How is the situation with everyone’s vehicle? I hope your car is going strong because new and used cars are more expensive than ever. Now, the average price of a new car is $48,699! That’s crazy. The surge is attributed to various factors – tariffs, high consumer demand, expensive technology and rising manufacturing costs. The last time we bought the vehicle, our Mazda5 cost us about $17,500 in 2010. Looking back on it, we got a lot. Our Mazda5 is still working well, but it’s 15 years old. Small things start to break and repairs are not cheap. Is it time to replace our beloved Mazda 5?
Recent repairs
Our Mazda 5 was in the store last week. The driver’s door handle didn’t work and the door was stuck. I had to go into the passenger side and then climb over the center console to drive. I did this for a week, but I got old very quickly. I’m no longer a spring chicken.
Also, I turned on the headlights and ran the battery twice! As the driver’s door was stuck, the light left on the warning buzzer was unauthorized. I have AAA good stuff. Anyway, I took the car to the dealership and they fixed it within 2 days. I spent $700, though. Yes, it feels very expensive for an old car. It would be a little cheaper in another garage, but we only have one car and I need to go back as soon as possible.
If you know of a good auto mechanic in Portland, please share it in the comments section below. I don’t want to bring the car to the dealer anymore. It’s always cost a lot more than I expected.
Last week, I also paid $250 for a new battery at Les Schwab. The previous battery has been there since 2018. I was impressed by it.
2010 Mazda5
I bought our Mazda5 New in 2010. Our previous vehicle was a BMW Z3 and couldn’t work with the baby. The Z3 is convertible and has only 2 seats. On the other hand, the Mazda 5 is an ideal family car. It has 3 rows of seats and can be configured to carry large quantities of cargo. It’s not too big either. I can be in the parallel park in the city without any problems.
Surprisingly, 15 years later, we have invested less than 90,000 miles on the Mazda5. We don’t drive very much as we live in a walkable neighborhood. The car is very reliable and spends a lot of time in the store. Mazda5 is a great tool for us. I want to buy a better car at some point, but the timing is wrong. We didn’t have garages and parking on the busy streets. Every car has a lot of tingling and dents. In this community, bumpers should be used. I don’t want a better car because every new dent feels more stressful. Also, I’m too frugal. I don’t want to spend a lot of money on depreciated assets.
When to buy a new car
It’s awful to spend hundreds of dollars on repairs, but it’s still cheaper than making a car payment. I don’t mind fixing the Mazda5 for a few years, as long as it’s still very reliable. However, it cannot stay in the store for a few days a year. Reliability is our top priority because we only have one car. I had to bring RB40JR to all his activities around town.
When the RB40JR graduates, I will seriously consider buying a new car. We plan to move to Southern California and we should have a garage at our next home. I’m looking at the brand new rocker transfer Miata. I would love to drive a convertible again. Ha ha. The new Miata starts at around $30,500. Not bad for a sports convertible, right? My right knee probably doesn’t like Miata, though. Maybe I should rent it for a week…
When are you considering buying a new car? What will you buy next?
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