To keep new or go used.

[Guartho]

Wait, didn't we both cover the fact that we drive 1998 Rav4s?

Is yours green like mine?

Yes we did. Mine's silver. I got hit a couple of weeks ago and insurance set the value at $6k though so woot on me for getting a good deal. It's definitely worth less than 5 now though. Hey, do you know where I can get a salvage driver's rear quarter-panel? I haven't had any luck and am about to just ask my brother-in-law to beat it out as best he can.

 

[Yoda]

^This I can't help with, not much of a car guy, I mean I'm not even 100% sure what that is, though I could probably fashion an educated guess!

The green ones look better btw

 

[Captain Ice]

Wait, didn't we both cover the fact that we drive 1998 Rav4s?

Is yours green like mine?

Yes we did. Mine's silver. I got hit a couple of weeks ago and insurance set the value at $6k though so woot on me for getting a good deal. It's definitely worth less than 5 now though. Hey, do you know where I can get a salvage driver's rear quarter-panel? I haven't had any luck and am about to just ask my brother-in-law to beat it out as best he can.

Try using the net to find auto salvage yards in New Mexico, California, Arizona, or Nevada. Part plus shipping sucks, but sure as hell beats calling the dealer.

Flux, I'm going to echo the sound advice that I've seen here. Your best bet is to sell the Honda yourself for as much as you can (YOU can sell it for a hell of a lot more than what they'll offer you in trade) and buy something in a '03-'04 Cavalier, Sentra, Echo, Corolla, Focus, etc. If you maintain the car well, reliability in any of these will not be a concern until you hit 150K or so.

Pay off the cheap car as fast as you can, and then start socking $350 or so into a good Money Market savings account. About the time that the cheap car actually wears out, you can buy something nice for cash....ie no payments, period.

Think of it this way - currently the $450 or so you shell out for the nice car is handcuffing your lifestyle. Think about all the things that $450 can do for you every month by just sitting in a savings account or paying off other debts. Sacrifice the nice car for the short term and you'll find yourself driving a nice, paid for, car in no time at all.

 

[RoJoHen]

I'm a 25-year old single male. I drive a 2002 Dodge Caravan. It's got 130,000 miles on it and still runs perfectly, and I got it for about $8000. I've been driving it for the last 5 years, and even though I'd really like to get a new car, there is absolutely no reason to do that. My payments on this car are only $100, and it will be paid off within the next couple months.

Your car doesn't need to be cool. It just needs to run. When you actually have a decent income and savings, that's the time to buy a cool car.

 

[Captain Ice]

I'm pretty sure I've made it clear that I am considering the advice given here, and that advice seems to be that getting rid of my car for something used now would make much economical sense. Getting something used instead of my truck a few years ago...yeah that would have been a better choice. But I'm where I am now and it seems like the consensus is to make the best of what I have now.

Why are you contradicting yourself here. If the consensus was for you to make the best of what you have now, the advice would state that fact. The consensus is that THIS ONLY WORKS IF THE ONLY OTHER ALTERNATIVE IS THE $14,000 6 YEAR OLD USED CAR.

From what I can see, your earlier statement of

I'm pretty sure I've made it clear that I am considering the advice given here, and that advice seems to be that getting rid of my car for something used now would make much economical sense.

is what the majority of us are telling you is the best thing to do. This is the consensus.