Should I replace my car with a newer one?

Silver Malibu

First, let me describe the car that I would like to replace.

• It’s a silver 2003 Chevy Malibu with around 97,000 miles on it.
• It’s not pretty, but that’s okay since I bought it as a work car.
• Friends at work make fun of me calling it a grandma’s car, but it was cheap (even though I bought it new) so I deal with it.
• One very big positive in my book is that it’s been paid off since March 2009.
• It has had its share of problems since the beginning, and it’s difficult to work on.

So since it’s paid off and that’s a big deal to me, you might be wondering why I want to get rid of it?

Here’s why:

• It’s always had small problems since I bought it.  Such as the fan and air conditioner stopped working after it was out of warranty.
• It’s a very not noticeable car.  I’ve driven past my wife and friends in it and they don’t even see me.  It’s like I’m invisible…
• It doesn’t get that great of gas mileage (21 on the Highway, 19 in town).
• And the main reason is that it’s starting to fall apart!

Yep, as much as I like no car payment, the falling apart reason is why I’m considering buying a new car (by new, I mean newer than the one I currently have).

My latest break down:

I just had lunch and I was driving back to work on a busy, very popular highway when all of a sudden my car gets sluggish.  I think that I have a low tire, so I try to speed up to get over a lane to get to the brim of the road.  The car doesn’t speed up though and it’s like my gas pedal isn’t working (actually it wasn’t).

So I drift over to the side of the road, turn down the radio, get out and check to see if all is well.  After a quick check, I get back in the car and try to start it, but it’s down for the count.  I wait a few minutes and try again, but it still doesn’t start.  I know it’s not the battery since I just bought that the day before.

I start looking for my phone to tell my wife and call the triple A phone number, but my cell phone is nowhere to be found!  Shoot, I left it at work on the charger!  So I wait for a few minutes looking at the car, then start to walk the 5 miles back to work.  I got about 10 steps when someone with a truck pulls over and asks if I need some help!  Hooray!  My savior lets me use his phone and then he drove me to work (he was going that way anyway, actually).  I was cool that a good Samaritan came to my rescue, or at least he saved me some time.

Back at work, I called five shops which none could look at my car for a week!   Finally I find one in a different city, so I take that number down and bum a ride back to my car from one of my work buddies.

I call Triple A and waited.  As I sit in my car with the windows down on the side not facing traffic, I wonder if I’m going to get killed by a semi-truck or really any size car as they go flying past me at 70 to 80 mph.  It doesn’t take much to realize how dangerous this spot is!

Triple A sends a tow truck, and he takes me to the closest mechanic.  The mechanic calls the next day and says that it was the fuel pump!  The mechanic replaced it and two days later I picked it up!  The bill was over 600 dollars!

After picking my car up from the mechanic I drive home and there is a squeaking sound in the right front tire when I turn.  I jack up the car, and notice that there is a leak somewhere near the engine.  I have a hard time getting it into gear sometimes.  And someone clipped my front bumper one or two years ago, and the crack is starting to get pretty long.  When I replaced the battery the day before the car broke down, I notice that the metal platform that it was sitting on crumbs when I touch it, kind of like a graham cracker…  I think my car’s rims are bent, and I need all my brakes done soon.  and of course there is a tune-up…

I can go on and on about the problems that my car has…

If I do decide to take the leap, I’m thinking of going with a Toyota or Honda this time (sad huh).

What would you do in my scenario?  Should I stay (with my current car) or should I go (with a newer car)?

MR