as a part time 'mechanic' I would say that the Traverse is a better vehicle
here's a vote for the subaru impreza wagon... 2 adults- 2 car seats and can fit the 70# pooch in the trunk. I too got a roof rack (after market) and use that on long trips for all of us. + the 4 wheel drive is great in the snow- its not an illusion of safety which some SUVs bring (no knowledge about the vehicles in question- so I'm not knocking them). down side is gas mileage because its 4wheel drive all the time..
Edit: just dont get it at Northtowns- I have a bone to pick with them and their service team
here's a vote for the subaru impreza wagon... 2 adults- 2 car seats and can fit the 70# pooch in the trunk. I too got a roof rack (after market) and use that on long trips for all of us. + the 4 wheel drive is great in the snow- its not an illusion of safety which some SUVs bring (no knowledge about the vehicles in question- so I'm not knocking them). down side is gas mileage because its 4wheel drive all the time..
Edit: just dont get it at Northtowns- I have a bone to pick with them and their service team
You guys get power back at your place yet? My brother in CT is up to day 6 with no power. He's not a happy camper to say the least.
here's a vote for the subaru impreza wagon... 2 adults- 2 car seats and can fit the 70# pooch in the trunk. I too got a roof rack (after market) and use that on long trips for all of us. + the 4 wheel drive is great in the snow- its not an illusion of safety which some SUVs bring (no knowledge about the vehicles in question- so I'm not knocking them). down side is gas mileage because its 4wheel drive all the time..
Edit: just dont get it at Northtowns- I have a bone to pick with them and their service team
Haven't dealt with the service team, but the guy we bought my wife's Santa Fe from was great. We got the damn thing at invoice.
Luckily we have a GM family member discount dealy, so that should help out nicely on top of the 0%. We'd like to keep that payment as low as possible in anticipation of purchasing The House.
You guys get power back at your place yet? My brother in CT is up to day 6 with no power. He's not a happy camper to say the least.
We only lost power for about 1/2 a day. No phone, internet or TV though. We were part of the 1% with power on Sunday [insert your 'Occupy _______' comments here]. The power company (CL*P- or connecticut loss of power- [hg's reference]) has got my town up to a whopping 7% with.. lol.. Theres still at least 20 phone/cable lines down in the 1 mile block around my house. pretty crazy. I guess they havent really trimmed trees here in a long time so just 7 weeks after a tropical storm came through and decimated the tree population- they got hammered again. Many went 1+ week without power. This storm there was over 800K w/out power- i think its around 400K still. There was a goal of getting everyone in the state back on line by Sunday- midnight- I guess thats not going to happen. I thought I'd never live through something like that again. haha... There was less snow here for our CT 'October Surprise' but it was really windy that night and the snow was very, very heavy. .
Luckily we have a GM family member discount dealy, so that should help out nicely on top of the 0%. We'd like to keep that payment as low as possible in anticipation of purchasing The House.
I am guessing be your capitalization, this is the "dream house" and not a specific house?
I am guessing be your capitalization, this is the "dream house" and not a specific house?
Yup. We've been saving since before marriage for the dream house. We should be able to hit PMI in a few more years not counting what we make off our current home.
I am guessing be your capitalization, this is the "dream house" and not a specific house?
Yeah, we're probably about two years away from that, so now keeping payments low is important.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Beechsack
PMI is the bane of my existence. Even using my brother's rent money to pay extra on the mortgage every month I still have a ways to go.
Seriously, screw PMI. I despise paying interest. I check my credit card balance daily and pay it off daily just to make sure I never pay a cent. Blech.
The only interest that I don't hate with a passion is my student loans and mortgage since they're deductible. I'm seriously delaying home projects just so I can hammer down credit cards.
Would have been slick if my ex had given me a red cent after I bought the house. THEN I would have been out of PMI already I think.
(Part of that is also uncertainty if my company will still be around in 24 months, but it's a good thing regardless.)
Yeah, we're probably about two years away from that, so now keeping payments low is important.
Question... Then why buy a new vehicle? That is IMO such a waste of money, even with a GM discount, which I can get also. But compared to a payment on a vehicle that's 2-3 years old. It's not worth it as far as trying to keep payments low.
Question... Then why buy a new vehicle? That is IMO such a waste of money, even with a GM discount, which I can get also. But compared to a payment on a vehicle that's 2-3 years old. It's not worth it as far as trying to keep payments low.
Yeah - it's mostly for warranty purposes and the fact that we can afford it pretty easily, as well as the superior financing. The payment consideration is strictly the icing on the cake as PK and I are both pretty financially conservative with stuff like this.
Now, when it comes time to buy that Z4 in a few years, THAT sucker will be used.
Quote:
Originally Posted by volatile
I'm pretty sure we paid our PMI up front? My brain is fuzzy on the details at the moment.
You didn't have to pay it at all if you put down 20% or over on your house (I think it's 20%, anyhow).
Now, when it comes time to buy that Z4 in a few years, THAT sucker will be used.
Not a fan of the Z4, but I was actually considering looking into a BMW just yesterday. I still have to convince my wife, if I choose to, that I should get a new car. Don't need, just want. Well, other reasons too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Clock
You didn't have to pay it at all if you put down 20% or over on your house (I think it's 20%, anyhow).
Not a fan of the Z4, but I was actually considering looking into a BMW just yesterday. I still have to convince my wife, if I choose to, that I should get a new car. Don't need, just want. Well, other reasons too.
You want to write that sucker off as a business expense, don't you. Heh.
I love the Z4 - little two seater go-cart to drive around on some of those awesome WNY summer days appeals to me greatly. Strictly a summer fun car that we'd probably keep for numerous years.
Pretty sure my next main car will be another new Altima, albeit fully-loaded. It's treated me very well so far. Fun to drive, not ridiculously pricey.
Question... Then why buy a new vehicle? That is IMO such a waste of money, even with a GM discount, which I can get also. But compared to a payment on a vehicle that's 2-3 years old. It's not worth it as far as trying to keep payments low.
From my own current experience, I think the used car market is absolutely idiotic at the moment. It's like everyone woke up one day and said "hey, let's be frugal and buy a used car." All it's done is drive used car prices through the roof, to the point where desirable used-car models are barely discounted.
I agree that used is usually the way to go, but in this market? I say buy new, take advantage of the financing deals, and drive the car for 10 years.
here's a vote for the subaru impreza wagon... 2 adults- 2 car seats and can fit the 70# pooch in the trunk. I too got a roof rack (after market) and use that on long trips for all of us. + the 4 wheel drive is great in the snow- its not an illusion of safety which some SUVs bring (no knowledge about the vehicles in question- so I'm not knocking them). down side is gas mileage because its 4wheel drive all the time..
Edit: just dont get it at Northtowns- I have a bone to pick with them and their service team
You want to write that sucker off as a business expense, don't you. Heh.
I love the Z4 - little two seater go-cart to drive around on some of those awesome WNY summer days appeals to me greatly. Strictly a summer fun car that we'd probably keep for numerous years.
Pretty sure my next main car will be another new Altima, albeit fully-loaded. It's treated me very well so far. Fun to drive, not ridiculously pricey.
Build your own car Clock, its more satisfying that way:
here's a vote for the subaru impreza wagon... 2 adults- 2 car seats and can fit the 70# pooch in the trunk. I too got a roof rack (after market) and use that on long trips for all of us. + the 4 wheel drive is great in the snow- its not an illusion of safety which some SUVs bring (no knowledge about the vehicles in question- so I'm not knocking them). down side is gas mileage because its 4wheel drive all the time..
We had an imprezza wagon as a 2nd car. We loved it and I agree with all of your comments about it. Plus it past the test any car has to in our house... It can hold 3 hockey bags and the 3 kids that use them.
We sold it to our son when his car crapped out a few months ago and bought a 93' Honda Accord with 73k on it. Our main set of wheels is a Honda Pilot.
Quote:
Edit: just dont get it at Northtowns- I have a bone to pick with them and their service team
I was just at their Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep parts department today. They had the custom nut I needed to attach the hard top of my Jeep Wrangler. I looked everywhere for them. I tried hardware stores first and then 5 dealerships, Northtowns being the 5th. Didn't think it would be that difficult to find. Gotta love dealerships....42 bucks for 4 of them.
We had an imprezza wagon as a 2nd car. We loved it and I agree with all of your comments about it. Plus it past the test any car has to in our house... It can hold 3 hockey bags and the the 3 kids that use them.
We sold it to our son when his car crapped out a few months ago and bought a 93' Honda Accord with 73k on it. Our main set of wheels is a Honda Pilot.
Definitely my favorite family hauler. I'm this close to pulling the trigger on a 2009 EX-L with 36K miles for a touch under 25K. Close, but the thought of two car payments (still owe around 9K on the wife's A4) makes my stomach turn.
Oh well, I'll just keep plowing around in my 98 Blazer.
Definitely my favorite family hauler. I'm this close to pulling the trigger on a 2009 EX-L with 36K miles for a touch under 25K. Close, but the thought of two car payments (still owe around 9K on the wife's A4) makes my stomach turn.
Oh well, I'll just keep plowing around in my 98 Blazer.
We love our Pilot as well. Bought it in 2008 (a 2004 with 24k on it) and we just paid it off this summer. We currently have no car payments. The Accord we paid cash for (2500). Going forward I'm doing everything I can to avoid car payments or minimize them if forced to borrow.
With the Pilot at 83k and the Accord at 75k, plus my for fun Jeep Wrangler (208k). Hopefully we can go for awhile without having to but another vehicle. Too many other expenses at the moment.
Clock, there's also a warehouse in Texas with the remaining stash of DeLoreans (kitted in parts - seriously, I am not ******** you). Stainless steel - isn't rusting. You build one of those, I'll send you my flux capacitor I've been using to sterilize cats the past couple decades.
