thinkin of trading in the grand am

[cardude007617]

my parents brought up a good point to me tonight about the car. ill be going off to college in a few months and of course will be gonig back and forth which is about a 100 mile drive each way. they said i should trade it in and get something newer, more reliable and that has a lot less mileage and gets better mileage. i work at a pontiac buick and subaru dealer and of course get to drive a load of cars every day. i dont know, iv kinda taken a liking to the newer subaru legacys. i would avoid turbo and stick models for insurance premium gas reasons. so im looking at a 2005 Subaru Legacy 4 door with 58k on it for about 14 grand. id prbly take out a 4 year loan which would get the payments down to about 270 a month. im thinking about what will go on my car once i get over 100k (i have 95k on it now). i will need new brakes, tires, and strut/springs by the time fall semester hits and thats over a grand right there and i will still have the same car. if my trans goes, thats 2,000 possibly.
any thoughts?

college will be paid for thru student loans, savings account funds and some help from the parents

[XMBlackGT1]

Have you had any major problems with your GAGT up to this point? If not, is there really any reason to get rid of it until it does start giving you problems? Ya, a newer car might get better fuel mileage, but I am assuming that your GAGT is probably close to paid off and will have cheaper insurance than a Subarau, so you will be saving money in that regard. Just a thought.

[cardude007617]

point is, i have 95 on it now. i got 12mpg last week running errands; and no i wasnt flooring it i was babying the hell out of it. gas is 419 here, and it blows.
i think my trans is going, its doing the surging thing thats common which could be simple or a sign of things to come. brakes are in need, as are struts and springs and tires like i mentioned before. it is a silly time to be looking for something else but theres stuff coming up on this thing, even though i love it to death.

for the record: PS pump, alternator, battery, LIM gasket...

[Mike Jung]

I would seriously check out new vehicles later this summer though.
As car dealers will be hurting this season.
Maybe some special manufacturers incentives/rebates/0% financing ?

Loan on a used car: The interest rate could be much higher; unless you have a good credit history record.
(Especially, if the manufacturers offer special financing rates.)

Something to think about...


PS: Don't you get "Employee's Pricing" also ?

[alerored04]

I agree to wait. My alero has 130,000 on it and got me through college in great shape and was paid for before i moved there. It is nice to not have a car payment. Believe me the bills come out of nowhere. I plan on driving the car into the dirt so I can pay off my student loans now that I have graduated. A little TLC will keep it running well and better milage for you. My car gets 30 mpg on the highway most of the time. Keep it tuned up and it will cost you a lot less to put some cash into the GA than 15K into a new car plus interest payments.

[cardude007617]

ya, i should wait i suppose. what can i expect to have to replace at 100k? im almost thinking about leasing a NEW one.... 199 a month lease for 3 years is very manageable.


off topic: what the hell could make me get 12mpg ?

i would get a little deal i suppose, but they can only come down so much, they arent in the business to LOSE money on cars which im sure u realize

[Mike Jung]

Originally Posted by alerored04

I agree to wait. My alero has 130,000 on it and got me through college in great shape and was paid for before i moved there. It is nice to not have a car payment. Believe me the bills come out of nowhere. I plan on driving the car into the dirt so I can pay off my student loans now that I have graduated. A little TLC will keep it running well and better milage for you. My car gets 30 mpg on the highway most of the time. Keep it tuned up and it will cost you a lot less to put some cash into the GA than 15K into a new car plus interest payments.

^
Normally, I would agree.
That would the financially responsible thing to do.

IF his GA will last until he graduates.
As repair bills are usually less than all the car payments monthly.

But it sounds like he might have some expensive maintenance coming up (?).

[cardude007617]

just a rough idea of the mileage- its 108 miles from home to college each way so 215 round trip.... and think of all the trips ill make during college and any other driving i do... ill hit 100 before i know it...and so on and so forth

[Mike Jung]

Originally Posted by cardude007617

ya, i should wait i suppose. what can i expect to have to replace at 100k? im almost thinking about leasing a NEW one.... 199 a month lease for 3 years is very manageable.

i would get a little deal i suppose, but they can only come down so much, they arent in the business to LOSE money on cars which im sure u realize

Make sure you check-out the lease's mileage limit, & the cost of more mileage.
(You might have to purchase it in the end of the lease, because of it)

So purchasing up front, might be more economical (even though it costs you more in the beginning.).

[cardude007617]

its 10,000 a year, like 1700 down, and 199 a month for 3 years

[alerored04]

I did 400 miles one way from college almost every weekend to see my fiance this year.

[GrandAmGT1996]

why not just find a cheap civic or something to run back and forth to school? I only paid $1500 for my celica, and it gets 26-27 mpg, all in-town. I dont know what it gets on the highway though.

[Mike Jung]

cardude,

I know I sound like a broken down record player...or in the case of today's generation: a sound track that is looped for replay

But do yourself a favour.

Buy winter tires for your long commutes.

You will thank me later.

(& have a credit card for "emergencies" so you can crash in a motel if needed.)

[cardude007617]

i couldnt live with myself if i drove a honda , sorry.

and youre prbly right mike, i should stick it out. besides, i do enjoy my car yet so its not that im getting bored with it at least

[Graxall]

Originally Posted by cardude007617

my parents brought up a good point to me tonight about the car. ill be going off to college in a few months and of course will be gonig back and forth which is about a 100 mile drive each way. they said i should trade it in and get something newer, more reliable and that has a lot less mileage and gets better mileage. i work at a pontiac buick and subaru dealer and of course get to drive a load of cars every day. i dont know, iv kinda taken a liking to the newer subaru legacys. i would avoid turbo and stick models for insurance premium gas reasons. so im looking at a 2005 Subaru Legacy 4 door with 58k on it for about 14 grand. id prbly take out a 4 year loan which would get the payments down to about 270 a month. im thinking about what will go on my car once i get over 100k (i have 95k on it now). i will need new brakes, tires, and strut/springs by the time fall semester hits and thats over a grand right there and i will still have the same car. if my trans goes, thats 2,000 possibly.
any thoughts?

college will be paid for thru student loans, savings account funds and some help from the parents

My car has been through hell and just hit 102k miles..I wonder the same stuff sometimes but i think i can get another 50k outta her!

[cardude007617]

thats good, we both have the same year so i can kinda relate. i'll prbly end up holding on to it. i mean its not worth much more now than it will be a year or 2 or 4 from now

heres the car itself by the way:
http://prv.carspot.com/vehicle_displ...=349&code=D349

[Jake]

Keep the ga.

You can make a ga last to easily 200k miles.

95k is nothing to worry about.

My old ga has been doing the trans surging thing since 115k and now has like 155k, keep the ga imo.

Edit : You prob wont get **** for the ga anyway

[cardude007617]

im leaning towards keeping it. any other things i should try and replace before i have a problem?

ANYBODY know why i get 12mpg when i run errands? or why my car HATES to start when its hot; as in it takes 2 cranks and it barely makes it over then. first start or colds starts its always fine

[bigbenSC]

Help the economy out- go lease a new car that gets great mileage. I leased my G6 through college and it worked out real well. You don't need anything fancy, just basic transportation.

[AMRAAM4]

Originally Posted by cardude007617

my parents brought up a good point to me tonight about the car. ill be going off to college in a few months and of course will be gonig back and forth which is about a 100 mile drive each way. they said i should trade it in and get something newer, more reliable and that has a lot less mileage and gets better mileage. i work at a pontiac buick and subaru dealer and of course get to drive a load of cars every day. i dont know, iv kinda taken a liking to the newer subaru legacys. i would avoid turbo and stick models for insurance premium gas reasons. so im looking at a 2005 Subaru Legacy 4 door with 58k on it for about 14 grand. id prbly take out a 4 year loan which would get the payments down to about 270 a month. im thinking about what will go on my car once i get over 100k (i have 95k on it now). i will need new brakes, tires, and strut/springs by the time fall semester hits and thats over a grand right there and i will still have the same car. if my trans goes, thats 2,000 possibly.
any thoughts?

college will be paid for thru student loans, savings account funds and some help from the parents

the current idea in this post is terrible, both financially and car-wise IMO. You're spending money to run in place.


Right now you can lease a G6 for $179 a month for 30-some months. not sure how much is needed down but I can't imagine it is a lot, but that's a fantastic price for a new car, even if it is a base model with the 4-cylinder.