Author Topic: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car  (Read 404008 times)

Blissful Biker

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #350 on: February 27, 2017, 08:46:40 PM »
Our reliable family-mobile is a 2004 Honda Pilot with 260,000 km.  We bought it when I was pregnant with my second child, my handsome 12 year old.  We'd like to get 300 - 350K km out it, about the time the kids move out and we can downsize to something more reasonable.

Our beater is a 2000 Audi A4 with 150,000km.  We don't dare take it out of town because it's really unreliable, but not worth putting the money in to fix.  Thankfully, if the engine cools for an hour or two it will often start again. 

The only think I am really looking forward to when we do replace a vehicle is music!  Both stereo systems broke years ago.  And I have to say, the kids aren't great singers.  :)

OthalaFehu

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #351 on: February 27, 2017, 08:48:37 PM »
up until this year, we were a 2 car family, both paid off, both over 200k miles, one was 16 years old.

RetirementDreaming

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #352 on: February 27, 2017, 08:57:46 PM »
2006 Toyota Sienna with 129k.  It's the highest mileage car I have ever owned.  We bought it with 42k.  It has 1 power door which is the biggest pain in the butt.  That is the only maintenance it has required.  Plan is to make it to 200k.  225k would be wonderful. 

HenryDavid

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #353 on: March 01, 2017, 12:11:15 PM »
OK, our 2003 minivan with 260k kilometres is not that old.
However, it needs a laborious/expensive heater repair. The heater is fine to about -10 Celsius.
Where we live, we get probly 20 days each winter where we do need to drive, and it's more like -20 celsius.
So the heater repair is a must-do, right?
Naaahh . . . we just turned to this ancient technology called "blankets." Big wool blankets wrapped around our wool and down-clad bodies.
Feel like badass cowboys ridin' in a buckboard on the freezing prairie in 1872. Or something.
It works, it's free, and it postpones used-car-shopping for another year.
Next year, maybe we can score some buffalo robes.

marielle

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #354 on: March 01, 2017, 12:39:20 PM »
OK, our 2003 minivan with 260k kilometres is not that old.
However, it needs a laborious/expensive heater repair. The heater is fine to about -10 Celsius.
Where we live, we get probly 20 days each winter where we do need to drive, and it's more like -20 celsius.
So the heater repair is a must-do, right?
Naaahh . . . we just turned to this ancient technology called "blankets." Big wool blankets wrapped around our wool and down-clad bodies.
Feel like badass cowboys ridin' in a buckboard on the freezing prairie in 1872. Or something.
It works, it's free, and it postpones used-car-shopping for another year.
Next year, maybe we can score some buffalo robes.

My heat doesn't work at all so I got a heated seat ($12) and brought a blanket in the car. Made it all winter! But to be fair the coldest it got was maybe -6 Celsius a day or two. Usually around 0 in the mornings. I would definitely recommend the heated seat! It's a cheap fix and makes it bearable.

paddedhat

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #355 on: March 01, 2017, 03:57:44 PM »
Our reliable family-mobile is a 2004 Honda Pilot with 260,000 km.  We bought it when I was pregnant with my second child, my handsome 12 year old.  We'd like to get 300 - 350K km out it, about the time the kids move out and we can downsize to something more reasonable.

Our beater is a 2000 Audi A4 with 150,000km.  We don't dare take it out of town because it's really unreliable, but not worth putting the money in to fix.  Thankfully, if the engine cools for an hour or two it will often start again. 

The only think I am really looking forward to when we do replace a vehicle is music!  Both stereo systems broke years ago.  And I have to say, the kids aren't great singers.  :)

Good that you are savvy enough to not dump another dime in that Audi. My son had an early 2000s  Passat, which shared a lot of the "German engineering and quality" that plagued the entire company back then. I wasted a long weekend swapping the timing belt on that POS, and once we got it back together, I made it clear that that would be the last time it was ever apart in my garage, or that it ever got near it with a tool in my hand.  Ridiculously over complicated engineering, delicate frail parts (first time I ever saw an oil dipstick tube crumble like a potato chip, FFS) and everything repair part is twice the cost of a similar part from most other brands.

FenderBender

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #356 on: March 01, 2017, 09:42:53 PM »
1998 honda accord 197000 miles work from home so keeps the miles down. actually bought the car new.  never had a new car other than this one, gf at the time said i deserved it.  it is our dog hauler.  we regularly drive it with the dogs but no one other than me and my wife would likely feel comfortable in the car.  nothing ever goes wrong with it.  hums like a kitten.  i regularly think about getting a newer vehicle because i deserve it haha but our dogs would just rip the newer one up so it is a thought that lasts for a few second once a week.

other vehicle is 2007 mini van hyundai/entourage for my wife, minus the dog hair and good for camping out in too... looked hi and low for this one for a long time (for good deal)... only 72k miles on it now and only paid 5700 almost 2 years ago.  not an old vehicle, just a great deal.

Laura Ingalls

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #357 on: March 08, 2017, 04:32:15 PM »
My 2004 Pontiac Vibe is 13 years old and just recently crossed the 200k mileage mark.  It still runs well.  Its never used any oil. It still has the original brakes and has only had one unexpected repair (cat converter).  I have bought 16 tires for it and really have one more I should replace.

HernandezPrime

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #358 on: March 09, 2017, 07:39:44 PM »
This thread makes me happy!

I drive a 1997 Toyota Camry with 304,000km's (188,897mi) on it. I was getting it serviced every 6 months for an average of about AUD$280 (with all the little repairs that came with a service included). Now I only drive twice a week, my costs have come right down. I get it serviced once a year with no major repairs necessary due to lack of use. I hope to be able to drive it a lot longer into the future!

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #359 on: March 11, 2017, 07:05:06 AM »
My 1998 Saturn SC2 just hit 140k miles this week! It was gifted from my grandmother 6 years ago, so it was meticulously maintained with low miles. I've even started getting DIY with some of the maintenance. Before that, I drove a 1997 Saturn SL2 which I bought in high school for $2000.

I especially love the uniqueness of driving an older car around the DC area, where luxury cars are the norm.

kitsuneleah

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #360 on: March 11, 2017, 03:12:21 PM »
(first post!)

I got my first "real job" (besides pet-sitting for neighbors, etc.) when I was 14, so by the time I was 17 I had managed to save some money for a car.

In my senior year of high school, the opportunity came up to buy a car off of coworker, who was selling his 2001 PT Cruiser for $3000 (well below the KKB value in 2008). I had the money, so my first car purchase was without a loan, and I don't know if I could do it another way now! Meanwhile, my brother was offered the same car before me, but because it wasn't sexy enough for him, he preferred to buy a newer (still used) car with a loan... so as a teen I watched the comparison firsthand.

I can't say the PT Cruiser is exactly the best car out there, but it doesn't eat up too much gas, and the hatchback design allowed me to fill it with all my possessions to move across the country-- and it's still going strong three years since then! I used to live an anti-Mustachian rural life where getting anything done involved a "commute" of some kind. I recognized this and traded the long daily drives for one long commute across the country to a city-- a city with a higher minimum wage than I was making with a promotion at my job in nowhere. I'm not sure I could have managed the move (at least not so cheaply) if I hadn't had the foresight as a teenager to put by a little bit for this car.

When the PT kicks the bucket (going strong now at 128k miles), the only improvements I'm looking for are better fuel economy and better handling (is it just me or can Chryslers just not turn worth shit?). My love-affair with hatchbacks started early, and I learned fast the value of what saving can do for your financial freedom.

marielle

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #361 on: March 12, 2017, 12:05:50 AM »
My love-affair with hatchbacks started early, and I learned fast the value of what saving can do for your financial freedom.

Yes! I will never drive a non-hatchback! I've fit some crazy things in my 2 door sports car. I can fit two bikes. Or a twin size mattress with the box spring. Everyone is all about the SUVs nowadays but screw that, I'd rather have something fun to drive, fairly fuel efficient, and still have tons of room to fit long cargo. I personally don't like sitting high, I guess I'm used to the feeling of sitting on the ground when driving.

Dave1442397

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #362 on: March 12, 2017, 08:24:47 AM »
My love-affair with hatchbacks started early, and I learned fast the value of what saving can do for your financial freedom.

Yes! I will never drive a non-hatchback! I've fit some crazy things in my 2 door sports car. I can fit two bikes. Or a twin size mattress with the box spring. Everyone is all about the SUVs nowadays but screw that, I'd rather have something fun to drive, fairly fuel efficient, and still have tons of room to fit long cargo. I personally don't like sitting high, I guess I'm used to the feeling of sitting on the ground when driving.

I love wagons and hatchbacks too! I wish the US got all the wagons that Europe gets, but we seem to be stuck with mostly SUVs.

As for sports cars, we had a guy show up to our Saturday bike ride in a Porsche 944 with 325,000 miles on it. The bike fit under the hatch with no problem. He bought the car new back in the '80s and it's still going strong.

dandypandys

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #363 on: March 12, 2017, 08:29:01 AM »
Yeah I agree! Wagons all the way here.
I have a 2001 H6 Subaru Outback. Has 120k. We LOVE it, perfect for hauling art, and camping.

HAPPYINAZ

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #364 on: March 12, 2017, 09:45:44 AM »
Just turned 314,000 on my trusty jeep cherokee.  Took it out in some very remote and rugged country a couple days ago...still running great!  A/C was a little weak though, gonna have to get that fixed.

rockwater

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #365 on: March 12, 2017, 12:01:38 PM »
I'll jump in the wagon bandwagon!

Had (financed) a used 2001 Toyota Tacoma for a handful of years and sold it for profit to do some traveling. Well, time came to get another vehicle and relentlessly searched (think every couple hours, every day) for a 2.2 Subaru Legacy AWD Wagon. Tons of people asking double over what blue-book was in my area of the pacific northwest... which is understandable in some sense, but I was patient over the months. The day eventually came when a 1995 Suburu 2.2 Legacy AWD Wagon with 130,000 miles arrived on craigslist not too far from me. Private sale, with all maintenance docs and original owner was asking $1,700. Knowing the person was going to get bombarded with emails about it, I promptly replied to the ad and offered $100 more than what he was asking. He ended up calling me a couple hours later and told me of the 20-some responses he got, mine stood out to him the most - hah!

Needless to say I bought that bad boy the next day, back in 2013.

Still driving it. Still rally's!

GeorgeWood

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #366 on: March 14, 2017, 10:00:08 AM »
I was gonna say I drive a 1992 Volvo 240 station wagon, but the truth is it rather sits there most of the time as I commute via bus and train, which works pretty well in my area. We use the Volvo for the occasional family visit out of town, hauls from the hardware store and the like. It must have around 180' miles on it, of which we put about 6' miles on it since we bought it two years ago for EUR ~3.800. Love it!

sea

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #367 on: March 14, 2017, 12:33:28 PM »
I had been car-free since 2009 and for periods before that too.  I finally decided to get a car again last year and bought a 2003 Buick LeSabre from a friend of mine.  It was her father's who had passed away. It only had 60,000 miles on it and was in excellent condition.  I bought it for $2500 in cash.  Besides wanting a hybrid or slightly higher gas mileage (it's a little under 30 mpg), I'm really happy with it.  I only drive into work 3 days a week and will probably take transit/bike again once I move in a couple months since that only takes 10 minutes more.  And then my partner can have it during the day.  I'm hoping it will last a long time.

Tonyahu

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #368 on: March 17, 2017, 10:14:00 AM »
1999 Toyota Corolla. about to hit 180k miles.

I bought it about 3 years ago for $2,200. I have had zero issues with it aside from the usual oil changes, one transmission fluid drain&fill and some water getting in the engine due to me driving through a mini lake (shitty infrastructure during rainfall).

I plan to swap the spark plugs out soon to keep it running and do another drain&fill since it's been a solid 60k since I purchased it.

Issues:
-Emergency brake light is always on, which is fine.
-Drivers window doesn't work, stuck partially open. I am too cheap to fix it.
-Drivers exterior handle is broken, you have to grab it at the right angle to open it. I don't mind.
-Back bumper is loose / sagging due to a hit and run. I simply put some screws in it to hold it close to the chasis, it works but just a bit ugly.

I am only 25 and just graduated college, making 25k per year so I can't get a new(er) car at the moment. I am barely maxing my Roth IRA and slowly amping up my 401k (60% savings rate)....

I will probably drive it for another year or two and upgrade to a used ~2010 Corolla....
« Last Edit: March 17, 2017, 10:16:58 AM by Tonyahu »

PhoenixHeat

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #369 on: March 17, 2017, 12:45:11 PM »
2001 Buick century 120K
2003 Lincoln Town Car 110K

*I am seeing people in Seattle have more eco-cars and less F150 syndrome! Good to see.

Bateaux

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #370 on: March 18, 2017, 04:39:04 PM »
2008 Honda Accord.  182,000 miles and going strong.   Had it since new in 2008.  We have a 2016 Subaru Outback.  We've heard Subaru makes a great car.  Hope to keep it as long as the Honda Accord.

JLee

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #371 on: March 19, 2017, 12:23:07 PM »
1999 Toyota Corolla. about to hit 180k miles.

I bought it about 3 years ago for $2,200. I have had zero issues with it aside from the usual oil changes, one transmission fluid drain&fill and some water getting in the engine due to me driving through a mini lake (shitty infrastructure during rainfall).

I plan to swap the spark plugs out soon to keep it running and do another drain&fill since it's been a solid 60k since I purchased it.

Issues:
-Emergency brake light is always on, which is fine.
-Drivers window doesn't work, stuck partially open. I am too cheap to fix it.
-Drivers exterior handle is broken, you have to grab it at the right angle to open it. I don't mind.
-Back bumper is loose / sagging due to a hit and run. I simply put some screws in it to hold it close to the chasis, it works but just a bit ugly.

I am only 25 and just graduated college, making 25k per year so I can't get a new(er) car at the moment. I am barely maxing my Roth IRA and slowly amping up my 401k (60% savings rate)....

I will probably drive it for another year or two and upgrade to a used ~2010 Corolla....

That could be caused by low brake fluid - that light does more than just tell you when the parking brake is on.  Check the level of your brake fluid - if it becomes too low and the master cylinder pulls air in, you will lose your brakes.

If you do decide to fix the other problems, door handles are $4-12 on RockAuto and a window regulator assembly with motor (assuming you have power windows) is $32.
« Last Edit: March 19, 2017, 12:25:28 PM by JLee »

Notasoccermom

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #372 on: March 19, 2017, 03:02:52 PM »
My first car was a 1988 olds. We bought it right after getting married for $800. The seller threw in a couch, an armchair and a desk into the deal. Drove that thing for 7 years and got it up to 245,000 before having a big repair bill.

WhiteTrashCash

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #373 on: March 19, 2017, 03:38:05 PM »
This thread makes me feel like a fancypants with my 7 year old car. Man, I am living it up. :-P

johnny847

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #374 on: March 19, 2017, 07:08:57 PM »
My first car was a 1988 olds. We bought it right after getting married for $800. The seller threw in a couch, an armchair and a desk into the deal. Drove that thing for 7 years and got it up to 245,000 before having a big repair bill.

Notasoccermom, you didn't tell us the most important part.... how did the couch, armchair, and desk fare?

2002 Toyota Corolla that I got from my parents last month for free with ~92900 miles on it. I expect it's only about halfway done with its life. And at the rate I'm driving, I probably won't break 100k miles before I graduate with my PhD in 4-5 years!

Thought I'd post an update. I've got 98915 miles on the odometer. I took only one long drive during this time - 730 miles roundtrip to Camp Mustache Southeast Edition. I'm pretty sure I'll still be able to graduate with my PhD with less than 100k miles, but only time will tell!

mr_orange

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #375 on: March 19, 2017, 07:32:47 PM »
I have a 2003 Chevy Trailblazer with about 230k miles.  Our business still owns a 2001 Chevy Silverado with about 260k miles. 

We just overhauled the transmission in the Trailblazer and did some other repairs.  I'm hoping to get at least another 100k miles out of it. 

marielle

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #376 on: March 19, 2017, 08:06:38 PM »
I'm curious what everyone does as far as maintenance. I want to keep driving old cars (maybe even older than my current 2003) but I work full time and don't know what to do if a car has to get work done on it. Is it anti-mustachian to have two beater cars as a backup? Do you rent a car when you get work done? I do some easy repairs myself, but if it's a major repair it would still take just as long because I would have to go on youtube and learn how to do it, then spend a couple days on it, etc...

Riding in with a coworker isn't currently an option but may be in the future. There is a company truck, but I can only use it two weeks each month when that employee is out of the country.

No family/friend option to borrow a car either...

I would just rent a car for the day or two when the car is in the shop. Many shops offer car rental as a service. Could you check if a shop local to you has this service.

The trick is also to find a good local shop that does good work and stick with them. Shops are like people, they like people they know and treat them accordingly.

I'm not 25. It would cost a stupid amount of money to rent a car. There was a guy I took my car to for some preventative maintenance who let me borrow a car for a day. Only problem is I'm not sure if I'll be going back to him because he hit on me. I guess it's a decision I'll make if something major happens to my car. Other than that he was trustworthy, charged much less for labor than parts, and is about to set up a real shop (currently does work at his house).

I think I'm going to eventually have two cars so one can be a project car and one as a backup. The daily stress of something happening and not being able to get to work is killing me. I like mine as a commuter car but I've been considering getting a cheap old sports car to work on.

zolotiyeruki

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #377 on: March 19, 2017, 08:21:00 PM »
I'm curious what everyone does as far as maintenance. I want to keep driving old cars (maybe even older than my current 2003) but I work full time and don't know what to do if a car has to get work done on it. Is it anti-mustachian to have two beater cars as a backup? Do you rent a car when you get work done? I do some easy repairs myself, but if it's a major repair it would still take just as long because I would have to go on youtube and learn how to do it, then spend a couple days on it, etc...

Riding in with a coworker isn't currently an option but may be in the future. There is a company truck, but I can only use it two weeks each month when that employee is out of the country.

No family/friend option to borrow a car either...

I would just rent a car for the day or two when the car is in the shop. Many shops offer car rental as a service. Could you check if a shop local to you has this service.

The trick is also to find a good local shop that does good work and stick with them. Shops are like people, they like people they know and treat them accordingly.

I'm not 25. It would cost a stupid amount of money to rent a car. There was a guy I took my car to for some preventative maintenance who let me borrow a car for a day. Only problem is I'm not sure if I'll be going back to him because he hit on me. I guess it's a decision I'll make if something major happens to my car. Other than that he was trustworthy, charged much less for labor than parts, and is about to set up a real shop (currently does work at his house).

I think I'm going to eventually have two cars so one can be a project car and one as a backup. The daily stress of something happening and not being able to get to work is killing me. I like mine as a commuter car but I've been considering getting a cheap old sports car to work on.
I have seriously considered getting a second car just like my current one, so that A) if one stops working, I can use the other one, and B) repair/maintenance procedures will be the same on both.  I now know the inside of my Corolla's engine bay pretty well, and it'd save me a lot of time if I didn't have to relearn everything on the next car. :)

JLee

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #378 on: March 20, 2017, 09:37:24 AM »
I'm curious what everyone does as far as maintenance. I want to keep driving old cars (maybe even older than my current 2003) but I work full time and don't know what to do if a car has to get work done on it. Is it anti-mustachian to have two beater cars as a backup? Do you rent a car when you get work done? I do some easy repairs myself, but if it's a major repair it would still take just as long because I would have to go on youtube and learn how to do it, then spend a couple days on it, etc...

Riding in with a coworker isn't currently an option but may be in the future. There is a company truck, but I can only use it two weeks each month when that employee is out of the country.

No family/friend option to borrow a car either...

I would just rent a car for the day or two when the car is in the shop. Many shops offer car rental as a service. Could you check if a shop local to you has this service.

The trick is also to find a good local shop that does good work and stick with them. Shops are like people, they like people they know and treat them accordingly.

I'm not 25. It would cost a stupid amount of money to rent a car. There was a guy I took my car to for some preventative maintenance who let me borrow a car for a day. Only problem is I'm not sure if I'll be going back to him because he hit on me. I guess it's a decision I'll make if something major happens to my car. Other than that he was trustworthy, charged much less for labor than parts, and is about to set up a real shop (currently does work at his house).

I think I'm going to eventually have two cars so one can be a project car and one as a backup. The daily stress of something happening and not being able to get to work is killing me. I like mine as a commuter car but I've been considering getting a cheap old sports car to work on.
I have seriously considered getting a second car just like my current one, so that A) if one stops working, I can use the other one, and B) repair/maintenance procedures will be the same on both.  I now know the inside of my Corolla's engine bay pretty well, and it'd save me a lot of time if I didn't have to relearn everything on the next car. :)

I wouldn't bother having two of the same thing simultaneously - you'll double your registration costs, nearly double your insurance costs, and double some maintenance expenses (i.e. batteries and tires often need to be replaced due to age, not necessarily mileage).

tyrannostache

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #379 on: March 20, 2017, 11:30:02 AM »
2001 Subaru Outback, 230,000 miles

We bought it used for about $4500 in 2011 and will drive this thing until something really expensive blows.

Awka

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #380 on: March 21, 2017, 08:23:38 PM »
2002 Chevy Crapolier here, 138k.  I've run a Volvo 240, and a Plymouth Horizon with over 300k on them. (Not all my miles!!) The Cavalier is truly awful, but so simple and affordable to own and maintain. You have to love/hate a car that gets you excited to learn about 3M Automotive tape repair. I've only driven 8,000 miles in the 5 years I've owned it.  If it doesn't pass inspection due to the clusterfuck panel, evap or rust, I'm going to hunt down a high mileage 240 with a decent body + motor.

I prefer the crank windows, manual doors, etc to the frills of newer cars. The really new models look like spacecraft to me. Freaky.

Awka

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #381 on: March 21, 2017, 08:29:26 PM »
I'm laughing at the malfunctioning heater. My defrost vent works, but the rest is crapping out. Resorted to lap blankets as well, in New England.
 

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #382 on: March 23, 2017, 08:43:13 AM »
I have a 2007 Ford Edge that has about 160K miles on it (and has been paid off since 2012). It has some weird rattles and kind of shimmies at 40mph but otherwise it's doing ok.

I live in the mountains and we usually get a decent amount of snow (not this year though). But for the past couple of years I was seriously considering buying a fancy shiny beautiful new 4WD/AWD vehicle so I could get around in the winter. BUT this year I had an epiphany (tied in with my overall FIRE-related life-changing epiphany) and realized that hey, not being able to get out of my driveway each time it snows more than 3" means I get to "work from home" those days, so why mess with that? Added to which I don't want to spend freaking $500/month on a car payment. So I'm going to roll with the Edge till the wheels fall off.

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #383 on: April 05, 2017, 03:00:16 AM »
Just discovering this thread after spending a few hours in a garage working with my brother to fix his car.  He and I were discussing the "Cost per Mile Driven" on the cars we've worked on recently. This can be hard to calculate with gas prices changing so much during the "life" of a vehicle, but for the sake of testing it out, we decided that it was this:

What you paid originally - what you sold it for (or current book value) + parts and maintenance / miles driven.

Disclaimers: this is assuming you keep good records of the parts/maintenance, which we have done because we are kind of nerdy like that. Most of this work was done in our garage and buying parts online or junk yards to save money.
*This does not include cost of gas/gas mileage avg. which varies greatly from a small VW to an SUV for example.  These estimates are rough, but we found it to be a fun exercise and thought we'd share it.

Example#1
1994 VW GTI
$2,250 Paid cash
Mileage: 98,200
Miles driven since: 125,750
Parts and maintenance: $1,400 (timing belt, alternator, plugs, misc wiring, headlight, fuel pump, oil changes/filters, heater and a/c parts)
Total: $2,250 (no interest) + $1,400 - $500 book value = $3,150
Cost per mile driven: $0.025  (this is very low in my opinion - maximizing the value as much as possible)

Example #2
2002 VW Beetle 2.0
$15,963.00 Paid cash (actually my Mom bought it, then my brother bought it from her - long before we knew about being good little Mustachians)
Mileage: 33865
Miles driven since: 88,640
Parts and maintenance: $2,100 (timing belt, tires, oil changes/filters, sensors, fuel pump, seat, taillight, plugs, battery) Same deal, did work ourselves, getting parts cheap online or junk yards.
Total: $15,963 + $2,100 - $1800 (book value) = $16,263
Cost per mile driven: $0.183 (this is obviously much higher,but that's what happens when you buy from a used car dealer, but still not horrible since we've done a lot of work and it will probably run another 80-100K)

Obviously you need to take into account what your miles-per-year consumption is and what the gas mileage will be.  Also, not everyone can get away with a small car. (kids, using it for side work/construction, hauling things, etc.)

Our main goal in our calculations was trying to figure out the "sweet spot" of "Cost-per-mile-driven" to determine when it's a lost cause to fix a vehicle any further and move to the next one.  Again, there are a lot of factors to consider and perhaps this is better suited for a separate discussion thread?  Not sure.
We were just curious is anyone had come up with a more sophisticated formula for calculating the value of a used car?? 

One more example:
Let's say I want to buy an "MMM Approved" 2010 Mazda 3 with 75K miles at $9000 like this one: https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/6004135948.html
It says it has new brakes and new tires.  Great! My question is, what else needs to be done in the next 100K miles?
Let's assume we'll need: new tires (in 50K miles), timing belt, shocks, spark plugs, fuel pump and standard oil changes every 5k miles. For the sake of the example let's estimate that at $3,500. (we'll do most of the work ourselves, except maybe the timing belt, because those suck!)
Cost: $9,000 cash
Maintenance: $3,500
Miles Driven: 100,000
Book value at 175,000 miles: ~$2700 (hard to guess that in the future so I went with a 70% reduction)
Total: $9,000 + $3,500 - $2,700 = $9,800
Cost per mile driven: $0.098 (not bad? We got it under the $0.10 per mile driven)

Now, with that last example, if I had already dropped $3500 in it and I was at 175,000, unless I had a big reason to sell it, why not run that sucker another 100K and get that "cost-per-mile-driven" down even lower? 

Anyway, my point is, I would love to hear if someone has a much nerdier/better formula for this.  Perhaps one exists on the interwebs already and I just haven't found it yet.  Until we do, my brother and I are feeling pretty safe with anything we can get under $0.10 per-mile-driven for now.  I feel like that's a pretty good deal. 




dandypandys

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #384 on: April 05, 2017, 06:45:46 AM »
That is really clever! I want to run this math on my outback and see if I should keep it and until what mileage. Pretty sure that I have to keep it until something major breaks.

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #385 on: April 05, 2017, 10:16:30 AM »
That is really clever! I want to run this math on my outback and see if I should keep it and until what mileage. Pretty sure that I have to keep it until something major breaks.

Definitely!  Speaking of Outbacks, my buddy just recently had this challenge with his 2005 Outback when he hit 140,000 miles and suddenly he needed new timing belt, water pump and CV joints.  He almost decided to buy a new car until we did some research and found out it wouldn't cost too much.
Timing belt + water pump: $200 +50 = $350 (had a buddy do it for us)  CV boot kit (2): $35 +time/elbow grease total: $385

Not everyone has friend who can work on cars or the tools to do it themselves, but I wonder how many people run to the dealership to buy a new car when the fix is simply $300 - $1500?  If you amortize that cost over the next 25K, 50K, 75K or 100K of miles driven, it's a small price to pay for the potential ROI.  His overall "cost-per-mile-driven" may go up a tiny bit, but that's still WAY better than buying a new car - heaven forbid - on credit! 

Good luck with your Subbie Outback!  Those cars are great and go for miles and miles if taken care of!



marielle

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #386 on: April 05, 2017, 01:18:37 PM »
That is really clever! I want to run this math on my outback and see if I should keep it and until what mileage. Pretty sure that I have to keep it until something major breaks.
Not everyone has friend who can work on cars or the tools to do it themselves, but I wonder how many people run to the dealership to buy a new car when the fix is simply $300 - $1500?  If you amortize that cost over the next 25K, 50K, 75K or 100K of miles driven, it's a small price to pay for the potential ROI.  His overall "cost-per-mile-driven" may go up a tiny bit, but that's still WAY better than buying a new car - heaven forbid - on credit! 

Yes, that's what I keep trying to tell people! Even if you replace the entire engine, it's generally still more economical provided the rest of the car is in good condition and not rusted out.

I may have gone a bit too far with my car on this since I've spent more than the car is worth in the past year, but it was all general maintenance that ANY car would have needed, so it didn't make sense to sell. Stuff like timing belt, water pump, spark plugs, rotors, brakes, fluid changes, etc. I'm just catching up on all the neglected maintenance from when I was a poor college student. The 6 years before all this I only did oil changes and that's it. Added up over 7 years it's been maybe an average of $500 a year on maintenance.

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #387 on: April 05, 2017, 02:20:51 PM »
Yes, that's what I keep trying to tell people! Even if you replace the entire engine, it's generally still more economical provided the rest of the car is in good condition and not rusted out.
This!  My dad bought an '07 Nissan a few years back for $3700, and last year had to pay for major engine work (timing chain broke) to the tune of $1200.  Yeah, that sucked, but it still pencils out way ahead of your average new car (or even used, since he got such a good deal on the front-end) at the end of the day.  My mom (who bought a fairly-reasonable new car for $20,000 cash in 2015) probably thinks he got screwed and bought a lemon.

Repairs are conspicuous, depreciation/car payments are nearly invisible to many.

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #388 on: April 05, 2017, 02:32:24 PM »
OK, our 2003 minivan with 260k kilometres is not that old.
However, it needs a laborious/expensive heater repair. The heater is fine to about -10 Celsius.
Where we live, we get probly 20 days each winter where we do need to drive, and it's more like -20 celsius.
So the heater repair is a must-do, right?
Naaahh . . . we just turned to this ancient technology called "blankets." Big wool blankets wrapped around our wool and down-clad bodies.
Feel like badass cowboys ridin' in a buckboard on the freezing prairie in 1872. Or something.
It works, it's free, and it postpones used-car-shopping for another year.
Next year, maybe we can score some buffalo robes.

My heat doesn't work at all so I got a heated seat ($12) and brought a blanket in the car. Made it all winter! But to be fair the coldest it got was maybe -6 Celsius a day or two. Usually around 0 in the mornings. I would definitely recommend the heated seat! It's a cheap fix and makes it bearable.


I know you live in a much warmer climate than me (Colorado) but this just sounds unsafe. How do you regulate the defrost - any ice buildup in your area without heat ? Rains there a lot im sure. How do you deal with foggy windows, back glass, windshield. How much is it to get the heat fix ? If you lived closer I would say bring it by my house and i'll do it for cheap ! Good luck !

dandypandys

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #389 on: April 05, 2017, 02:37:39 PM »


Thanks!
Now that I have changed from going to the dealer for oilchanges and found a reliable trusted local mechanic.. I am so happy. The mechanic charged me 70 bux to fix the leaking sunroof- blew out the pipe - dealership quoted 800 to replace the whole thing. That was the camel straw, then I realized I should never have been taking a 2001 to a dealer- man they really gave me some major spends over the years. But, I know the car has been VERY well maintained so I am not going to cry milk.

« Last Edit: April 05, 2017, 02:48:47 PM by dandypandys »

marielle

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #390 on: April 05, 2017, 02:45:36 PM »
OK, our 2003 minivan with 260k kilometres is not that old.
However, it needs a laborious/expensive heater repair. The heater is fine to about -10 Celsius.
Where we live, we get probly 20 days each winter where we do need to drive, and it's more like -20 celsius.
So the heater repair is a must-do, right?
Naaahh . . . we just turned to this ancient technology called "blankets." Big wool blankets wrapped around our wool and down-clad bodies.
Feel like badass cowboys ridin' in a buckboard on the freezing prairie in 1872. Or something.
It works, it's free, and it postpones used-car-shopping for another year.
Next year, maybe we can score some buffalo robes.

My heat doesn't work at all so I got a heated seat ($12) and brought a blanket in the car. Made it all winter! But to be fair the coldest it got was maybe -6 Celsius a day or two. Usually around 0 in the mornings. I would definitely recommend the heated seat! It's a cheap fix and makes it bearable.


I know you live in a much warmer climate than me (Colorado) but this just sounds unsafe. How do you regulate the defrost - any ice buildup in your area without heat ? Rains there a lot im sure. How do you deal with foggy windows, back glass, windshield. How much is it to get the heat fix ? If you lived closer I would say bring it by my house and i'll do it for cheap ! Good luck !

I live in North Carolina. I don't really get any ice or snow here, maybe one or twice a year. I don't have issues with fog or anything. Recently I put a GIANT desiccant pack in my car and it works beautifully in keeping the condensation down.

I appreciate the offer but I think it may be a more complicated problem like a heater core or blend door. I haven't had anyone look at it because, well, it doesn't get that cold here, and I've had more important things to fix on the car. I've replaced the thermostat and flushed the coolant a few times in the past year. I may get it fixed next winter but it just doesn't get cold enough here to be honest.

Kevin S.

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #391 on: April 05, 2017, 02:54:04 PM »
OK, our 2003 minivan with 260k kilometres is not that old.
However, it needs a laborious/expensive heater repair. The heater is fine to about -10 Celsius.
Where we live, we get probly 20 days each winter where we do need to drive, and it's more like -20 celsius.
So the heater repair is a must-do, right?
Naaahh . . . we just turned to this ancient technology called "blankets." Big wool blankets wrapped around our wool and down-clad bodies.
Feel like badass cowboys ridin' in a buckboard on the freezing prairie in 1872. Or something.
It works, it's free, and it postpones used-car-shopping for another year.
Next year, maybe we can score some buffalo robes.

My heat doesn't work at all so I got a heated seat ($12) and brought a blanket in the car. Made it all winter! But to be fair the coldest it got was maybe -6 Celsius a day or two. Usually around 0 in the mornings. I would definitely recommend the heated seat! It's a cheap fix and makes it bearable.


I know you live in a much warmer climate than me (Colorado) but this just sounds unsafe. How do you regulate the defrost - any ice buildup in your area without heat ? Rains there a lot im sure. How do you deal with foggy windows, back glass, windshield. How much is it to get the heat fix ? If you lived closer I would say bring it by my house and i'll do it for cheap ! Good luck !

I live in North Carolina. I don't really get any ice or snow here, maybe one or twice a year. I don't have issues with fog or anything. Recently I put a GIANT desiccant pack in my car and it works beautifully in keeping the condensation down.

I appreciate the offer but I think it may be a more complicated problem like a heater core or blend door. I haven't had anyone look at it because, well, it doesn't get that cold here, and I've had more important things to fix on the car. I've replaced the thermostat and flushed the coolant a few times in the past year. I may get it fixed next winter but it just doesn't get cold enough here to be honest.

Good to hear ! just be careful when it rains out, foggy windows and what not. Also if you just repl the t-stat/added coolant - did you add enough coolant ? I really doubt that is the issue but it could be where it's not getting enough coolant into the heater core . Also look at the heater control valve. If you want to p/m the details I can help diag it for you so we don't clog up this thread with my dribble.


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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #392 on: April 05, 2017, 02:55:15 PM »
07 ford ranger. 135k - just breaking her in. I hope to get at least another 100-150k out of this workhorse !

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #393 on: April 05, 2017, 10:08:48 PM »
07 ford ranger. 135k - just breaking her in. I hope to get at least another 100-150k out of this workhorse !
oh yeah!  For sure at least another 100K.  I've been trying to find one here in CO that is "undervalued" by someone, but not quite yet.  Check out this guy - '03 Ranger - 240,000 miles and still asking $2400!  From what I've seen listed, these Rangers are often being sold around the 220K - 270K mark, but still have life left in them.  https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/6072219626.html

Good luck with your Ranger.  I'd love to see your final "cost-per-miles-driven" when you finally part with it.  I'm sure it will be super low. 

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #394 on: April 06, 2017, 07:41:50 AM »
I sold an 02 Dodge intrepid last year with 180K for what I had bought it for (2K) 3 years earlier. The only thing I did was $20 oil changes​ s over the years. After I sold it I picked up a 2013 Dodge Dart with 30K for 6K out the door. 6 speed manual base model. 35 MPG avg and is a blast to drive!
« Last Edit: April 06, 2017, 07:43:24 AM by Tim89 »

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #395 on: April 06, 2017, 08:57:41 AM »
I sold an 02 Dodge intrepid last year with 180K for what I had bought it for (2K) 3 years earlier. The only thing I did was $20 oil changes​ s over the years. After I sold it I picked up a 2013 Dodge Dart with 30K for 6K out the door. 6 speed manual base model. 35 MPG avg and is a blast to drive!
[/quote

Best car I EVER owned was a new base model 2000 Intrepid. This opinion if from a guy who has driven various Hondas for hundreds of thousands of miles. The DW and I put 190K on the Dodge in ten years. I changed the oil with cheap dino (Walmart, or anything on sale) and Purolator filters every five K. Other than that, it needed a starter and a water pump.  I sold it to a big repair shop that then used it as a daily loaner car for the next 4-5 years. It's still owned by the shop, still driven daily. It's getting close to 300k and it has never needed a significant part.

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #396 on: April 06, 2017, 09:48:00 AM »
07 ford ranger. 135k - just breaking her in. I hope to get at least another 100-150k out of this workhorse !
oh yeah!  For sure at least another 100K.  I've been trying to find one here in CO that is "undervalued" by someone, but not quite yet.  Check out this guy - '03 Ranger - 240,000 miles and still asking $2400!  From what I've seen listed, these Rangers are often being sold around the 220K - 270K mark, but still have life left in them.  https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/6072219626.html

Good luck with your Ranger.  I'd love to see your final "cost-per-miles-driven" when you finally part with it.  I'm sure it will be super low.

Thanks ! Yeah it's the duratec 2.3 so I'm hoping it's just as reliable as the old 2.3 lima. It get great mileage (for a pickup truck). I average right around 30 mpg with mix of 50/50 city/highway.

I got a deal on mine. It was an old fleet truck for orkin. It had an orkin "imprint" left on the hood an bed sides lol but I don't care. It was well taken care, fleet maintenance is usually under the severe maintenance schedule.

So far I've done ft brakes, pads,rotors, new ft wheel bearings, plugs, wires, changed all the fluids and filters and pcv . Runs like a top !  These trucks really are hard to find. Good luck with your search ! look for a fleet vehicle if you can find one. Also if gas mileage is not a huge issue try and find a a fleet truck from Fastenal. My buddy got a super good deal on a ram quad cab, v8, rwd - paid 7k cash for a 5 yr old truck with less than 150k !

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #397 on: April 06, 2017, 09:51:10 AM »
I sold an 02 Dodge intrepid last year with 180K for what I had bought it for (2K) 3 years earlier. The only thing I did was $20 oil changes​ s over the years. After I sold it I picked up a 2013 Dodge Dart with 30K for 6K out the door. 6 speed manual base model. 35 MPG avg and is a blast to drive!

Glad you like the new dart ! I think it looks great ! I know some friends who really liked the old neon that wish they would come out with a dart srt model.

Hope it serves you well !

paddedhat

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #398 on: April 06, 2017, 10:14:00 AM »

I got a deal on mine. It was an old fleet truck for orkin. It had an orkin "imprint" left on the hood an bed sides lol but I don't care. It was well taken care, fleet maintenance is usually under the severe maintenance schedule.

So far I've done ft brakes, pads,rotors, new ft wheel bearings, plugs, wires, changed all the fluids and filters and pcv . Runs like a top !  These trucks really are hard to find. Good luck with your search ! look for a fleet vehicle if you can find one. Also if gas mileage is not a huge issue try and find a a fleet truck from Fastenal. My buddy got a super good deal on a ram quad cab, v8, rwd - paid 7k cash for a 5 yr old truck with less than 150k !

The whole fleet vehicle buy is an interesting topic. In 2009 I bought a  1/2 ton Chevy van that was off lease and fleet. It was three years old, with 89K and in pristine condition. The only way you could find evidence that it ever did anything work related was the outline of a wall mounted hand soap dispenser on the security wall behind the passenger seat, and some sawdust hidden deep in crevices. That said, it was one hell of a unicorn. I looked at a lot of shitty work vans before finding that.  I also have a good friend who does maintenance and repair work for several fleets. One day the owner of his biggest customer ask to see him. He wanted to talk about a bunch of trucks he bought a few years ago, that didn't seem to be performing well. Now there was no common denominator to point to. Some trucks were failing regularly, even coming home on a flatbed, others were pretty decent. My buddy advised the guy to start looking for the answer behind the wheel, since he believed that some of his employees were beating the shit out of their work vehicles. Within a year, there were some serious changes in repair frequency. Some employees were let go, others were told that they would be if they continued to abuse equipment.  The point to this story? Well, fleet maintenance can be great, and there is a good chance that many operators are doing a lot more to maintain and repair their rolling stock than the  public ever does. There are also operators that will cut a lot of corners, and drivers that literally can beat a truck to death well before it hits 100K. I bought that van from a dealer who only sold used commercial trucks. When I asked how often he sees really nice fleet stuff he replied that it's all depends on the company that owned it, and the guy who drove it.  He sees five year old trucks that are shot with less than 80k and ten year old ones with 180k that are in great shape.

Kevin S.

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Re: Brag on your MMM high-mileage or old car
« Reply #399 on: April 06, 2017, 12:52:20 PM »

I got a deal on mine. It was an old fleet truck for orkin. It had an orkin "imprint" left on the hood an bed sides lol but I don't care. It was well taken care, fleet maintenance is usually under the severe maintenance schedule.

So far I've done ft brakes, pads,rotors, new ft wheel bearings, plugs, wires, changed all the fluids and filters and pcv . Runs like a top !  These trucks really are hard to find. Good luck with your search ! look for a fleet vehicle if you can find one. Also if gas mileage is not a huge issue try and find a a fleet truck from Fastenal. My buddy got a super good deal on a ram quad cab, v8, rwd - paid 7k cash for a 5 yr old truck with less than 150k !

The whole fleet vehicle buy is an interesting topic. In 2009 I bought a  1/2 ton Chevy van that was off lease and fleet. It was three years old, with 89K and in pristine condition. The only way you could find evidence that it ever did anything work related was the outline of a wall mounted hand soap dispenser on the security wall behind the passenger seat, and some sawdust hidden deep in crevices. That said, it was one hell of a unicorn. I looked at a lot of shitty work vans before finding that.  I also have a good friend who does maintenance and repair work for several fleets. One day the owner of his biggest customer ask to see him. He wanted to talk about a bunch of trucks he bought a few years ago, that didn't seem to be performing well. Now there was no common denominator to point to. Some trucks were failing regularly, even coming home on a flatbed, others were pretty decent. My buddy advised the guy to start looking for the answer behind the wheel, since he believed that some of his employees were beating the shit out of their work vehicles. Within a year, there were some serious changes in repair frequency. Some employees were let go, others were told that they would be if they continued to abuse equipment.  The point to this story? Well, fleet maintenance can be great, and there is a good chance that many operators are doing a lot more to maintain and repair their rolling stock than the  public ever does. There are also operators that will cut a lot of corners, and drivers that literally can beat a truck to death well before it hits 100K. I bought that van from a dealer who only sold used commercial trucks. When I asked how often he sees really nice fleet stuff he replied that it's all depends on the company that owned it, and the guy who drove it.  He sees five year old trucks that are shot with less than 80k and ten year old ones with 180k that are in great shape.

Very true ! Try and get maintenance records. Look over the vehicle and make sure it's in good shape or take it to a mechanic. I knew going in with my truck that it's a relatively simple truck that has lots of maintenance records. Interior was pristine - amazing for a fleet vehicle ! Great shape overall besides the orkin residuals left on the hood.

It can be a gamble but deals are out there if you find the right ones !

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!