There is a personal thing really. Some people think they ought to buy a new car every five years. I am not one of those people. I bought a 1993 Geo Prizm LSi back in 1996. Found it in the paper. (This was before I knew what e-mail or the internet was!) It was 3 years old and only had 24,000 miles on it. Very clean. . It had an alarm, sunroof, and 10-disc CD player installed by the previous owner. With all that and a price of $10, 500, it seemed a great deal.
After 11 years of ownership, it turns out to be a one of my best buying decisions. The car was generally reliable except for occasional electrical problems early on. The car still runs well and gets good gas mileage. The seats are still supportive and in good condition. But the rear seatbelt does not work, the light on the clock/stereo display is out, and the right passenger inside door handle recently broke. I lived with the stereo display out for years, but the door handle is more a safety issue than a mere inconvenience. That was the probably what pushed me to look for new car.
I still have not sold the Geo yet. I still drive it to work, when I don’t ride my bike in. The Elantra is now my weekend car and the car I use when I need to carry passengers. Why? A friend of mine actually encouraged me to keep it for a while, so I would put less wear on the Elantra. Makes sense, but it can be a hassle to keep two cars….Insurance, finding parking spaces, registration, upkeep. Eventually I will unload it, but there is no rush I guess.
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