I'm facing a very risky decision and need some advice.

[LosDiosDeVerde86]

First off, hey guys. It's been a while. Good to be back.

 

Let me lay out my problem for you.

 

I have a 2010 Legacy 2.5i CVT with 90,000 miles. I bought it brand new because we needed a new family car that could reliably take us on 500 to 1000 miles road trips. It was cheap and reliable and a Subaru, so I bought it. It's my 3rd Legacy preceded by a 96 LS and a 99 GT Limited (this one imploded...don't ask. Nothing but bad memories and disappointment. grossgary knows the story). It's totally paid off and I fully expect that it would last me another 5 to 10 years, probably more if I treat it well.

 

Except here's the thing...There's a Baja for sale near me.

 

2004 Baja Sport manual with 124,000 miles. $6,000. Naturally I contacted the owner, got some more pics of it, and I'm test driving it this evening. I took my Legacy to Carmax yesterday and their offer is $6500. Just enough to cover the cost (more if I can't get the price down) plus tax. I can literally do this trade straight up.

 

So, my question to you fine folks is, presuming the test drive and inspection comes back clean (I already know it needs a new plastic gas cap cover and O2 sensor) would you do this trade?

 

One more thing, I work from home, drive maybe 50 miles a week, and my wife has a 2016 Outback Premium that's now the go-to family car, which clearly is a point towards making the deal. Something that concerns me though, is that I NEED to sell my Legacy to buy the Baja. I just paid off a bunch of debt and my savings isn't quite up to snuff (but I make enough to replenish it pretty quickly). So, imagine a scenario where we agree that I buy the car, go to Carmax, sell the Legacy, and then they pull out of the deal! I'd be totes screwed.

Edited October 26, 2016 by LosDiosDeVerde86

[1 Lucky Texan]

just lay-out your situation to the Baja seller, ask if a few hundred dollars 'good faith deposit' would hold the car for - what? 2-3 days? if he's got paid advertising somewhere, offer to let him deduct $X for a partial ad rebate.

 

 

something like that; as Don Rickles' character 'Crapgame' says in Kelly's Heroes - "make a deal!"

 

 

 

Edited October 26, 2016 by 1 Lucky Texan

[LosDiosDeVerde86]

just lay-out your situation to the Baja seller, ask if a few hundred dollars 'good faith deposit' would hold the car for - what? 2-3 days? if he's got paid advertising somewhere, offer to let him deduct $X for a partial ad rebate.

 

 

something like that; as Don Rickles' character says in Kelly's Heroes - "make a deal!"

 

Thanks. As far as I can tell the extent of their advertising is Facebook Marketplace and a for sale sign in their windshield.

[idosubaru]

Sure:  do the timing belt, tensioner, pulleys, clean/regrease all the brakes, plugs, wires, and carry on. 

That said - "O2 sensor" usually means P0420 so be prepared for a check engine light, getting lucky, or replacing a catalytic converter.  

 

My yes and no answers:

When I was young and single and/or close to home with friends and relatives that would let me borrow cars/come get me - yes. 

Now that I'm older, busier, have less disposable time, and more higher level responsibilities - probably not. 

 

Buy a third car for the two of you? I have no desire to have one vehicle per person. 

 

buy excellent snow tires and put less miles on them (but flatland Ohio is easy peasy to drive in so not a big deal there)

I can run tires longer - I run warn tires in the summer on one car and just drive the other one with newer tires if it rains.

If the car is down for any reason - maintenance, parts, accident, shop, etc - no worries.  
I can do any maintenance and relax, no rush. 

If I'm in an accident - no worries.  Lady hit me and totaled my car a couple years ago - no big deal.  I self negotiated with the insurance, and they cut me a check for rental car since I used my own vehicle and pocketed the money and was in no rush to replace or repair the wrecked car. 

I have no opportunity costs associated with "i need a car right now" - i haven't "had" to get a car in a very long time.

I've got more strategic reasons but a magician doesn't tell all his tricks. 

[LosDiosDeVerde86]

Sure:  do the timing belt, tensioner, pulleys, clean/regrease all the brakes, plugs, wires, and carry on. 

 

That said - "O2 sensor" usually means P0420 so be prepared for a check engine light, getting lucky, or replacing a catalytic converter.  

 

My yes and no answers:

When I was young and single and/or close to home with friends and relatives that would let me borrow cars/come get me - yes. 

Now that I'm older, busier, have less disposable time, and more higher level responsibilities - probably not. 

 

Buy a third car for the two of you? I have no desire to have one vehicle per person. 

 

buy excellent snow tires and put less miles on them (but flatland Ohio is easy peasy to drive in so not a big deal there)

I can run tires longer - I run warn tires in the summer on one car and just drive the other one with newer tires if it rains.

If the car is down for any reason - maintenance, parts, accident, shop, etc - no worries.  

I can do any maintenance and relax, no rush. 

If I'm in an accident - no worries.  Lady hit me and totaled my car a couple years ago - no big deal.  I self negotiated with the insurance, and they cut me a check for rental car since I used my own vehicle and pocketed the money and was in no rush to replace or repair the wrecked car. 

I have no opportunity costs associated with "i need a car right now" - i haven't "had" to get a car in a very long time.

I've got more strategic reasons but a magician doesn't tell all his tricks. 

 

So what you're saying is, you WOULDN'T do it, if it were your only DD?

[1 Lucky Texan]

I could really use a 3rd car - AWD Tuning has been rebuilding my WRX's transmission for 3.5 weeks (several days of waiting for parts are in that time, still !!!) . But, My wife doesn't need her car every day, and we borrowed her Mom's car a coupla days - and, I've had multiple cars at the house before with my kids, the more cars you maintain, the more likely there's a broken car at any given moment.

 

and with Lyft/Uber, one or 2 emergency transportation trips every 6 months might be cheaper than even the 'recreation vehicle' insurance and registration taxes on a 3rd car.

 

 

But, having a spare car would be nice.....

 

I can't decide how good an idea it is - ugh

Edited October 26, 2016 by 1 Lucky Texan

[Fairtax4me]

I've owned at least two vehicles for the last ten years or better. At one point I owned 4 just for my own use. One of those was a pickup which hardly got driven, but it served it's purpose well on the occasions when I needed a truck.

 

Having two vehicles is nearly essential for me. If one breaks I always have one to drive in the meantime while either waiting for parts or time to fix the other.

 

Liability insurance and taxes/registration cost me only about $200 per year for the second vehicle. Maintenance costs may be another $200 or so, but I do use both of my current vehicles on a regular basis. I switch off every week or two so neither one sits for an extended time.

[LosDiosDeVerde86]

So, I test drove it. 

 

No keyless entry fobs, AC doesn't work, drivers door handle plastic was broken, the switch for the power mirrors doesn't work, rust on the roof around the antenna, and the engine had been mostly rebuilt because the previous owner had it in an inoperable state prior to the current owner. The engine sounded like it was possibly knocking and the transmission was making a lot of noise; clunks and thumps, and whines. Also there was a lot of suspension noise. Plus the gas cap cover, drivers seat tear, and oxygen sensor that I already knew about.

 

I was looking to replace my DD, not a project. I'm pretty heartbroken that it didn't work out, but getting back into the seat of a pretty beat 12 year old car really did make me appreciate my '10 a lot more.

Edited October 27, 2016 by LosDiosDeVerde86

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

... but getting back into the seat of a pretty beat 12 year old car really did make me appreciate my '10 a lot more.

 

Yes, to change your well known, well maintained car, for an Unknown one, is always a Bad idea, unless you have a "Backup" car and the one you obtained was something you Really Wanted / Needed.

 

 

 

... Having two vehicles is nearly essential for me. If one breaks I always have one to drive in the meantime while either waiting for parts or time to fix the other ...

 

 

Exactly the same here; especially having to transport my Li'l daughter.

 

Kind Regards.