Is it worth it? NBR
MrMrsandBaby
member
This may get long, sorry...
DH and I had to buy a new car in September because my beloved Altima was totaled in an accident (my fault). We shopped around and ended up buying an Acadia. I like it a lot, but I had my heart set on an Escape. Well, Ford went and made the 2013 models ugly (IMHO) and no one had any 2012's left on the lots.
So this is the second car I've bought new and both times I let DH influence me more than I should have. I ended up loving my Altima but when we bought it I didn't even like it - at all. So for the last 10 months, I have been driving this Acadia - which is huge compared to the Altima - and I still don't love it. We financed it for 72 months because it was 0% so we aren't paying any interest which is good. Right now, according to Kelly Blue Book we owe about $2,000 more than it is worth as a trade-in.
I've been looking at used Escapes (2012!) and am really thinking it would be a good idea to go drive a few. I'm not sure how DH will respond to this. I don't have an issue with used cars at all - it just worked out that we bought new the last two times. Used Escapes run about $22,000 so with the trade in, I would have around $4,000 for a down payment.
The monthly payment would be around $180 less but that isn't really a big issue, we can afford what we are paying. The issue is that I don't love this car and I really wanted an Escape (DAMN you Ford for changing the style).
Sigh, I don't know...I guess I'm just looking for what you ladies think about the situation. I want to have my thoughts together before I approach DH with this.
Re: Is it worth it? NBR
Things to consider....we upgraded our Terrain to an Enclave when I was pregnant with DS. We actually had to pay taxes on the profit - despite the blue book they paid us to take the Terrain and we applied the funds to the Enclave with an additional cash down payment. The blue book was not that high, no clue why they did this.
You may recoup any loss of funds with a decrease in fuel costs; don't Acadias drink gasoline compared to an Escape?
You lose so much money on a new car the second you drive it off the lot, so to sell or trade-in a new car 10 months after purchasing it is not the wisest financial decision, even if you can afford the new payments, you are still essentially throwing away money.
I would have serious heartburn over losing so much value on the Acadia, and I do not think it's a smart financial decision, but that is me, personally. You and your DH are big kids. You can choose to make these kinds of decisions if it will make you happy, and you can afford it. It's totally a personal decision. If you are in the car a lot, and you really hate driving the Acadia, and the Escape will make you really really happy, and you can afford it, then we shouldn't be the one to stop you.
Another option is to wait a couple more years until the value on the Acadia is more in line with what you can recoup on it, and then maybe Ford will have redesigned the Escape again or you can still find a used Escape for even less.
See, this doesn't really bother me. You lose money on a car no matter what. It isn't an investment so I just look at it differently I guess. Even if you buy it used, odds are you will owe more than it is worth.
What I look at is miles. I have already put 20,000 on the Acadia - it had 37 when I bought it. So, if I were to drive like a normal person the value wouldn't be so low, it is based on the very high miles. That is why we usually don't look at used, I like getting whatever warranty I can for as long as I can and used just don't have the same warranty coverages (usually).
The real hesitation I have is picking up a car with more miles than I already have. Because I put on about 25,000 a year, I don't want one with more than 20,000 already.
UG! I hate cars.
This isn't money-wise, but we bought a Chevy Equinox back in 2010. We love our car, but are finding out quickly that it's not big enough. If you have a second child, you can't drive anyone else in your car (because no one fits between two car seats in a small SUV!). We are going camping in July and cringing because how are we going to fit everything in our car?? Any trip is a hassle because we end up filling up our entire car and if I want to go back and nurse Nat in privacy or change her diaper on a road trip--nope! No room!
The Escape is in the same category as the Equinox and while the idea of it is appealing, you may end up missing out on some of these aspects that you already have. If you're planning on having more kids, think about what that will mean for seating. You'll have this car for the next 5 years at least.
I would not do it if it were me. The biggest reason is that I don't care for Ford cars, I did a quick comparison on www.edmunds.com and in 5 years it is estimated that you will spend $4,686 on the Acadia compared to $6,146 on the Escape, although you will spend roughly $2,000 more on gas over the five years the maintenance and repairs is an estimate and more than likely could be more. I think you have a better quality vehicle with the Acadia. When comparing the cars, the Acadia outranks the Escape in powertrain quality and features and accessory quality and design. The only thing the 2013 Escape outranks the Acadia in is Body and Interior quality, but you are looking at the 2012 and I can't find the stats on that one. Also, there is a huge difference in interior size and the power of the car. I have no problem with 4 cyclinder cars, but in SUV's I think you need 6 cyl. especially since you are on the highway so much.
I look at overall functionality and quality on cars so is there something that you are looking for your Acadia to do that it isn't and you think the Escape will deliver that or is it simply that you like the Escape's overall look more? How did you go from hating your Altima to loving it, and how long did it take you to start loving that car after initially hating it? Is it possible that you will eventually love your Acadia? If you do decide to buy it I would not make the decision without testing one out for at least 3-5 days with your daily activities and driving patterns to see if it will fit you and your lifestyle.
ssimon, damn you for being rational! I started to love my Altima after about 3-4 months (once I got about 5,000 miles on it). I am not in love with the size of the Acadia...it is WAY too big for me. I have driven my dad's Mariner (same thing as Escape) and I like how it is smaller, easier to handle, etc...
I will talk to DH...he may shoot this all down.
FWIW, I'm also looking at the Rogue!
This. If/when you have another child, you will want the space. And if you have a dog, you can totally forget the Escape. We looked at vehicles that size when we found out we were pregnant. When we later found out we were having twins, forget it. We got a minivan. I know, I know. I didn't want one either. But our Toyota Sienna has captains chairs for the kids ( no middle bench), the dog can jump in and walk around, and grandma and grandpa can ride in the back if they are in town. I can unlock and have the doors slide open as I am approaching it to get the kids in fast and safely. MPG is good. Plus extras like heated leather seats, 3 zone temp control, shades built into the doors to protect the kids from the sun, etc, etc. I ADORE my minivan.
Ick...minivan! I kid!
The thing that keeps coming up is the space issue. Honestly, the 3rd row in the Acadia is pointless. An adult cannot sit back there without folding in half. So it is really just a bigger space for cargo. So if we (when we) have two, we won't be able to take an adult with us anywhere anyway because the middle seats (captains chairs) will be taken with the carseats. So that is sort of a non issue for us.
That's what I'm here for.
I just wouldn't want you to buy a car that you may regret. The Rogue is nice, but it doesn't have as many features as a Murano and it's a 4 cyclinder. I have a Murano and I really love my car, I've had it since May of 2008 and have had no issues. I just change the oil, filters, rotate tires, etc. I can fit two adults in the back with Skyler in the middle. It's not super comfy but we've driven over an hour that way. I don't know about an adult in the middle with two car seats. The second row reclines and there is plenty of trunk space. If I had another kid I could keep my car, but would probably be looking into 3 rows for my next vehicle. Once both kids are FF you can put them on that back row if you needed two adults to sit in the captains chairs. It may take a minute to get them in but it would definitely be efficient.
Also, two side notes. My Mom had a 2002 Ford Escape she got in a front end collision and used the best mechanic in town but the car never drove the same again. She traded it for an Altima. My sister has a 2007 Mercury Mariner. It drives horribly, very rugged like a Jeep and the accelerator and brake feel weird under my foot. She's had a couple electrical issues with it as well. When my Mom is in town she always prefers my car over my sisters.