Hello,
I have recently inherited a 2002 Buick Rendezvous CXL. It is a very nice car, with every bell and whistle available including the Heads Up Display. It however only gets 17 MPG, and I am thinking of selling it to get a Toyota Avalon XLS which, I?m told will get about 25 MPG, has the head, and leg room I need, and enough googa toys to keep me happy. Mostly though I am also looking at what the maintenance, and fuel cost will be in the long run.
I?m told that the Avalon is a very reliable car that will last a long while. I don?t know that much about the Buick. I am looking at a 1998 to 2000 Avalon. I have two questions. Is selling the Buick to get an Avalon an economically prudent move, and which is the better year to get economically speaking?
Thank you,
Roland
PS Does the Avalon need High test gas?
I find the older I get the less I care what other people think of the car I drive, not to mention the beauties of a paid-for vehicle. It sounds like you own the Buick outright and would have to purchase/finance the Toyota. I suspect if the Buick’s in decent shape, you’d probably be far better off driving the Buick. It would save you finance charges in the long run. Good luck.
Toyota’s are excellent cars but 25MPG is not realistic mileage. Its more like 22MPG.
Financially you’d do best to keep the Buick which have a decent repair record. Selling it your going to take some loss on value and then buying a new car entails costs typically if bought from a dealer. Toyota’s are overpriced in the 98-2000 vintage on the used market. Did you ever stop to think your really going to buy a 10 year car!!! Despite low mileage cars age over time too.
If your going to do a change up maybe consider a 3 year old Avalon where depreciation hit hardest in that intial curve.
It sounds like the Buick has been well cared for and you know the history behind it. You probably will not get close to what its worth selling it. On the other hand the Avalon will probably cost more then its actually worth (overvalued). Its a no brainier, keep the Buick.
My parents have an Avalon which consistently delivers fuel mileage in the mid-20 mpg range, and approaches 30 mpg on the highway.
Thank you for all your input.
I guess what I’m really asking is this - forgetting financing, at the end of 200K miles, which car will cost me less.
Thank you again,
Roland
This is a very silly question, because the miles of both vehicles are unknown. If Buick has 70K on it and you sell it, and buy a Avalon for even money, and it has 140k on it, you will only have 60k worth of use before you hit 200k. The Buick would only need to be at 130k to equal the value of the Avalon. Plus you have no history with the Avalon it could have been thrashed by the previous owner. Oil may not have been changed regularly, Engine could be one of those sludged engine. ASSume nothing.
Financially, it is almost always better to keep the car you already have (especially if it’s paid off) than to buy another one.
You are trying to rationalize getting rid of this car. Don’t bother. You want a different car, that’s enough of a reason as long as you aren’t killing yourself financially to do it, so just do what you want.
EXACTLY
You just have to do the arithmetic. 200,000 miles divided by 17 and 22 gives 11,800 gallons and 9,100 respectively. We know the price now, but what will it be in a year or five?
Keep in mind that it is better to pay later than pay now assuming the money will be invested in some form that pays you rather than in a car depreciating away.
LOL