I just bought my husband a 4-wheel drive 1994 PU for 4K for a farm truck, it looks almost new. We could have gotten him a new one for 40K and kept it for 15 years or we can buy these used ones and use them on the farm 2 or 3 years and save money and not worry about them getting dirty and greasy.
I bought a 2001 Rodeo 7 years ago for 3.5K and it’s still going, that’s $500 a year, most people I know pay more than that a month.
I also got a minivan the same year on a trade with my brother, my DIL commuted 140 miles a day for 4 years and I still drive it too.
The only reason I would consider getting a new car is if the gas mileage was really great but the money I’d save on gas would be a lot less than I’d spend on the initial purchase.
I had a friend who had a perfectly good PU that was paid for and wanted to save on gas so she took on a $400 a month payment to maybe save $50 a month.
It just doesn’t make sense to me especially since I don’t care to keep up with Joneses, I just need something to get me there and back again in comfort.
You are doing a great job re your used vehicles.
“I had a friend who had a perfectly good PU that was paid for and wanted to save on gas so she took on a $400 a month payment to maybe save $50 a month.”
We see idiots like the one you described above all the time in Californicator land. They wonder why they are broke with their new car payments, new I phone and its full service plan. Very few of them have any money left over for anything after their monthly car and I Phone payment.