Quote:
Originally Posted by HadesM3
The other concern I have is the cost of maintenance and repairs.
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That's kind of a non-starter for an older car. You will have costs, you will need to address things. If you are mechanically inclined and have access to some decent tools and lifts, you can usually do most of this yourself, or at least enough to offset the cost of the bigger stuff that you cannot. IME, you don't buy a 10+ year old car and expect to not have to do anything. The plus side is that some of these older cars are simpler, but the minus side is mechanical wear and that means fixing stuff. Personally, I look at a car and do a bunch of research, find the common issues, see what the remedies are, decide whether I am willing to do the remedy or perform the actual maintenance myself. Older cars will not be cheap. But competent mechanics can usually make the most out of them and you can have a good vehicle.
Foreign/sports car maintenance will not be cheap at any shop. It just never is.
I had a nice Mercedes 4matic 320 (great engine, so smooth), but some sort of HVAC actuation system was dead and fixing it was a 3K job to remove most of the front interior and replace the actuators. Was a nice car, rode nice, did awesome in the snow, was it worth it? Kind of. The defining factor is if you really like the car. Then it is worth it.
Also agree with the above about not letting cars sit. Cars that run more frequently are more reliable and better IMO.