new guy 2007 yaris 202,000 miles!!

[swidd]

Even if you spend $200/month on maintenance, its still cheaper than financing or leasing a new car... :)

[Kal-El]

Originally Posted by swidd

Even if you spend $200/month on maintenance, its still cheaper than financing or leasing a new car... :)

The things you have to weigh though is piece of mind, convenience, and other superficial things.

An old car will always be cheaper even if you're continually dumping money into repairs. However, after a while it just becomes a pain in the ass. I like getting as many miles as I can out of a car (last one was 254,000 miles when I traded). After $1000 repairs every 4-6 months and never knowing if you might break down really weighs on you. Never mind that there's always things that break and you won't always fix if it isn't necessary to operate the car. My last car had blown speakers (all but one was out), and a number of other annoyances that wasn't worth fixing on a 13 year old car with 1/4 million miles on it.

On the other hand, a newer car has all the comforts intact and gives you the confidence that you won't need any major repairs for a long time and will always get to where you need to go. Plus its got all the newest technologies and conveniences that make life a little more enjoyable.

THAT is what you are paying for in a new car payment.