Thought about putting this in open discussion, but there's too much politics, ornery debate and other stuff over there. Since my question actually involves cars, here it is:

How do you decide it's time to replace your existing car? Everybody must have a method/formula/rationalization for this process; let's hear it!

My not-entirely-tongue-in-cheek method is this. When the guys behind the parts counter at the local dealer know my name, recognize my face, have memorized that I drive a 124.193, and can tell my voice on the phone, then I need a new car. At that point I'm obviously spending too much time, effort, and money on fixing the old car. In the interest of having a life (I do! really...) it's time to get something that needs less TLC. I almost reached this point during the air-condition-ectomy last winter, but I think they've since forgotten me.

Let's hear your thoughts on the matter.

- JimY

When the car gets too expensive to repair has been the formula in my family, usally when they start costing over $5000 per year

Right now I am trying to sell my 300CD mostly because I don't have resources to refurbish to car to like new condition, and it doesn't fit my needs as well anymore. I would like to see the car go to someone who has the re$ource$ and time to make the car like new again. There's just a bunch of small issues, which the parts add up very fast if I try and fix everything.

I figure it would be much easier to find a car that is already in like new condition, with only a few issues, instead of a lot of small issues...

When I get sick of driving the same old-thing, day-in and day-out!

I need variety, I need somthing new to learn again the hardway again, and again, and again!

This should be a fun thread. In my case it was the same reason for both my truck and my wife's car. A growing family. When we met and got married we both had trucks. When planning child number 2 we decided that 2 trucks don't work very well for a family of 4. This is when we got the Benz. My mother-in-law turned me onto them. She had a 300SD. I had to do a little convincing to get my wife to drive the station wagon I found. But now I think she'll NEVER get rid of it. When we got my current truck it was the same case. We were starting to out grow my extended cab. So I got a crew-cab. I decided I liked our diesel car so much that I wanted a diesel truck. The rest is history.

If you think you're spending too much money and time in your car, you probably either need to get rid of your to find a nice W123 or W124 in great mechanical and cosmetic condition, or get something newer. I've heard that a lot of people who own old MBs also have Hondas, because Hondas are reliable too. Parts are cheap and they get good MPG (if only we could get that diesel Accord over here, sigh...) But for me, I know it's time for a new car when...

10. smog watch is issued when you start up
9. you have to put up a missing poster for your rear bumper
8. you lose in a race with that homeless guy and his shopping cart
7. you have a lifeguard in the trunk because so much water gets in
6. you tell people when getting in, watch your step, one false move and you can fall under the car
5. your 455 a/c system breaks down
4. you tell your passengers to put down their windows and hold some old pants with the legs tied up out of the window when approaching a red light or stop sign
3. you accidently hit a pothole, and the whole car falls apart
2. the duct tape needs duct tape to keep it together
AND the NUMBER ONE REASON to get a new car is...
1. Some guy asks, hey, how much you want for that parts car!
:p
-Joe

__________________
'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

that should be on letterman's show!!

i haven't really thought about it.... although when i bought mine i kinda figured well 2-3 years tops and i would be into something else. that was 9 1/2 years ago

__________________
1984 300D Turbo - 231k....totalled 11/30/07 RIP

How do you decide when to buy a new car?


What is a "new car"?

You mean you can buy NEW cars?

Actually, I just look at the monthly cost of maintenance versus the size of the monthly payment.

When the '91 Taurus transmission started slipping at 238k, the week after the radiator blew, and the month after the a/c leaked, I decided that the rusty body no longer warranted the cost of parts. Up until then, it was a relatively cheap date that started to get greedy. We donated it to the tech center for use as a training aid.

The rest of the fleet is still in service, each with its own wish list. The broken seat in the Suburban is a nuisance, and has been so for a year, but I pretend it's a rocking chair and gee, we don't drive it as much with gas prices near $2. Oh, it got a new battery when it refused to crank after a week of down time. Sam's Club had fun removing the positive battery cable, it had welded itself to the battery. Something about those side terminals I don't like...

As if jealous, the Mercury broke one driver seat mount too. It's also begun to demand a quart of oil every few thousand miles, but that's not unreasonable. It starts, runs, stops and everything, including the auto-leveling rear suspension still works, so we press on.

The SDL has a coolant leak, probably a radiator seam, and a weak fan clutch. Oh, the rear muffler let go and the front passenger window motor is completely rusted solid. It's waiting parts for each in turn, cooling first, then muffler, then window, etc.

The Sebring is the newest, and so far the least demanding. Well, except for the tires the Previous Owner put on, then forgot to rotate, leaving them quite choppy. They'll be replaced, as soon as the SDL is back on the road.

Oh, I guess I forgot to mention that there's a bit of sentimental attachment that gets added in to the equation, meaning that I keep a car a bit longer than the $$$ would indicate.

Hope this rambling amuses some, and helps any.

Best Regards,
Jim

Guess I should clarify. My definition of a "new car" is one that I haven't previously owned. It may or may not be shiney and new off the dealers' lot.

- JimY

Well then,

I decide to get a "new" car when that queasy feeling starts to sink into my stomach prior to taking the car on a 600 mile trip.

I got the feeling with my 1977 Delta 88 when it approached 200K and had the left cylinder head replaced, twice. Also had the original 200 turbo hydramatic transmission behind a Chevy 350.

I got the feeling with the 1990 Lincoln Town Car after it crossed 100K. Very nice riding car. Exceptionally quiet. 26 mpg. I really enjoyed it. But, after 100K, the Pherd electrical gremlins started multiplying like cockroaches and I just did not feel comfortable with it anymore. It also had an engine miss in high gear under load that nobody could ever find.

I never got the feeling with the 123. However, it was never a car that I felt physically comfortable sitting in for long distances. The car was just too small for me and, after keeping it for five years, I parted with it to another forum member who is very much enjoying it.

With the two that I have now, it may be another 15 years before the queasy feeling sets in. I just don't know, but it could be very possible that these two will be with me for a very long time.

Well, here's what my parents have been through, in terms of cars.
1964? (5? Chevy)
1965? (6? Ford, stolen)
1967 (VW bug, it was blue, A/C installed, so slow, couldnt drive on the freeway without it probably shutting down)
Now, here's when they got two cars and moved to ATL
(note: returned to Houston in 1979).
1971-1985 Dad (Buick Riviera, boat tail, brown with white hardtop, gave it to charity in 99 after 14 years of sitting up)
1971-1981 or 82? Mom (VW Cabriolet, red, with black top, sold in 88 or 89)
1981 or 82-1985 Mom (1978 Cadillac Coupe DeVille, black, with black leather interior, went to uncle in 88 or 89)
1985 Mom (1984 Lincoln Town Car, returned to dealership the same day due to steering locking up on highway)
1985-1988 Mom (1985 Mercury Cougar, white with red pinstripe, and red interior, gave it to my oldest brother after she got the 300SD, after he died in 1989, it was my sister's until 1993. I think it had the 5.0L V-8. Went to charity also in 99.)
1985-1996 Dad (1985 Lincoln Town Car, Signiture Series, brown, "The Boat", t-boned, totalled)
1988-1999 Mom (1981 300SD, no more trying to get the baby in and out of a 2-door, it's mine now )
1996-2001 Dad (Cadillac Sedan DeVille, black, with black leather, meant to relieve Town Car, but ended up replacing it after TC was totalled, this one was totalled too, t-boned, hit MY side, 1 week prior to 9/11.)
1999-present Mom (1995 LS400, pearl white, tan leather, nice car)
2002-present Dad (2002 Cadillac DHS, black, with black leather, he's considering getting rid of it in favor of either a 96-99 E300 Diesel, or TurboDiesel, or new 2005 Chrysler 300)

So, on average, my mother has gotten another car every 7.5 years, and my dad has gotten a car (factored in 300SD for present vehicle too) every 9.6 years. This is pretty interesting.

The least amount of time my mom had a car was not even a day, the most was about 11 years. Dad has had his present one for 2 years, but we're going on 16, almost 17 years on the 300SD here. We let them go away around 14 years or so. With my dad's totalling exceptions.
-Joe

__________________
'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

Whenever I come accross a well maintained, good running, good condition W123 for a very low price I will usually purchase it whether I need another car or not.

__________________
Jim

I need to be in cars anonymous.
Every time I see one I like, it gets added to my buy list.
When I find a buy list car in my price range.
When SWMBO agrees.
When I can get away with it. LOL
When I have less than seven cars. LOL

__________________
ASE Master Mechanic
asemastermechanic@juno.com

Prototype R&D/testing:
Thermal & Aerodynamic System Engineering (TASE) Senior vehicle instrumentation technician.
Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH).
Dynamometer.
Heat exchanger durability.
HV-A/C Climate Control.
Vehicle build.
Fleet Durability
Technical Quality Auditor.
Automotive Technical Writer

1985 300SD
1983 300D
1984 190D
2003 Volvo V70
2002 Honda Civic

https://www.boldegoist.com/

I usually start changing cars when the repairs costs are getting too high (ie in the same week radiator, transmission and suspension)
The only car that didn't broke down on me was my 1996 Honda Civic, i sold it cause it was boring to drive
My ford probe Gt 1989 commited suicide (radiator blew 15 min after the suspension went trough the body... that was 2 weeks after i rebuild the turbo...)
then i had a cheap car to won/repair a 200$ 1985 jetta, the parts were dirt cheap easy to fix fun to drive. My civic was good for what i needed at the time.
Now the Jetta is good to me, fun to drive, a couple of minor problems but everything is okay..
The W126 is a beaty for the 1250 that i payd (plus another 1k in repairs/mods)..... every chance that i have to drive it i do.. too bad my wife doesn't drive stick..
I'm thinking of changing my tdi for a W124 but i need to see how much $ i can get for the Jetta versus how much i will be paying for the W124 etc etc etc.. is still a project idea..

How do I decide to buy a new car???

With me I think it is more impulse than anything else.

Example: A couple of years ago, I had asked my wrecking yard/car dealer friend to find me another volvo wagon...I stopped by one day to visit and saw that he had found one...but it was going in for new seals and some small repairs would not be ready for at least a week...

Looking around I spotted a pretty red fleetwood and just "had to have it" so I bought it instead...Drove it a year and traded it for a 760 Volvo (I also bought the wagon 6 months later... after he repoed it) Now the wife is in the 760.

I think I just get bored with them after about a year or so...This mercedes may change all that though.


With 9 volvos and a Mercedes the question I keep getting is "WHY do you want to buy another car????"