Bubbleheads - what kind of car do you drive?
Poll inspired by Tim's post about luxury cars. Now I'm curious what bubble believers drive: imports? hybrids? best value vehicles (as defined by Consumer Reports, Intellichoice, etc...)?
Do you use the similar reasoning when you buy a car as when you buy a house?
Note: in the poll there isn't nearly enough room to list every make, so I just made some general groupings.
Do you use the similar reasoning when you buy a car as when you buy a house?
Note: in the poll there isn't nearly enough room to list every make, so I just made some general groupings.
Comments
Our other car is a saturn, which is good for when we have to do regular freeway driving.
No. I bought a car because I wanted to be able to visit my dying mother more frequently. That was what I could afford and I paid it off early.
I bought a house because I had thought the security would be close to actually having my mother around -- she died the day we signed papers. And I wanted the experience of buying a home and paying it off mostly from my own income. I bought what we could afford and we're paying it off early.
So I was emotional both times. I bought a car that had decent mileage and wouldn't be a pita to negotiate price over, and most importantly, would get me from point A to point B faster than a bus or a bicycle.
I bought a house in which I could: sleep, eat, wash myself, raise a child, read a book, watch a movie, start a fire, cook food, sit, entertain a friend, grow a flower garden and herb garden and vegetable garden and walk to most worthwhile community places: supermarket, drugstore, credit union, post office, library, shopping center.
I use the car only when I'm porting the kid somewhere over two miles away, or I'm making a Costco run, or when I'm doing a 12-hour day at work and know I'll be coming home in the dark.
I picked this car up for 1/3 the price of a new one, a couple years ago -- with a new dealer-installed engine with 7,000 miles on it. Kind of like buying a Ballard bungalow with lots of life left in it -- without the $2500 mortgage payment.
1995 Chevy K1500 Pick-up
2005 Subaru Outback Turbo (the baby likes speed)
All bought with cash, used. None of them get more that 25 mpg, but none less than 20 either.
But you'll most often find me on a 1985 Cannondale road bike. It gets 20 miles per sandwich.
My house - I bought with a pretty big mortage (20% down, 7/1 ARM), but houses are generally not a depreciating asset like cars are. I actually hope now's the exception.
I made sure we could swing the mortgage with only one income, however. Ya never know when a baby will come along, pushing one of us to the sidelines (as is the current situation).
I like cars. Even worse...I bought it using money from a HELOC.
:twisted:
Nice family car....
Until it gets out of warranty, then you'll want to get rid of it.
Family has owned too many Volvos. Not going back there again unless you enjoy constant electrical problems.
They are safe, though, but these days, reliable cars (newer Subaru Outback, Toyota Highlander) are very safe as well.
It's run flawlessly so far and is rated by consumer reports as having above average reliability. Has a 4 year warranty and the dealer also threw in all the matinence for free three years. I hate fixing cars...so this is perfect for me. And all this for a new car priced about $7K less then a used one...
Subaru's are great cars, but not nearly as safe in a crash a Volvo. I've wrecked a Subaru myself, and have had friends who have as well. The cars just crumple into a tin can. Not so with Volvos...so with 2 kids I'd rather pay a little more for a Swedish made tank!
Was it used, because maintenance on a new to 3 yr old car should be practically nil.
I'm pretty sure crumple zones are a safety feature as long as the zone being crumpled doesn't include the passenger compartment. You really don't want to bounce off of whatever you're hitting like a rigid object would. Looking at the IIHS ratings, there are just as many Subarus on their top picks list as Volvos (and even more Fords). Car safety has advanced well beyond just "building 'em like a tank" in the past few decades.
http://www.automotive.com/2005/12/subar ... index.html
The 2005 Outback got 5 star ratings in front & side impacts. And that's a car that's 3 model years old now.
http://www.automotive.com/2005/12/volvo ... index.html
Same as the V70, which is your car without a lifted suspension. Paying $5-$10k less for a Japanese car that will run 150k miles without major powertrain work seems like a good thing.
Volvos are nice, as long as they're in warranty.
Get with the new economy. It ain't just about houses anymore!
Sorry. Forgot. And I'm way behind with my old 165 hp 2.5i Outback
Proof that pink ponies don't build them fancy pants cars so good:
http://www.brickboard.com/AWD/index.htm?id=1015517
http://www.brickboard.com/AWD/index.htm?id=893660
http://www.brickboard.com/AWD/index.htm?id=1140751
Or maybe not.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02eghIfyHP0
275HP, Turbo, 6M, AWD.