New or Used: Run What You Brung…Son!

by Sajeev Mehta and Steve Lang

Published: November 4th, 2011

Donovan writes:

Hi guys,

I follow TTAC kind compulsively on a daily basis. I have a very nice 2005 Honda Accord. Its the 2.4l 4 pot, i-Vtec and a stick shift to boot. The car has a LEV sticker and I believe it was one of the first motors to pass some stringent emissions standard (California I think). I bought it 2 years ago and it was a sweet, certified deal. It is also, now paid for. I keep a log book for gas mileage and the car averages 28 / 29 MPG and I can be a bit of a lead foot now and then.

What exactly is my problem, you might ask?

Firstly I am frustrated with the sedan body, having owned many hatchbacks. Second the car is now approaching 7 years old and is about to clock 100K miles. The mileage does not bother me much as I think this motor can easily do double that but when selling the car not everyone will see it that way.

It is a good car to keep and its a good time to let the car go. If I was to replace the Accord these are the important factors. I don’t want any big debt right now but some debt is O.K. My priorities are for a practical hatch back, good handling, good gas mileage and reliability. I really like the Nissan Juke but I am not sure I can get a 2nd hand one easily.

Thanks for your advice.

Steve answers:

No you can’t get a second hand one these days. Even the ones you could get will go for higher than retail due to their use as finance fodder for consumers who can’t get conventional financing.

My advice is to go out and rent something that interests you. Then just weigh in on the decision a bit more. A fellow who goes by the name Rivethead who had the misfortune of assembling cars during the 1980’s once said about the different jobs at an assembly plant, “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Until you have to start mowing all that shit down.” The same is true when considering the benefits and drawback of a hatchback versus a sedan.

For more utility, you get more noise. For every dozen or so nice conventional plain-jane sedans. You can purchase a unique fashionable model that offers ‘take it or leave it’ looks along with a heaping load of debt.

Since you drive a four cylinder / five speed Accord, there should be no harrowing costs on the horizon. In fact your second hundred thousand miles should cost less than the first hundred thousand so long as you keep up on the maintenance.

My advice is to keep what you have and sample whenever the mood strikes you.

Sajeev answers:

If I remember correctly, my folks had a brand new 2001 Mercury Mountaineer with a “ULEV” sticker on the window, a big honkin 5.0L V8 and knobby/explode-y Firestone tires. Cutting edge stuff right there, for sure. So I am pretty sure someone in the 1990s made this whole LEV thing work. But that’s neither here no there…

I see a few weekends on test driving in your future. Try to make it fun, insist that you are in the “exploratory phase” of your purchase to all salesmen, go out for a nice lunch too. Make it an event worth experiencing! Maybe a Mazda 3 will suit your fancy. Or a Honda fit.

Would I buy another car if I was in your shoes? Hell no! That’s one of the nicest Honda products in recent memory, and it will last for decades if you do whatever the owners manual says. And it will get better with age, when you replace key suspension bits with mildly spicy aftermarket ones. This is a no brainer: run with what you brung…son!

Need help with a car buying conundrum? Email your particulars to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com , and let TTAC’s collective wisdom make the decision easier… or possibly much, much harder.

#5-speed #Accord #Hatchback #Honda #Lev

Sajeev Mehta and Steve Lang

More by Sajeev Mehta and Steve Lang

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5 of 70 comments

ExPatBrit on Nov 05, 2011

Never understood the "I need to sell it while it's worth something" comment. Unless gas prices drop by a huge amount, any somewhat frugal smallish vehicle is always going to be worth something. This includes vehicles like this Honda,small pickups and sports cars. At some point these vehicles almost stop depreciating even if they just run OK. If it's legal and is current on emissions you would have to fight off buyers IMHO. And yes if you trade it in, it's going to auction. Sell it yourself and make twice as much.

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- Zykotec on Nov 05, 2011
  
  If he's bored of the car and wants another car, it's always best to sell before someone thinks it has depreciated more. And the big round numbers (100k 150k and 200k) always seem to trigger something in many used car buyers minds. Mostly connected with older cars that really were used up by the 100k mark. I once drove the same car for almost 2 years :O And that was enough for me. Even if the other car I bought was a similar car with a bigger engine and more equipment :
  
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- Scoutdude on Nov 05, 2011
  
  Yes they eventually almost stop depreciating but this particular vehicle is right at the edge of another steep slope in the depreciation curve. It is also entering the time when more expensive repairs and maintenance are likely to occur. So keeping it for just another 2 months could cost an easy $1000. He won't be able to argue that it's only 7 years old and a car with a clock that reads over 100K just isn't as desirable to most people as one that is under 100K.
  
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- ExPatBrit on Nov 05, 2011
  
  @Scoutdude You must have a different definition of the word "steep". Having a new car that loses $3000-5000 in it's first year is steep. It's a 5 speed Honda Accord, not a BMW 7 series. That car will easily sell with 100,000+ or 150,000 miles any day of the week. And that potential $1000 repair (3 car payments) is true for any vehicle out of warranty. Nothing wrong with wanting / needing a new car, very rarely is it cheaper.
  
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Gasser on Nov 05, 2011

If you have an itch, SCRATCH!!!!!!! Once you're out of love, you're done. Sell it for top dollar (used car market for Hondas is HOT right now) How happy or sad you will be about the swap in a few years is totally dependent on a smart choice in the NEXT car.

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