New Bugout Vehicle

[Ronin.45]

After 7 months of looking and saving, I finally replaced my car. I've been trying to find something since a deer committed suicide in front of my Kia Soul in early January. The market has been insane this year. Used vehicles priced over new MSRP. New vehicles basically unavailable.
I had a few features that I definitely wanted. Ground clearance, AWD, and 30mpg. That really narrowed the field. I'm also a big guy so that narrowed things even further. With my spine issues, my big ass doesn't bend and twist like it should. Easy ingress and egress is a must.
The vehicle that fit everything best was the Subaru Forester. I got in line a month ago for one that was inbound and finally picked it up today. So far, I'm very pleased with it. Should serve me for a long time.

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[Bmyers]

Very nice! I like the color.

The size of the SUV should make it fairly maneuverable if you ever have to bug out and the AWD will come in handy in that situation.

[tom mac]

very nice...enjoy

Me, don't really need a bugout vehicle as prob not real living on Long Island... but there is always my toyota tacoma quad cab
tho I do hit my head on entry if I don't swing my butt in enough

[Ronin.45]

very nice...enjoy

Me, don't really need a bugout vehicle as prob not real living on Long Island... but there is always my toyota tacoma quad cab
tho I do hit my head on entry if I don't swing my butt in enough

I don't really have any intentions of bugging out either. Just glad to finally have a new vehicle after 7 months.

[David]

Congrats on the new vehicle.

Wife and I have been thinking about getting something. I have a Chevy Equinox I'll likely pass on to my son. Right now he's in a Kia Sportage that I bought new in 2008 and would be the vehicle I sell. We test drove several vehicles this past weekend. Part of me just wants to keep the Kia. Overall it's been a pretty good vehicle. Just normal stuff for the most part like brakes, tires, belts, hoses. Need to replace the power steering pump (hopefully tomorrow when my nephew comes over). For being an 08 it only has about 117k on it which is below average. The paint is faded in spots (clear coat damage) but mechanically I've nothing really to complain about.

We pretty much average about 12 years on a vehicle. The Kia has been with us longer. So I'm just not real hot for a car payment.

[tom mac]

I'm a believer that a good running car is better than a payment... I keep them as long as possible unless it looks like cost of repairs is going to be more than the car is worth. Rather then do the extended insurance, I sock away a $100 per month that goes to a fix-it fund for little thing that normally go wrong with cars... it works for me.
Last two vehicles replaced were a 2002 and 2005 about 12+yrs for each. My 2008 is running just fine.

[David]

I keep them as long as possible unless it looks like cost of repairs is going to be more than the car is worth.

And that is always the rub. At what point is the car not worth fixing? Let's say a transmission goes out and is $1200 to fix/replace. Let's say the vehicle is 15 years old and maybe worth $3000 at best. Is it worth it to fix? Considering a new car is going to be in the area of 30k+ you're likely looking at a payment of $500 per month, perhaps more for the next 5 years or so.

There is a guy that lives across the street from our old home that has had the same vehicle since before we moved there. On the 29th of this month we will have owned that home for 22 years. I don't recall the make/model of his car but it's just a typical 4 door sedan from the 90's. I'm curious just how long he's had it and how many miles are on it? But it keeps chugging away.

[Bmyers]

We have a 1999 Ford Ranger we brought brand new in 99. We have a 145,xxx on it and the truck keeps going and going.

Worth more to us than to any dealer on trade-in.

[tom mac]

Let's say a transmission goes out and is $1200 to fix/replace. Let's say the vehicle is 15 years old and maybe worth $3000 at best.

alot depends on other things like mileage, condition, etc.
Because you prob couldn't get another car for the $3k you'd get....I'd prob get it fixed.... Using the fix-it fund and keep chugging.
Also no need to worry about all these door dings on the new car

[Bob]

Similar to my RAV4 - which I love. Great bugout vehicle.