Coming from a Toyota Car Salesman....I see exactly what you are saying about racking up miles, etc., and my best advice is to keep what you have. Yes, in a year you will be at 75K or whatever, but at the same time if at all possible, look into a beater - how about a mid-late 90's civic or corolla. This way you can keep mileage down, and really enjoy the S2000 when you take it out occassionally! Just a thought, as money is clearly a player in this field, but trading up (or going older) would only seem like a poor investment. I see this everyday! Enjoy.

 

I just saw an 05 S with over 110k mi on it - still looked brand new. S2000s are proven well past 100k mi, so just keep what you have and enjoy it.

 

The only person that makes money when you churn through vehicles is the dealer. If you think you can save money by trading to a lower mileage vehicle to save money, you're fooling yourself.

From a purely financial standpoint, you should simply buy the car you want and drive it into the ground. When the wheels fall off, put new wheels on. When the car's eventually used up, send it to the junkyard and buy something else.

 

I agree with what everyone is saying. just keep it and drive it i still have a year left of payments on mine, got it with 50k on it and now have 105k on it. which isnt as much as you drive, but its also not my only vehicle.

i like to see other S drivers who drive alot!

 

Get a beater ?

 

Let me rephrase that. I'd probably sell the car outright, then take the money and pay off my loan, probably have some cash left, then go and buy another through a dealer.

 

I'd love to, but that's not really an option. I am a college student and don't need the upkeep and insurance of two vehicles. Plus, I hope to be starting law school in about a year.

 

you're going to law school next year? yikes. sounds like you should have bought a 2002 RSX type-S or something. i see them going for 8-9k depending on mileage, and you could have had it paid off by next year...

 

Just pay off the loan and 'own' it for as long as you can. Otherwise you're losing money trading it back in or selling it and then losing more money buying another; especially when you're back on a loan again paying interest to the bank.

 

Doesn't matter...

Low mileage cars will always cost more than high mileage cars. They'll also depreciate more as the miles get put on. What you're suggesting is buying higher priced low-mileage cars so you can eat the depreciation of turning them into high-mileage cars, plus the transaction costs of buying and selling vehicles. That's still churning through vehicles, even if you're not trading in directly. Just accept that you're going to put a lot of miles on your car, maintain it well, and pay it off as soon as is practical. It will save you money in the long run. And trust me, you'll enjoy your S even more when you're not making payments on it!