Talk me out of doing something stupid

If you're going to do it, I'd suggest selling your current vehicle to a private party, rather than trading it in. Trade-ins are easier, but you usually get far less money than if you sell it.

I also wouldn't buy the Jeep brand new. Try to find one with 20,000-30,000 miles on it.

You really can have it both ways. Get the cool car you want to be driving without being willfully stupid about it. And don't feel bad that you want to ditch the car that may remind you of someone you don't want to be reminded of.

Lastly, Jeeps really suck to drive. They're not very comfortable and there's a lot of jostling over every little bump. But if you like them, don't let anyone stop you.

 

Screw that. I love new cars. Traded my old car in last month after 2 years. The trade-in more than paid off my old car and my new car is costing me about the same each month. Win-win.

If you want a new car and it's within your budget after all's said and done, go for it.

 

Cars are one of the last joys in life, if you're wired that way. Sounds like you are. So don't look at cars as financial assets you invest in, look at them as rewards in life.

If you want the Jeep, and you can make the monthly payment without destroying your lifestyle, go for it.

 

How much will you still owe on your existing car after the trade of around $21,000?

 

BTW, I can strongly recommend CarMax for selling your old car. At the very least, take your vehicle to them and 20 minutes later, you get a written offer right around Blue Book for your car.

I sold them a Mini a couple of years ago, got a great price, they handled all the paperwork, and it took about a half-hour.

This past weekend took them my wife's CR-V, and when we went to trade the old one in for the new model, the Honda dealer tried to low-ball me by $4,000. I whipped out the written offer from CarMax, told them I was going to take her old Honda across the street to them...and almost immediately, the Honda dealer was offering the exact same amount as CarMax. Winner, Winner!

 

Costing the same each month . . . indefinitely.

Driving a car you like with no payments is win-win. Everything else is a notch (or several notches) below that.

 

If your single and you don't have kids do what you want...

If you have the money to do it, do what you want....

If you have bigger responsibilities, take care of those before worrying about what kind of car you drive, assuming the one you have is still working...

 

Yeah. But it doesn't bother me to have a car payment. I can afford it and I like new cars. Win-win.

 

Wow. For somebody who doesn't hold small or medium newspapers in much regard, they have some copy editors who can help you with that "your/you're" thing.

 

Sounds like you have your answer, Creosote.

Now, come pick me up!

 

Not sure if you have kids or are going to have kids, but keeping a car payment plugged into the monthly budget indefinitely like that will end up costing you the equivalent of at least two years of college education.