New car
When I looked at my loan statement in December, I noticed that the Intrepid was almost paid off. Since it's a 96 and has 89,000 miles on it, I've been kicking around whether to trade in. The issue since moving to rural North Dakota has been even more comelling, since the Intrepid doesn't even have anti-lock brakes, nevermind all-wheel or four-wheel drive.
I didn't expect that anything was going to be within my budget, so I was pleasantly surprised to run the numbers and see how reasonable a vehicle I can actually afford! =)
Today I'll be driving in to Fargo to pick up my "new" (2001) Subaru Impreza Outback Sport wagon. If you're familiar with the regular Subaru Outback wagons, it's got a lot in common, but it's shorter than a full wagon. (I'm not quite at a point in my life yet where I'm ready to drive an honest-to-God grocery-getting station wagon!) It has 57,000 fewer miles on it than my Intrepid, 5 fewer years, and I'm getting the 7 year/100,000 mile extended warranty, effectively giving me near-100% coverage for the next four years or 70,000 miles. And it all fits nicely within the auto allowance that's part of my contract already.
Nicest of all, it's got Subaru's all-wheel drive, which by all accounts is wonderful when the roads are less than great. Around here in the winter time, that's a real plus, especially if you need to get off the state highways. And it's small enough that the mileage is the same or a little better than the Intrepid's. (I don't have any need for a huge SUV that needs twice as much gas to go half as far. That was one of my main criteria - good mileage for the environment.)
It's a little stressful to be signing the paperwork (and all by myself, without a co-signer, for the first time), but I've run the numbers over and over again - without making a single change in my month-to-month budget, I can afford this, with money left over for repairs that aren't covered by my warranty or for other auto expenses, at the end of the year.
Now we'll see what the talk around the town is when the pastor is seen driving a "new" car. ;) "We're paying him too much!"
I didn't expect that anything was going to be within my budget, so I was pleasantly surprised to run the numbers and see how reasonable a vehicle I can actually afford! =)
Today I'll be driving in to Fargo to pick up my "new" (2001) Subaru Impreza Outback Sport wagon. If you're familiar with the regular Subaru Outback wagons, it's got a lot in common, but it's shorter than a full wagon. (I'm not quite at a point in my life yet where I'm ready to drive an honest-to-God grocery-getting station wagon!) It has 57,000 fewer miles on it than my Intrepid, 5 fewer years, and I'm getting the 7 year/100,000 mile extended warranty, effectively giving me near-100% coverage for the next four years or 70,000 miles. And it all fits nicely within the auto allowance that's part of my contract already.
Nicest of all, it's got Subaru's all-wheel drive, which by all accounts is wonderful when the roads are less than great. Around here in the winter time, that's a real plus, especially if you need to get off the state highways. And it's small enough that the mileage is the same or a little better than the Intrepid's. (I don't have any need for a huge SUV that needs twice as much gas to go half as far. That was one of my main criteria - good mileage for the environment.)
It's a little stressful to be signing the paperwork (and all by myself, without a co-signer, for the first time), but I've run the numbers over and over again - without making a single change in my month-to-month budget, I can afford this, with money left over for repairs that aren't covered by my warranty or for other auto expenses, at the end of the year.
Now we'll see what the talk around the town is when the pastor is seen driving a "new" car. ;) "We're paying him too much!"
posted by Bob at
11:45 AM
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