2nd car opinion

[firstmazda]

I'd kinda like to get a 2nd car for those odd weeks I work nights.
My wife and I work at the same place so 90% of the time, we come in together but every few weeks, it's rough getting back and forth for the both of us.
Also, we're thinking of starting a family in a year or two so I'm thinking of something a little bigger.

So, the options I can think of are:

1. Pay off the 3, in two years and buy a new 2nd car then.
2. Trade in the 3 for a new car, and get a little beater.
3. Keep the 3, and lease a new car seeing as I won't put as much mileage on it. (btw I have an '04 with 111,000kms on it so that's close to 40K/yr)

I'm not in a hurry to do so, just trying to figure out my options 'cause realisticaly, we can't really afford a second car but who knows.

What would you guys do? And what would you recommend for a reasonable
family sized car/crossover that's good on gas and has plenty of room. (new or used)


Thanks!
Ray

btw, I introduced the wife to Jeff, and he introduced her to the CX7!
Thanks buddy! She likes the turbo!

[Jeff-TheBiz]

You could lease a second Mazda3...

[firstmazda]

I was thinking a little bigger though.

CX7 maybe? or a '00 Accord?

what's better on gas? a 4cyl turbo? or a 6?

[Wild Weasel]

If you can afford a CX7 and want something that big, then by all means do it. They're very nice.

Is your current 3 a sedan or wagon?

[firstmazda]

I currently have the sedan.

There are times I wish I had the hatch, for hauling stuff around,
but personally I perfer the styling of the 3 sedan.

[Wild Weasel]

That might be a good option though, despite your styling preference. Trade the sedan in on a hatch. You'll have more room than the sedan and lower payments than getting a CX7.

[majic]

don't forget the higher fuel costs associated with owning a turbo'd car..

[TheProfessor]

The Accord V6 is smooth as silk and very good on gas. It would certainly get my vote over the CX-7 from a financial standpoint.

[MazdaTree]

get the new tribute :)

[cyberscorpi0]

I like option #3. And probably CX7 :)

[IMHIP2]

I'm not in a hurry to do so, just trying to figure out my options 'cause realisticaly, we can't really afford a second car but who knows.


My wife and I commuted together until the kids came as well. We also us to put 40,000 Km on our 1 car a year. When we became a 2 car family the milage on my car dropped to 35,000 Km a year and her milage increased from 0 to 32,000 km

Two main points:
- 2nd car is a huge expense (insurance, gas, payment/maint etc) in that it costs as much as the first car to operate effectively doubling what you pay now
- 1st kid is more expensive -wife off work for a year then day care after that forever ($175 or more a week)

If it is just an inconvenience every once in a while I would keep the 3 and look for something bigger later. If you really need a new car now then get something mid sized, reliable and in its last model year (Accord SE, Mazda 6 GS) that they are giving away and with cheap financing. I would only go new so as not to takeover others headaches but that's just me.

Good luck with getting the CX7 out of her head but maybe Jeff can work a miracle.

[Wild Weasel]

I couldn't believe that getting insurance for a 2nd car with myself being the only driver in the house was fully double.

So far as I could tell, there was no discount for having multiple cars, or for the fact that I can only drive one at a time. It was just a straight-up cost-per-car!

[IMHIP2]

I couldn't believe that getting insurance for a 2nd car with myself being the only driver in the house was fully double.

So far as I could tell, there was no discount for having multiple cars, or for the fact that I can only drive one at a time. It was just a straight-up cost-per-car!

Cost for first car should go down because milage would be less than before for single driver with 2 cars. I get 5 or 10% for multiple cars but don't know if it starts at 2 or more than 2 cars with Monnex.

Sorry - Back on topic

[Jeff-TheBiz]

get the new tribute :)

Yikes...

The price is really attractive (dropped $5000 from 2006)
but damn, the interior, the new design,..... Screams FoMo.

[Wild Weasel]

The Tribute really is just a rebadged Escape, isn't it? I mean... was there really much effort at all in distinguishing the two?

[Jeff-TheBiz]

The Tribute really is just a rebadged Escape, isn't it? I mean... was there really much effort at all in distinguishing the two?

easiest way to tell is that the Mazda interior is uglier (word?)

[///M]

The Mazdaspeed6 leases very well right now.

[chinsterr]

I heard the mazdaspeed6 is a really tricky car to drive (short gears/weird clutch). I dont think he wants to be worrying about driving with a kid in the back.

[///M]

I don't find it tricky to drive at all, apart from the fact that it understeers like a pig. Shouldn't be an issue on the street though.

The lease rates on the MS6 are fantastic right now and I don't think there's a better leasing deal out there.

[firstmazda]

My wife and I commuted together until the kids came as well. We also us to put 40,000 Km on our 1 car a year. When we became a 2 car family the milage on my car dropped to 35,000 Km a year and her milage increased from 0 to 32,000 km

Two main points:
- 2nd car is a huge expense (insurance, gas, payment/maint etc) in that it costs as much as the first car to operate effectively doubling what you pay now
- 1st kid is more expensive -wife off work for a year then day care after that forever ($175 or more a week)

If it is just an inconvenience every once in a while I would keep the 3 and look for something bigger later. If you really need a new car now then get something mid sized, reliable and in its last model year (Accord SE, Mazda 6 GS) that they are giving away and with cheap financing. I would only go new so as not to takeover others headaches but that's just me.

Good luck with getting the CX7 out of her head but maybe Jeff can work a miracle.

That's great advice! Thanks for that. I appreciate your added point of view.

Hmmmm yeah, I think right now, it's more want than need.
Probably isn't enough to justify a second car just for convenience.
I guess I can rough it out a little longer.
I do need to buy a fence and A/C and paint the house,
and a lawn mower, and....... etc.

It is hard for me to pass over the CX7 though.... haha