... To Buy a New Car (Part II)

The quest for a new car is going rather slowly. I wish it wasn't going at all. I'd be happy to cruise around in the Space Turtle for a couple more years, but its increasing proclivity for causing problems means it's time to say goodbye before I've sunk a new car's worth of repairs into it.

Last weekend, I went to the local car dealer where I'm going to buy my new vehicle to see what he had for me. He was, of course, suggesting that a new vehicle is the way to go. (That's what car dealers do, isn't it?)

This has been one of my dilemmas—should I buy new or used (like the sweet '57 Chevrolet Station Wagon shown here—courtesy of Roadsidepictures)?

If I bought the new Dodge Caliber I test-drove at the car delearship (I won't—too noisy—but we'll pretend here), I'd get a brand-new vehicle (obviously) with zero percent APR for the first year, a full 20-year warranty (or something like that), and that distinctive new-car smell (which is actually pretty toxic, folks—learn why from Treehugger). I also, of course, get a much higher price tag.

With a used vehicle like the 2007 Toyota Camry I also test-drove, I may not get the new-car smell (fine by me) or the long warranty, but I'm likely going to pay less. And, at the moment, minimizing the damage this vehicle purchase does to my budget is vital.

Another dilemma that I'm facing is that I would really like to buy a hybrid vehicle. In my ideal world, I'd be driving a Prius or the hybrid version of a Honda Civic. But in reality, I probably won't. At least not with this vehicle. Hybrids are still exceptionally pricey—even used ones. Much too pricey for my minuscule budget.

Plus, now that I work remotely from home, I rarely drive except once a week to yoga and around town for errands every couple of days. So at this point, breaking my budget to buy a hybrid doesn't make a lot of sense. Next time I buy a car? It will most certainly be a hybrid. Or run on used french-fry oil (Maggie of Green Couple has a greasecar—why can't I?). Or be electric. We'll see.

I was reading this AllBusiness.com article, Should You Buy a New or Used Car?, and I was intrigued by the fact that one of the factors it listed for choosing between the two is whether you see a car as a status symbol. It says: "For some people a car is a sign of stature, while for others it is simply a means for getting around."

How true! For me, it's all about getting around. That's why I'm looking for a reliable, safe car that's not too expensive, gets good gas mileage, and has good resale value. I don't give a crap about what it looks like (remember, I drive a Space Turtle?). My honey, on the other hand, shoots down most of the cars I think I'd like to get because they're either ugly or too common. He, of course, falls in the stature category and wants to buy a Lexus as soon as he can afford one. I'd rather get a used Toyota Corolla for tooling around town when necessary, and ride my bike more than drive anyway.

Now I just have to convince the car dealer I don't need a brand-new Dodge Caliber—even though the cooled glove box compartment for chilling beverages and heated seats are pretty damn cool.