"how many other cars he could have bought with the money spent on parts and maintenance"

ProDarwin wrote: I'd spend a car payment on lawn service/home repairs long before I'd get a nice car (I really should do this).

This... X1,000!

dropstep wrote:

mad_machine wrote:

dropstep wrote: For me old beaters will always come out ahead because my daily round trip is only 4 miles and i enjoy older cars.

if my commute was only 4 miles.. I would be bicycling to work on a regular basis. I could do it now at 12 miles away, but I would get killed on the one stretch of road I have to use to get there

Its hard to drop two 8 year olds off at school on a bike. I occasionally bike and really want another enduro but 4 wheels and 4 seats are required for 5 days a week.

Or two more bikes. Every 8yr old should have one already.

Huckleberry wrote:

dropstep wrote:

mad_machine wrote:

dropstep wrote: For me old beaters will always come out ahead because my daily round trip is only 4 miles and i enjoy older cars.

if my commute was only 4 miles.. I would be bicycling to work on a regular basis. I could do it now at 12 miles away, but I would get killed on the one stretch of road I have to use to get there

Its hard to drop two 8 year olds off at school on a bike. I occasionally bike and really want another enduro but 4 wheels and 4 seats are required for 5 days a week.

Or two more bikes. Every 8yr old should have one already.

They do. But they get off the bus in the evening.we ride plenty its just not real practical for my daily transport. Gets even worse in the winter.

I'd really like to restore the interior of my Volvo 240 but it has 300k and I'd hate to put 20+ hours and about $300 into interior if the motor or transmission is about to go. Both are giving no indication they are, other than seeping fluid, but at 300k miles I wonder how much I am on borrowed time. I really like the car, appreciate the simplicity of the mechanics most I can do myself and if it's out of my handle the local wrench charge isn't much because jobs are simple..

I guess the best way is to make a plan. I plan to take this car to 350k; I've got new tires, new brakes and rotors, new bushings, spark plugs, wires, shocks. I just gotta think how much money that 50k miles is worth to me and plan parts accordingly...

Anything over 250k is bonus mileage IMO. If I'm buying anything in that mileage range I'm basically expecting to replace the drivetrain and budget accordingly.

Of course, it has to be a car I really like driving.