I have an old square body that I do not intend to sell. Will just put in a new engine and transmission. It needs both right now, but I think that I can get two more years out of the engine if I take it easy.

For normal cars, about 200k I start getting ready to say goodbye.

My daily driver is a 2012 w/ 245K miles. It's got cosmetic issues but drives great. Only reason I'm considering getting rid of it is to go back to having a truck.

I can see all sides of the argument. I'm definitely a "buy used, drive forever" type. And generally speaking, I don't care about the latest toys, etc.

That being said there are a brand new Toyota Crown hybrid and a Sierra Denali 2500hd diesel in the immediate family. So I've seen the bells and whistles and some of them are great fun

As I get older and finances have moved from good to great, I'm more open to buying newer stuff and trading more often

But if I had tens of millions, I don't think I'd start trading yearly. New stuff just doesn't have that kind of appeal anymore. And I think it would be a PITA to relearn the control layout every 12 months The worst thing about rental cars is trying to figure out where the manufacturer hid all the controls

For me it's more a matter of function instead of age/miles

2003 S2000. Sold at 90K. Had it two years and got tired of a sports car

2007 Tundra. Currently at 260,000 and I daily drive it

1997 Wrangler. 150,000. No doors or roof, fun weekend car

Just picked up a 2003 6.0 Excursion with 202,000 on it. Expecting a 4th kid and needed a vehicle to move the family and a camper. Keeping the Tundra because I need to still do truck stuff.

eventually I'll replace the Tundra with a 3/4 ton but the excursion will handle my heavy towing needs in the meantime.

More than I'd like to admit. In 10 years, I've owned 9 vehicles between the wife and I. SO doing some math.....roughly 2 years per vehicle? I'd keep them longer but they keep dying. and I drive alot, so maybe there is something to that

Gas motors try to keep 200k as the top.
Diesel try to make it 300k & then I start re-evaluating....

2006 Dodge 2500 (diesel). I gave up after the 3rd transmission in 300k miles.
2011 F350 lost a head on with a cow at 180k
2014 F350 finally blew the transmission at 335k & traded it
2016 F150 rig ride I lost to a rat infestation in the wiring at 180k.
2021 F350 I traded away at 120k (rough as hell for a commuter rig ride) for the Expedition.

Sadly no to all 3 options. Just dumb. But I don't hunt, don't gamble, don't own a boat so this is my "thing" and the wife lets me do it.

I've bought 13 vehicles, plus 2 rv's, in the past 5 years

My company vehicle gets replaced when my CPA tells me to.

Before that, I had my 2016 Duramax for 5 years and traded it in with 200k on the clock. I bought the 2016 when I traded in a 2012 1500 with 120k on the clock. Which was bought when the rear end in my 2006 1500 grenaded itself.

I've had my Jeep since 2018 but its just a fun weekend car.

I bought the '68 Firebird in 2023 but again, just a weekend car.

The 2005 Suburban 2500 was a nostalgia/need buy for me. We needed something to pull the camper while my truck was in the shop for transmission issues. And i've always wanted a 3/4 ton suburban.

My wife had her IS250 for nearly 7 years before we replaced it last November with a 2024 NX450h+.

I bought my 2010 Tacoma in 2019 with 148k on it. Now it has almost 170k. Mostly a fun recreational ride.

Picked up my 2017 Prius in February of 21. It had 75k miles and now about 130.

Tumble Weed said:

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Complete Idiot said:

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JamesPShelley said:

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Complete Idiot said:

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I've bought 13 vehicles, plus 2 rv's, in the past 5 years

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Username checks out?

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100%

I have to admit I wouldn't expect to see people who replace a car every ten years on the automotive forum, maybe the financial forum (since that is a boring car loving choice but very smart financial choice).

Unless it's living vicariously through the conversations, like someone who visits a travel website often but only takes a trip once every ten years.

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Some of the biggest car guys I know work on classics and never sell.

There are a few wrench turners on this board.

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Good point, repair questions are great topics for the Auto board

I was trading about every 3 years but decided with new truck prices what they are I am going to keep my current truck till 200k or so. I'm at 138k now so I should have about 3 to 4 years before hitting 200k. It helps that I really like my current truck.

PMD03 said:

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Complete Idiot said:

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JamesPShelley said:

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Complete Idiot said:

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I've bought 13 vehicles, plus 2 rv's, in the past 5 years

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Username checks out?

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100%

I have to admit I wouldn't expect to see people who replace a car every ten years on the automotive forum, maybe the financial forum (since that is a boring car loving choice but very smart financial choice).

Unless it's living vicariously through the conversations, like someone who visits a travel website often but only takes a trip once every ten years.

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The original question (title) was "replace". Some here just keep adding to the herd in the pasture.

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I did add 2 new drivers to the household in that time frame, and a couple different times added a 3rd car for myself then went back to "just" 2. So yeah, not all replace and I almost never buy new cars just used. And my wife had 3 cars in those 5 years for atypical situations - first purchase was due to someone totaling her car, we bought used and sold a year later for more than we paid due to pandemic pricing. Second purchase was a new EV with huge discounts, 3rd purchase was also due to being offered more for the one year old EV than we paid for it new and getting the one year newer slightly larger EV version for just $750 more then we sold the 1 year old 14K mile one for. "crimes of opportunity".

The only bad behavior is me replacing my main daily driver too often in this time frame, and being slow to let go of my RV obsession.

My honest answer is "it depends".

I understand and appreciate the "drive it until the wheels fall off mindset". I've taken a few vehicles to 125k-150k but I usually grow tired of them by about year 4-5.

I try to drive vehicles that are both utilitarian and enjoyable. If I don't enjoy driving it any longer and can get something I like more - without a perceptible impact on my monthly income statement - then I'll make the change. I'm fortunate to make a good living and I've never rolled over negative equity into a new car note and never plan to.

It's still weird to see people driving cars carrying what have to be $1,200 - 1,500/mo notes when that has to be like 30-40% of their net monthly income. I don't get it. I live in a small town and the number of people driving AT4 Yukons and Platinum F250s is crazy. I know these people and the math doesn't add up. That's creating a level of financial stress I could never, ever tolerate.

Tacoma from 2003-2018. 4Runner from 2018 to present. Commute is only 4 miles and I'm only in the office about 3X per week, so I don't pile up mileage.

Wife tends to put a little more mileage so she's been about every 8-10 years.

300,000-400,000 miles.

That is pretty much a mortgage. My entire house payment is about 1250.

Ya that's insane. I go through cars a lot, but will always either pay cash if rates are high or at least 50% down if rates are low.

I love not having a car payment. No debt other than the mortgage.

on average about every 3 years i think. i usually get bored after a couple of years, fall in love with the idea of something else, obsessively shop for the perfect example for 6-12 months, buy one, repeat cycle.

1) when needs change. Something bigger, something with more power, something with more reliability…
2) worn out… typically just put this vehicle as an around town or "project " vehicle and replace it . Or I sell it… or give it to a family member that may need it.
3) when what is coming down the pike looks awful or a disaster in the making. I'll add another vehicle roughly the same if I like it to avoid this trap.

Choward4 said:

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Sadly no to all 3 options. Just dumb. But I don't hunt, don't gamble, don't own a boat so this is my "thing" and the wife lets me do it.

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And that's the rub....everyone has their hobbies or the thing they dump money on. If you don't then more power to you but I hope you have an amazing investment portfolio.

I dump a lot of money into hunting where I could easily buy a steak for a fraction of the cost of venison, but I enjoy it!

dodger02 said:

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It's still weird to see people driving cars carrying what have to be $1,200 - 1,500/mo notes when that has to be like 30-40% of their net monthly income. I don't get it. I live in a small town and the number of people driving AT4 Yukons and Platinum F250s is crazy. I know these people and the math doesn't add up. That's creating a level of financial stress I could never, ever tolerate.

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Maybe, maybe not.

There are a lot of petrochemical plant workers amongst my friends and family. And a lot of them have been doing it for a long time. These folks are living in reasonably priced houses and never take extravagant vacations to Europe or something. The highlight of their week is getting drunk at Hugh and Jeff's Barwash in Dickinson.

What these folks spend their money on isn't buying a $700k house. It is buying a $70k F-250. Other than that, their only expenses are a deer lease and maybe a 4-wheeler which I guess are called UTVs now.

When I used to drill in the National Guard in Brady and Brownwood, me and another Officer from Austin couldn't figure out how all of our soldiers were affording $25,000 pickup trucks. Until we found out that their rent/mortgage was only about $200/month. Of course that was in the mid-1990s, I'm sure prices have gone up.

ETA - I also came to learn that producing 8 single cast toilets per day at Kohler in Brownwood would earn you a good living.

I drove my 2002 Escape until 2015 when the cost of repairs exceeded its value and drove my 2014 F-150 until it got totaled by a tree this year.

hedge said:

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Yea I bought her in 2017 and only had 40k. I don't drive it besides work and store and such. She's in great shape, don't eat in the car, keep it clean, make sure oils changed etc….

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I replaced my 99 Tacoma in 2016 when it got to ~215k miles. My 2016 currently just turned past 100k and I plan to have it probably another 8-10 years. Since I work from home now, I am putting less than 10k miles per year on it, so I expect to still be under 200k by then.

Appreciate that! I do believe most people have a thing that doesn't make financial sense. Kids and cars are mine.

100%. my main interests are investing to grow my net worth and wasting money on cars. it makes no sense but i enjoy it so who cares

I just rolled 40k miles on my 2016. I'm down to less than 3k miles per year. I was going to get something else when I turned 50 last year, but decided to get a watch instead and keep the car.

Hard to justify a new/used car with such a low mileage car that is paid for.

When I bought cheap cars, I traded or sold and moved up slowly and through 20 years have had 8 vehicles.

I bought my 2019 lariat, used, in 2020 and will keep her until the wheels fall off. I bought my Camaro SS 1LE in 2023 and will keep that car forever.

Up next is a Bronco sport for my 15 year old daughter.

I don't get the itch for a new car anymore after paying more and getting what I wanted. I have replaced the struts, cameras, tires, and added a bed cover on the truck since. The Camaro, I'll probably supercharge in 20,000 miles.

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I don't replace often. It's a waste of money to me. We buy out of necessity.

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You have good parents.