When to call it quits with a vehicle?
Here's my situation: I'm 46yo and have owned two(2) four wheeled vehicles in my life: a '93 Honda Accord and now an '04 Nissan Titan pickup. Cages (cars) have always been an appliance for me -- purchased to do a job and as long as they are running and continue to do the job, I don't have a need to sell and upgrade to something nicer.
The truck has 106k miles on it, bought new in '04. Joanne probably put 50k on it in the first 3yrs (it was her ride) and I've done the rest. It's only really driven to (1) take me somewhere to ride a bike, which isn't very often, (2) take me somewhere to ride a motorcycle, or (3) for very short local trip because god forbid I should ride 1-3 miles on a bicycle to run an errand 
. This year I maybe put 8k on it, and that includes ~3.5k of a family road trip up to IMCDA, which won't happen this year. It's fully loaded and very comfortable for long distance driving as long as I don't look at the MPG (about 16!), which isn't too hard since it's been paid off for about 5yrs. I don't really drive the truck very much and when I do it's highway miles or very short local trips. So doing the math I'll be at 130-135k in about 4-5yrs.
So far I've had to have the muffler repaired (about $1k), O2 sensors replaced and leaking differential fixed (about $1.6k), all unexpected expenses but doable, again, considering that the cost of ownership otherwise is very low. However, the paint/clear coat on the hood and roof is really starting to go and bug me.
KBB trade-in value is $6k. Put brand new tires on before the CDA trip. The paint is bothering me so much that I'm considering have it repainted/fixed, but not sure how to bounce that off the value of the truck. Since I'm a more function than form guy, seems I should not spend the money on the paint so I can have it available of it requires another repair?
So...and what point do I punt and get a new vehicle? I would get a Toyota Tacoma for about $32-34k. Probably new since the resale on these is crazy good. In my head I'm balancing $0 per month + unexpected costs vs ~$500-600/mo and warranty, great truck, etc. I should also mention that the size of the Titan is bothering me when I drive (and park) it local. I really like the idea of a smaller truck as I just don't need a full size truck anymore.
Any advice from those of you who've owned more than 2x vehicles, ever? 
Comments
Suggestion - repaint current vehicle to match the Moto. If not whole vehicle, then just have hood repainted..... problem solved.
Yeah, I could have the roof painted and hood painted, then EN wrap the truck...hmmm....
My rule of thumb … buying a new car costs (me) $3000 a year in payments. So if it costs more each year to keep my current car running, it's time for a new one.
For you, that # would probably be more like $6000, considering your specific needs. So wait until you seem to be reaching that level, which is $500/month, otherwise, it makes more sense to just keep rolling with what you've got. But maybe the numbers are different is some of the cost can be a business expense?
Cars in my lifetime have gotten amazingly more reliable and functional, not like the endless succession of Detroit heaps I drove in the 60s and 70s.I've bought fewer than 5 new cars since 1977. That first one is still in the garage, courtesy of my son, completely stripped; second one from 1990 was sold in 2009 for $500; third one from 1994 is sitting out front, and #4 is only 10 years old, but being a Prius, it may need a new battery, which would put it over the $3k limit.
Cheryl follows the same pattern: new VW bug in '73, Volvo in '83, Forester in 2000, and that's it for her.
I usually belong to the "my bike is worth more than my car" club.
I've said before that cars, like bikes, have a high recidivism rate. You can't trust them, once something goes wrong. For example, I had a bike that got a flat tire. I could no longer trust that the bike wouldn't get a flat, so it had to be replaced!!!!
1. The car no longer meets my needs, or my needs have changed.
2. I no longer trust that the car is highway capable.
3. Maintenance frequency is increasing. It's not the cost of maintaining, but the TIME.
I study consumer reports and look for vehicles with high reliability to minimize time wasted at the dealer garage.
Looks don't really matter. The question is ," do you trust the vehicle to get you to the hospital at midnight or jump in it and drive 2000 miles with out a second thought?" My question has always been the safety and reliability of the 4 wheeled demon.
I suspect if you are asking the question, you are ready for a new one.
I had a 2005 Toyota Tacoma for 9 years , just donated it to a family member in need and replaced it with a Honda Ridgeline.... I never really did like the Toyota .... The Ridgeline is a very usable vehicle with a waterproof/lockable truck in the bed , nice bike mount for bed available , and full cabin with fold up rear seats to place bikes inside , plus with the one piece body structure it feels like a car without that chassis twisting feel of a truck/bed body style... Still a large vehicle with crappy gas mileage (20-21 highway , 18 avg) .......Small vehicles sound good until you look at one and start to imagine using it the way you intend too.... You could always go mini-van ...
Thanks for the input. The truck is reliable right now and when something has gone wrong it's been found out during regular oil changes/inspection vs on the side of the road waiting for AAA. But the price tag of repairs has been high...but I understand Al's ~$4-5k per year math. That makes sense to me.
Tim, I've looked at the Ridgeline, though not lately. I had great experiences with my Hondas (Accord and Element). I may have to circle back to that option. My sorta constraint is I need a vehicle that will take a large 500lb motorcycle in the bed, and sometimes both bikes. The Titan and any other full size truck does that easily. The Tacoma might be a tight fit for both bikes but that doesn't happen very often. Towing a utility trailer isn't great in CA, with a 55mph speed limit for towing and the big distances we have out here.
I have to admit, part of me just wants a new vehicle
Oh absolutely! New truck to match the new bike. OH ya!
Turkey in the oilless fryer, about to crack a Belgian, and trucked staged for 3 days of riding in Baja, MX, starting from San Diego
FYI, am working on custom Calfee road bike to match the moto
Let me know if you want some information on Toyotas. I work for Toyota corporate and there is a friends and neighbors referral program going on for the month of December. Incentives run from now to Dec 1 and then Dec 2 to Jan 5. Also the referral program has a buyer work direct with the LA region and identifies the person so it reduces the need to haggle. Note this is for new cars/trucks only, not used or certified used.
So if the cost of ownership of your current car gets too high and there's concerns with reliability, then a newer car is the way to go. I have a 2006 Tacoma and it's been a very reliable truck. Can't go wrong.
So, at one time I had an unreliable Mustang and an unreliable Bronco. Loved the cars, but between the two, one was always in the shop and cost at least $1k/repair, so it was really adding up.
I like Al's math too, but also Johns comment about when it feels you can't RELY on it, having no car at all isn't worth the constant repairs or the love you might/might not have for a vehicle. That's the ratio crossover point for me.
Tim got me thinking about the Ridgeline: the in-bed storage would be perfect for moto gear and I don't want a truck so much as I want a nice, comfortable vehicle with a truck bed. One of my moto-buddies has one, I'll see what he thinks.
David, thanks for the offer. Joanne has some kinda deal with Toyota, through United.
Just an update, after driving my truck 400mi this past weekend going to/from desert dirt biking forays on Saturday and Sunday...
The new Chevy Colorado / GMC Canyon was named the Motortrend Truck of the Year. Toyota will unveil the new Tacoma at the Detroit Autoshow next month and I saw somewhere that Ford is coming out with the new Ranger.
IOW, the small truck market will be receiving some pretty significant upgrades on the next several months. I've decided I'm a "lifestyle" truck guy --> I want a bed to toss in motorcycles and bicycles, a comfortable, refined interior, decent gas mileage (I have realistic expectations) but a small parking/driving footprint. I don't need a full size truck.
Anywhoo...just more info if anyone else out there is in the market for a small-ish truck.
Then again, if you "just want something new" (which I also get) then it's an emotional purchase not a logical one.