Most of you know my appetite for cars. I've always enjoyed having different cars and trying different things. But here I sit with a green light to buy, and I can't think of anything I truly want to buy.
My stable consists of a 2012 Ford F-350 dually gasser, a 2010(?) BMW 328xi 6spd, and a 1977 Jeep CJ-7 restomod (currently for sale). Once the Jeep sells I'll have just the F-350 and BMW. If I were to buy something, budget would be $20k. I've racked my brain, from the low end (I'd buy both the Oddity minivan and $3k NC currently in the GRM Marketplace if I could rationalize it) all the way up to a nearly new Mazda CX-30 or nice BMW/MB and I can't justify anything.
I'm moving to a condo and only have two parking spaces, anything else goes in storage. I travel 35-40 weeks per year, so my car(s) mostly sit in airport parking or in my garage. With my move, I'll be 500 miles away from my kids so I plan to drive once or twice a month to see them, and my FIL. We'll have our monster size dog with us. My wife and I rarely have a need for 2 cars to be used at once...we are either together (she travels with me) or just one of us is going somewhere, such as the grocery store.
My F-350 is the tow pig for my RV and can double as a back up daily on the rare occasion that we need a car at the same time. We both like my 328xi. Despite having 290,000 miles it runs fabulous. While not ideal for the dog, we're going to buy/make something to turn the back seat area into a larger dog bed for her. The car can do the jobs of primary daily driver, airport runner, FL to GA runner and once-in-a-blue-moon HPDE car.
With that, I just can't come up with anything I'd want to add/replace in the fleet. Huh...this just feels so weird.
buzzboy
UltraDork
11/11/24 4:12 p.m.
Three is a nice number.
I am a car keeper and I sometimes look to my friends with jealousy when they're buying and selling cars often. There's always something "new" in the driveway and new is exciting. But I enjoy the stability of the three cars I currently own. My wife also has three cars with maybe a bit more overlap...
In reply to buzzboy :
Not even three, it's going to be two. I'm selling my Jeep for the simple reason that I don't drive it
If you live in an apartment and you travel a lot, an additional car is just a liability and source of stress. So is swapping out cars.
This is not a very GRM thing to say, but here's my suggestion: don't buy anything.
If the F-350 and 328xi can do everything you want/need to do and you would have to pay for storage on a 3rd car, maybe you just drive what you have.
Maybe consider taking the $20k in funds you currently have (or however much it might be), investing those funds in something lucrative and when it comes time to replace one of your current vehicles, buy accordingly. Or just keep the money around until you run across something you really want.
Alternately, head to your local dealerships and drive all the things until you find something you really enjoy. Be careful with this route, it'll likely hurt your wallet long term (it hurts my wallet just thinking about the number of times this cost me boatloads of money).
Liking what you already own is a good problem to have. I'd hold onto what you have until it became a good idea financially to start swapping things out (which likely won't happen until something fails in spectacular fashion).
In reply to SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) :
Have you played in the EV-world yet?
calteg
UltraDork
11/11/24 5:49 p.m.
If you physically can't drive it 76.9% of the time, it sounds like a waste of $20k
John Welsh said:
In reply to SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) :
Have you played in the EV-world yet?
I love EVs, however with me likely doing a 500 mile each way drive once or twice per month they don't really fit my needs.
I can understand not wanting to add another car if life's circumstances give you no chance to enjoy it.
What is the Turo selection like near you? Mix it up a bit, try something new every road trip. Under $20k
Clearly you need to sell the CJ and the BMW, that will force the issue. Let the small issues with an older BMW get to you.
akylekoz said:
Clearly you need to sell the CJ and the BMW, that will force the issue. Let the small issues with an older BMW get to you.
That's the thing. CJ is definitely going. If I were to sell the BMW, what do I get? It really doesn't have any issues.
Sonic
UberDork
11/12/24 9:41 a.m.
For all the highway driving you are going to do, you need a road sofa that also doesn't suck to drive. Something like a Lexus LS460 or Mercedes S class.
Find a budget classic you can drive and call it an investment.
I hate to say it but you may be becoming a responsible adult...
APEowner said:
I hate to say it but you may be becoming a responsible adult...
It's not too late for him.
We are here to help, I'll offer to help make bad decisions even drink too much if you think it will help.
Do not go gentle into that good night
Of adult responsibility but rather
Buy, buy another car for your delight.
Spend the cash on rental race car racing, or nicer track day rentals, so the daily need not be endangered.
With travel and other things, having multiple cars is always a stressor. Plus it's not fun to buy a new car and then have it sit in storage. Maybe look at how you can use the funds to improve a car you already have like the BMW.
Ok, I'll take an outside shot...
You are describing the application of a sport wagon. Good for long trips, groceries, and a larger dog.
18-20 Buick Regal Tour-x ?
Gets you some nice highway gobble features like adaptive cruise. 250hp Awd, 30mpg highway.
With some attention can look like this.
I've always keeping my eyes open, I just can't make a good case for replacing my BMW right now. I'm happy with it, the only thing it can't do well is transport the dog.
It sounds like if you were to buy a car right now it would be to replace the 328, so it would need to be something that fills that role but that you like more than the 328. That could just be a case of "you'll want something when you happen to come across the right something".
I know I posted about it last month when we got it, but we REALLY like the '23 CX-5 Carbon Edition we picked up last month. BOSE, leather, sunroof, plenty of space, even with AWD knocks down 30+ on the hwy with the cheap stuff, lots of glass so you have great visibility. Although at 30k miles, it's still a tad over your budget. We paid $25k for it.
