Oppo, save me from making a dumb decision

"Stapleface" (patrickgruden) 06/23/2018 at 08:43 • Filed to: None

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Now, usually we talk people into buying a car. I’m asking for the opposite. I want to be talked out of it.

So, here’s the story. I currently drive a 2015 Civic. I bought it new. I currently have about 55k on it. The car runs fine with no mechanical defects. I’m also don’t owe too much on it.

Okay, these are all good things. The problem is that the car is really boring to me to drive. Part of this is because of the CVT. I know, I know. I intentionally bought a car with a CVT. The reason I did this is that my wife also drives my car occasionally and does not know (and refuses to learn) how to drive stick. So, I’m stuck with some type of automatic regardless.

I want to trade the car in on something else (most likely a Mazda 3 Touring) . I had a previous gen Mazda 3 and liked it, but the 2.5 was rather thirsty so I got rid of it since my daily commute is roughly 85 miles a day. Since then, Mazda had improved the 2.5 and it is more efficient.

Tell me this is a dumb idea. Why trade in a perfectly functioning car just to take on payments for more years. I’m not getting out of having an automatic, so what does it really matter?

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > Stapleface 06/23/2018 at 08:56

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Just save up and buy a cheap fun car. The only thing Oppo encourages more then getting a fun replacement car is getting more cars. That way you have a car that always works and does good on gas.

KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > Stapleface 06/23/2018 at 08:57

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Keep civic. Get a cheap rwd manual car for under $5k

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > Stapleface 06/23/2018 at 08:58

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Sorry, but I don’t think it’s a dumb idea  We spend too much of our lives in cars spend it driving ones we don’t like to drive and plenty of people move on from cars just a few years old that they just never made a good bond with.  That being said make sure you spend enough time with the new Mazda3 to make sure you really do find it more fun before making the purchase.

Under_Score > Stapleface 06/23/2018 at 08:58

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I saw a post about a Corolla. If you desire something new,  trade in the old Corolla, give your wife the Civic, and get yourself something new.

Nibby > Stapleface 06/23/2018 at 09:01

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trade it in for a bentley mulsanne

WilliamsSW > Stapleface 06/23/2018 at 09:03

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G i v e C i v i c t o w i f e, buy lightly use d 3 T o u r i n g with a manual! That’s not h e l p ful, is it?

S eriously t hough, can’t you swap it f o r a 1-2 year o l d 3 w i t h o u t m u c h f i n a n c ial d a m a ge? That’s what I w o u l d d o. Life i s t o o s h o r t t o drive a C V T.

WilliamsSW > OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars 06/23/2018 at 09:06

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O n e car = t r a d e of f s a n d c o m p r o mise

M a n y cars = n o c o m promise 

Cash Rewards > Stapleface 06/23/2018 at 09:10

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I had a similar scenario, and like others have said I ended up getting a cheap Miata off Craigslist. Best idea. You can spend anywhere from 2-10000 depending on what you want. 3500 got me a 2002 with 169000 miles.

Spanfeller is a twat > Stapleface 06/23/2018 at 09:10

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I agree with the rest that you could find use for the Civic and get a manual runabout, or trade the civic for a better mazda and just deal with the consequences.

If you’re in a financial position to make either of those calls , do it. “Disposable income” just means buying shit we don’t need for fun!

Tekamul > Stapleface 06/23/2018 at 09:17

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85 miles a day? Get a car you like. That CVT is probably impacting your life more than you know.

someassemblyrequired > Stapleface 06/23/2018 at 09:18

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Solution: go look at some NC Miatas, they are cheeeeeeeeeeeap. Like $6K will get you a nice one around here.

Chuckles > Stapleface 06/23/2018 at 09:25

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An automatic Mazda 3 won’t put much more of a smile on your face. The answer is to get a cheap fun second car. It’s fine that your wide doesn’t want to drive stick. But that limitation means that if you have one car, it will always be a compromise. So keep the Civic, and find something cheap and fun.

I agree that life is too short to drive boring cars, but the answer to that isn't an automatic Mazda 3. Keep the Civic and find a Miata. That's what I did.

fhrblig > Stapleface 06/23/2018 at 09:42

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I agree with most of the people here. You should get something cheap and fun for you. It shouldn’t add too much to your insurance because of multi-car discounts. You could get something fun and manual, or you could (gasp! ) get something fun and automatic and try to share your enthusiasm with your wife. Sometimes all it takes is a spin behind the wheel of a fun car to make someone an enthusiast.

And for those about to say you can’t have “ fun” and “ automatic” together...

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Stapleface 06/23/2018 at 10:03

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“ The reason I did this is that my wife also drives my car occasionally and does not know (and refuses to learn) how to drive stick.”

My thoughts on that are ‘well wifey... I guess you’re not driving my car’.

Get a new Mazda 3 with the 2L and a manual. It will feel faster and be more efficient. And the wife can either learn how to drive manual or not drive your car (she can take the bus instead!) .

And that’s my $0.02.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > fhrblig 06/23/2018 at 10:05

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“And for those about to say you can’t have “fun” and “automatic” together...”

... we are absolutely correct. “fun” and “automatic” don’t go together.

fhrblig > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 06/23/2018 at 10:13

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If you think that, you haven’t driven enough cars.  Or don’t know how to properly drive them.  *mic drop*

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > fhrblig 06/23/2018 at 10:15

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The automatics are for the people who don’t know how to drive them!!!

Maxima Speed > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 06/23/2018 at 10:28

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Ouch!

aquila121 > WilliamsSW 06/23/2018 at 10:29

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I’m not against this, but my car insurance bill sucks because of three cars.

Mercedes Streeter > aquila121 06/23/2018 at 10:36

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And mine is a labyrinth with four cars and two bikes.

I... I only keep four insured at a time.

WilliamsSW > aquila121 06/23/2018 at 10:38

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S a m e h e r e, a l t h o u g h I f inally d i d the s m a r t thing a n d g o t r i d o f c o l l i s i o n on the P a t h f i n der just r e c e n t l y.

Mercedes Streeter > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 06/23/2018 at 10:40

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I’m going to assume Poe's Law applies here because I'm pretty sure that level of petty isn't good for a marriage. lol

Mercedes Streeter > Stapleface 06/23/2018 at 10:40

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Join the multiple car club!!! :D

fhrblig > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 06/23/2018 at 10:41

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We get it, you vape.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Stapleface 06/23/2018 at 10:58

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Think of the money you’ll save if you stick with what you’ve got. Save m ore money now = dream car later.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Mercedes Streeter 06/23/2018 at 10:58

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Are you suggesting that my attitude MIGHT have been a factor in my own divorce?????

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > fhrblig 06/23/2018 at 11:16

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The right road and timing and any car can be a blast. I was hustling my wife’s C-Max through the great smoky mountain area when we were on vacation. And I was like, “this is fun”. That car on a day to day commute is borinnggggggg.

But the right car can be fun like 90% of the time. My 944 was like that. My 996 seems pretty damn close, though maybe a little too quick. It's not automatic that a 90% car is a manual but I think it's a good bet.

It sounds to me not like the original poster wants a “I’m having fun even though I’m driving to work” car  but I’m not sure the mazda3 is going to get him there. 

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Stapleface 06/23/2018 at 11:18

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I wouldn’t sell the civic for a mazda3. I think peoples idea to by a cheape second manual car is smart. If you are going to sell to get something more fun I  would set the sights for something more driver oriented than a 3, like a GTI. I’ve really liked the DCT in that car.

Stapleface > Under_Score 06/23/2018 at 11:50

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Good in theory, but the wife hates the Civic. She drives it because she has to. Otherwise we'd put about 25k miles on a car per year. That's why we split driving between two cars. 

Stapleface > Mercedes Streeter 06/23/2018 at 11:52

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I’d love to. Unfortunately the multiple car club would lead to me g etting a divorce. The new commuter was the compromise. Lol and, I really don’t have room for  a third car.

Stapleface > BaconSandwich is tasty. 06/23/2018 at 11:53

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Yeah, I don't like it, but that's the financially prudent thing to do. 

Stapleface > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 06/23/2018 at 11:54

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I’d be lying if I said I didn’t/wouldn’t want a GTI. VW reliability scares the shit out of me though. That’s the same reason I kind of crossed the Mini Cooper off my list .

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Stapleface 06/23/2018 at 14:06

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Ever y GTI since after the first year of the MKV(post 2006/7 ) has received pretty good feedback for their reliability; not as good as Honda, but not early 2000s VW problematic. Their engines and transmissions are pretty dialed in and their electronics are bolted together better than days of yore.

I’ve had a 2012 VW Beetle Turbo for about a year and it’s been pretty problem free. I don’t know if you’re thinking new or used but they have a longer new warranty now and they are throwing CPO warranties at lots of used cars(like my Beetle) .