Tuesday, June 12, 2012

I miss my Jaguar...

My car is totalled.

Like totally.

And it makes me really sad because I really did love that car.



This is what my car looked like.  It's not my car, but it's the twin of my car.  Even the paint job is the exact same.  I loved.  I really did.  It made me super happy to drive it.

Admittedly, it cost more to fix than I would have liked when I did have a couple of repair issues.  Even changing the oil was an expensive proposition.

But still...

It was the first time I had a car that was a car that I wanted to drive, not a car I had to drive, or a car I bought because it made the most sense for my family.

I loved the big sun roof, and the way the leather seats were so comfortable.  I loved how it handled turns.  It was just a really fun car to drive.

Now I'm back to square one of wondering what I should buy.  And honestly, I've never bought a car 100% without any help or input from anyone else.  I am a little nervous to make such a big decision all on my own.  It feels weird.

So...

Here's where I ask for opinions and advice;

I am considering all of the following

I can probably afford to buy a brand new one of these types of cars:


Nissan Cube


Scion


Kia Soul


The practical aspects of these choices would be:  good gas mileage, affordable NEW car, less worry about repair costs, warranty for at least the first few years, kinda cute, probably a workable type of car for most of the kind of driving I usually engage in.

the downside:  not a luxury car, not going to handle like a luxury car, not going to age like a luxury car, no cache whatsoever.  


I'm also considering these:


There is a black S type like this at one of the dealerships near me right now that I could maybe swing.  It's more than I want to spend though.  But it's beautiful.
It has about 50,000 miles on it.  


This is at the same dealership right now.  It's a Mercedes Wagon.  It's a little older and it has something like 60,000 miles on it.  But it's pretty affordable.  Cheaper than any of the options I've presented here in this page.


I do like the look and feel of the Passat.  I could probably get one that's a couple of years old.  They are good cars and they do have a European feel and styling even though they are a step down from a true luxury car.



I can afford to get something like this if it's old enough and has enough miles on it - but usually to be affordable for me the mileage starts approaching 70,000.




Ditto on these.  


The upside of the luxury cars:  Still decent gas mileage, but not as good as the smaller new cars above.  Nice handling, some cache, sunroof (you would think this would be of minor importance to me, but it's actually a big deal...I adore the sun and I love the air when it's not too hot to have it open).

The obvious downsides:  expensive repairs, cars with higher mileage.


What to do?  What to do?  

Opinions appreciated.



6 comments:

Christina Martinez said...

As my husband the mechanic would say, "NO TO BEAMERS."

I Am Boymom said...

We have had excellent experiences with every Nissan we have had. We are on our third one now. First one, bought new (Altima)was totaled in a wreck but had almost 100K on it with zero mechanical problems. Second was a Nissan Sentra that we traded with 137K miles on it (we drove it for 9 yrs) and only had one issue with the AC that whole time which was covered under warranty. Now we have a 3 yr old Altima with 80K miles, just had a small oil leak that was repaired, first problem we've had with this car. Nissans run for freaking ever!

Suzanne Barker said...

So...I love cars and actually am always evaluated them. I drove a Soul as a rental. It didn't do much for me. I have actually really liked all the Nissans I've rented. Decent cars.
As you know, I own a Passat. I like it, but repairs are somewhat pricey. Having done the car as a single woman all these years, I would recommend either a low mileage (less than 30,000) used car or a new one with warranty. A warranty is a very useful thing. It's awfully nice to be able to drive your car and not have to worry about car repairs for awhile.
I would advise something inexpensive now and wait until you are done with grad school to do the sunroof, luxury thing.
Those are my thougts!

Anonymous said...

What happened to your car? It must be hard for you to give up on your car, but that’s life! Anyway, I hope you were able to find another car that you’ll love like your Jaguar.

-Sara Anthony

Carry Demaggio said...

Oh, it was really devastating to see your beloved car getting totaled. The time will come that our cars will come to that point. It’s better to have a new one than constantly spending cash on repairs hoping that it will do well or perhaps even better.

Ellsworth said...

Seems like you're having difficulties in choosing between a cuteness and finesse. If you would consider cuteness, the Kia Soul, I think, would be perfect for you. If you would like to have a more more elegant looking car, the S type probably. If you ask me though, I'd pick the Kia -- mainly for its affordability, and even pre-owned it's still a good deal.

Ellsworth Mciltro

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