The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
Buying a new car
Snarfmaster
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So I'm looking into buying a new car.
My Current car is a 2006 Scion XB with 95K miles on it. I commute about 70 miles daily round trip. My little box has served me well with only oil changes up till now. But I'm worried as i break the 100K mark it might start to go downhill from all the wear and tear.
So I've decided to go looking for something new. I need something relatively cheap that I can basically drive into the ground, and gets at least the 30Mpg i'm getting now. I also need some sort of back seating area for a child seat for my 1 y/o.
Something like the Scion IQ looks great but I don't seem to see any information about a due date on that here in the US.
Any thoughts are appreciated.
My Current car is a 2006 Scion XB with 95K miles on it. I commute about 70 miles daily round trip. My little box has served me well with only oil changes up till now. But I'm worried as i break the 100K mark it might start to go downhill from all the wear and tear.
So I've decided to go looking for something new. I need something relatively cheap that I can basically drive into the ground, and gets at least the 30Mpg i'm getting now. I also need some sort of back seating area for a child seat for my 1 y/o.
Something like the Scion IQ looks great but I don't seem to see any information about a due date on that here in the US.
Any thoughts are appreciated.
Snarfmaster on
0
Posts
It's a Toyota, not a Chrysler. Assuming you've done routine maintenance and not just oil changes, at 100K it's just getting broken in. Keep it.
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
I'm not sure what kind of driving conditions you're had but I'd have hoped that by 100K miles there has been done more than oil/filter changes. I'd expect a few air filter changes, brakes pad change (or 2), rotors are probably done, possible caliper rebuild needed, accessory belt change, cv boot maintenance, battery change, also possibly a coolant flush, fuel system flush, etc.
It's possible that car ould go 200K plus but you'll have to keep on top of service even more than the 1st 100K if wearable items haven't been replaced.
If you're set on getting a new car, at your mileage consumption I'd look at a higher mileage car. If I were putting 25K mi/yr on a car I'd see if operating a hybrid or diesel might be cost competitive to a scion or fit after 4yr/100K miles (833 gal/yr @ 30mpg, 555 gal/yr @ 45 mpg).
Honda Civic, died at 185,000 miles because it hit a tree.
Subaru Impreza died at 250,000 miles, it drown in a flood.
VW golf, engine siezed at 93,000 miles.
Honda Accord, running strong at 114,000 miles.
Japanese cars a built to last, don't worry about a scant 100,000 miles... wait till it dies on its own then buy another used car and beat the hell out of that... it's what i do lol.
As long as you have been treating it well since you got it, you have nothing to worry about. That said, if you want a new car, get a used 06-08 Corella. They get like 45mpg and I am pretty sure they are immortal.
Heck my last car was a '97 Ford Winstar (yes, a Ford - my parents bought it) and it went 253,000 without a significant powertrain repair. Power steering died and the right rear shocks would break every 2 months (so I just stopped replacing them) but even crappy cars can go a long way.
Price of repair =! price of new, remember that. Cars costing you less than $1500 a year on average in repairs are worth hanging onto.
have you done the timing belt? (do they have a timing belt?)
I've personally owned 3 japenese cars that hit 200,000 on my watch. Edited to say, that my sis had a corolla that I am pretty sure was being held together by the dirt on it. But the engine was still bulletproof. 257k.
What I would do, is keep paying the current one off (or if it is paid off, then thats boss), and then put whatever you would be making in a car payment in savings. Do not touch that money unless emergency, not an I need a ps3 emergency, but like that money is dead to you.
When you find yourself really needing a new car, you will have a sizeable amount saved up, and may be able to afford a "nicer" car than you originally thought.
It works both ways, because you spend quite a bit of time in the ride, and you will be able to shop for what you want and is comfortable and not what you can afford at the time.
To feel comfortable, take it to your mechanic and just let him run over everything to see if there is a problem.
Timing belt or chain is something you want to replace before it fails, because replacement after failure usually means at the very least a valve job (and at worst an engine replacement/rebuild) in addition to belt/chain replacement and towing. But it is entirely possible for the original chain (or even belt perhaps) to last the car to 200K.
The oil changes i do regularly, every 5k miles as per the owner's manual. I've changed the air filter twice. It's a timing chain so I don't think i have to worry about that. It seems like the gas mileage is getting better I'm averaging 32, mostly driving around like a maniac during my NY morning commute(So lots of time either at 70+ or in total stop and go).
I've had the break pads changed pretty frequently and the rotors shaved down once. The breaks squeak but that seems to be the result of the small ass break pad on those scions, it's the same size as on my old motorcycle. The guy at the shop said the squeaking would only go away if i bought ceramic break pads but I'm not that anti squeak.
I changed the tires at 55k miles and I'm pretty sure that they're up for another changing sometime soon.
Other than that I've changed/repaired nothing other than body work from people constantly hitting me. 2 rear enders and someone backing into my right rear door.
So the sentiment is that this car should last me to at least 200K, perhaps it's just time to have it hit the shop for some of those things I've been neglecting... spark plugs, new tires. Anything i'm neglecting?
Thanks for all your input!
But the Manual. It has ALL of this.
Hell, I put 180,000 miles on a 1992 Ford Taurus and the only reason I got rid of it was it didn't pass inspection because I had never replaced the airbag (I had wrecked it about four years before, but for some reason it was an issue that fifth inspection).