Need Advice

[tegguy]

Everyone I need some advice. I recently accepted a job that is going to require me to drive 75 miles one way to work (about 35,000 miles a year). I currently have a 2009 INFINITI G37s that I love. I currently owe a little over 19k on the car it's got 49,000 miles on it and it's in like new condition. Book trade on it is around 22k.

What I need advice/opinions on is should I keep the INIFINTI and put the miles on it or should I get out of it now and get a cheaper car (under 10k)? I have been looking at cars and of course nothing compares to the infinity but you can see the ones I've been looking at in the links below

2006 VW Golf GTI 102000 miles (no link)
http://daytonatoyota.com/2000-Honda-Civ ... d/14241202
http://www.bigmazda.com/used/Mitsubishi ... 5a4010.htm
http://www.davidmauschevrolet.com/used/ ... 74029a.htm
http://autonationacurasanford.com/Orlan ... /18282141/
http://www.orlandokianorth.com/used-Orl ... 353R102730
http://www.mullinaxford.com/detail-2007 ... 39859.html
http://www.toyotaoforlando.com/used/Sci ... 8ac96a.htm
http://www.classicmazda.com/used/Chevro ... bb7812.htm
http://cogginhondaorlando.com/Orlando-F ... /18128433/
http://www.sanfordhonda.com/2007-Chevro ... d/14355075

[frapjap]

Depends- where do you live? What are the conditions? How are the roads? Do you REALLY like the seats in the G? Were you planning on keeping the G before this job?

[elwesso]

Honestly you already have that car, so I'd put the miles on that. Out of all those cars, you're certainly not going to enjoy being in as much as the G.

I drive about 25-30k miles a year, and let me tell you, you don't want to spend that much time in a car you hate driving. There's no way a Honda Civic, Eclipse, Matrix, Focus, Mazda 3, Scion TV, Chevy cobalt (that shouldn't even be a consideration )

Realistically, don't worry about the value of the G. It will be a reliable vehicle and should last 300k miles easy, so drive the wheels off it and keep it forever.

[tegguy]

Depends- where do you live? What are the conditions? How are the roads? Do you REALLY like the seats in the G? Were you planning on keeping the G before this job?

I live in Florida I'll be driving from Orlando (basically) to Ocala every day. Roads are decent it will be back roads but last time I drove them they were maintained pretty good. I do like the seats in the G I drove 350 miles one day straight and it didn't bother my back at all. I was planning on keeping the G but then I accepted this job.

Realistically, don't worry about the value of the G. It will be a reliable vehicle and should last 300k miles easy, so drive the wheels off it and keep it forever.

This is my first Nissan product I've owned so I'm worried about if something goes wrong with the car (they aren't exactly cheap to fix) but I maintain my vehicles the best I can and this would get an oil change every month (basically 3000 miles) and wash/wax regularly. The only thing is tires aren't cheap at 1000 a set but I can live with it. The gas mileage isn't the best either at around 22-25 highway and premium fuel but that's not playing a big role in my decision either. It's the value loss and the miles.

[elwesso]

If you maintain your car properly and keep fresh fluids in it (that's most important), it will treat you fine. The G seems to be very reliable, and you have us here so we should be able to help out if something seems to be going wrong. They are expensive to fix if you go to the dealer, but if you can do some things yourself or at least do your homework before you just take it to the dealer, they can be pretty manageable.

Honestly, a car like the G is probably never going to be a collector car, so really the only way you're truly going to get the full value out of it is by driving it. Just because it's worth more than you owe doesn't mean it's a good idea to sell it...

If you wanted to sell it, I'd get something that was a little bit more comfortable that you might enjoy being in.. If you hate being in the car, you will probably stop caring as much if you get 30MPG vs 25MPG.

[tegguy]

Thanks elwesso. I'm still under Bumper to Bumper warranty for another month and have more time on the power train warranty. The problem is finding something comfortable for cheap (so far the GTI was the most comfortable)

Also I should note I'm hoping to only do this drive for a year and then transfer to a closer facility.

[elwesso]

I'd still keep it, if you're at 50k now in a year you'll be at 80k or so.. Even 80k for a 5 year old car is still not considered high miles, maybe just a little above average (16k/year).

[tegguy]

I'm considering driving it at least for a month or two and re-evaluate then. I just don't want to have to part with the car and be upside down in it.

[300ZXttZMAN]

I say you drive it... You aren't up north so you don't have to worry with rust, the G37 is unmodified (i'm assuming) so there is no point in not driving.

Not driving the car because you don't want to put miles on it is like not sleeping with your wife so that its better for the next guy. (in this given situation IMHO)

[tegguy]

I say you drive it... You aren't up north so you don't have to worry with rust, the G37 is unmodified (i'm assuming) so there is no point in not driving.

Not driving the car because you don't want to put miles on it is like not sleeping with your wife so that its better for the next guy. (in this given situation IMHO)

You are correct the G37 is stock. It wouldn't be sitting it will either be driven or traded.

[300ZXttZMAN]

Yea I think you should just drive it. Its comfortable, halfwayish payed for and fairly reliable.

[OriginalWheelman]

Have you considered moving to Ocala? I estimate you're going to spend about $500 a month on fuel, might be worth it to move even if you have to pay a little more for housing. Not to mention the time investment.

[gwoods]

I sold my 2007 G35 sedan on craigslist last October for $12,000 cash and 127k miles don't worry about resale. The car had zero problems so reliabiltiy won't be an issue. They are fantastic cars to drive nothing else on your list is going to bring the driving enjoyment or ownership experience of the G

[300ZXttZMAN]

I sold my 2007 G35 sedan on craigslist last October for $12,000 cash and 127k miles don't worry about resale. The car had zero problems so reliabiltiy won't be an issue. They are fantastic cars to drive nothing else on your list is going to bring the driving enjoyment or ownership experience of the G

Exactly. I hardly hear of issues with them and if there is an issue its likely the nav unit messing up and that is it.

[tegguy]

Have you considered moving to Ocala? I estimate you're going to spend about $500 a month on fuel, might be worth it to move even if you have to pay a little more for housing. Not to mention the time investment.

My wife works for the same company but in their Orlando facility so moving isn't an option.

I currently owe almost 20k on my car and book on it is 22k if I'm lucky. The small margin is why I'm worried about resale.

[gwoods]

If your worried about resale take care of the car, keep it clean, keep it waxed, change the oil, service the transmission and fix every single little thing that breaks. I once replaced one of the vents because the little plastic/chrome accent fell off. I replaced the bezel around the window switch in the back because one of my kids scratched it up. Determine you are going to keep the car looking new and you will resell it quickly.

I would rather buty a 8 year old car with 130k miles that looks like it was taken care of with a stack of records then a 8 year old car with 50k miles that looks used and dirty.

Here is what my 6 year old car with 127k miles looked like about 2 days before I sold it. Water beaded on it like it was made from wax.

[OriginalWheelman]

He's right about resale. As long as you take care of it, the resale will still be good. You're looking at about 40k miles a year. How many years do you have left on the loan?

[tegguy]

First let me say I think I'm going to keep the INFINITI.

I have a long time left on the loan either 4 or 5 years I bought this car in college (hind sight is always 20/20) but if I didn't take this job I wasn't planning on parting with the car anytime soon. I do really enjoy the car it's fun to drive and comfortable. To this day it's in close to brand new condition.

[gwoods]

Mine made me smile every single day and never left me stranded...

[nissangirl74]

I would definitely keep it. Did you buy it as an investment or as transportation? DRIVE IT.

[OriginalWheelman]

Keep it. You're going to be upside down in the loan for about 2 years, but after a while the mileage stops mattering so much. Besides, if you sell it and then get transferred back in a year you will regret it. You'll be putting highway miles on it, which are super easy on it. Keep it, keep it nice, and when you're out of the loan it will have 180k miles on it. Being that new and that high mileage makes it a little easier to sell in some cases as it pretty much MUST be highway miles and it becomes all about the condition of the car.

[tegguy]

Alright decision has been made I'm keeping the INFINITI and either driving it or buying a $2,000 beater if the wife will let me

[gwoods]

A $2000 car that will cost $3000 a year to keep running? And when your driving the $2000 you will be sad because you could be driving your G instead.

[tegguy]

A $2000 car that will cost $3000 a year to keep running? And when your driving the $2000 you will be sad because you could be driving your G instead.

A Honda or Acura for $2000 will not require anywhere near 3K a year to keep running. All 3 Acura's I've owned required routine maintenance only and the lowest miles on them was 279000. I will be sad I'm not driving the G but I will be happy I'm keeping the miles off the G not to mention rock chips and bug damage and stuff.

[OriginalWheelman]

They're is no such thing as a $2,000 car that will save you money. I'm getting ready to unload my Civic cheap because it's ugly. It's 9 years old, 109k on it, it's a DX, and it's still 2k cheaper than the other comparable Civics online at $4500. $2,000 you're gonna end up with an already high mileage undependable car that needs work before you can even drive it.

[tegguy]

They're is no such thing as a $2,000 car that will save you money. I'm getting ready to unload my Civic cheap because it's ugly. It's 9 years old, 109k on it, it's a DX, and it's still 2k cheaper than the other comparable Civics online at $4500. $2,000 you're gonna end up with an already high mileage undependable car that needs work before you can even drive it.

Once again I disagree I've been into Acura's for the last 10+ years always 92 and 93 models and have never had one leave me stranded or cost very much to operate. Not to mention an older car is easier to do maintenance on if they do require it.

[Bubba1]

They're is no such thing as a $2,000 car that will save you money. I'm getting ready to unload my Civic cheap because it's ugly. It's 9 years old, 109k on it, it's a DX, and it's still 2k cheaper than the other comparable Civics online at $4500. $2,000 you're gonna end up with an already high mileage undependable car that needs work before you can even drive it.

Once again I disagree I've been into Acura's for the last 10+ years always 92 and 93 models and have never had one leave me stranded or cost very much to operate. Not to mention an older car is easier to do maintenance on if they do require it.

Even cars with excellent reputations like Acura can be dogs if not maintained properly by its previous owners. And those 1992-1993 are now 20+ years old and will be rare to find an original Acura owner of that vintage with complete maintenance records. And things that don't normally wear out on 5 yr old Infinitis will be absolutely be wearing out on 20+ yr old Acuras. Don't kid yourself.

That said, when dealing with a long commute, comfort is more important than getting an extra 10 mpg. Since you said have no comfort issues with long trips in your Infiniti, plus you have several years left on your loan for it, plus I presume it's been reliable, plus your G is not going to be a collectible in the foreseeable future, so using it for a long term, long distance commuter is a no-brainer. You should get many years of reliable service out of it even with all those miles as long as you keep up on the preventative maintenance and not beat the snot out of it. In fact, you'd be surprised how many extra mpg's you can add with a few hypermiler driving habits.

Now having a back up car when dealing with a long commute is a very wise idea.Makes it much easier when something has to be done to your primary vehicle. I would advise against a cheapie beater but instead seek something that will do things your car and your wife's car can't do. For example, if your wife also drives a sedan, perhaps this is a good opportunity for a little SUV or pickup. Of course if you're an enthusiast, it represents a golden opportunity for a little sports car.

Your infiniti is gonna depreciate no matter what you do or how far you drive it, so you might as well maximize your use/comfort and drive the wheels off of it. It ain't a V12 Ferrari. It's an infiniti

As info, I had a 70+ mile commute for over 20 years, so I have some experience with this stuff. Good luck

[tegguy]

Even cars with excellent reputations like Acura can be dogs if not maintained properly by its previous owners. And those 1992-1993 are now 20+ years old and will be rare to find an original Acura owner of that vintage with complete maintenance records. And things that don't normally wear out on 5 yr old Infinitis will be absolutely be wearing out on 20+ yr old Acuras. Don't kid yourself.

Why this is true I have owned 90-93 Acuras for over 10 years and have a really good idea of what to watch out for on them and mistakes people make with them. They are easy to fix and parts are widely available.

For example, if your wife also drives a sedan, perhaps this is a good opportunity for a little SUV or pickup. Of course if you're an enthusiast, it represents a golden opportunity for a little sports car.

Let me just breakdown the vehicles I currently own although not all drive
2009 Acura TL Tech - Wife's Car
2009 INFINTI G37s - My car
2004 Dodge ram quad cab long bed truck
1972 Chevrolet Chevelle
1955 Ford Thunderbird
1969 Triumph TR6
2002 Yamaha Yzf-R1
1992 Acura Integra (Needs some work since it's been sitting for a long time in storage that I don't have time to get to right now and it's in storage with the Thunderbird 45 minutes away and isn't a feasible option as a backup car)

[Bubba1]

Nice collection. But it appears you've already got a nice spare vehicle with the Ram. It might guzzle gas in comparison to your other vehicles, but whenever your G needs service, it'll work. Plus if your wife's commute is shorter and she can drive the big Ram, then you could use the TL on the mega commute on those days and save on gas.

then the 'teg could be made into a nice track day car at your leisure.

[tegguy]

Nice collection. But it appears you've already got a nice spare vehicle with the Ram. It might guzzle gas in comparison to your other vehicles, but whenever your G needs service, it'll work. Plus if your wife's commute is shorter and she can drive the big Ram, then you could use the TL on the mega commute on those days and save on gas.

then the 'teg could be made into a nice track day car at your leisure.

If I lent the wife my Ram it would come back with so many dents it wouldn't be funny.......