Car Question..

[Bini]

OK so we've actively started looking into upgrading from our Subaru Legacy to a bigger vehicle. After test-driving a variety of makes and models, we decided to stick with Subaru and get a Tribeca (pre-owned). So here's the question.. We are deciding between a Limited Tribeca (with 80K+ miles) and a stock Tribeca (with under 30K miles). Both are the same year but with a price difference of about $3000. Which way would you lean and why?

So I guess I'm more of a sucker for the bells and whistles. I like the idea of getting a fully loaded Tribeca. But hubby says the mileage is more important and doesn't care if it's stock model. The Subaru Legacy we have now we got brandnew a couple years ago and is loaded up. So I guess I just like the idea of getting into something that will be just a luxurious. But I need to be reasonable here and I'm having a tough time doing that..

[Vort]

I agree with hubby. A vehicle is a tool for getting from point A to point B. Nothing more. And if a car has a stereo so I can listen to Nibley lectures or General Conference talks while I drive, that's all the creature comforts I need. A/C is a big bonus. Other than that, it's all wasted on me.

[skippy740]

'A luxury once had becomes a necessity.'

What's more important is the condition of the engine and the maintenance done. A 30k mileage car with NO maintenance is WORSE than the 80k+ mileage care with FULL maintenance.

My 1994 Toyota Camry has 238k miles. Bought it used about a year ago. Just today I replaced the starter and battery connection. (Still had the original starter.) Other than that, it is SOLID. And if I needed some special part, I could go to the "pick a part" place and check out the various wrecked cars that are just like mine.

I'm dying to get a paint job for it. It's all oxydized and faded. But it works, and it's paid for. I plan to keep it until the wheels fall off or some other irrepairable event happens.

[applepansy]

As a mom.... Mileage, maintenance are first. Then there are a few things that are very important if I'm going to be sane in a car with children of any age. One is AC (hot cranky children make for a miserable trip and the other reason its a necessity is that I get nauseous and dizzy in the heat). A radio/CD player that works is secondary to AC.

Cup holders that work. Seriously, I get majorly cranky if I'm dealing with crying baby/toddler and turn a corner to have my ICE fall over and spill. Cranky mom is not a good thing. :) My new must have for a newer car if we get one is to have the attachments for car seat so its easier to transfer into my car.

I agree that sometimes the "once haves" do sometimes become luxuries. Also, age and health issues make certain things necessary. To make running errands even possible for me with a toddler I have to have a vehicle that is the right height. Climbing out of cars or up into SUVs/trucks saps all my energy and I can't get done what I need to do.

I drive a 2000 Honda CRV. No car payment. Over 200,000 miles. It has all of the above.

[Bini]

Thanks for the feedback. Certainly things that were once considered luxuries can become necessities. I agree that AC is a must-have! We would never purchase a vehicle that was without air-conditioning OR heat, especially living here in Northern Utah where it gets pretty darn hot and icy cold.

Skippy, I understand where you're coming from. There's going to be a big performance difference between a vehicle with routine maintenance versus a vehicle without maintenance. However, I would say that you're better off with a vehicle that has low miles (with maintenance) than a vehicle with extremely high miles (with maintenance). If only for the fact that with more miles, it's essentially adding on that many more years onto the vehicle.

The two Tribecas we are interested in are both 1-owner, certified pre-owned with Carfax history. So we feel confident about both vehicles. We would never consider a salvaged or rebuilt title, although, we do have friends and family members that have been happy going that route.

Applepansy, no car payments is refreshing! We have four vehicles that are all paid for, except for my Subaru Legacy, which is our fifth vehicle. The payment isn't too bad but we're definitely looking at a bigger payment for upgrading to a bigger vehicle. But we've done a lot of research on this model and while it doesn't get as good a mileage as my Legacy sedan, it does get fantastic safety ratings (5/5 stars) for crashes and rollovers. So we feel it's a good buy for a "family" SUV. If we didn't have 3 dogs on top of expecting our first baby, a Honda CRV would have been a lovely choice for us. I really enjoyed test-driving the CRV.

[Vort]

We have four vehicles that are all paid for, except for my Subaru Legacy, which is our fifth vehicle.

Five vehicles? FIVE?

Coming from a family of seven, including four drivers, where we have only two vehicles (a Suburban that fits the whole family and an economy car), I have to wonder: Why on earth do you have all the cars, and why do you want yet another?

[BenRaines]

Sorry to sound confused but expecting first child and a Subaru Legacy isn't big enough? Isn't that their little station wagon? I understand that those are excellent cars.

Why the need for a bigger car with one child? I thought maybe three kids and needed the room.

Just curious.

Ben Raines

[Bini]

Five vehicles? FIVE?

Coming from a family of seven, including four drivers, where we have only two vehicles (a Suburban that fits the whole family and an economy car), I have to wonder: Why on earth do you have all the cars, and why do you want yet another?

Sorry to sound confused but expecting first child and a Subaru Legacy isn't big enough? Isn't that their little station wagon? I understand that those are excellent cars.

Why the need for a bigger car with one child? I thought maybe three kids and needed the room.

Just curious.

We have a 1984 Honda hatchback that is NOT in use but in storage. We then have an old Daewoo for running up the miles on but is not reliable enough for long distance road trips or for traveling with children. Then my husband has his own personal Toyota truck that he bought before we married and his contractor vehicle. The Subaru was bought for me so I could commute back and forth for my job up towards Park City (especially during the winter snowy weather season). Because we have (3) dogs AND are expecting a baby, we need to upgrade to a bigger vehicle. We do a lot of traveling down south to Las Vegas etc, so we need room for pet crates (they do not ride without being crated), room for our luggage and of course now room for a carseat etc.