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Post by Jen in NCal on Sept 4, 2014 2:41:39 GMT
We are a three-car family with two drivers. We have:
My BMW. Lease up in December. I drive about a hundred miles a month for work.
DH's 2002 or 2003 Honda commuter car. Owned outright. Stick which I cannot drive. I can learn. DH's commute is 5 miles a day, 4 stoplights.
Our Dodge Dakota pickup. 2002 or 2003 with low, low, low miles. His baby. Only used occasionally to haul stuff and take the boat.
Scenario 1:
We turn in the BMW, I drive the Dakota.
Pros: No car payments.
Cons: Unless I learn to drive the Honda, I am stuck at home when he goes fishing. This concerns him a lot more than it concerns me. I'll miss my convertible.
Scenario 2:
We turn in the BMW, trade in the Honda. I get a new car, he drives the Dakota. We probably wouldn't get much for the Honda. It does have low miles given its short commute, but it has lived outside its entire life and looks like it.
Pros: I get a car.
Cons: Car payments.
Scenario 3:
We turn in the BMW, trade in the Dakota. I get something that can work for me and haul the boat.
Pros. I get a car. We get a great trade in value for the Dakota. It was the last year of a popular body style and the miles are awesome.
Cons: It's not a convertible. I'm still stuck without a car when he goes fishing.
I'm looking for opinions. I know that there are definitely worse problems to have, but this one is mine.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 20:01:40 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2014 2:46:38 GMT
Get rid of the BMW...you drive the truck to work while learning to drive the Honda so that you're not stuck at home when he's fishing.
At this point in my life, I am downsizing downsizing downsizing. I'm done with big and fancy...I want small, manageable, practical.
I hate my vehicle. I want a new car so badly I can almost taste it.
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Julie W
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,209 
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Post by Julie W on Sept 4, 2014 2:49:35 GMT
No car payments sounds like the best option. Learn to drive the stick shift - it's a great skill to have. I learned as a young adult after having driven for a few years and I found while learning it to drive it barefoot helped me get a sense of the right points for the clutch. Then when you decide to go on the Amazing Race, you'll know how to drive a stick shift as they always throw that one in there!  |
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perumbula
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,439
Location: Idaho
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Post by perumbula on Sept 4, 2014 2:51:52 GMT
Learn to drive a stick. It takes an hour or so to learn and it can be kind of fun depending on the car. I've been driving a stick for 20 years. DH bought a car for us that was a stick shift. Either I learned or I walked. It took me no time at all to learn. Find a large, empty parking lot and give it a try. Pros: no new car payment. Cons: sorry, can't think of any.  |
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 20:01:40 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2014 2:54:54 GMT
I was going to talk about the benefit of going on The Amazing Race after learning the manual transmission. How about driving that Honda with manual transmission to swim class so that you can become a strong swimmer. That's always a plus too.  One of the first vehicles I drove was an old Ford pick up truck with a manual transmission on the column. Honest to God, I think I could drive anything now. |
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cycworker
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,556
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Post by cycworker on Sept 4, 2014 2:55:11 GMT
Yup, I agree with everyone else
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Post by eebud on Sept 4, 2014 3:00:44 GMT
Ditto the others. Learn to drive a stick. The hardest part is when you have to stop on a hill. You don't want to roll into the vehicle behind you when you start. I learned in a residential neighborhood that the hills were short so I could stop at the bottom if a car ended up behind me. When no car, I stopped in the hill so I could learn how to go forward without rolling back. I made a bunch of loops around the neighborhood. Lol
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luvnlifelady
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,428
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Post by luvnlifelady on Sept 4, 2014 3:32:09 GMT
You sell the Honda to me (I live in Southern CA) and get yourself a shiny new vehicle. We're looking for a car for 17 yo DD and she could learn to drive stick. Either that or you learn and have no car payments which is great too.
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Post by Basket1lady on Sept 4, 2014 3:33:36 GMT
Ditto the others. Learn to drive a stick. The hardest part is when you have to stop on a hill. You don't want to roll into the vehicle behind you when you start. I learned in a residential neighborhood that the hills were short so I could stop at the bottom if a car ended up behind me. When no car, I stopped in the hill so I could learn how to go forward without rolling back. I made a bunch of loops around the neighborhood. Lol I learned in the driveway, which was on a hill. Starting from a stop on a hill is the hardest part of driving a stick. The rest is just gravy. It will take an hour, then you just do it. I would vote vote for no car payment every time. Bank the money for a few years and then just buy the next car out right. It's the best feeling ever. And you still won't have a car payment. |
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NoWomanNoCry
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,856
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Post by NoWomanNoCry on Sept 4, 2014 3:40:55 GMT
Get rid of the BMW...you drive the truck to work while learning to drive the Honda so that you're not stuck at home when he's fishing. At this point in my life, I am downsizing downsizing downsizing. I'm done with big and fancy...I want small, manageable, practical. I hate my vehicle. I want a new car so badly I can almost taste it. Totally agree with this! |
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kelkel
Junior Member
Posts: 77
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Post by kelkel on Sept 4, 2014 4:42:53 GMT
We are a three-car family with two drivers. We have: My BMW. Lease up in December. I drive about a hundred miles a month for work. DH's 2002 or 2003 Honda commuter car. Owned outright. Stick which I cannot drive. I can learn. DH's commute is 5 miles a day, 4 stoplights. Our Dodge Dakota pickup. 2002 or 2003 with low, low, low miles. His baby. Only used occasionally to haul stuff and take the boat.
You have one of those too, huh? Ours isn't even allowed to haul anything...it sits in the garage being pretty.  As for your situation, I recommend doing whatever it takes to NOT have a car payment - those things suck! |
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Post by bc2ca on Sept 4, 2014 5:10:08 GMT
 I would take over the Honda and let DH have the Dakota. My first car was a stick that I learned to drive after I bought it. You will be zipping around in no time thinking about the new car you can buy in a couple of years  .
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Post by melanell on Sept 4, 2014 12:51:32 GMT
I would do whatever allows you to have no car payment. I don't think it's a big deal for you to be home without a car once in awhile, but as many others have said, you can learn to drive the Honda. We're a 2 adult home with one car so we both have many times when one of us is home without a car. It's no biggie. And we live out in the sticks, so it's not like the one at home can walk anywhere. They just stay home.  But again, learning something new can fix your issues completely and well, it's always nice to learn something new anyway. (But as someone who has learned many decades ago to leave plenty of room between myself and the driver ahead of me on all hills (and we have many), please do heed the advice about learning to properly handle resuming driving from a stop on a hill. Many people around here seem to have skipped that lesson. ) |
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smartypants71
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,992
Location: Houston, TX
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Post by smartypants71 on Sept 4, 2014 13:27:23 GMT
As someone who has a convertible, there is NO WAY i'd go back to a regular car! Plus, I like having a newer car. I don't think I'd be happy going from a new car to a 10yo one. But that's just me |
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Post by leannec on Sept 4, 2014 14:50:19 GMT
I guess the question is: do you want a car payment or not? If I could afford to keep my BMW I would I found driving a manual transmission/stick shift to be a pain in the ass so I'd rather trade that car in for an automatic ... I guess I'm just lazy  We also have to keep a truck in the family to tow our boat so I know that feeling ... it's also dh's baby  |
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Post by shanni on Sept 4, 2014 14:55:20 GMT
If you drive for work, you need to keep gas mileage in mind when you are deciding. I don't think I would want to be driving around the pickup- those things are notorious gas-guzzlers.
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Post by Jen in NCal on Sept 4, 2014 15:39:18 GMT
If you drive for work, you need to keep gas mileage in mind when you are deciding. I don't think I would want to be driving around the pickup- those things are notorious gas-guzzlers. That's my main argument. The truck gets horrible gas mileage (not that the BMW is much better) which is another reason we don't drive it a lot. There is no way I'm taking over the Honda. That car is worn out. Thanks for all the opinions. I was hoping someone would come up with the fantabulous reason why Scenario 2 was the best option. I know what we should do, it's just not what I want to do. I would really only need the Honda in an emergency. He usually is home around 2:00 and I laze around until around noon on those days. |
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luckyexwife
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,070
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Post by luckyexwife on Sept 4, 2014 16:30:28 GMT
Maybe I missed it, but why not take over the BMW when the lease is up?
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Post by holly on Sept 4, 2014 17:05:08 GMT
If you can afford a car payment I would get a new/used car. I'd probably sell the Honda and let DH drive the truck. He's hardly driving the Honda so might as well get rid of it. You are probably spending more on registration and insurance each year while it keeps depreciating. And before you sell the Honda I'd learn how to drive a stick?  . My 16 yo learned very quickly this year on our little MG. He'd only had his license a couple of months. It's a great skill to have. Personally, I wouldn't want to drive a manual everyday, especially in CA. My first car was a stick and I grew up in So Cal so I know all about it? |
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Post by kelbel827 on Sept 4, 2014 18:35:05 GMT
Turn in BMW and get a new lease. Convertible, of course |
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PaperAngel
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,843
Jun 27, 2014 23:04:06 GMT
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Post by PaperAngel on Sept 4, 2014 19:53:15 GMT
My vote is for:
Scenario 4: Trade the Honda toward the BMW when its lease expires.
Pros: You keep your beloved convertible & do not have to be without transportation when he's fishing, while eliminating the unnecessary expense of a third car.
Cons: Payments (but tolerable since they're for your favorite car!)
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Post by peasful1 on Sept 4, 2014 20:07:56 GMT
I would just trade the lease in for a new one. But that's how we roll. I lease, DH drives a truck, which we own, and we also own DS' car.
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Post by mdoc on Sept 4, 2014 22:38:03 GMT
You should be able to learn to drive the manual transmission before you need to turn the BMW in. I would then turn the BMW in and drive the Dakota most of the time (no reason not to catch up a bit on miles, as eventually the age of the truck will become a more important factor than its low miles). Drive the Honda often enough to keep up your stick shift skills, and then you won't be stranded when your husband needs to use the truck. Then take the money that would otherwise have gone for the BMW payment and put it in the bank to save for your next car.
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Post by JustKim on Sept 4, 2014 23:28:54 GMT
If you can afford the car payment, what would it be to purchase the BMW after the lease? or another car. Keep the paid for honda and truck. If you can't do a car payment, learn to drive the honda. What are you wanting to do? you have to be happy with your choice
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loco coco
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,662
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Post by loco coco on Sept 4, 2014 23:41:29 GMT
ugh, we just got finished with the 3 scenario car game! We ended up trading in my 06CTS (paid off so that helped, I leased it 1st) and got an Infiniti QX70S crossover that satisfied my needs and gave my DH the sports car feel. He really wanted a 3rd car to tinker with and I didnt so this really worked for both of us. I wasnt prepared to let go of my car for 8 years either but once I saw the new car my feelings quickly changed Good luck!! My vote is for: Scenario 4: Trade the Honda toward the BMW when its lease expires. Pros: You keep your beloved convertible & do not have to be without transportation when he's fishing, while eliminating the unnecessary expense of a third car. Cons: Payments (but tolerable since they're for your favorite car!) thats a good idea! |
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. My 16 yo learned very quickly this year on our little MG. He'd only had his license a couple of months. It's a great skill to have. Personally, I wouldn't want to drive a manual everyday, especially in CA. My first car was a stick and I grew up in So Cal so I know all about it?
