Did you factor in the LONG trips but didn't buy anything into your formula for saving millions buying junk yard specials? Remember I'm married to a math person. You have to include ALL expenses when doing "the math"

Don't necessarily have to have it up front to pay cash. In 2014 I bought a loaded silverado LTZ for zero percent on 60 months. Traded my 2011 in and got 24,000 trade in. Financed 36,000. So basically paid cash over 60 months. My wife bought herself a brand new GMC yukon in 2022 because she wanted it. She traded her 2014 buick enclave in and never looked back. Best vehicle I have EVER driven or rode in. About 4 months later she said she was tired of me driving it all the time and handed me the money market check book. Said go fix that. So I came home with a 2022 LTZ silverado. Unless either is in an accident don't see me trading again soon.

Ya gramps that was a big 60$ in gas a few times. A very far cry from the thousands I have saved. And to be honest I enjoy taking trips and stoping along the way. Its part of the fun like those that enjoy flee markets and auctions. You never know what you may run across.

Best driving ever? You obviously never drove a 1979 Mercury Cougar. Haha

Unless an emergency. I wouldn’t drive an old high mileage vehicle more than an hour maybe 2 from home. Too much risk of a breakdown and lost time.

What's an old and high milage vehicle?

A beater with bandaids and bow ties

For real. How old and how many miles?

I had 1970 blue amc hornet once Right up there with a mercury cougar!!

Nice!!!

That’s a question each driver would need to answer for personal comfort. That will vary between drivers and vehicles. The lowest mileage vehicle I own is a few shy of 150k. The truck is in immaculate condition interior and exterior appearance however I would not feel great about making a long trip especially cross country. Truck has had some mechanical issues.

Never did it, but has anyone bought a truck off a 2 or 3 year lease?, newish vehicle without the big hit driving new off the lot....

My enjoyment level from messing with vehicles would be zero. Vehicle work more falls into the emergency category— only when really necessary. So I’m usually somewhat cautious on buying used and potentially getting someone else’s lemon. Feel I’m better off devoting my time to something else and letting mechanic with more skills than me do truck work. So I tend to look for new that meets my requirements and has a potentially decent reliability record. Run it 12-15 years/250-300,000 miles and by then the northern salt and rust will have usually caused enough issues anyway.

Not sure what I’ll do next though. Truck is starting to get some age/miles and likely need replacement in 4-6 years. They seem to become a little less reliable with every new year produced. Not really anything out there new right now that I’d be interested in.

True. For long trips I want something dependable.

That is a good question. How many of those are out there?
The only guy I know that leased a vehicle bought it outright when the lease was up. I don't remember the details of the lease agreement, but I know I didn't like it much.