The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: mommymustachian on May 29, 2015, 08:37:17 PM
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Looking to purchase a 2004 Ford Explorer. 64k miles, priced at $5200 but would obviously negotiate.
Is this worth pursuing?
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Only if you really need such a vehicle. Usually an SUV isn't mustachian.
How does the fuel consumption compare to a minivan? (I'm assuming you've got 4+ kids, hence wanting an SUV-sized vehicle instead of a normal car)
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Thanks for your response.
I have two kids, both still in car seats. It's nearly impossible to get by using public transport. (Picture a 5"2, 100lb woman wrestling a huge double stroller while trying to restrain two babies on the subway.) So a car really is a necessary evil at this stage.
I haven't looked into the fuel economy of the car. I really am a novice at this. My only previous car was bought for me by my parents.
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Fuel economy for the smaller SUV's are typically pretty poor. I spent about a month this winter looking at vehicles for my daughter and the Ford Explorer's, Chevy Blazers, etc. just get poor gas mileage. They typically have a V6-V8 and 4 Wheel Drive which eats into your gas mileage. There are probably some 4 cylinder options that would meet your needs and not suck in the MPG category. Look through the archives: MM has done some posts on fuel efficient vehicles in the past.
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If you don't need a third row of seats, would you consider a normal car? Cars like the Prius are pretty spacious inside.
Are you planning on more kids? How many miles do you do a year?
The Mustachian way with cars is to buy the smallest that still fits your needs, and drive it as little as possible.
That said, a 2004 Explorer with only 64000 miles should have a LOT of life left in it. I don't know if they've got a good rep though.
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Looking to purchase a 2004 Ford Explorer. 64k miles, priced at $5200 but would obviously negotiate.
Is this worth pursuing?
Depending on the condition and the options, that is probably a good price. Fuel mileage won't be great on that vehicle. Do you get a lot of deep snow where you live, and do you have to drive in it? If not, a front wheel sedan will do nearly as well in moderate to light snow, and will get better fuel mileage.
You might find this helpful in your used vehicle search:
Kelley Blue Book used car prices:
http://www.kbb.com/used-cars/
used vehicle safety ratings:
http://www.safercar.gov/Safety+Ratings
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Explorer seems like serious overkill for two kids. I've been schlepping mine around in a 99 Accord or my husband's 2008 Fit. We did have a CRV for a while, which got decent gas mileage for what it was, but it felt like overkill for us (so for a while we just had the Accord, and we might sell it in the foreseeable future and just share the Fit).
I agree that you probably want a car at this phase. Even the author of the book Walkable City was thinking of buying a car when he had two car seats! However, I will say that I find it much easier to strap my kids into the bike trailer than into their car seats, so I do that whenever possible :-).