The want...it is so strong...

"Makoyouidiot" (makaan12)
08/15/2013 at 23:59 • Filed to: dodgedart

So, as several of you know, my wife and I bought a first run Dart, the 3rd sold in the nation, according to our dealer (prolly BS, but still I like to say it). We love the thing...but...I saw this...

I would MUCH, MUCH rather have this than our plain red Rallye...but I am unsure how to trade one mostly new car for another very new car, with a 16k mile gap on them, and 20 grand still owed on the one we have. Which sucks.

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

DISCUSSION (21)

Milky > Makoyouidiot
08/16/2013 at 00:03

Just wait for the SRT-4. patience sir ....

Makoyouidiot > Milky
08/16/2013 at 00:08

Hehe, not my strong suit. Still you make a good point.

Lets Just Drive > Makoyouidiot
08/16/2013 at 01:01

I'm biting my tongue so hard I can taste blood.

The Stig's Rustbelt Cousin > Makoyouidiot
08/16/2013 at 01:08

When trading in a 1-2 year old car for a new one, be sure to have plenty of freshly-laundered towels, a robe, and some soap... Because you're going to take a bath.

Please keep in mind that this advice comes from the most enthusiastic of car guys, son of a car guy, from a family of car guys: THIS IS A TERRIBLE IDEA.

The bulk of a new car's depreciation occurs in the first 2 years, and nothing depreciates quite like a compact car with the word Dodge on the trunk. The predecessor of your car was the Caliber, and it's grandfather was the Neon. These vehicles are known for many things, of which excellent resale value is not one.

That aside, even if you were thinking about trading in a Civic or a Corolla, it's still a terrible idea. The predatory assholes at your local dealer pay for their powerboats on the backs of customers like you.

Yes, I know, the one you want is newer/shinier/faster/whatever. Yes, it's all you can think about during the day, and keeps you from sleeping at night. But that fascination will not last, once you've owned that new car for a while, and then the realization of your horrible financial-planning skills will start to sink in, and you'll wind up broke, depressed, and alone, subsisting on fried chicken that came from the deli counter at your nearest grocery store.

You've been warned.

Alex87f > The Stig's Rustbelt Cousin
08/16/2013 at 05:04

Absolute, complete, unaltered truth here.

I've been down this road before, and my wallet still bleeds. Selling a well-running, reliable, warranty-covered recent car is a BAD IDEA , unless you can live with the fact that you're gonna get raped.

(And on a side note replacing it with something older thinking you'll "lose less because it depreciates less" is an EVEN WORSE IDEA . I've had both. At the same time. Fuck me.)

Makoyouidiot > Lets Just Drive
08/16/2013 at 07:36

Might want to get that checked.

Makoyouidiot > The Stig's Rustbelt Cousin
08/16/2013 at 07:38

Yeah, I know this, which is why I want, rather than I already have.

Makoyouidiot > Alex87f
08/16/2013 at 07:39

At the same time? ouch.

doodon2whls > Makoyouidiot
08/16/2013 at 09:02

These guys are right... If it's a matter of the paint, wheels and stripe that are drawing you in, you could probably have your car painted/striped and buy new wheels/tires for less than the amount that you will lose in depreciation in the swap.

The Stig's Rustbelt Cousin > Alex87f
08/16/2013 at 11:30

I was fortunate enough that my personal experience with this scenario happened while I was working for a car dealership. I owned a Nissan Sentra, which I had purchased when I worked for a Nissan dealer, so I picked it up below invoice, with cash back, etc... Then I started working at a Honda dealer, and became infatuated with owning a 2-year old Prelude that was on the lot. Luckily, the usually-merciless finance manager talked me out of doing the deal, which he probably would have profited greatly on. Or perhaps he just didn't want to sell a used car at the employee-discounted price.

In any case, the misery of driving that Sentra for a few more years was considerably less than the misery of making those payments would have been.

Alex87f > The Stig's Rustbelt Cousin
08/16/2013 at 14:13

Well in my case the amount of money involved was rather "small", it could have been much worse.

I'm kinda curious to what kind of Prelude you wanted to get... I kinda loved the 2.2 VTEC w/ 4WS.

The Stig's Rustbelt Cousin > Alex87f
08/16/2013 at 14:22

It was an SH model, last year they made it... 2001, I think?

You must not live in America... We never got the 4th-generation Prelude in that configuration. You could have the H22 VTEC, or 4WS, but not both.

Lets Just Drive > Makoyouidiot
08/16/2013 at 14:29

I could say the same thing about your perverse desires. heh.

Alex87f > The Stig's Rustbelt Cousin
08/16/2013 at 15:38

Nah I was thinking of the 5G. The one no one loves :p

But yeah I live in Europe!

Makoyouidiot > Lets Just Drive
08/16/2013 at 16:27

A person is defined by their perverse desires, methinks.

Lets Just Drive > Makoyouidiot
08/16/2013 at 16:28

I have nothing to counter that.

I own a Mustang. 'Nuff said.

The Stig's Rustbelt Cousin > Alex87f
08/17/2013 at 10:52

The 5G was a good car, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. The SH was named best-handling car in America (under $30,000) by Car and Driver, and 4WS was never available on our 5G Prelude. And then they cancelled the whole damn car. So sad.

oldirtybootz > Makoyouidiot
04/09/2014 at 00:14

I never knew you had a launch Dart. The guy that bought ours has close to 60k on it already.

Makoyouidiot > oldirtybootz
04/09/2014 at 01:40

Indeed, I would have kept it, but hated the boning the dealer gave us, so traded it for a Mazda3 with more stuff for the same money.

oldirtybootz > Makoyouidiot
04/12/2014 at 17:57

Unfortunate, they finally made a tuning box for it.

Makoyouidiot > oldirtybootz
04/12/2014 at 23:21

Yeah. :(