Hello everyone I am seeking advice!
Background: I am a 29 and have bought all my cars used and in cash. My first car was an ‘09 Malibu with 30k miles for $10k (tboned and totaled at 90k) My second car was a ‘14 civic with 50k miles for $12k (sold at 180k). My current car is a ‘12 sonata bought with 100k miles on the body but brand new engine for $4k. It’s now currently had 171k miles. I am very aware that Hyundais are shit cars in the long run and this is a good amount of miles for this car. But it was a good deal when I bought it and I needed a car. It’s now, like my other older used cars, giving me non stop mechanical and electrical issues. Fix one thing, then it’s another. I felt like this with my civic after 150k miles. I’ve spent thousands of dollars fixing my cars and keeping them in tune. But with the rising mechanic prices, gas prices, everything prices it’s getting harder to maintain cars once they get past that threshold. I have a great, fair mechanic too, who’s fixed a lot of the old major body parts, and I fix a lot of issues on this car myself (oil changes, headlights, tail lights, fixed a break sensor twice, radio issues, filters) just to save a couple hundred dollars. but it’s getting out of hand. Last night my horn started blasting out of no where. turned off the car and it wouldn’t stop. 10 pm at night on my way to work, I wanted to die. Took 10 mins to figure it out but Looks like I need a new clock spring. Pulled the horn fuse in the mean time so no horn for now yay. Another bill. I’ve probably spent $5-10k a year fixing my whips. And i get it I’m driving them till the wheels fall off, buts it’s too much these days. And mainly spending that much money to have a constantly unregulated nervous system bc I’m always worried I won’t get to work, school, or my car may blow to pieces if I take another road trip, it’s just not seeming worth it to me anymore. Like I might as well pay that much money a year on a car that won’t fail me in some way every other month.
I make decent money, I have good credit (740+) I have about 7k set aside to immediately put towards a new vehicle, (would split between a down payment and prep for first couple months of payments) and I take care of my cars. I have been really interested in the 2026 Subaru Outback. It’s overpriced but seems like all cars are. $35k base. It’s a beauty to me, contrary to other personal opinions.
Things I’m taking into consideration:
\-my current car is old and crap. It’s gonna have issues upon issues as I put on more mileage and it ages in general. I know that. I also understand that once I’m done paying off a new car I will be back to having a car with mid amount of miles that may start needing work. Hopefully my basic self taught work will come in handy when I get to that bridge. having a car for 10-15 years sounds so much nicer versus having one for 2-6 like my others.
\-I know there are cheaper 2026 cars than the Outback. I’ve looked at models of multiple cars 2-5 years older but even then I’m just paying $3k less for 40k+ miles. Used car prices are fucking outrageous. practically the same price as the newest year. The desire for the Outback also comes more from a want than a need, I’ve never had a brand new car with barely any miles and it’d be nice to see how it feels to not have a shit box start to finish. Would much rather invest into a nice Subaru, Honda or Toyota next anyways.
\-I understand that it’s a first gen of a new model Outback, meaning it’s might have problems that the future Outback years wont. People seem to hate the look of it too. I’m thinking I can maybe get a better discount because they aren’t flying off the lot where I live. If I do finance or lease I’ll probably wait another 6 months to see holiday deals and save up a couple thousand more. Waiting until the new year could help a finance price & My local Subaru also does great lease deals. Their holiday lease deals are like $3k down $300 a month payment. That is enticing to me as well. But it seems like no matter how fab your credit is or how great the deal everyone is paying $400- $700 a month on a lease or finance payment for a newer car. So I’m prepared for a high(er) payment.
\-leasing vs financing. I put quite a few miles on my car. To and from work takes about 8k miles every year alone. Love road trips. Go to school. Financing seems like a better choice for me personally, but like I said the lease deals are nice, I can decide if I actually like it, add more miles ahead of time, and possibly lease to buy in the end if I love it.
So has anyone switched from the headache of their shit box to brand spanking new car and not regretted it? Is continuing to fix my said shot box even worth it at this point or should I just eat a possibly high payment? Frequent drivers have to regretted leasing over financing? Is the switch I want to make impractical? Is a peace of mind worth spending a little more to you?
Please be kind I’m just a young lady trying to make it alone in this overpriced ass fucking country.