Keep forever vs sell at 100k

[David Head]

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I'm the buyer - I buy mine with over 100K and sell them at 250+... I
drive 40-60K per year, and get paid for at least 2/3 of that at 36.5
cents/mile (this week, anyway...). With an Audi, my repairs have been no
more than normal wear and tear for a high mileage car. Radiators,
caps/rotors, brake rotors, hoses, etc. I won't touch a northern car
anymore - too much work when suspension/underbody needs work. Since I do
90% of my own repairs and mail order my parts I can't gripe... A 5 year
old Audi with 100K is just getting broken in. I sold my 89 200q to a
lister in New York for about what I bought it for, after putting about
$3-4K into the car all told.  His wife has stolen it from him, I hear
tell and won't let him drive it. Its still going strong.  But in the 2
years I drove the car I got paid over $26K to drive it. Taking into
account the costs of gas/oil and tires, deducting the initial cost and
upgrades I figure I still made close to $5K...
My 'current' ride was bought at 10 years old and 74K for $5K - Since
then I've put probably $3K into it including timing belt, new
suspension, wheels and tires along with various bits. It now has 133K,
80% of that work miles which equates to $16.5K. I figure I'm still ahead
of the game. I'll drive 500 miles for work this week - under 2 tanks of
gas will cost me 30 bucks and I'll get paid $180.00. Life is good!
If I had bought a 'new' car and drove it 60K in a 16 months it would
have depreciated so bad I cringe to think of it...

josh Wyte wrote:

> Just had this conversation on the list the other day.
> :-)
>
> I'm firmly in the camp of sell before it hits 100k
> miles.  I've kept several cars past 150k miles and the
> maintenance I've had to do once I passed 100k was very
> expensive.  (And yes, I maintain my cars very well)
>
> Add that to the fact that it's very difficult to sell
> a car with over 100k miles for any substantial amount
> of money and I say sell it.
>
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