Author Topic: Call from car dealer  (Read 3759 times)

Trudie

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Call from car dealer
« on: October 20, 2016, 11:37:20 AM »
My Hyundai Sonata has 160,000 miles on it and is still going strong.  I will drive it until it has to be hauled away for scrap by Iowa Public Television (for a charitable donation).  Not sure what the magic number is, but I'd like to get it to 250,000.

Got a call from the dealership across the street from work who did an oil change on it last year asking me if I was "in the market for a new car to replace the 2008 Hyundai Sonata."  I was like, "Nope."  Then they asked me if it needed service.  "Nope -- just took care of that."  (I have a local mechanic I really trust who doesn't bullshit me and just does what's truly necessary.  He has helped me keep it road-worthy and safe all these years.)

What he doesn't realize is the emotional thrill I get from driving such an old, paid for, reliable, and decent car (no rust or significant problems.)  Why deprive myself of the joy??

The eventual plan, once "old-reliable dies", is to be a one-car family unit and to move to a higher-density population area that has a great bus service when we FIRE.

nereo

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Re: Call from car dealer
« Reply #1 on: October 20, 2016, 11:44:21 AM »
My Hyundai Sonata has 160,000 miles on it and is still going strong.  I will drive it until it has to be hauled away for scrap by Iowa Public Television (for a charitable donation).  Not sure what the magic number is, but I'd like to get it to 250,000.

Got a call from the dealership across the street from work who did an oil change on it last year asking me if I was "in the market for a new car to replace the 2008 Hyundai Sonata."  I was like, "Nope."  Then they asked me if it needed service.  "Nope -- just took care of that."  (I have a local mechanic I really trust who doesn't bullshit me and just does what's truly necessary.  He has helped me keep it road-worthy and safe all these years.)

What he doesn't realize is the emotional thrill I get from driving such an old, paid for, reliable, and decent car (no rust or significant problems.)  Why deprive myself of the joy??

The eventual plan, once "old-reliable dies", is to be a one-car family unit and to move to a higher-density population area that has a great bus service when we FIRE.

I routinely get calls and mailings from the dealership wanting to "buy" (as a trade-in) my 11 year old vehicle.  Usually it starts with a pitch like "we'd love to buy your car, and we might be able to put you into a new car for even LESS than you're paying now!"
really??  Less than $0/mo? As in, you're going to pay me each month?
I, too, like driving an older vehicle - I've long stopped caring about small dents or scratches, no payments and my auto insurance is about as low as it can get.  We think we can get another 4 years if we can keep the rust at bay.  Maybe then it'll be seen as a "classic" (sarcasm).

MilesTeg

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Re: Call from car dealer
« Reply #2 on: October 20, 2016, 12:30:26 PM »
My Hyundai Sonata has 160,000 miles on it and is still going strong.  I will drive it until it has to be hauled away for scrap by Iowa Public Television (for a charitable donation).  Not sure what the magic number is, but I'd like to get it to 250,000.

Got a call from the dealership across the street from work who did an oil change on it last year asking me if I was "in the market for a new car to replace the 2008 Hyundai Sonata."  I was like, "Nope."  Then they asked me if it needed service.  "Nope -- just took care of that."  (I have a local mechanic I really trust who doesn't bullshit me and just does what's truly necessary.  He has helped me keep it road-worthy and safe all these years.)

What he doesn't realize is the emotional thrill I get from driving such an old, paid for, reliable, and decent car (no rust or significant problems.)  Why deprive myself of the joy??

The eventual plan, once "old-reliable dies", is to be a one-car family unit and to move to a higher-density population area that has a great bus service when we FIRE.

160k on a 2008 vehicle? That's not old, that's just overused =P

Even with 160k an 8 year old car is hardly old. 20k/year probably means you commute and use the vehicle in the least damaging way possible. Long trips are easy on the vehicle; it's the short trips that do the damage.

If you are sticking to the OCI, you should easily get 250k+

Mississippi Mudstache

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Re: Call from car dealer
« Reply #3 on: October 20, 2016, 12:43:27 PM »
160k on a 2008 vehicle? That's not old, that's just overused =P

Even with 160k an 8 year old car is hardly old. 20k/year probably means you commute and use the vehicle in the least damaging way possible. Long trips are easy on the vehicle; it's the short trips that do the damage.

If you are sticking to the OCI, you should easily get 250k+

I have 180k on 2007 Prius. Never commuted more than 6 miles to work. Currently I'm at 4 miles each way (but I usually bike). Most of the miles are because we live a long way from family, and we visit them often. I intend to drive that sucker 'til she coughs up dust, hopefully a long time from now. Funny though- I never get those letters from dealerships offering to buy my car.

Trudie

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Re: Call from car dealer
« Reply #4 on: October 20, 2016, 07:55:59 PM »
My Hyundai Sonata has 160,000 miles on it and is still going strong.  I will drive it until it has to be hauled away for scrap by Iowa Public Television (for a charitable donation).  Not sure what the magic number is, but I'd like to get it to 250,000.

Got a call from the dealership across the street from work who did an oil change on it last year asking me if I was "in the market for a new car to replace the 2008 Hyundai Sonata."  I was like, "Nope."  Then they asked me if it needed service.  "Nope -- just took care of that."  (I have a local mechanic I really trust who doesn't bullshit me and just does what's truly necessary.  He has helped me keep it road-worthy and safe all these years.)

What he doesn't realize is the emotional thrill I get from driving such an old, paid for, reliable, and decent car (no rust or significant problems.)  Why deprive myself of the joy??

The eventual plan, once "old-reliable dies", is to be a one-car family unit and to move to a higher-density population area that has a great bus service when we FIRE.

160k on a 2008 vehicle? That's not old, that's just overused =P

Even with 160k an 8 year old car is hardly old. 20k/year probably means you commute and use the vehicle in the least damaging way possible. Long trips are easy on the vehicle; it's the short trips that do the damage.

If you are sticking to the OCI, you should easily get 250k+

I stick to regular maintenance, keep good tires on it, do highway miles...  My other main forms of transportation are my own two legs and my bike.  The commute is something I will happily give up in a few years, but living in a rural college town presents  challenges for dual working professionals... so for now one of us commutes and that someone is me (unfortunately).

moof

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Re: Call from car dealer
« Reply #5 on: October 21, 2016, 04:59:17 PM »
When I drive, which is getting seldom these days, I find that I really hate what has been done to the usability of newer car controls.

My 2002 Tundra is still going strong at 127k miles, but was not a good commuting vehicle.  So I got a 2011 Leaf as a beater commuter car a couple years ago.  Then I got serious about biking, so the Leaf is not my wife's car by default.

The infotainment system is a mess.  I find that the old truck is a treat in simplicity when I drive it to work on the odd day.  Earlier this week I got a flat on my bike and had left my bike tools in the bike trailer (doh!).  So I ran the 7.5 miles home and drove the truck in the next day.  It is a gas hog, but has REAL knobs and tactile buttons that you can feel without looking.  The Leaf has stupid smooth surfaces with narrow slots to define buttons, which are impossible to decode without looking.  Much stuff is buried in menus in the infotainment system as well.  You can never get rid of the XM radio selections and have to toggle through FM, FM2, AM, XM1, XM2, XM3, AUX/CD.  What a mess.

I dread the idea of having to get a new car now.  I hope to make our existing stable of cars survive another 8 years to get me to retirement.

Trudie

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Re: Call from car dealer
« Reply #6 on: October 22, 2016, 06:31:45 PM »
My hope/plan is to drive old reliable another five years, until I FIRE.  Gonna run 'er into the ground, then will thank her for her thirteen or so years of good service, call Iowa Public Television and have then sell her so I can feel good watching all those British costume dramas whilst I am sitting on my arse.  (Well, not quite... I have plans for lots of exercise.)

Syonyk

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Re: Call from car dealer
« Reply #7 on: October 22, 2016, 10:50:17 PM »
Must be the same people that respond to the weight loss ads with ridiculous claims about free trials.

Warning: If you lose more than ten pounds in the first ten days, contact your representative to adjust your dose.  XMK27JYZ is the most powerful fat burning product on the market!

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I've not been getting calls from the dealership, but I just registered a new-ish vehicle (2015 Mazda 3, facepunch away, I plan to drive it about forever) in a new state, and I've received an endless stream of official-looking mail informing me that "You haven't activated your extended service contract and if your factory warranty expires, you will be financially liable for any and all repairs."

You know, because I didn't understand that once the warranty was expired, I'd have to pay for stuff.  Yeah.  Uh, I get it, I'm fine with it, and I do most of my own work.  Sorry, not going to pay you folks to do that for me.

I wish I'd kept the letters.  They're really funny to read.  FINAL NOTICE.  FOR ADDRESSEE ONLY.  OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE.  And lots of very seriously written text to try and scare me into buying the third party extended service plan.

Pass, thanks...

Oddly, I never got any of those for my 20 year old truck.

nereo

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Re: Call from car dealer
« Reply #8 on: October 23, 2016, 07:26:47 AM »


I've not been getting calls from the dealership, but I just registered a new-ish vehicle (2015 Mazda 3, facepunch away, I plan to drive it about forever) in a new state, and I've received an endless stream of official-looking mail informing me that "You haven't activated your extended service contract and if your factory warranty expires, you will be financially liable for any and all repairs."
...
Oddly, I never got any of those for my 20 year old truck.

What's weird is that I just got one of those for my 11 year old vehicle. Official looking with a scary message suggesting I HAD to do this. Give me a break... 170k on the dash.