Hey guys,
I usually hate these "what should I do threads" but I've been wrestling with this decision for quite some time..

I had told myself after graduation that I'd never sell the S, it was my first car that I bought with my own money. I searched for 4 months before I flew to Philly to find this pristine '05 back in 2007. I had always planned on getting a daily vehicle so I could retire the S from daily duty and let her become the garage/track queen she deserves to be since she's taken care of me so well. In the last 40k miles I've had ZERO issues with the car, never left me stranded for my 3+ years of ownership and only ONCE did I take the car in for an unscheduled warranty repair. Nothing but fluid changes so far, she truly is a Honda at heart.

I've always wanted an Xterra to compliment the S. I thought they went hand-in-hand quite well together. And due to my job (relocation every 6 months until July 2012 AND no time to work on the car until I finish my Masters), I can't keep the S with me because I don't have a garage....I really hate street parking it and leaving it there for days at a time. I've kept it stored at my parents house for the last month and I've driven it a whopping TWO times since I purchased the Xterra....essentially to run the engine.

Going home to take care of the car hasn't been an issue so far since I'm still close to home. But it is still a TASK because I hardly have time to run personal errands let along working on the car for Mods and maintenance. On top of that, in the next month, I will be leaving Atlanta and will not have the convenience of being close to home...and i can realistically only take ONE car with me. So i will get to see/drive the S even less. and honestly, I really enjoy driving the Xterra...it suits all my driving needs 80% of the time.

The feeling of a top down S on a chilly Fall or Spring night is an amazing feeling; as is carving corners in the north GA mountains. But since that is at MOST 5% of the time I spend driving, I am beginning to question if having a $15k (give or take) asset sitting in the driveway depreciating is really worth it for that 5% of enjoyment. I still enjoy the car just as much as the first day I picked her up...but 1.5 years of just having it sit in the driveway is really not a smart financial move.

I can already tell the answers I will get from this board...an maybe I'm reaching out to you guys to change my mind Thanks for all the replies/suggestions in advance.

My options boil down to:
a) Keep both, daily the Xterra and leave the S with parents until I finish my rotations [2012]

b) Sell the S, look for another one when I have the time and the means for 2 cars.

 

If you feel so strongly about the S, and keeping it does not hurt or alter your other priorities in life, store it at your parents. Let them enjoy driving it and you can drive as and when you visit.

If not, let it go. As in if you are still making payments on it. No point in paying for a car that you wont use while it keeps draining your monthly salary.

 

No payments on the S.

But i am still paying for insurance on it...almost $100/mo. Being single and under 25 sucks :/

 

^ If you are storing it, you can talk to your insurance and take off all coverage except the bare minimum. That is what I do for when I store the car for the winter. State Farm in New York has a program where I pay ~$80 for the whole storage period. That way the car is covered and I dont have to turn in my plates to the dealership.

If storing at your parents, you can try talking to your insurance. on the no payments for the car.

 

oh! and I needed to add, if we get a clearing during the winter and I want to drive the car, I just need to call insurance to restore full coverage.

 

Hmm, interesting. I didn't realize you can restore insurance that quickly. I will call insurance company about that. Though I have feeling that I will take it out at least once a month since we don't really have much of a harsh winter down here.

Will check into that. Thanks for the advice

 

I have two vehicles. 2003 S2000 and a 2004 Tacoma Prerunner.

S2000: 6000 mi / yr

Taco: 24000 mi yr

Both are paid off, so no car payment. I have a friend who has a 2 car garage and only one car, so I keep the S2000 there and take her out 2 weekends a month for meets, drives or a date (never on a 1st date .

Point is, I hardly ever drive my car - 20% of the time... But every time I get behind the wheel it's like I get in a brand new car... Ragtop, quick, good looking roadster...

I could not would not part with it sam i am...

I vote you keep it and find cheaper insurance...

 

Just drop the insurance. Since your not making payments and storage is free at your parents, it doesnt hurt you to keep it. If anything happened to it at their house, homeowners insurance would cover. If you sold it, as time passes, it will be harder to find a new S2000 in a condition that would satisfy you. You already know the history of the one you have and it is already set up the way you want it.

 

Sell it. A car is just a depreciating asset. Even if you take if off insurance, you still have to worry about inconvenicing your parents by taking up garage space, etc.

But I would suggest waiting until spring to sell your car.

 

If it is paid off, and you are not strapped for cash, I would absolutly keep it and enjoy it when you can.

Sounds like you have free storage at your parents, so I wouldnt sweat it much. If you were saving for a down payment on a property, then I would sell it, but since your still jumping around a bit, I wouldnt worry about that.