I have what I believe is called a dilemma

"Land_Yacht_225" (nadenator)
09/03/2016 at 12:31 • Filed to: None

Ok, so here is the situation:

The family garage consists of 4 cars: A 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer LT EXT V8 4x4 which we have owned from new and now has 215,000 miles on it. Except for a dead speedometer, it runs great if not a little jiggly and vibraty. It also seems like the starter isn’t disengaging right away after startup either, but that’s neither here nor there. My 2004 Mercedes-Benz S600, which I absolutely adore but has a track record of extremely expensive unreliability. The 2005 Jaguar Vanden Plas which we bought to replace the 2004 my mom totaled about 3 months ago. It has 136,000 miles and is in very good shape for its age, it was doted on by its previous owner. And lastly the 1975 MG Midget, a car that was considered a compromise to the MGB GT my mom actually wanted, and normal MGBs are cliche.

Ok. Here’s the wrench in the works. My mom’s old boss and friend has finally decided to sell his black/black 2006 Jaguar S-Type R, a car my mother has been fiercely coveting for a decade. My father, who has successfully been on the “if momma ain’t happy, nobody happy” plan for 35 years, says if he’s selling, we’re buying.

Ok, well, small problem. The house we moved into in North Carolina does not have a massive 3-car-garage-that-can-actually-fit-4 like we used to. It has a 2 car garage door on a 1.5 car garage. The three primary cars sit out in the driveway and that’s about all there is room for. So, one of the cars has to go. Or maybe multiple cars. My dad is already approved for the full purchase price of the new Jag, plus he wants to refinance the house and buy mom a new SUV too if he can manage it, because he’s afraid of what the TrailBlazer could do at its advanced age and mileage. He doesn’t want two car payments though. We own the Jag, MG, and the TrailBlazer outright. My car is financed.

So, scenarios:

Buy the Jag. I’m at school 9 months out of the year so parking really isn’t a problem. No new SUV, and just deal with it. This is my favorite.

Sell the new Vanden Plas to make room. Which would be a damn shame because it is in really nice shape and we went through all the trouble to get it from Virginia. Also get a new SUV because we own the VDP ouright and we’re really ultimately just cashing the insurance check for the old VDP in a really roundabout way.

Sell the S600 and hand me down the new Vanden Plas. Also buy a new SUV. This is my dad’s favorite plan, and obviously isn’t mine. The two cars are not close to comparable. Maybe if I drove an S430, but not an S600. Forget the powertrain differences. The Jaguar, even when fully loaded which ours isn’t, has no options comparatively. You can load up a Jag with front and rear heated seats, a nav system, parking sonar, and maybe a DVD player (which our 2004 had but the 2005 doesn’t) and that’s about it. An S600 comes standard with everything, PLUS I have a four seater with Distronic radar cruise. But I do have to admit it, a Jag is far more reliable. In this plan, I have to take over my car payments entirely. Which is actually more sinister than it sounds. My father, in his devious mind, thinks he’s being smart because it will force me to have to sell the car if it incurs another major repair in the near future, which is a gamble with unfavorable odds to me. But he’ll get to smugly say “I didn’t make you sell the Mercedes.”

I only wanted to have the S-Class for about 3 years, because I don’t want to own it without a warranty of some kind, so really the timing of the whole transaction is just bad. I haven’t had my V12 fun yet, and afterwards a Jaguar would be ok, just not now. My highly optimistic plan was for my next car to be a 2012 Hyundai Equus Ultimate anyway.

Ok? Good. Forum open. Thoughts?

DISCUSSION (16)

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > Land_Yacht_225
09/03/2016 at 12:43

Just get the jag and scrap the plans for a new SUV. Does she really even need a SUV ? It would be a waste of money to dump the S600 considering how much you've already dumped into it.

bob and john > Land_Yacht_225
09/03/2016 at 12:44

honestly? you are going to be in school right? you will need something that reliable and 1/2 decent on fuel ..you are at school, forget luxury. get yourself a nice lexus or an accord or something and drive that. get rid of as many cars as possible and run with those. you;ve had your V12 in life. great. really. but life means compromises, and owning a V12 in university isnt exactly what one would call a ‘ideal’ plan. esp one THAT expensive.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Land_Yacht_225
09/03/2016 at 12:45

Personally I think you’ll have to sacrifice your wants for mom. Like you said, a 35-year winning formula for the old man.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Land_Yacht_225
09/03/2016 at 12:46

“a Jaguar is far more reliable”

A rare statement.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Land_Yacht_225
09/03/2016 at 12:46

Declare your S600 to be your car and let your parents determine what they are going to do with their cars. I have an agreement with my parents where they can do anything they want with cars as long as they don’t touch my Mini. Even though the car is in my Dad’s name it really belongs to me.

Honeybunchesofgoats > Land_Yacht_225
09/03/2016 at 12:49

Your mom is awesome. I want a late model S-Type R, too. They get crapped on a lot, but I still think it’s retro styling done right.

I’d be more against selling the VDP if it weren’t an X350. I once parked my X308 next to one, and ever since—aluminum body or not—I think X350s are kind of schlubby and way too tall. Even if they’re lighter and more reliable.

ETA: I have an irrational dislike of VDPs and their fluted chrome. That's another mark against it.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
09/03/2016 at 12:54

This is the single statement I had picked out of the whole thing. I don't ever want to be in a spot where I want to get rid of a car because a Jaguar is more reliable.

Land_Yacht_225 > bob and john
09/03/2016 at 12:55

It’s too late for that kind of logic, the sunk cost fallacy kicked in with the ABC pump 6 months ago.

Land_Yacht_225 > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
09/03/2016 at 12:56

It’s an X350, FORD RELIABILITY YO!

Ford reliability, also a rare statement.

Land_Yacht_225 > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
09/03/2016 at 12:58

Psychologically speaking, in my ultimately being responsible for making my parents want Jaguars and Cadillacs and nice things in general, things have gotten...entangled when it comes to the family armada.

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > Honeybunchesofgoats
09/03/2016 at 13:03

What do you think of this lol https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/cto/574091…

DrScientist > Land_Yacht_225
09/03/2016 at 13:04

will the str and the vdp serve the same purpose?

when trimming/cutting is necessary, look for redundancies.

the vdp, while maybe a peach, is not particularly rare or hard to find. if mom ends up not liking the s type as much as she thought she would, it wont be too difficult to find another vdp.

Honeybunchesofgoats > V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches
09/03/2016 at 13:09

Ha, I was just replying to that.

bob and john > Land_Yacht_225
09/03/2016 at 13:19

and all its going to do is cost you more and more.

what happens when a coil pack goes out? some drunk keys it? your buddies throw up all over the inside and fuck up the electronics? a different module fails?

worst case, put the thing in storage (a barn, friends house, rent a unit, etc etc) and get a cheap beater if you really dont want to get rid of it.

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > bob and john
09/03/2016 at 14:41

It's just not that easy. Driving a S600 is like nothing else. Serenely quiet coupled with warp drive acceleration at any speed. It's intoxicating...

FunkyHatch > Land_Yacht_225
09/03/2016 at 19:35

Definitely take equity out of the house to buy one of the fastest depreciating assets available. Maybe get a boat too.