I'm posting sort of on behalf of my husband, to solve a dilemma that has been plaguing him, though he is wary to admit it. We've only been followers of MMM for a month or so, although we've been on our own path to financial freedom for many years.
We've been married 6 years, 2 kids. We have no debt except our 10-year mortgage. Our current spending rate is probably 50% of income if you consider our mortgage principal, with the remainder going to retirement or giving (which is a primary goal for us).
Our current dilemma is our car situation. Right now we have a 2004 Toyota Sienna which I drive, and my husband has a 2004 Ford Ranger. He bought the Ranger used a few months ago, and unfortunately it has turned out to be a bit of a lemon. He bikes to work most of the time (12 miles each way.. pretty badass, in my opinion!), but occasionally his job requires him to travel long distances by vehicle, and right now he cannot trust his truck that far. Repairs on the truck aren't worth the value of the truck. He's hesitant to replace it though, because he feels like he just bought the truck and needs to just be content with it. He has always loved cars, so I think he's not quite sure if he's wanting to replace for the right reasons or the wrong reasons.
He's always wanted something like an older (early 2000s) 5-speed BMW or Volvo that gets good gas mileage and is reliable, and I think that would be a fair replacement - but I'm no car expert. He originally got a truck because we get occasional utility from it (usually from helping other people move, though), but it's not necessary. Would rather something that's enjoyable for him to own, but also a decent purchase. I don't think it's an option for him to keep the truck if he can't drive it for work - so far he has managed to combine travels with coworkers, but that may not always be a possibility. Can anyone advise on the situation? Is it Mustachian to replace the vehicle right now? If so, would something like a small BMW or Volvo ever make sense?