Properly people, the time has lastly come to purchase a brand new automotive. After shopping for eight automobiles in my first ten years out of school because of my former automotive addition, I now dread the thought. All I need is to drive one automotive without end to save lots of time, trouble, and cash.
Nevertheless, my 2015 Vary Rover Sport, which I purchased in December 2016 with solely 10,600 miles, is beginning to have one downside too many. Yeah, yeah, I do know. Land Rovers are infamous for upkeep points. However a minimum of I had a pleasant nine-year run, proper? I believe so.
The typical month-to-month price of proudly owning the automotive, together with all repairs, comes out to about $555. That feels affordable for what it’s and the way a lot I’ve loved driving it. I don’t remorse spending $60,000 after tax for the automotive 9 years in the past in any respect. So part of me needs to be one other luxurious automotive for the subsequent 10 years.
Switching automobiles each 10 years is my superb possession cycle. With fixed enhancements in security and know-how, a decade feels nearly proper.
The Newest Downside With My Automotive
The opposite day the verify engine mild got here on once more. I ended up spending $600 to switch an oxygen sensor and an oil gasket. The oil drips have been apparent on my driveway.
On the similar time, I began getting a “Battery Low” warning each different day. Huh? I had simply spent ~$500 changing the principle battery in 2024, after eight years of utilization. It ought to simply final one other 5 years, a minimum of.
So I drove the automotive round hoping to recharge it. Then, one morning, proper earlier than driving my youngsters to Daddy Day Camp for tennis and swimming, I bought essentially the most ominous message but:
“Warning, system will shut down in 1 minute.”
WTF?
As a substitute of pulling out of the driveway and risking a shutdown on the street, I simply sat there idling for a pair minutes. Nothing occurred. However the warning rattled me. I felt like I used to be on a rocket ship, prepared for it to blow up.
Whole Price To Repair So Far: $1,115
Once I took the automotive again to my native mechanic, they discovered the smaller auxiliary battery was useless. That is the battery that controls the auto start-stop operate, door sensors, trunk, and different electrical elements.
What aggravated me was that in 2024 I had particularly informed them there have been two batteries to switch. They mentioned they solely discovered one. Ah, the draw back of saving cash and never going to a Land Rover specialist. However boy, does the dealership cost a premium. Additional, the store wasn’t a walkable distance house.
All in, I spent $1,115 changing the auxiliary battery and fixing the oxygen sensor and oil gasket. Completely manageable, if these have been the one points for the previous 1 yr and 10 months since I final visited the ship. Sadly, another potential situation stays: an EVAP air leak.
To Repair Or Not To Repair
The mechanic mentioned they weren’t positive changing the oil gasket totally solved the leak, since oil was seen at each the highest and backside of the engine. They advisable driving for a month and coming again for a free verify. If oil nonetheless leaked, I’d want a specialist who may need to take away the transmission or one thing related. Labor alone: over $3,000.
And if there was nonetheless an oil leak at that time, they suggested not spending one other $1,000+ to repair the EVAP leak. At that stage I is perhaps dealing with $5,000 in work for a ten-year-old automotive value lower than $20,000.
I may simply maintain driving the automotive with a small oil leak and an EVAP air leak for one more yr, however it’s not superb. Ultimately, I’ll have to cross a smog verify in two years, and if the EVAP leak isn’t fastened, the automotive gained’t cross.
Care Much less About Luxurious or Seems In A Automotive
As a father now, my primary precedence is security. Reliability is a part of security. I as soon as owned a traditional 1989 BMW 635 CSi that did shut down utterly as I drove right into a Greatest Purchase parking zone. Brakes, electrical, engine – every thing died without delay. By no means once more.
Since I worth my time greater than something today, I need essentially the most dependable automotive doable. My mechanic is shut by, so I simply stroll house after dropping the automotive off after dropping off the children at college. However doing this yr after yr is getting outdated. It has been three years in a row that there is been one thing to repair.
After reliability and security, then I’ll have a look at efficiency and appears. I purchased the Vary Rover Sport in 2016 as a result of it appeared nice and will drive to Tahoe in winter with out placing on chains. However now it might be time to say goodbye.
Though I believe the brand new Vary Rover Sports activities are lovely and include a 4-year, 50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper guarantee, spending $110,000 out the door for this mannequin feels egregious as twin unemployed dad and mom.
If certainly one of us labored in huge tech making $1+ million a yr or at a scorching AI startup like OpenAI, spending six figures on a automotive may appear affordable. However for us, we’d should promote some Treasury bonds to afford it. Our money movement doesn’t permit for such a purchase order underneath my 1/tenth rule for automotive shopping for, and I am a stickler for following my very own monetary independence guidelines.
The Most Dependable Vehicles: Toyota, Honda, and Tesla
Analysis reveals essentially the most dependable manufacturers are Toyota, Lexus, Honda, Acura, and Tesla. European automobiles look nice, however they eat your pockets alive.
And Tesla has one of the best EV tech and least upkeep since there are fewer components and no fluids. Full Self Driving is tempting, though it’s $8,000 further in case you don’t get a Mannequin X. Nonetheless, a Tesla Mannequin 3 or Mannequin Y feels just like the good choice, and costs have dropped.
The draw back is that Tesla designs are getting lengthy within the tooth and want a refresh. Additionally, the $7,500 on the spot EV credit score disappeared on the finish of October 2025. The excellent news is Tesla is providing incentives: a $6,500 credit score on leases plus one free $2,000 improve.
The humorous factor? My home already has a Tesla quick charger inbuilt. Plus, I’ve bought greater than 21 photo voltaic panels on the roof. Charging would typically be free through the day.
So the obvious alternative for my 2015 Vary Rover Sport appears to be a Tesla Mannequin Y for about $48,000 out the door. A 3-year lease with zero down is about $650 a month. What do you assume? It will really feel nice to make the most of extra of the options of my home.
We Additionally Love Hondas
Since I not care about luxurious European automobiles, Toyota and Honda are wanting enticing once more. I had a Honda Civic again in 2002–2003, and beloved it. However as a 25-year-old finance worker in San Francisco, I ultimately wished one thing nicer, so I upgraded to a BMW M3 and later a Land Rover Discovery II.
Wow, in the present day’s Honda Civics look implausible. The Civic Sport runs about $28,000 earlier than taxes and charges, roughly $31,000 out the door. It feels steep for a Civic, however these automobiles are extremely dependable. My solely concern? Security. A smaller automotive may not maintain up as effectively in a collision.
That’s why I’m additionally eyeing the Honda CR-V Sport. Clear design, roomy inside, AWD for Tahoe journeys, about $38,000. Not unhealthy, however the inside feels low cost in comparison with my Vary Rover.
Toyota Might Be The Winner
Then I checked out a Toyota Land Cruiser and the Lexus GX 550, which is principally a extra luxurious Land Cruiser for just a few thousand {dollars} extra. Costs run $72,000–$80,000 pre-tax, which feels hefty. Possibly the Toyota 4-Runner is the better-size automotive, priced at about $51,000.
The Civic and CR-V Sport are economical and dependable, and so they don’t stand out. With my Vary Rover Sport, I often felt somewhat embarrassed within the early years, because it drew consideration. Now, ten years later, I don’t really feel that means in any respect. Actually, it’s cheaper than many new Civics, Corollas, Camrys, and Accords.
So Many Yr-Finish Incentives, So Little Need To Purchase
What’s humorous is that I may simply negotiate a lower cost at any seller, particularly on the finish of the yr. However I don’t really feel the identical thrill I did in my 20s after I purchased and offered automobiles for enjoyable.
Truthfully, all I need is to pay one other $1,300 or so to repair the EVAP leak and have the Vary Rover behave for 2 extra years. The automotive solely has 66,500 miles. My youngsters can kick the seats all they need. Door dings? Advantageous. Scratches? No downside.
There’s one thing peaceable about driving an older automotive that you simply don’t fear about damaging. However I’m not satisfied the Vary Rover’s issues will decelerate. I’ve already changed the vacuum pump, water pump, PCV valve, each batteries, oil gasket, oxygen sensor, and extra. And nonetheless new points cropped up.
Assist Me Determine My Subsequent Automotive
Faux you might be me: a 48-year-old dad with two younger youngsters in San Francisco. You care about security and reliability above all else. Annual mileage pushed is about 6,500. You are unemployed and fly Primary Financial system. However you’ve gotten about $360,000 a yr in passive earnings after 26 years of saving and investing that covers virtually all of your after-tax dwelling bills. Lastly, you should purchase or lease by means of your small enterprise.
Which automotive would you purchase or lease?
- Follow an economic system or mid-size automobile? Mannequin Y, Toyota Camry, Honda Civic, Honda Accord, Toyota 4-Runner
- YOLO and get a luxurious automotive once more? Vary Rover Sport, Toyota Land Cruiser, Lexus GX 550, Rivian RS1
- Or simply maintain fixing the 2015 Vary Rover for $1,100–$3,000 a yr, hope it would not break down, and drive it into the bottom?
My unique aim was to maintain the automotive till my son learns to drive in 2031 at age 15. If he dings it, no huge deal. However I doubt the automotive will final that lengthy with out costly repairs. And if we transfer to Hawaii in 2029, I’d hate to overspend on a automotive solely to promote it quickly after.
Please share what you drive and what you’d suggest. What sort of automotive do you drive, how a lot does it price, and is it dependable? Thanks!
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