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"Little old lady in tennis shoes" needs advice!

I’m a 73 year old retired woman but still active and I like to think I have a young attitude. I’m driving a 2002 Saturn Vue, AWD V6 Auto 5 speed, 3.0 liter. Current mileage is 97,670. (For most of the time I drove this car I worked less than a mile from home – no commuting.) For the longest time and when I had my servicing done at the Saturn dealership, I had very few problems and just regular maintenance. I have every single service record since I bought the car! The last few years the repair costs have risen so I totaled them up in hopes of making a decision. From 2011 to 2014 repair costs averaged $1,616/year. Last year’s total was $3,978, so far this year it’s $1,160. I’m on a tight retirement income. If the fates are kind, I’ll still be driving for 10 years or more and I’m trying to decide if I should keep pushing this car or try to find a good deal on another used car. Due to some physical limitations, I need a small SUV about the same size as the Vue and so far Ford Escape fits the bill.
Obviously I’m not a mechanic so I’m at the mercy of car repair shops. Sorry this is so long but I would appreciate any educated opinions. If you were to advise me, what would you tell me to do? Thanks in advance for any wise counsel you can provide!
Obviously I’m not a mechanic so I’m at the mercy of car repair shops. Sorry this is so long but I would appreciate any educated opinions. If you were to advise me, what would you tell me to do? Thanks in advance for any wise counsel you can provide!
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Mr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
Those are two good choices for you, I think. If you want to keep your "new" vehicle for 10 years, it's going to have to be pretty close to new to start with---and that hopefully will include a remainder of a warranty. I think Kia is a good choice in that regard, although the Escape has a pretty good record of endurance.
I think you could pull off $18K if you can put $5K down and finance over 5 years at a decent interest rate. Your tax , reg, and license fees will push you close to $20K out the door.
You really need a vehicle with warranty for your plan to succeed I think. You are driving 7000 miles a year, so a fairly new but used Kia will give you some protection up to 60,000 miles. The Kia 100,000 mile warranty is not transferable to you.
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Ford Escapes fall in this range, as well, but at that price, mostly FWD, also.
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You should definitely negotiate price.
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'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?endYear=2017&zip=48304&listingType=certified&listingTypes=certified&maxPrice=19000&showcaseListingId=421923581&trim1=ESCAPE|SE&mmt=[FORD[ESCAPE[ESCAPE%7CSE]][]]&modelCode1=ESCAPE&showcaseOwnerId=66643399&startYear=1981&makeCode1=FORD&firstRecord=0&searchRadius=25&extColorsSimple=BLACK&listingId=433227557&Log=0
As for your Saturn, $700 is also fair. These are only going for $1k at auction, so by the time they transport and pay the overhead, they MIGHT break even on it.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
And never underestimate little old ladies (or men) in tennis shoes.
Yeah, I would advertise it for 2200.00 OBO and run with the first 1800.00 offered.
Oh, and I don't underestimate anyone!
I haven't gone forward on anything yet. I AM a little nervous about handling a private sale. A nephew may buy my Saturn for his son but if not, I'll have to educate/protect myself, put on my Mad Dog hat, and try a private sale!
I have researched a few other vehicles but I keep coming back to the Escape when I look at vehicle size and my small list of non-negotiables. In my first message here I mentioned some physical limitations, so one of my must-haves is a rear backup camera. That alone eliminated a few models.
Thanks again for all the advice. I'll take it all!
And, never ask..." How has the Saturn been doing?"
My next door neighbor and us had been sharing for the past 12 years a 1999 Dodge pickup and it wasn't being
used enough to justify paying insurance etc anymore. It so happens my cousin bought it!
I told him that if it breaks in half tomorrow he will own the two pieces!
He fully understood. I hope.
A lot of states give sales tax credits for the value of the trade and on high value trades that can amount to a lot of money.
I am also back and forth about the private sale if I go there, but will ask that same nephew to help me with it. I do a lot of local selling (Facebook, Ebay, Craiglist) but mostly just household and original crafts, not electronics and not cars.
Gotta run - back later. Thanks again.
My nephew and great-nephew came over tonight to take my Saturn. I gave them a discounted price (about half), with the understanding that I will take the rest of the price in trade for upstairs painting and other chores at my condo (I very much need this help nowadays). I was nervous about selling to relatives until they told me my great-nephew is driving a 1995 rust bucket! Every car in their family is very used, so they assured me they are well versed in dealing with car repairs. My clean Saturn looks good to them!
All in all, I'm happy. And I want to thank all of you for helping me out with your advice and comments. It really really did help me to maneuver through the process again after 14 years! Thanks!!!!!
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
A new car and some help around the house for you, and a family member gets an upgrade on their transportation at a discounted price and a bit of sweat equity.
Congrats, and enjoy your new (to you) Ford!
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige