. Are you happy now?”
The Environmentalist: “A new car? Hell no! New cars destroy the environment and contribute to greenhouse gases. I’m sticking with my mid-90’s Volvo 850 wagon, non-turbo, that can easily get high 20’s combined. It should last another five years or so with enough trips to the nearby auto recycling center. Besides I work with Bundy and we carpool these days. ”
Forgetting the political comment about GWB: Probably have some of more than one with a 57 station wagon, a 91 s10 truck and a new Nissan Cube.
Some of the hard times have just given many of our population an injection of Common sense and a loss of some of the disposable generation traits. I’ve been like this for a long time.
The De-Leverager:
Understands that families, houses, utilities, food, investments, small vices and education comes before the wallet-draining bottomless pit called an automobile. Drives whatever runs until debt levels have dropped to a survivable and sustainable level. Will not go further into debt until about 2015, sooner if economy quits sloughing jobs.
I never thought I’d say this, but I actually agree with VD. I think of it as more like a common sense, practical Realist.
Phil,
Yes, I’m going thru my “common sense, practical Realist” phase. Even though I live in a 10 year old comfy 3,500 sq ft home, live in a low tax state and have zero debt I will keep driving my 2000 Accord(185K mi), 2002 Buick(103K mi) and 2004 F-150(78K mi)………..I’m spending too much right now on guns, ammo, generator, food and water storage to waste money on shiney new bling in my driveway……..Besides, I have a few horses for when the fuel stops flowing.
“De-Leverager”– a more sensitive description of the “Accountant.” (Hey VD, when was the last time you were accused of being more sensitive than anyone!). But, yeah. My 2000 Protege just got hit for the third time, and, for the third time, I can’t justify repairing “cosmetic” damage, much less buying a new car. Having so much money tied up in a depreciating asset, just adds stress. The last dent was from someone from work. I just said let’s just set the damage at $200 and call it a day. She was relieved, I have $200 in my pocket, and my car still gets me to work. Couldn’t do that with a new car.
This was my Dad to a “T”. Swore I wouldn’t be like that when I grew up. Of course, I grew up to be nearly the same. Current car is 8 years, 3 mos. and shows no signs of slowing down.
Exactly!
Probably the accountant. I usually buy my cars brand new and keep them 10-15 years+. I get something a little nicer than I would have, because in the long run $1000 more for heated seats/Bose Audio/Nav is worth it to me.
I guess I don’t exactly fit into any one of the categories above. I think I’m part “Loyalist,” part “Lord of the Realm,” and part “Time Warp.”
I’m loyal to the car that has faithfully carried me many a mile, keep it up as best as a shade tree mechanic can these days and part time warp because I just don’t think that, when it comes to cars, “slicker and newer” equals “better” these days.
I see good things on the horizon. The new engine management technology is getting us more miles out of every drop of gasoline – and I like that But for now I can keep on running my old 300M, it looks better than most other cars out there anyhow.
Yeah, nothing quite fits me either.
I have a 12 year old Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS sedan. I love it to death. It had a head gasket job 2 years ago, and while the engine was out I had them replace all the other wear items like the water pump, timing doodads, etc. And I had them put in a lighter Cobb crank pulley, group N engine mounts, stiffer rear bushings, and s short-throw shifter kit. It drives better now than when I got it and has many more years of life left in it.
And there is not a new car out there today that I like so much better that it would be worth the price tag.
I will weep like a child when this car finally meets its end.
Maybe I’m a cross between the Accountant and the Time Warp. We are still running a 1993 Crown Victoria that my mother bought new. I bought it about 2005 with 60K on the odo. My family has doubled the miles since then. It starts, it runs, it drives, it looks good, and it is relatively simple and durable. What’s not to like? At about 19 years old, it is nearly twice the national average age.
With a 5 yr old Honda Fit and a <1 yr old Kia Sedona, not even the Vic can pull me down to the average fleet age. Another reason I miss my 99 Town & Country.
I’m cheap. Learned it from my old man. He was a master at it. I’ll never be the half the cheapskate he was.
Why should a Loyalist change because something that was crap 25 years ago “Might” not be anymore. Just because? That’s a pretty stupid reason. Cars are way too expensive for most people to roll the dice on a “Might” or a “Maybe”. If what you own is making you happy, then continue to be happy with your future choice. If you get screwed by the brand you’ve been loyal to, then move on.
The Bundy has no choice. The Bundy is probably happy that they don’t have to use the bus.
Why should a Loyalist change because something that was crap 25 years ago “Might” not be anymore. Just because? That’s a pretty stupid reason. Cars are way too expensive for most people to roll the dice on a “Might” or a “Maybe”. If what you own is making you happy, then continue to be happy with your future choice. If you get screwed by the brand you’ve been loyal to, then move on.
This. If a brand’s been good to you, you buy it again. If it was crap, you don’t go back. This is how I buy electronics, kitchen appliances, etc…why on earth wouldn’t I do the same with cars? Most people don’t have a problem with this because they view their car as just another appliance.
“Enthusiasts” can’t wrap their head around why anyone would buy a “boring” car, especially if it’s from a brand they don’t like.
I love cars, but I’m cheap and practical. My car sucks. It’s old and dull, but it’s paid for and cheap to run. I can afford a better car, but I can’t justify wiping out my bank account and/or spending hundreds extra every month so I can have a car that’s more “fun” on my crappy commute to work.
I guess that makes me an “Accountant.”
I am having some trouble deciding whether to believe this statistic or my own lying eyes. My office overlooks a busy street and I am looking at cars all day long. No way is the average car 10 years old here. Champaign is a university town, so the statistics may be somewhat different here; heck, I don’t think they have been making Priuses 10 years, but even so.
Apparently, the orignal article referred not to cars, but to cars and trucks. Trucks tend to hang around longer, despite the devastation wreaked by cash for clunkers. There are also registered classic cars to factor out.
I think the statistic is just plain wrong.
I think it was Steve that mentioned the average car goes to the crusher with around 140k miles on it. With the average driver doing 15k a year that puts the average car being junked in a little under 10 years. How then can the average car be over 10 years old?
Wrecks aren’t included in the average car *on the road* being over 10 years old.
bumpy,
I’m not talking about wrecks. I’m talking about a 2001 Dodge Caravan (as an example)
Trade-in $428
Private Party Sale $762
Dealer Retail $1,325
If the mechanic says he needs $800 to get it to pass inspection and the tranny is making strange noises – it gets sent to the crusher. At 10 years and 140k the typical car encounters a repair that doesn’t make sense and it gets junked. If that’s the case – how is the median car 10 years old.
Yeah, it’d be interesting to see a mileage-weighted average. Eg, if a 20 year old car is driven 1,000 miles a year and a 5 year old car 12,000 miles per year, the average would be six years old (5*12,000 + 20*1,000)/(12,000 + 1,000). Or more simply, only count cars driven at least X,000 miles per year.
I think you are on to something. If you only look at the cars on the interstate, there is no way the average is 10.8 years.
But go to a Walmart parking lot, and see the cars that get 2000 miles per year, leak all over the place, and run sporadically. I see a lot of 80’s minivans, and pickups going back to the Nixon administration.
Yes, you are onto something, I agree with Gator. In my post above I listed my cars as a 2000, a 2002, and a 2004 P/U. So based on that my fleet average is 10 years.
I did not list my 1967 Pontiac(see avatar) which just gets driven in the summer to cruise nights, shows, etc. If I include that car my fleet average rockets to 18.75 years.
That is an interesting question. I have a pretty high tolerance for automotive pain, but I gleefully dumped my 1989 Ford Tempo back in 2002. I sold it to a PHD student who needed a cheap car to get by while he sold his Camry, and then to run errands until he left the country. I was sure it was headed to the junkyard after he was done with it.
I had a couple of Carfax reports left after a recent car purchase, and I had the VIN for my old Tempo on some paperwork I was throwing out. I ran the report and, to my surprise, the old Tempo had been re-registered in April of 2011.
The other surprise was that the car hadn’t traveled very far — far less than 1000 miles per year over the 10 years since I’d written it off as junk.
My wife’s family prides themselves on buying new and keeping the car for a decade or so until it’s junk. Then I buy a car that they think is junk and gleefully repair it for the entertainment value and monetary savings. They think I’m a little mental on this topic but, hey, their daughter seems to like me, and I take good care of her and our son, so whatever. But, I was surprised to see that there is someone out there with a high enough automotive pain tolerance that the cycle repeats for at least a 3rd go-round.
So I guess the cars pictured in the article would appeal to the…
-Loyalist
-Time Warp
-The Lord of the Realm
And of course Cubans in their native habitat, because they can’t get anything else.
CHEAP ACCOUNTANT
As long as our cars are running well, we’re not replacing them. I love my Impala, as most everyone on here knows and wifey loves her CR-V and we both love our MX5, but who can tell what I/we’ll buy next when the time comes?
Lovingly looking over that ’58 above – I love the old two-door sedans.
We also have a CR-V. I was really torn whether to sell it in when we upgraded to the Odyssey. With its 130k miles, I decided to keep it. We’re the original owners and we’ve taken great care of it. It runs beautfully.
We now have three cars for two drivers, and I drive the two older ones to work (not simultaneously). Having a spare allows me more flexibility to use the less-expensive locally owned repair shop for maintenance, even though it might be there for a few days while whatever necessary part is on order.
I think I might get another 100k miles out of it.
I’m also discovering the interesting fact that as I got older, my cars are much nicer to me, thus never or rarely breaking and really taking good care of me!
Time Warp, with the crotchety domesticism replaced by a more generalized “remember how awesome car x was y years ago, before they did z to it and effed it up forever?”
I’ve got a good deal of Loyalist in me, and I also identify with the accountant. My last American car was a ’96, and I’m not ready to go back (“let me tell you”). I expect 200k miles out of a car without too many major issues–certainly not a repair at 85k miles for a cost that exceeds the trade-in value.
Yeah, yeah, American cars are so much better now, I hear you. The current crop needs to be proven BETTER than the CamCord competition for at least a decade before I’ll again consider them. That’s the bar they need to overcome first; I have a right to hold a grudge after the last one.
Why would anyone consider an American car if you don’t think it is better or at least as good as the “non americans”. Most “Japanese” cars sold in the USA are made in USA and contributes to the society as much as any American car. Especially those built in, for example, Mexico (but nothing wrong with that). Think about Toyota Georgetown, Kentycky for example.
The Murilee Martin:
In a Bizzaro World where the French didn’t get rolled by Hitler and instead became mechanized engineering masters of fusing human and machine. A place where artsy coture isn’t limp wristed sewing of moth bait, but riveting and forging of iron. “I’m going to build (and unwittingly devote my life to) the ultimate Americana and document it with prose and photography that deliberately arranges symbolic elements in a way that influences and affects the senses, emotions, and/or intellect.“
Cognac should be sipped, not guzzled, Tresmonos.
Somewhere between Loyalist and Accountant. Loyalist in the way that I haven’t truly had a car that I’ve hated to drive. The Accountant side of me said that holding on to my oft-broken MKV GTI was a bad decision so I had to let it go. While our MINI will not be capable of handling our new family condition starting this summer, it has been a great car and I cannot handle letting it go. A prius v will likely take over my wife’s DD duties and that is purely Accountant/Engineer. The HSD removed a lot of the maintenance items (no serp belt, no starter, no alternator, more robust “transmission”, proven reliable) and nothing else gets me that sort of space with that sort of efficiency. My loyalist side of keeping the MINI will account for my “temporary loss of automotive soul”.
The “Manual Laborer”-
“Damn cars ALL have automatics now… ugh! And I can’t STAND those freaks who dare to call them flappy-paddle “dual clutch” things a manual transmission. Makes me SICK! Give me my 3 pedals and my shifter, damn it!
I don’t care if automatics are faster now… I don’t care if they get better mileage… shit I don’t care if they give blowjobs! IT AIN’T THE SAME! GIVE ME MY CLUTCH PEDAL!!!”
(this will be me in 10 years)
I think that would be the Manual ‘Be’laborer.
But yes, that’s me too.
Traditionalist, I think. This has come over me as I’ve gotten older. By the time (in 1969) that I had owned my 1958 Plymouth convertible for three years, I’d owned it longer than any other car up to that point including a couple of new ones. But now I’ve had the 1984 RX7 for 15 years, the 03 Silverado for 7 or 8, the 09 Accord (which is the sixth Accord) for a little over one year – and it’ll still be here long after 0bama has replaced Carter as the worst ex-president ever.
I guess I’m somewhere between a ‘Custom’er and a Time Warp. My ’96 Mustang has various parts from 3 generations of ponies in it (and not quite Jaguar but it would have Volvo seats if I could’ve found some coupe seats in a reasonable time frame). I have tried to avoid modifications that degrade the usefulness, driveability or tastefulness of the car though, with lowering springs being the one serious faux-pas (the ride and handling is shot but dammit it does look better lowered a little). I’m in it for the long haul now. No need to replace it, it’s got SEFI, ABS, front airbags, power everything, a decent stereo and ice cold A/C – dad-burnit, I don’t need any of that fancy new technology they’re gussying up cars with today. Plus, it’s reliable, cheap to maintain and repairs don’t require second mortgages. Sure a new one would be faster, ride a little better and have some nice new features, but not a new car payment worth of better.
My wife’s car is different – she gets something, if not new then at least of a current generation every so often. We try to keep them around for a while but not for as long as I’m willing to keep a car for just myself.
I’m a mix. 75% accountant, 25% envoromentalist. My last car was a 94 regal that I paid 2500 for in 06 and got 5 years (drove it 120k miles) out of it till it got rear-ended. It had no issues except for a few little things now and then. Now I drive an 01 Grand marquis that I paid $3700 for with 56k on the odometer.
Can you find a better way to minimize your $/mile figure than a domestic grandpa car? I don’t think so! Just know to avoid chrysler products. If you go gm go 3800 v6. If you go ford go panther or taurus.
oh and it’s johnson rod, not Johnson valve. “You need a new johnson rod!”
agree, the GM 3800s and the Panthers are hard to beat for every day cheap transportation and they’re good road cars also.
After the johnson rod/valve gets replaced the next thing to go usually is the “Finegan Pin”.
Preach brother preach… I will be driving my 3800 powered ’08 Grand Prix comfortably for the next twenty years. If wife and kids come along between now and then, they can have whatever new junk passes itself off as a car.
I’m probably closest to the Loyalsist but let me rephrase it a little because my loyalty is not as blind as Steven’s profile implies:
“I got it right when I bought this car 10 or 15 years ago. That’s both a blessing and a curse. I wouldn’t mind getting a new car but the ones I own are still pretty awesome and I can’t justify spending north of $20K for the incremental improvement a new car would give me. Plus they don’t make them like this any more, and no new car appeals to me more than my current rides — or at least not enough more to justify the expense”
note: current rides are a 1996 Miata (which I bought new in 1996) and 1998 LS400 (which I bought CPO in 2001).
Not really any of the above. I’m in the “If it ain’t broke don’t buy a new one” crowd. As long as my 02 Dakota continues working as is that’s fine by me… and with routine maintenance it should. Its not like a newer truck would have a huge gas mileage advantage so whats the point of having payments again? I could afford a new truck, but nothing out there interests me.
My other older vehicles were bought from the school of “let another fool take the depreciation penalty”. Why buy new when you can buy lightly used at half price? Both the wife’s Volvo and my 350Z were sourced this way. Most people would laugh at the idea of buying a “new” 9 year old vehicle but with proper research such buy isn’t that much a gamble.
My other older vehicles were bought from the school of “let another fool take the depreciation penalty”
Deprecation is now linear on many car models.
“Deprecation is now linear on many car models.”
Yeah, but JMII’s 9 years is pretty much the end of the “line.”
Might be linear but it is better to lose 50% of 10 grand then 50% of 20!
Might be linear but it is better to lose 50% of 10 grand then 50% of 20!
Not when most of the maintenance and repair costs are on the back end.
I fit several profiles here (including De-Leverager) so I’m a little embarrassed. If I could hit the powerball I’d live like Kim Dotcom except i would have a fleet of Mustangs instead of Mercedes crap in the 20 car garage.
Part Customer, part Accountant, part Loyalist.
I’ve got a 10 year old stick, non-turbo Subaru wagon. Mild tweaking and it’s a blast to drive, efficient enough, and has been rock solid.
Do I want a new car? For sure, been looking for three years. But I figure I’ve already got a car payment, $75 a month in insurance (I’m in FL, so I only roll with full/full), $200 for gas (22 mi commute one way to work), that’s $275. Double that for something that everyone else’s driving?
No thanks.
THE MILITARY OFFICER:
Makes way more money than he knows what to do with, but it’s frowned upon to drive a nicer car than your Commanding Officer, therefore his 1994 Ford Escort is kept squeaky clean with the best maintenance.
THE COMMANDING OFFICER:
“Screw it, I make a ton of money. I don’t need to show off my wealth. I’ll drive this 1995 Honda Civic because it gives me good memories from college.”
Almost forgot:
ME: Lousy credit, would rather get my issues fixed than put a 1,000 down payment on a new car.
ME (in the future when I get my dream second car): I’ve wanted this late 90s BMW Z3 for half of my life. I’m gonna keep this bitch running ’til I’m old!!!
Getting your credit straightened out (and keeping it that way) will pay a lifetime of dividends, plus the financing costs on the car you eventually buy will be much lower.
Ask Steven Lang: good credit will put you in the car you want for $400 per month; bad credit will put you in an old car you hate for $400 per month (@$100 per week).
I’m in the “Cheapskate” grouping – buy a one or two year old car for cash, and keep it for a minimum of ten years. I do the work I can (oil changes, sensor replacments etc.) and take the car to the dealer for more complex work. Oil changes every 5000 kms (3000 miles), other fluid swaps as recommended, new rubber when required, new battery every 4 years and we’ve had no problems going 160,000 km’s (100K miles) on the last 6 vehicles we’ve owned.
We’ve already got enough cash set aside to replace both the car and the truck when we’re ready. Other than our mortgage, we have carried no debt for the better part of a decade. It’s a good place to be.
You call yourselve a cheapskate! Changing oil every 5000 kms!! Why, a good oil will take you at least 15000 kms. My oil life monitor tells me to change after 20 000 kms but I change after 15000. New battery after 4 years? My batteries last normally 10 years and we have sometimes -30 Centigrades in the winter. You could save a lot of cash without risking anything.
While not good for the car business, could it be that cars built in the last two decades just plain last longer? With all the rustproofing, and improved engines, etc, 200,000+ miles is now a reality. Many cars are driven less than 10,000 miles a year.
None of the above — or perhaps “accountant/economist”
I think the question everyone asks (implicitly or explicitly) before buying something is: What’s the value proposition?
For some, it might be getting a car that meets the family’s current (as opposed to past) needs.
For some, it might be getting a car that’s more reliable and, unlike a fully depreciated hooptie, is not capable of striking the pocketbook at random for $1,000. Most people have an easier time handling a fixed financial obligation (like a car or lease payment) than dealing with an unpredictable, not fixed (and potentially large) financial obligation (like, say, replacing a head gasket).
For some, it might be getting a car that shows your friends and neighbors that you’ve made it big.
For some, it might be reducing your fuel expenses, when you need to.
The basic problem the manufacturers have is that, fuel economy aside, cars are kind of a mature technology. Anew car offers zero additional utility than its 10-year old predecessor in good working order. This was not always true. A new car with electronic engine controls and fuel injection offered a huge utility advantage over its 10-year old predecessor with early-stage emission controls which started hard, ran poorly, sucked gas and delivered anemic performance. And, I would say a car with ABS and electronic stability control offers substantial utility over its predecessor lacking those features. And a car with airbags offers a lot of utility over its non-airbagged predecessor, even for a driver who religiously uses his seatbelt.
But all of that stuff has been around for 10 years or more. So now, the additional utility of newer cars is in things like having a built-in Bluetooth connection for your cellphone, or integrating with your smartphone so you can play huge amounts of music stored on it or stream Pandora from the Internet.
And 10-year old cars, properly maintained, are, more durable than their predecessors, removing much of the fear (or hassle) of continuous repairs to keep the old jalopy going.
In the current economic climate, conspicuous consumption isn’t what it used to be, even if you can afford to do it.
Finally, in the current economic climate in the U.S. at least, while not particularly expensive, credit is not widely available.
I’m the “Standing on top of Mt. Monadnock and wondering why anyone would want to climb any higher”.
My 12-year-old, 150kmile, $10000 car goes 177 MPH flat-out, runs 13 even in the quarter. I’ve done it once. Why would I want anything faster? Why would I pay thousands or tens of thousands more to go faster?
Two cars in my family: one from 2000 and one from 2003.
The Heston: You can have the keys to my 911 when you pry them out of my cold, dead hand.
The Satisfied Customer: Yes, the S4 is twelve years old. By all rights it should have immolated itself by now. But it looks great, drives great, and hasn’t given me any problems. So why change?
It’s got wheels, red stripes, tint in the windows, and it looks like a big Tylenol.
I see what you did there…
My out of town car is 9 yrs old but the car I have driven almost daily for the last 20 yrs is 21 yrs. old. I could easily afford a new car, maybe Steve has to come up with a new class for me.
Father of the Grads: Because the local secondary schools teach to grade level competence and you could do better, I put you and your sibs thru some expen$ive private schools. Then I put you through college. You graduated without debt. I attended your graduations with a lot less money than I had before. You have trouble finding opportunities for advancement in your jobs because your parents generation (at least some of us) is trying to save some more before retiring – at 70. Average age of the family fleet is 10.33 years, and climbing.
ps – I’m glad that after a little while in the real world, you’ve come to appreciate your relatively uncommon debt-free status
+ 1 on this. Second child is a Senior in college. My current goals are to clean up debt and save a bit toward retirement (Medicare-ville this summer ). Fleet has ’03, ’05 and ’09. Two of three are in “The Automotive Golden Age” ……..paid off and still running. The only possible fly in the ointment for my plan is $8 a gallon gas!
The Ostrich: I don’t care how much gas costs, I’m still going to buy that Lincoln Mark V, Suburban, and shag-carpeted conversion van.
I am a mixture of The Environmentalist, The Time Warp, and The “Cuss”tomer, but I will also say I am a fierce loyalist.
My daily driver is a 1995 Plymouth Voyager with the Mitsubishi 6G7 and TorqueFlite A670 without Overdrive. 75% of said vehicle (engine included) has 166K miles, the Transmission has 66K miles, and I lost track of what mileage the other 20% has. By 1995 the 1970 Dart my folks got from a dead relative was falling apart due to age, 6 years of Upstate New York, and other factors so with some financial help from granny (later another dead relative) they picked up a new vehicle that could not only haul more people, but was also safer and mom was glad she no longer had to rebuild carburetors. As a little kid I remember tugging on dad’s leg asking him what name will we give to the vehicle and he said Sandy as is from Grease.
In the ensuing 16+ years I have fallen in love with that vehicle and I quite enjoy it as my daily driver. I can drive with one hand or wrist on the wheel and the other arm hanging out the window to be used as a left turn signal when need be. Cannot quite Gangsta Lean while driving like in my former Caprice, but whatever, at least I can sleep in. Sandy is simple and straight forward, did I mention only half of the fuse box is utilized? I do wish though that the instrument cluster was the fancier version instead of just a temp and fuel gauge flanking the speedo. The Clear Coat and Poppy Red paint took about 15 years to start failing, but despite that she still looks good, even the body design is kind of timeless. There is a good bit of room in the engine bay and parts are relatively easy to come by, but that is changing since I am one of the few around here to keep one of these minivans going for so long. Also, since it is a 1995 it technically does not need a Catcon, but I have one for moral reasons and I do not have to pass emissions testing which is a freedom I do not want to give up for some reason.
I remember in 2010 I had a series of squealing belts for a few weeks because of some manufacture defect and the only way to tell was to put the belt on. Since I was one of the few people left with a working Mitsubishi 6G7 the mechanic kept swapping in and out at least 4 or so belts until we found a quiet one. I was content to let it squeal, but guess I was breaking the 90 Decibel Limit Law plus with NASCAR in town the fuzz was thicker than the lint collector after a dozen dryer loads and I got pulled over at least twice.
I have a hard time with new(er) vehicles because I look at them all and find something(s) I do not like. The Ford Transit Connect is the closest new vehicle to my Voyager since you can get it as a Stripper Model and even in red. The Mazda5 and Ford Cmax are two other similar vehicles as well as far as I know. The new minivans have all these fancy doo dads I do not want, lack of ground clearance, and model bloat has obviously happened since my Voyager gets better mileage than many of these new minivans.
’64 Falcon Daily driver with a ’69 Wagoneer backup…probably a mix of Accountant and Lord of The Realm (with a dash of Time Warp).
Spent $5k on the Falcon and drop about $1-1.5k/year in maintenance/upgrades. Zero interest (duh), zero depreciation, zero smog/inspection, crazy-cheap registration and insurance.
Sounds like a screaming good deal until you factor in the marginal cost of my garage/driveway and all my tools…at which point it just becomes a good deal :)
I guess I’m kind of a loyalist, 36 years at GM and all. I’m the only driver in a house,with a Mustang hibernating in the garage and a Cobalt and Impala in the driveway. Three cars does seem a little wastefull. I guesss I’m not an accountant.
I refuse to take any debt on. It took too long to get rid of what I had.
I guess, give it a few years and I may turn into a “Time Warp”
I figure, if I outlive the Impala and the Cobalt, the Mustang will turn into my daily driver.
Yuuuup…I’m 58 years old and have bought my last car.
The ‘Custom’ er definately.
Submitted as an example… 2004 F150 Heritage Edition 4×2, standard cab and long bed combo. It has an aftermarket flatbed courtsey of a neighbor who forgot to set their parking brake. I then mounted the spare tire to the headache rack and added big square rear mud flaps that say “FORD” on them. My short little lady (5’3″) was struggling to get in the truck so then came the hoop style steps. The bench seat is covered in a Mexican blanket, not cause it’s damaged but because I like the look. The exhaust is slowly rusting away and I’m thinking dual exhaust now…
Oh yeah and Zachman keeps pushing me to add steer horns to the hood…
The Mexican blanket is a nice touch. I keep a blue and red plaid one in my Impala. Its been a part of every car/truck I’ve owned since I was sixteen.
Headache Rack, that thing that keeps you from breaking the rear window? How do you get a tire on that?
Aren’t Mexican Blankets hot as blazes? I know driving around shirtless in New York last Summer I did not want to have a blanket under me or behind me, but then again I guess I have to try it. Personally, I like a Beaded Seat Cover, but I do not have a bench seat.
“I’m sticking with my mid-90′s Volvo 850 wagon, non-turbo, that can easily get high 20′s combined.”
…Hah! I feel quoted. Just adopted a ’94 855, NA, five-speed, this weekend. (Newest car I’ve owned, too.) That’s what I’m hoping for – it can hardly be worse than the steady 18.5, largely on rural highways, that I’ve been seeing from the 745.
I can identify with all of these to some extent. Daily-driving my 745 was a definite Bundy-like experience, but in general it’s a mixture of ‘Time Warp’ (ease of repair is critical) and ‘Custom-er’ (with a careful eye on finances).
I had bought, gotten bored of and sold almost a car a year (always cheap old cars) until I adopted a 94 855 turbo a year and a half ago.
I was in the back of a lot, leaked coolant and oil, and the check-engine light had been removed. I bought it cheap and fixed it up until its now very reliable.
I love it. Rattles and squeaks but its has the perfect seats for my but and back and I can load whatever I want and still carry 3 people. Or carry 5 and a months worth of luggage… or 3 people and their bicycles (as I did yesterday).
Now I want a 960 to replace my other car. This one won’t get sold. Ever.
Don’t forget Stubborn Pride: Yes, the 95 saturn has 197,000 miles on it and is still running strong. Yeah, it needs new suspension. And probably new CV boots. And its the original clutch. But its not dead yet!
Huh, I guess I am a mix of many things. I have a Spitfire I have had for many, many years. I have had lots of cheap, bulletproof Volvos, and still keep one. But I have a couple of cheap interesting ~$5K cars. Call them pocket money toys. I bought a new BMW that I plan to keep for a REALLY long time. I maintain everything like I am going to keep it forever, though I usually don’t. And ultimately I think life is too short to drive boring cars. And being single and with a good job I can indulge a bit.
The one thing I am NOT is an environmentalist though. :-)
Like many, I’m bits and pieces of several categories. If I had to set up a new category, it would be “Boomer Whose 401k Was Tossed Under The Bus And Now Understands What Grandpa Was Always Prattling About”.
Time warp – I’m driving a 79 cougar XR7 -no Govt. regs for me and no need for a overpriced mechanic, I can do everything !
Lord of the Realm.