My car rolled over 110,000 miles at the end of May, and promptly fell apart. Well, maybe fell apart is the wrong description to use, since it implies major repairs, but there were definitely a few things to take care of. First it was the battery. Then it was the alternator. Then it was the new battery that the dying alternator took out with it. After my car was up and running again (thanks to my awesome not-a-mechanic-but-can-still-fix-it husband ♥), I had a weird issue where my headlights and interior lights would flick off and then on again whenever I used my turn signal. That issue went away, but now my front passenger window won’t go up or down with the power button on that said, and my exhaust sounds kind of rattly. Grrr.
My car is eight years old and is now at 111,000 miles, so I’m not surprised that it’s developing quirks, but it’s still disheartening. I heart my car, and I want it to heart me back by running without issue! But I’m also realistic, and I expect that I’ll get another five or so years out of it before I’ll need to think about a replacement. While I probably will end up getting another Kia Spectra, or perhaps a Hyundai Elantra (comparable to the Spectra), I’m sure there are plenty of other used cars that would fit my needs.
Obviously pricing is a priority. Even used, I don’t think I could handle lexus ls 600h prices or lexus is prices. Now hyundai genesis prices would be more in my price range, so that’s something worth thinking about.
Of course, I could be a total mid-life-crisis guy and research chevy traverse prices, but I think ultimately I’ll be more economical with my choices. Five years from now it’ll be 2015, which means I could get a 2010 or so Kia Spectra with 50,000 or so miles on it for a fairly decent price. What do you think?
