Actually, let's start over....

[Duck Vader]

Spoke with misses about selling the El Heepo before work. She said she would be fine with it. BUT, we both might need AWD/4WD come this winter. Some winters we would only need 1, some we might need 2. I will need it for work. Since only a temp/intern I need to provide my own transportation to/from sites that can include dirt/mud and heavier snow depending on if we have a "bad" winter. Wife-o works in the emergency department and is considered essential staff. She needs to get to work no matter what. Hence why we still have the Jeep. I have no problems taking it for short drives. It is the longer ones that concern us. For instance her to school (60 miles one way) or me to my new job (30 miles one way just to the office - further to field work).

From now until mid September we can live with what we have. A jeep that works some of the time (or might all the time now - who the fuck knows - going to take it out tomorrow for a 60 miles round trip drive, see what happens), the Volt which is fine for on-road stuff but will not work for when I start the new job, and a Kia that has shitty tires and is a low mileage lease (already probably going to go over the allotted amount), but wife really likes it so might end up buying it out at the end. Next year I think.

I can keep the Volt for the next 5 months, but then I will need to look at getting something with ground clearance and reliable that I can trust to get me to/from this job. If I do well enough I might be offered a permanent position, which is what I REALLY want, so don't want to get screwed over by not being able to get there.

We can keep the Jeep and use it for wife to get to/from work - only a couple miles - as long as it works.

My plan was the sell the Volt to a local dealer for $9500 and buy a used truck/suv today or tomorrow for a little under $10k, but I was told yesterday that my current job will now not let me go part-time around the new one because of the work schedule. Hours just won't work. Yes I told them about the new job - owner doesn't know, but management does. Since I have so many customers I need to look at slowly transitioning them to other sales reps, train a new rep after they hire one, etc. over the next 5 months. I was originally told I would get to stay part time, now saying they won't let me - don't want to risk them saying I will again and then change their minds again. They said I might be able to come back after the internship, but no guarantees. I am losing too much income (dropping to $14.44 an hour from an average of about $28-30/hour for at least three + months - Oct-Dec) to justify spending a LOT more now, which is what an older truck/suv would end up doing because of piss poor MPG.

So now I am trying to figure out what the best coarse of action would be. I can lease a new Equinox for close to my payments now, and they get decent MPG, have AWD, should be reliable, etc., but then stuck in a lease so if shit really goes south I can't sell it. Or I could start looking at used reliable AWD/4WD vehicles with good MPG and ground clearance for about what I owe on the Volt. So if I sell it and buy something it won't make that much of a difference long term ~ $10k - Subaru Forester?

Also, I have enough in savings to last me 4-5 months on top of the new pay rate to let me continue to live like I do right now. My grandfather also has a "rainy day" fund set up for me with thousand of dollars in it that he keeps trying to give me. I don't need it yet so letting it sit there. So I can easily make it into 2020 without an issue. Early 2020 though might end up bringing some financial woes.

Another thought is moving before I take the pay cut. Find something maybe a bit more towards the new job, but a decent enough place, and use the equity I have in here to pay down student loans, buy out Kia lease, etc so monthly debt payments go down even more.

So anyway. That is where my head is at.

I know you all hate me.

[DCIV]

Can I have a tldr for that?


Coop

[alienviking]

[quote=""DCIV""]Can I have a tldr for that?


Coop[/quote]

tldr: Same post as you have seen 10 times before

*ducks*

[vr4]

[quote=""alienviking""]tldr: Same post as you have seen 10 times before

*ducks*[/quote]

[DuneCat]

[quote=""Duck Vader""]Spoke with misses about selling the El Heepo before work. She said she would be fine with it. BUT, we both might need AWD/4WD come this winter. Some winters we would only need 1, some we might need 2. I will need it for work. Since only a temp/intern I need to provide my own transportation to/from sites that can include dirt/mud and heavier snow depending on if we have a "bad" winter. Wife-o works in the emergency department and is considered essential staff. She needs to get to work no matter what. Hence why we still have the Jeep. I have no problems taking it for short drives. It is the longer ones that concern us. For instance her to school (60 miles one way) or me to my new job (30 miles one way just to the office - further to field work).

From now until mid September we can live with what we have. A jeep that works some of the time (or might all the time now - who the fuck knows - going to take it out tomorrow for a 60 miles round trip drive, see what happens), the Volt which is fine for on-road stuff but will not work for when I start the new job, and a Kia that has shitty tires and is a low mileage lease (already probably going to go over the allotted amount), but wife really likes it so might end up buying it out at the end. Next year I think.

I can keep the Volt for the next 5 months, but then I will need to look at getting something with ground clearance and reliable that I can trust to get me to/from this job. If I do well enough I might be offered a permanent position, which is what I REALLY want, so don't want to get screwed over by not being able to get there.

We can keep the Jeep and use it for wife to get to/from work - only a couple miles - as long as it works.

My plan was the sell the Volt to a local dealer for $9500 and buy a used truck/suv today or tomorrow for a little under $10k, but I was told yesterday that my current job will now not let me go part-time around the new one because of the work schedule. Hours just won't work. Yes I told them about the new job - owner doesn't know, but management does. Since I have so many customers I need to look at slowly transitioning them to other sales reps, train a new rep after they hire one, etc. over the next 5 months. I was originally told I would get to stay part time, now saying they won't let me - don't want to risk them saying I will again and then change their minds again. They said I might be able to come back after the internship, but no guarantees. I am losing too much income (dropping to $14.44 an hour from an average of about $28-30/hour for at least three + months - Oct-Dec) to justify spending a LOT more now, which is what an older truck/suv would end up doing because of piss poor MPG.

So now I am trying to figure out what the best coarse of action would be. I can lease a new Equinox for close to my payments now, and they get decent MPG, have AWD, should be reliable, etc., but then stuck in a lease so if shit really goes south I can't sell it. Or I could start looking at used reliable AWD/4WD vehicles with good MPG and ground clearance for about what I owe on the Volt. So if I sell it and buy something it won't make that much of a difference long term ~ $10k - Subaru Forester?

Also, I have enough in savings to last me 4-5 months on top of the new pay rate to let me continue to live like I do right now. My grandfather also has a "rainy day" fund set up for me with thousand of dollars in it that he keeps trying to give me. I don't need it yet so letting it sit there. So I can easily make it into 2020 without an issue. Early 2020 though might end up bringing some financial woes.

Another thought is moving before I take the pay cut. Find something maybe a bit more towards the new job, but a decent enough place, and use the equity I have in here to pay down student loans, buy out Kia lease, etc so monthly debt payments go down even more.

So anyway. That is where my head is at.

I know you all hate me.[/quote]

I should also mention I had a friend who worked the college program at Disney. I went to visit him while he was down there beacuse I knew I could crash at his place. My friend of course neglected to mention that Disney has a certain appearnce code that all employees must adhere to. At the time, I had a goatee and long hair. So yeah, I had to hop in his trunk every time we went past the apartment guard station.

[Duck Vader]

Leasing might not be worth it.

Ran some numbers. Based on where we live right now, where the internship is, where the gym is, and if I were to get a full-time job based off the internship, I am looking at about 16,000 miles a year before anything extra like vacations, shopping, etc.

So I would be looking at either a high mileage lease or buying used. Buying new would not make sense since at 16k a year minimum that is almost 50k at 3 years. Depreciation would be a bitch. A high mileage lease would be expensive too though.

No idea what to look for in terms of used market that would be cheap to own/run, offer good ground clearance, high mpg, AWD or 4x4, etc. But then no warranty like a lease would offer.

I want a truck or full-size SUV bad, but the mpg at 16k miles a year would be stupid.


I fucking hate myself, though I am sure you all hate me more.

[Jeff V.]

I fucking hate myself, though I am sure you all hate me more.

Stop with that shit. Nobody here hates you.

[alienviking]

Get an old used Corolla.

Believe I said that a year ago.

[Duck Vader]

I know you are all sick of this as much as I am, but bear with me here. We are seriously getting closer.

Just have a couple of questions.

If I were to start looking at crossovers - oh god why - I don't know anything about them. Like who has the best AWD with good ground clearance that doesn't cost me a ton of money?

Subaru Crosstrek or Forester? Chevy Equinox? Toyota RAV4? Kia Sportage, Sorento, or Telluride? VW Tiguan?

I know next to nothing in this class. But they get good MPG, should be reliable, etc.

As you know need something for all terrains (sand, dry pavement, mud, snow, forest roads, flat open roads, twisty mountain ones, etc), in all weather conditions.

[ChargerX3]

For the price point, Subaru is a good bet. I posted one earlier too.

[Jeff V.]

My mom has a 2014 Kia Sportage AWD. She loves it. Says it's great in the snow. I like driving it too. But I'm guessing you won't fit inside it that well. I might be wrong though. At least go sit in one.

[aaronatstate]

We had an Equinox, 2013 with the V6. Granted it was only FWD, but it was very nice. Only reason we got rid of it, was we needed a bigger vehicle for the kid and the dogs.

[stealthee]

My mom has a Nissan Rogue. She loves it. It's her second one. My aunt also has one as does my cousin. It's far from fast but gets good mileage and has plenty of room, especially if you put the rear seats down.

[Duck Vader]

[quote=""ChargerX3""]For the price point, Subaru is a good bet. I posted one earlier too.[/quote]

I keep leaning towards Subaru, but just..ugh... I feel like getting a subaru is like giving up. I can't explain it.

[quote=""Jeff V.""]My mom has a 2014 Kia Sportage AWD. She loves it. Says it's great in the snow. I like driving it too. But I'm guessing you won't fit inside it that well. I might be wrong though. At least go sit in one.[/quote]

The Soul we have I fit in OK. Still have the shoulder room issue, but the rest of it is plenty big for me. Hell of a lot easier to get in/out than the Volt and not that bad for longer drives either.







Another issue is lease vs buy.

With that mileage I will be putting on it would have to be a high mileage lease, but would not lose equity on it. Buy will be upside down very quickly, even if buying low mileage used one. Warranty is also a major selling point for me. Need to be crazy reliable, or at least have a great warranty that will take care of any issues I have. Done working on cars other than when I buy my Chevelle.

[Duck Vader]

[quote=""aaronatstate""]We had an Equinox, 2013 with the V6. Granted it was only FWD, but it was very nice. Only reason we got rid of it, was we needed a bigger vehicle for the kid and the dogs.[/quote]

Redesigned them in 2017 or 2018 I think. They are on my radar. Just don't know if they are that good in rough terrain and if the AWD system is any good? Ground clearance?

[ChargerX3]

Lots of miles and not loads of cash to throw away?...then get an older reliable car you wont get upside down on. I am not a fan of leasing, unless you run your own company via this car, then there are tax benefits.

[Duck Vader]

[quote=""ChargerX3""]Lots of miles and not loads of cash to throw away?...then get an older reliable car you wont get upside down on. I am not a fan of leasing, unless you run your own company via this car, then there are tax benefits.[/quote]

Older, reliable, AWD, crossover/suv, good mpg - options are what?

[Jeff V.]

Warranty = Carmax. That also gives you much easier options to search nationally or at least regionally for a car you want.

Here's what I'd do. Forget all the other considerations for a moment. Make a shortlist of cars you think you'd like. Don't think about it too hard. Just pick a half dozen or so for for fun. Then go make sure you actually fit in them comfortably. Your physical considerations are the one unchangeable factor here.

Take an afternoon when you're bored and just go walk the lot at a Carmax and see what fits. They leave the cars unlocked (at least they do here), so you don't need to mess with a sales person. Even if you end up buying somewhere else, you can't beat them for the mix of vehicles and the convenience of just being able to walk around on your own.

Once you've got it narrowed down to stuff that fits, then start obsessing about options and financing.

[DCIV]

[quote=""Jeff V.""]Stop with that shit. Nobody here hates you. [/quote]

This. No one!


Coop

[aaronatstate]

[quote=""Duck Vader""]Redesigned them in 2017 or 2018 I think. They are on my radar. Just don't know if they are that good in rough terrain and if the AWD system is any good? Ground clearance?[/quote]

Ground clearance is good. Not sure on the AWD system, as we had the FWD. But, I would assume it's fairly typical of any transverse mounted AWD system.

Also, with the V6 we did get around 26-28 mpg on the highway pretty regularly, though again FWD only.