A simpler car.

[SmallCityDave]

I have a feeling I'm in the minority here but I'm thinking about buying a simpler older car, I recently sold my (2007) car I really liked I had all the bugs worked out but the paint was starting to go and I didn't want to spend $3k.

I bought a 2015 car it had a transmission issue that I fixed but I lost confidence in the car so I sold it and bought a 2011 reading up a bit it has an issue (that's been improved) but the water-pump can go out prematurely and kill the engine. I spoke with my mechanic and he said it's a $2000+ job and he won't do it.

I do think cars have been improved drastically but $350 spark plug changes and $200-300+ batteries are crazy. I don't want a car with a turbo or cvt so that limits the vehicles by a fair amount, I was thinking of getting an older (2005-2010ish) low mileage Honda Accord, Toyota Camry or Avalon and spending a bit to get it in tip top shape.

We have enough to buy whatever we want but I don't feel compelled spend $20-30k on a car... am I crazy?

[Trism]

We have enough to buy whatever we want but I don't feel compelled spend $20-30k on a car... am I crazy?

Yes. Just lease something decent and you'll always have a warranty.

If you have the means, life is too short to drive old needy cars.

[MathWizard]

The spark plugs are now so much better.

I used to change plugs every spring, now they last 100K miles, so
you may never have to change them. My brother bought an Avalon at
100K miles, has never changed the plugs, and it is at 250K now.
So an expensive plug change is not that terrible. I did try to change plugs recently on
three early 2000's vehicles which had transverse mounted V6's. I could not change the
back half, and instructions were to loosen the back motor mounts and back the back
of the engine up to tilt it.

I haven't bought such an expensive battery. Is this lead acid, or some exotic battery?
I do change the batteries myself though, so is part of the cost the labor?

[jabberwockOG]

2008-2014 Toyota Highlander.
2008-2014 Toyota 4Runner.

[TN_Boy]

I have a feeling I'm in the minority here but I'm thinking about buying a simpler older car, I recently sold my (2007) car I really liked I had all the bugs worked out but the paint was starting to go and I didn't want to spend $3k.

I bought a 2015 car it had a transmission issue that I fixed but I lost confidence in the car so I sold it and bought a 2011 reading up a bit it has an issue (that's been improved) but the water-pump can go out prematurely and kill the engine. I spoke with my mechanic and he said it's a $2000+ job and he won't do it.

I do think cars have been improved drastically but $350 spark plug changes and $200-300+ batteries are crazy. I don't want a car with a turbo or cvt so that limits the vehicles by a fair amount, I was thinking of getting an older (2005-2010ish) low mileage Honda Accord, Toyota Camry or Avalon and spending a bit to get it in tip top shape.

We have enough to buy whatever we want but I don't feel compelled spend $20-30k on a car... am I crazy?

I don't know if you are crazy, but I think you have unrealistic expectations about car maintenance. For one thing, remember inflation. People sometimes get anchored on what it cost to fix something simple on a car in 1985 and are aghast at what it costs now to fix things. And yeah, spark plugs are expensive, but they last 100k!

You might try looking at the Edmund's website and look up total cost of ownership metrics for cars to give you a more realistic idea of what it costs.

I think today's cars are fantastic. They will often last well over 100k with no major issues, they drive better than older cars did, are much safer, have better performance, better gas mileage, and very very rarely strand you.

But they are not free.

If you liked your 2007 car, why didn't you spend the 3k to get it painted? That's a lot cheaper than buying something. Anything you buy might develop an expensive problem.

[SmallCityDave]

We have enough to buy whatever we want but I don't feel compelled spend $20-30k on a car... am I crazy?

Yes. Just lease something decent and you'll always have a warranty.

If you have the means, life is too short to drive old needy cars.

That's just silly.

[SmallCityDave]

The spark plugs are now so much better.

I used to change plugs every spring, now they last 100K miles, so
you may never have to change them. My brother bought an Avalon at
100K miles, has never changed the plugs, and it is at 250K now.
So an expensive plug change is not that terrible. I did try to change plugs recently on
three early 2000's vehicles which had transverse mounted V6's. I could not change the
back half, and instructions were to loosen the back motor mounts and back the back
of the engine up to tilt it.

I haven't bought such an expensive battery. Is this lead acid, or some exotic battery?
I do change the batteries myself though, so is part of the cost the labor?

I believe my Avalon was recommended at 110k miles, incredible.

It was an AGM battery and the car had 2 of them the second was for the auto stop start (another silly technology I'm not a fan of).

[adamthesmythe]

Definitely a not-seeing-the-forest-for-the-trees question.

Buy reliable, keep for a long time. You decide whether you want to spend time looking for lightly used unicorn cars. And finding a mythical honest mechanic. I buy a new Toyanda about every decade.

[MarkBarb]

To me, the increased cost of new cars is easily justified by the increase in safety. That may change over time, but safety improvements over the last several years have been significant.

[phxjcc]

Just buy an old truck....say a 1999 Dodge Ram diesel.
No plugs
Batteries (2), $75 each through AAA

If only I knew one for sale right now...oh, wait a minute...

[SmallCityDave]

I have a feeling I'm in the minority here but I'm thinking about buying a simpler older car, I recently sold my (2007) car I really liked I had all the bugs worked out but the paint was starting to go and I didn't want to spend $3k.

I bought a 2015 car it had a transmission issue that I fixed but I lost confidence in the car so I sold it and bought a 2011 reading up a bit it has an issue (that's been improved) but the water-pump can go out prematurely and kill the engine. I spoke with my mechanic and he said it's a $2000+ job and he won't do it.

I do think cars have been improved drastically but $350 spark plug changes and $200-300+ batteries are crazy. I don't want a car with a turbo or cvt so that limits the vehicles by a fair amount, I was thinking of getting an older (2005-2010ish) low mileage Honda Accord, Toyota Camry or Avalon and spending a bit to get it in tip top shape.

We have enough to buy whatever we want but I don't feel compelled spend $20-30k on a car... am I crazy?

I don't know if you are crazy, but I think you have unrealistic expectations about car maintenance. For one thing, remember inflation. People sometimes get anchored on what it cost to fix something simple on a car in 1985 and are aghast at what it costs now to fix things. And yeah, spark plugs are expensive, but they last 100k!

You might try looking at the Edmund's website and look up total cost of ownership metrics for cars to give you a more realistic idea of what it costs.

I think today's cars are fantastic. They will often last well over 100k with no major issues, they drive better than older cars did, are much safer, have better performance, better gas mileage, and very very rarely strand you.

But they are not free.

If you liked your 2007 car, why didn't you spend the 3k to get it painted? That's a lot cheaper than buying something. Anything you buy might develop an expensive problem.

Good question, I thought I could upgrade for less than $3k and I did.

The 2015 I bought was newer, substantially better gas mileage, 40k less miles, more safety and convenience features all for only $1400 difference.

[vasaver]

Time to walk away from the internal combustion engine

Something like this for 6k

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sal ... d=218c50bd

Or a used Chevy Bolt (15k) will set you free.

Wipers, Washer Fluid, Brake Fluid...don't look back.

[ChinchillaWhiplash]

All new cars are basically designed to need to be taken to a dealer or certified mechanic. You need proprietary software for each brand. We had an Infinity that needed codes reset and the Nissan dealer couldn’t even do it. Nearest Infinity dealer was 5 hours away, so it was a real pain to deal with. Not many cars can be maintained by the owner besides topping off fluids and oil changes anymore. If something goes wrong, it will be costly because you almost always have to get it done at the dealer. Extended warranty is not a bad idea anymore. Nothing wrong with an older car. Just find one that was well maintained with not a ton of miles.

[TN_Boy]

Time to walk away from the internal combustion engine

Something like this for 6k

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sal ... d=218c50bd

Or a used Chevy Bolt (15k) will set you free.

Wipers, Washer Fluid, Brake Fluid...don't look back.

Electric cars are interesting now, and becoming more interesting every year.

But we sometimes take road trips where range is an issue. I'm not buying until an electric car is basically a one to one replacement with a gasoline car. I like being able to drive hundreds of miles in a day, with refueling taking five minutes.

(And yes, I know people with electric cars that like them).

[TN_Boy]

I have a feeling I'm in the minority here but I'm thinking about buying a simpler older car, I recently sold my (2007) car I really liked I had all the bugs worked out but the paint was starting to go and I didn't want to spend $3k.

I bought a 2015 car it had a transmission issue that I fixed but I lost confidence in the car so I sold it and bought a 2011 reading up a bit it has an issue (that's been improved) but the water-pump can go out prematurely and kill the engine. I spoke with my mechanic and he said it's a $2000+ job and he won't do it.

I do think cars have been improved drastically but $350 spark plug changes and $200-300+ batteries are crazy. I don't want a car with a turbo or cvt so that limits the vehicles by a fair amount, I was thinking of getting an older (2005-2010ish) low mileage Honda Accord, Toyota Camry or Avalon and spending a bit to get it in tip top shape.

We have enough to buy whatever we want but I don't feel compelled spend $20-30k on a car... am I crazy?

I don't know if you are crazy, but I think you have unrealistic expectations about car maintenance. For one thing, remember inflation. People sometimes get anchored on what it cost to fix something simple on a car in 1985 and are aghast at what it costs now to fix things. And yeah, spark plugs are expensive, but they last 100k!

You might try looking at the Edmund's website and look up total cost of ownership metrics for cars to give you a more realistic idea of what it costs.

I think today's cars are fantastic. They will often last well over 100k with no major issues, they drive better than older cars did, are much safer, have better performance, better gas mileage, and very very rarely strand you.

But they are not free.

If you liked your 2007 car, why didn't you spend the 3k to get it painted? That's a lot cheaper than buying something. Anything you buy might develop an expensive problem.

Good question, I thought I could upgrade for less than $3k and I did.

The 2015 I bought was newer, substantially better gas mileage, 40k less miles, more safety and convenience features all for only $1400 difference.

So you paid $4,400 for the 2015 car net after selling the 2007 car? Then you sold that and bought a 2011 car?

I think ChinchillaWhiplash is on to something. Buy a new reliable car from a dealer near you. Get an extended warranty. And try not to think about repair costs.

I don't think buying an older "simpler" car is likely to make you happy, per your OP. It will be less safe, and unless you are very lucky have issues anyway. But it is partly mindset. Given the utility I get from cars, paying 20k to 30k for one, and then keeping it running is a grand bargain to me.

[arcticpineapplecorp.]

To me, the increased cost of new cars is easily justified by the increase in safety. That may change over time, but safety improvements over the last several years have been significant.

i'm still waiting for the Tullock Spike:
https://www.google.com/search?client=fi ... lock+spike

[Trism]

We have enough to buy whatever we want but I don't feel compelled spend $20-30k on a car... am I crazy?

Yes. Just lease something decent and you'll always have a warranty.

If you have the means, life is too short to drive old needy cars.

That's just silly.

You asked, I answered.

[Helo80]

We have enough to buy whatever we want but I don't feel compelled spend $20-30k on a car... am I crazy?

Yes. Just lease something decent and you'll always have a warranty.

If you have the means, life is too short to drive old needy cars.

That's just silly.

leasing gets a bad rap in every financial forum as you build no equity in the car.

But, for somebody like yourself, if you're fine with a bare-bones car, you can get plenty of good base models for under $300/month and effectively have a new car every 3 years. If you don't drive that much, you probably would not need a new set of tires and most car batteries should last 3 years. Spark plugs will definitely be fine.

It was not a silly suggestion at all.

[quantAndHold]

Older cars don't have modern safety features. Or bluetooth. And they require more maintenance.

I have a 2005, and I'm content with it. When it goes, though, I'll get whatever's current. They clearly don't make them like they used to. And that's a good thing.

[tyrion]

I bought a 2005 Acura TSX last year. I wanted a stick shift simple car and didn't feel like spending money to buy a new one. Plus it's hard to find manual transmission cars these days.

The 2005 TSX is a nice combination of simple (non-turbo engine that Honda has made for years), safe (full airbags and stability control), and upscale (leather, sunroof, touchscreen navigation).

Sure, it lacks some of the newest safety features like automatic braking and dynamic cruise control. It was garage-kept so the paint should last quite a few years, even though it is no longer in the garage.

My local Honda dealer will service it. Much cheaper than the Acura dealer. Same engine that's in the Civic SI for those years.


So yeah, I don't think you're crazy for wanting to buy a simpler car. You do give up some of the automated safety features that make long drives safer and more enjoyable. Stuff that's old will start to break and need to be replaced. Low acquisition cost, higher annual maintenance cost.

[Tingting1013]

We have enough to buy whatever we want but I don't feel compelled spend $20-30k on a car... am I crazy?

Yes. Just lease something decent and you'll always have a warranty.

If you have the means, life is too short to drive old needy cars.

That's just silly.

Why is it silly?

Calculate the all-in cost on your history of used cars: price you ended up selling it for - purchase price - maintenance along the way.

I would bet that it comes out to at least $1,500 per year.

You can lease a brand new car for $2,000 per year these days.

[Trism]

We have enough to buy whatever we want but I don't feel compelled spend $20-30k on a car... am I crazy?

Yes. Just lease something decent and you'll always have a warranty.

If you have the means, life is too short to drive old needy cars.

That's just silly.

leasing gets a bad rap in every financial forum as you build no equity in the car.

But, for somebody like yourself, if you're fine with a bare-bones car, you can get plenty of good base models for under $300/month and effectively have a new car every 3 years. If you don't drive that much, you probably would not need a new set of tires and most car batteries should last 3 years. Spark plugs will definitely be fine.

It was not a silly suggestion at all.

Exactly. One idea:

If one can tolerate the vehicle, in states like CA and NJ where there are state EV credits/rebates people are getting 36-month leases on Chevrolet Bolts with two-digit lease payments (after rebate and $3,000 Costco incentive).

This guy is driving one for free after NJ rebate, Costco incentive and GM Buy Power credit card rewards:

https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/nj-bolt- ... 292881/108

Prices discussed in this thread are pre-CA rebate because the dealer doesn't want the liability of interpreting/explaining the State's program and eligibility requirements (which I understand are a pretty easy read if you make the time):

https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/ethanrs- ... 268018/406

Or maybe a Kia Forte ($99) or Soul ($149) + tax.

https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/ty-the-k ... d/295539/3

[vasaver]

Time to walk away from the internal combustion engine

Something like this for 6k

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sal ... d=218c50bd

Or a used Chevy Bolt (15k) will set you free.

Wipers, Washer Fluid, Brake Fluid...don't look back.

Electric cars are interesting now, and becoming more interesting every year.

But we sometimes take road trips where range is an issue. I'm not buying until an electric car is basically a one to one replacement with a gasoline car. I like being able to drive hundreds of miles in a day, with refueling taking five minutes.

(And yes, I know people with electric cars that like them).

Thanks for sharing. The Chevy Bolt has a range of 238-259 miles depending on the year. The original poster didn't specify being able to refuel in 5 minutes as a requirement, but it can add 100 miles in about 30 minutes with level 3 charging.

[Brianmcg321]

Lincoln Town Car or Mercury Grand Marquis. Nothing simpler than those. Lots of room too. If you find one with under 100k miles it will last you another ten years easily.

[Helo80]

I have a 2005, and I'm content with it. When it goes, though, I'll get whatever's current. They clearly don't make them like they used to. And that's a good thing.

Music to my ears b/c so many cars of yester-year are absolute junk by today's standards.

[Normchad]

I had a 2005 Accord that I’m ought new. It was a fantastically good car. And it had lots of airbags, and ESC.

I wouldn’t own a car now that doesn’t have ESC.

Anyhow, I did reluctantly sell it. I wasn’t comfortable driving it at night anymore because the headlights just didn’t cut it compared to HiD or LED.

So,I heartily recommend a 2005 Accord, as long as you drive it only in the day, and you get the model with ESC.

But really, if cost isn’t a big concern, leasing is a great idea.

[chrisam314]

I will likely buy a 4runner next mostly because of its simplicity. The engine and transmission are about as simple as they come. Despite the hemming and hawwing of the so called car experts and critics they continue to sell year after year mostly because of their bulletproof reliability. I would expect to get at least 20 years out of it, maybe more depending on how much off roading I choose to do.

I can't tell from your post if you want simple, or cheap. If what you want is cheap just got get a new Kia Rio ($12K) and run it 150K miles, rinse and repeat. If anything major goes just get a new one.

[SmallCityDave]

So you paid $4,400 for the 2015 car net after selling the 2007 car? Then you sold that and bought a 2011 car?

I think ChinchillaWhiplash is on to something. Buy a new reliable car from a dealer near you. Get an extended warranty. And try not to think about repair costs.

I don't think buying an older "simpler" car is likely to make you happy, per your OP. It will be less safe, and unless you are very lucky have issues anyway. But it is partly mindset. Given the utility I get from cars, paying 20k to 30k for one, and then keeping it running is a grand bargain to me.

I sold the 2007 for $5600 and bought the 2015 for $7000.

Part of the reason I don't want to buy new is because I'm not sure that will make me happy, been there done that.

[SmallCityDave]

We have enough to buy whatever we want but I don't feel compelled spend $20-30k on a car... am I crazy?

Yes. Just lease something decent and you'll always have a warranty.

If you have the means, life is too short to drive old needy cars.

That's just silly.

Why is it silly?

Calculate the all-in cost on your history of used cars: price you ended up selling it for - purchase price - maintenance along the way.

I would bet that it comes out to at least $1,500 per year.

You can lease a brand new car for $2,000 per year these days.

Which cars can you lease for $2000 a year?

[SmallCityDave]

To me, the increased cost of new cars is easily justified by the increase in safety. That may change over time, but safety improvements over the last several years have been significant.

I'm not terribly concerned about the safety aspect most cars built in the last 15 years are safe enough.

[Tingting1013]

We have enough to buy whatever we want but I don't feel compelled spend $20-30k on a car... am I crazy?

Yes. Just lease something decent and you'll always have a warranty.

If you have the means, life is too short to drive old needy cars.

That's just silly.

Why is it silly?

Calculate the all-in cost on your history of used cars: price you ended up selling it for - purchase price - maintenance along the way.

I would bet that it comes out to at least $1,500 per year.

You can lease a brand new car for $2,000 per year these days.

Which cars can you lease for $2000 a year?

Spend some time on leasehackr and you will find plenty of options. For example:

https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/ty-the-k ... ted/295539

[Jack FFR1846]

If you want something newer and really simple, try a 2016 Jeep Wrangler Sport. Both 2 and 4 door were available with the low tech 2 knob radio, no bluetooth crap, no communicating with the outside world, not even a backup camera. They were available with wind up windows and non power locks. Simple as you can get. You can go up from there with the power windows and locks and fancy schmancy radio, but I don't think you want that. I've got a 14 with wind up windows, no power locks, no key fob button....actually no key fob at all. It has stability control and ABS. 2017 was the first year with required backup camera and I'm not familiar with what Wranglers did for 17 and 18 JK series Wranglers. You can likely get a simple 2018 one with only the backup camera.

[rgs92]

You mentioned that you would not buy a car with a CVT. Many Nissans have them and those cars are very problem free, both from published reports and my own experience. CVTs seem very reliable. (CVT = continuously variable transmission.) So I would look at Nissans if reliability (and value) is the goal.

[SmallCityDave]

You mentioned that you would not buy a car with a CVT. Many Nissans have them and those cars are very problem free, both from published reports and my own experience. CVTs seem very reliable. (CVT = continuously variable transmission.) So I would look at Nissans if reliability (and value) is the goal.

Really? Nissan is the company that's made me questions cvt's and Nissan was my favorite car maker. I like the Altima and I frequent their forums but most people on their have very few good things to say about their transmissions.

https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALe ... f0Q4dUDCAw

[SmallCityDave]

I had a 2005 Accord that I’m ought new. It was a fantastically good car. And it had lots of airbags, and ESC.

I wouldn’t own a car now that doesn’t have ESC.

Anyhow, I did reluctantly sell it. I wasn’t comfortable driving it at night anymore because the headlights just didn’t cut it compared to HiD or LED.

So,I heartily recommend a 2005 Accord, as long as you drive it only in the day, and you get the model with ESC.

But really, if cost isn’t a big concern, leasing is a great idea.

The older I get the more I like good headlights, I didn't see a noticeable difference between my 2007 and 2015 but my son has a 2002 Civic and that's tough for me to see.

[tyrion]

I had a 2005 Accord that I’m ought new. It was a fantastically good car. And it had lots of airbags, and ESC.

I wouldn’t own a car now that doesn’t have ESC.

Anyhow, I did reluctantly sell it. I wasn’t comfortable driving it at night anymore because the headlights just didn’t cut it compared to HiD or LED.

So,I heartily recommend a 2005 Accord, as long as you drive it only in the day, and you get the model with ESC.

But really, if cost isn’t a big concern, leasing is a great idea.

The older I get the more I like good headlights, I didn't see a noticeable difference between my 2007 and 2015 but my son has a 2002 Civic and that's tough for me to see.

While newer light technologies are brighter, often the issue is that the plastic covering the headlights has deteriorated from sun exposure and become cloudy. This can be fixed - they sell simple kits for it. Basically you sand and smooth the plastic and reapply a UV protectant. I recently did this to 2 of my cars and both improved significantly. The car with regular headlights that I couldn't tell if they were on or not, well now I can tell.

[random_walker_77]

I have a 2005, and I'm content with it. When it goes, though, I'll get whatever's current. They clearly don't make them like they used to. And that's a good thing.

Music to my ears b/c so many cars of yester-year are absolute junk by today's standards.

Cars have been structurally improved over the years. By a lot. All the new IIHS tests, for partial overlap, small overlap, and side impact, have forced manufacturers to upgrade their designs to avoid the embarrassment of failing these tests.

See the video of a crash test between an old corolla and a newer corolla for a graphic illustration of how far we've come:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxDHuthGIS4

[palanzo]

You mentioned that you would not buy a car with a CVT. Many Nissans have them and those cars are very problem free, both from published reports and my own experience. CVTs seem very reliable. (CVT = continuously variable transmission.) So I would look at Nissans if reliability (and value) is the goal.

Nissan makes the worst CVTs. Go look at Scotty Kilmer.

[tibbitts]

Just buy an old truck....say a 1999 Dodge Ram diesel.
No plugs
Batteries (2), $75 each through AAA

If only I knew one for sale right now...oh, wait a minute...

I'm not aware of any automotive battery that costs $75, no matter where you buy it. AAA has fairly competitive prices on batteries, especially considering they come to you to replace them, but not $75.

[palanzo]

Just buy an old truck....say a 1999 Dodge Ram diesel.
No plugs
Batteries (2), $75 each through AAA

If only I knew one for sale right now...oh, wait a minute...

I'm not aware of any automotive battery that costs $75, no matter where you buy it. AAA has fairly competitive prices on batteries, especially considering they come to you to replace them, but not $75.

Here you go. A quick search.

https://costco.interstatebatteries.com/ ... Country=US

[iamblessed]

Just buy an old truck....say a 1999 Dodge Ram diesel.
No plugs
Batteries (2), $75 each through AAA

If only I knew one for sale right now...oh, wait a minute...

I'm not aware of any automotive battery that costs $75, no matter where you buy it. AAA has fairly competitive prices on batteries, especially considering they come to you to replace them, but not $75.

Local auto stores last time I checked wanted $130

[surfstar]

I have a feeling I'm in the minority here but I'm thinking about buying a simpler older car, I recently sold my (2007) car I really liked I had all the bugs worked out but the paint was starting to go and I didn't want to spend $3k.

I bought a 2015 car it had a transmission issue that I fixed but I lost confidence in the car so I sold it and bought a 2011 reading up a bit it has an issue (that's been improved) but the water-pump can go out prematurely and kill the engine. I spoke with my mechanic and he said it's a $2000+ job and he won't do it.

I do think cars have been improved drastically but $350 spark plug changes and $200-300+ batteries are crazy. I don't want a car with a turbo or cvt so that limits the vehicles by a fair amount, I was thinking of getting an older (2005-2010ish) low mileage Honda Accord, Toyota Camry or Avalon and spending a bit to get it in tip top shape.

We have enough to buy whatever we want but I don't feel compelled spend $20-30k on a car... am I crazy?

I think you're crazy.

You sold a car you liked b/c the paint was going bad. You seem to really like older, simpler cars and are most concerned about their reliability. You sold the known, that met that criteria. You then bought and sold another vehicle, and now have yet another one that has a water pump that *might* go out early and kill the engine. MIGHT.

You should have kept the 2007 and not cared about the paint.
Now you are worrying about something that *might* occur. If you are worried about things that potentially can happen, I would suggest a newer, safer, vehicle - as being in an accident will cause much more physical, emotional and financial harm than having a water pump go bad.

Your desire for "simplicity" seems complex.
You have the money. Either buy something new / with a warranty and enjoy it, or drive what you have and pay for any repairs that come up. Don't worry over something that isn't an issue. You have the money. People who worry about vehicle repairs are the ones that don't have the money to fix something sudden and could lose their job b/c they couldn't get to work. You're fine.
Flip a coin if you need help choosing.

[Tingting1013]

You have the money. Either buy something new / with a warranty and enjoy it, or drive what you have and pay for any repairs that come up. Don't worry over something that isn't an issue. You have the money. People who worry about vehicle repairs are the ones that don't have the money to fix something sudden and could lose their job b/c they couldn't get to work.

Sad but not unusual around here.

[batpot]

Not in the market, but this is really tempting:
https://jalopnik.com/you-can-get-a-bonk ... 1845082072

not a road trip car, but doesn't sound like you need that anyway.

[anoop]

Since all car threads must talk about Tesla, I thought I'd bring it up before anyone else.

Have you considered an electric car? Any electric car is going to be much simpler than any gas car.

VW just announced the ID.4 at $40K before credits.
https://www.vw.com/models/id4/section/colors/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHeJDelbW0E

Just keep in mind that an older car is going to be a lot less safer in both accident prevention and protection during an accident.

[FrugalInvestor]

I do think cars have been improved drastically but $350 spark plug changes and $200-300+ batteries are crazy.

My experience has been just the opposite. The last two cars I traded in or sold had 120,000 - 140,000 miles plus and both still had the original plugs. All I did on both of them was routine maintenance and tires. I did put a new $150 battery in one of them. Since I do most of the routine maintenance myself my cost of maintenance is very low. I don't follow the maintenance recommendations of car dealer, I go by the manufacturer's recommendations.

[rgs92]

You mentioned that you would not buy a car with a CVT. Many Nissans have them and those cars are very problem free, both from published reports and my own experience. CVTs seem very reliable. (CVT = continuously variable transmission.) So I would look at Nissans if reliability (and value) is the goal.

Nissan makes the worst CVTs. Go look at Scotty Kilmer.

Uh-oh. Thanks. (I have followed Scotty for years but missed this. Mine has been going fine with the CVT and zero problems for about 3+ years, but I'll read up on it.)

[palanzo]

You mentioned that you would not buy a car with a CVT. Many Nissans have them and those cars are very problem free, both from published reports and my own experience. CVTs seem very reliable. (CVT = continuously variable transmission.) So I would look at Nissans if reliability (and value) is the goal.

Nissan makes the worst CVTs. Go look at Scotty Kilmer.

Uh-oh. Thanks. (I have followed Scotty for years but missed this. Mine has been going fine with the CVT and zero problems for about 4 years, but I'll read up on it.)

Happy to help. Scotty says in his experience Honda and Toyota makes the best CVTs by far.

[rgs92]

Thanks again. Maybe I'm just happy because it's just nice having a car that doesn't have the weird nightmarish issues/expensive repairs I suffered through with the Benz I used to have...

[wallygator]

You mentioned that you would not buy a car with a CVT. Many Nissans have them and those cars are very problem free, both from published reports and my own experience. CVTs seem very reliable. (CVT = continuously variable transmission.) So I would look at Nissans if reliability (and value) is the goal.

Really? Nissan is the company that's made me questions cvt's and Nissan was my favorite car maker. I like the Altima and I frequent their forums but most people on their have very few good things to say about their transmissions.

https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALe ... f0Q4dUDCAw

I wanted to buy a Nissan and my Japanese Mechanic told me if I did not to bring it to him. It was about 6 years ago. He had one that Nissan couldn't fix and the owner asked him to look at it. It was less than 2 years old and Nissan was giving him the run around. It was having all types of electrical problems and he couldn't figure out the problem. He told me to but anything with a toyota 4cylinder engine. Best engine ever made.

Also I have a Lexus Rx330 2004. 5 years ago I got a recall saying they would replace my dashboard because they were cracking. It was 10 years out of warranty. I didn't care bout a cover for it. Was afraid new one would rattle/squeak. rx33o has 160k on it not one issue other than dasboard....

Honda has lost my respect for the oil dilution issue and not owning up to it.

If you can find an older Rx330 or 350 or camry rav4 I would go for it without hesitation.

W