Should I trade my 08 for an 11???

[vabelleintn]

OK...I am seeking opinions from anyone who has traded in an 08 Rogue for an 11 Rogue. I have one of the first 08's (Bought in September of 2007) and have a major case of new car fever. My 08 has been a bit of a problem child, and with 75K miles on it I have a sense that something major is right around the corner. That being said, the car is long paid for and right now isn't in need of any work. Just a tank of gas every couple of weeks. I have seen the 11 and it looks similar. I don't have any major complaints about the 08, probably the blind spots are my only issue. I can still get a pretty good trade-in on the 08 and strike a good deal on the 11 with the 12's right around the corner. Comments and thoughts are welcome.

[kerrton]

That is the age-old question when it comes to vehicles, when to trade up and when to hold on. I believe if you graph it out, there is a "sweet spot" when your car is old enough that you've gotten good value out of it, but it's new enough that you still have good resale or trade-in value, and you haven't gotten to the point where work is required such as brakes, exhaust etc which can get costly. Should you hold on and put cash into maintaining the current car, or spend a lot more cash on a newer vehicle.

The problem is there are so many intangibles that can't be calculated, like how much more enjoyment will you get out of a new vehicle vs. keeping the old one. If you hate the current car and would love the new one, then spening the cash may be worth it.

In this case I'd lean towards keeping the Rogue, considering you're looking at replacing it with the same car with a few tech upgrades. The 2011 Rogue will still have the same blind spot that you don't like, the same powertrain and will basically feel the same to drive on a daily basis.
If you want to replace it with another Rogue, I'd recommend waiting until next year when the completely redesigned 2013 model comes out, or at least until the details are released so you can decide if you like the new model. My guess is the 2013 will blow the current model out of the water, and if you buy the 2011 now you may be looking to upgrade again when the 2013's come out, as they will almost certainly have MAJOR upgrades including powertrain - it could include a low displacement turbo, or a redesigned OR25 that could be quieter, smoother and more efficient, and I am almost certian the CVT will be completely new and most likely more perfected than the current model.

Another option is to look at the recently redesigned options from competitors such as the highly touted Kia and Hyundai, or the upcoming completely new Mazda crossover options which look amazing and are close to arriving.

Lots of options to consider and tons of personal preference here, it is no easy decision!!

[casperfun]

Heck, life is short. Do what makes you happy. Who says you can't trade every year if that what your heart says.

This is the same problem with the Apple Iphone crowd....or computers in general.

Live for today. live in the moment.

Usually, when I have to ask myself a question of should I......then I should. Bite the bullet and feel better about it tommorrow.

[kerrton]

Yeah that's good advice for most people, it depends on your personality though and it's a big difference if you're just purchasing something with cash vs. taking out a loan and committing to years of montly payments like the majority of people who purchase vechicles. If you're like me, you make a snap decision for the "fun" factor which is exciting, then you're stuck making monthly payments for years later and after a year, 2, 3 years of payments you start to really regret it and it's the opposite of fun! It's a personal decision, depends also on where you're at in your life, I've got two small kids, actually one is only 4 months old so committing to new payments is not smart but 10 years down the road I'll have a lot less to worry about.

I think the specific thing I'd focus on is the fact that the redesigned Rogue is due out soon, so if you're looking for fun then the new model will probably fit the bill, whereas the 2011 will feel outdated very soon compared to the new offering.

[kerrton]

....and one more major point to consider, your 2008 Rogue has the 10 year/200,000 km CVT trans warranty, I don't believe the 2011 has this extended warranty, so this adds a lot of value to your current 08 model considering a new CVT is around $5000....just one more thing to consider.

[philipa_240sx]

your 2008 Rogue has the 10 year/200,000 km CVT trans warranty, I don't believe the 2011 has this extended warranty

The extended CVT warranty only covers 2003-2010 model year vehicles:

http://www.nissanassist.com/web/CVT/index.php?menu=8

[TaiLuu]

Don't get a 11 go get a 12.
You could wait 4 months can't you?

[vabelleintn]

....and one more major point to consider, your 2008 Rogue has the 10 year/200,000 km CVT trans warranty, I don't believe the 2011 has this extended warranty, so this adds a lot of value to your current 08 model considering a new CVT is around $5000....just one more thing to consider.

Thanks Everyone for the advice...And double thanks to Kerrton, I hadn't thought about the extended warrenty on the CVT as a positive point, but it is. I am leaning towards hanging on to the 08.

[kerrton]

You're welcome.

One last thought - an ideal time to revisit this may be next year around this time, because you'll be able to evaluate the newly redesigned 2013 Rogue including pricing, options, styling and powertrain, and compare it to the clearout deals on the 2012's. With the new model arriving the deals on the 2012's will likely be much better than this year's 2011 clearout.

[johny_maple]

" but 10 years down the road I'll have a lot less to worry about." Think again by figuring out how old they will be by then. Been there three times.
As for the 10 year warranty, I understand it does not apply to the 2011 models because the problem has been fixed, at least that's what our dealer told us.
I would wait for the 2012.

[casperfun]

Personally I'd keep the car for 10 years. But if you do have a case of new car fever, I don't see a real big difference between a 2011 and a 2012. I was in a similiar situation when I got my 2009 at the end of August. Then a few weeks later the 2010 came into the showrooms. Never did I have buyers remorse and I didn't feel the differences were so dramatic. No matter what, a new car is a new car to me.

Heck, is milk that expires 2 days later really better or the bread in the back of the bag any fresher? I think this is what these big companies today are trying to get the consumer to focus that next years model is the best thing since slice bread and you should have it. Brainwashing I think. I didn't even own the Nissan Rogue barely a year and my dealership is already sending me junk mail about getting a great deal on trading my Rogue in for a newer model. I think that's adsurd.

Back to the topic.

Moreover, you presumeably get the end of the month and last 2011 end model year deals. So some money can be saved. So if you wanna save a few bucks, you definitely get more bang for the buck on a 2011. Less so a on 2012 and even worse on a 2013 if you wait a year.

Lastly, you did complain about the blind spot and I heard the future models will have the bird-eye-view if those blind spots during parking are a problem.

Here is also an opinion I found online by some auto writer:

2012 Nissan Rogue Buying Advice
By Chuck Giametta
Last Updated: Aug 2, 2011

Should you wait for the 2012 Nissan Rogue or buy a 2012 Nissan Rogue? Buy a 2011 Rogue. The 2012 Rogue could enjoy another round of features-enhancement but isn’t apt to change enough to compel you to wait. The 2011 Rogue locks in place the look this crossover will wear until its model-year 2014 redesign, so its styling will have a longer shelf life than the 2012’s. And you’ll be able to bask in the glow of your freshened SUV before all-new versions of the category’s top two sellers -- the 2012 Ford Escape and 2012 Honda CR-V – threaten to steal the scene.

[kerrton]

If weren't happy with the Rogue and wanted to look elsewhere for example Hyundai, Toyota etc I can see that, but to trade in an 08 Rogue for a 2011 is basically replacing the car with a copy (other than a few techno upgrades provided you buy a higher trim level or package) - that's a lot of cash to get into the same car that already have!

[4Foot]

Vabellitin: I just traded in my '08 SL AWD for the same model, (now SV AWD) last week. I almost took it back when I realised that it did not have paddle shifters, which I loved and used a lot. However, the car is much tighter to drive, seems peppy enough and is touted to get better mileage. A spoiler on the back helps in this regard. The new in dash digital info centre with it's fuel economy computer is useful but kind of annoying when you put your foot into it but other than that, all good.
To be honest, I had the same thoughts as you, big expenses coming, so when they came up with 0% interest for 84 months I took the jump. Happy that I did.

Good luck

4Foot