Honey, we need a family car
October 3, 2013 3:53 PM Subscribe
Hi all. Mrs Professorpotato will be giving birth to our first child in late November. We need to upgrade from a 2012 Chevrolet Sonic to something suitable for a baby + all its stuff (seat, pram, accessories), a small dog, and two loving parents. We're looking at a 2013 Jetta in the 17K range as we don't drive much but need reliable transportation. The Sonic has about a 12-14K trade in value and about 22K owing (debt consolidation + depreciation). We can comfortably afford payments of $400-500 per month.
Anyone been in a similar situation? Tips? Thanks. PP.
Anyone been in a similar situation? Tips?
Don't buy a new car until you know you need one. I have no idea why you think the Sonic won't fit a baby. Babies are more expensive then you'll ever imagine. At the very least, this can wait until after birth.
posted by saeculorum at 4:08 PM on October 3, 2013 [8 favorites]
Don't buy a new car until you know you need one. I have no idea why you think the Sonic won't fit a baby. Babies are more expensive then you'll ever imagine. At the very least, this can wait until after birth.
posted by saeculorum at 4:08 PM on October 3, 2013 [8 favorites]
It also doesn't make sense that you think you need a new car but then are trying to upgrade to a car that is almost identical in size.
posted by thewumpusisdead at 4:11 PM on October 3, 2013
posted by thewumpusisdead at 4:11 PM on October 3, 2013
To be honest I have found VWs to be pointlessly overpriced - especially in terms of maintenance, their parts get expensive fast out of warranty.
You seem to be approaching car purchases exactly the way the dealer wants you - saying you're OK with a certain amount of payments every month when you should really be looking at the total loan amount.
If you want reliable transportation you really can't do much better than Toyota/Honda (Camry/Accord).
Good luck!
posted by the_ancient_mariner at 4:26 PM on October 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
You seem to be approaching car purchases exactly the way the dealer wants you - saying you're OK with a certain amount of payments every month when you should really be looking at the total loan amount.
If you want reliable transportation you really can't do much better than Toyota/Honda (Camry/Accord).
Good luck!
posted by the_ancient_mariner at 4:26 PM on October 3, 2013 [2 favorites]
I lurv our Toyota Prius and they literally have enough room to fit a queen sized bed in the back (ok, if the bed folds slightly at the edges). In my college past, I have accomplished entire moves with just a Prius. They are also surprisingly economical to purchase (sounds like the right thing for you would be a 2nd generation prius, maybe something in the ~3-5 y/o range) and have fantastic gas mileage.
posted by arnicae at 4:30 PM on October 3, 2013
posted by arnicae at 4:30 PM on October 3, 2013
The Jetta is the same size as the Sonic, more or less, and the Sonic is plenty big enough for two adults and an infant. Your biggest concern should be that children are really expensive, and you're $22k in debt. You bought a brand new car last year that you couldn't afford, and you've secured your (likely previously unsecured debt) with your family's means of transportation. I'd get out of that debt as quickly as possible, then start saving up to buy a new car with cash if/when you actually need one.
If you actually need a bigger car right now for some reason, buy a car that is actually bigger than your current car, but buy something (maybe used?) that costs $12-14k, so that you get your bigger car without increasing the total amount of debt your family is carrying. Because the absolute last thing you want to do when you are adding a new dependent to your family--not to mention about to undergo a serious, potentially long-term income-altering medical procedure--is take on more debt.
posted by decathecting at 4:35 PM on October 3, 2013 [7 favorites]
If you actually need a bigger car right now for some reason, buy a car that is actually bigger than your current car, but buy something (maybe used?) that costs $12-14k, so that you get your bigger car without increasing the total amount of debt your family is carrying. Because the absolute last thing you want to do when you are adding a new dependent to your family--not to mention about to undergo a serious, potentially long-term income-altering medical procedure--is take on more debt.
posted by decathecting at 4:35 PM on October 3, 2013 [7 favorites]
Best answer: We've got a 6month old, and I agree with thewumpusisdead that you should wait,
unless your current car is a two door (which I think would be a pain) or you're looking to get a new one for some other reason.
Instead I'd add some money to your gear budget and see if you can get a carseat and stroller that take up a little less room. Those seem to be the two big space hogs.
I'd go agead and buy a carseat and stoller, do test runs in your car (ease of getting it/fake baby in and out, stroller in trunk, front seat movement, fastening the seatbelt in the other back seats - anything you might do often). Then take your carseat and stroller on a test drive, do all the same stuff. It'll give you an idea if its easier, how much and better evaluate whether that extra 1/2 inch of legroom is worth x'thousand dollars.
On the jetta side:
We have a jetta tdi wagon, bought pre-baby because 1) I have always wanted a wagon (yeah, im weird) 2) dogs, big dogs 3) my husband loves VW 4) we needed a car
We do like it, it's hands down the nicest car I've ever owned but:
- the carseat (a snug ride something, one of the ones lots of people have) still limits the movement of the front seat.
- vw's are not cheap to maintain. After a lifetime of toyotas I actively resent the cost involved (though to be fair this is more based on the cost for my husbands gti, which is a whole other animal)
posted by pennypiper at 4:37 PM on October 3, 2013
unless your current car is a two door (which I think would be a pain) or you're looking to get a new one for some other reason.
Instead I'd add some money to your gear budget and see if you can get a carseat and stroller that take up a little less room. Those seem to be the two big space hogs.
I'd go agead and buy a carseat and stoller, do test runs in your car (ease of getting it/fake baby in and out, stroller in trunk, front seat movement, fastening the seatbelt in the other back seats - anything you might do often). Then take your carseat and stroller on a test drive, do all the same stuff. It'll give you an idea if its easier, how much and better evaluate whether that extra 1/2 inch of legroom is worth x'thousand dollars.
On the jetta side:
We have a jetta tdi wagon, bought pre-baby because 1) I have always wanted a wagon (yeah, im weird) 2) dogs, big dogs 3) my husband loves VW 4) we needed a car
We do like it, it's hands down the nicest car I've ever owned but:
- the carseat (a snug ride something, one of the ones lots of people have) still limits the movement of the front seat.
- vw's are not cheap to maintain. After a lifetime of toyotas I actively resent the cost involved (though to be fair this is more based on the cost for my husbands gti, which is a whole other animal)
posted by pennypiper at 4:37 PM on October 3, 2013
Also, look at the interest rates on new car loans, and at your monthly payments, as well as the total payoff amount. Quick googling indicates that 4% is a pretty normal interest rate for a new car loan. That means that the $22k you currently owe would be a payment of $496.70 on a 48 month loan. After 4 years of making that monthly payment, the $22k you owe now would be paid off, along with about $2k in interest. Stretching that loan to 60 months gives you a monthly payment of $405.16, but costs you an extra $500 in interest; basically like a full extra payment you're just giving away. In other words, within your budget, you basically can't afford to add more debt on top of what you owe right now, unless you're prepared (and unless the loan issuer allows you, which they may not) to take on a car loan that won't be paid off until your new car is more than five years old, which is longer than many people keep new cars. It simply doesn't make financial sense for you to take on any additional debt right now. You can't afford it, especially not with a baby on the way.
And by the way, the car dealerships are going to try to convince you that I'm wrong, and that it's an awesome idea to buy a new car and fold all of your existing debt into it. But their interests are not the same as yours; they're making money off of you taking on more car (and more debt) than you can afford. Also, whatever you decide to do, make sure you have adequate gap insurance on the car.
posted by decathecting at 4:48 PM on October 3, 2013 [5 favorites]
And by the way, the car dealerships are going to try to convince you that I'm wrong, and that it's an awesome idea to buy a new car and fold all of your existing debt into it. But their interests are not the same as yours; they're making money off of you taking on more car (and more debt) than you can afford. Also, whatever you decide to do, make sure you have adequate gap insurance on the car.
posted by decathecting at 4:48 PM on October 3, 2013 [5 favorites]
Hmmm, how did I miss the debt stuff?
What decathecting said (no more debt, the baby is going to be expensive and you never know what will happen on the medical side), x1000. And if what you have is nearly to exactly the same size? There's no reason for it.
Also what the_ancient_mariner, I'm sometimes tempted to sell my car and go back to toyota (or maybe honda) because of the maintenance cost and I've only had to pay for replacing one tire so far ($300!!!!). You get a few years of free maintenance with the new ones I think, but I know the bills are coming and when they do they are going to be big. VW's are not a cheap date.
Also, I went into the dealership wanting a previous year, near base wagon and I left with a current year nearly fully loaded car. Obviously I flubbed the thing (first non-carmax new car purchase) but seriously it cost me at least 5k more than I was expecting. My fault, but it is a risk.
Good luck, and congrats on the baby!
posted by pennypiper at 4:54 PM on October 3, 2013
What decathecting said (no more debt, the baby is going to be expensive and you never know what will happen on the medical side), x1000. And if what you have is nearly to exactly the same size? There's no reason for it.
Also what the_ancient_mariner, I'm sometimes tempted to sell my car and go back to toyota (or maybe honda) because of the maintenance cost and I've only had to pay for replacing one tire so far ($300!!!!). You get a few years of free maintenance with the new ones I think, but I know the bills are coming and when they do they are going to be big. VW's are not a cheap date.
Also, I went into the dealership wanting a previous year, near base wagon and I left with a current year nearly fully loaded car. Obviously I flubbed the thing (first non-carmax new car purchase) but seriously it cost me at least 5k more than I was expecting. My fault, but it is a risk.
Good luck, and congrats on the baby!
posted by pennypiper at 4:54 PM on October 3, 2013
Response by poster: Thanks all. Lots of good points from different perspectives. decathecting, you make me feel dirty with debt; however, I thank you for the reminder to watch every penny spent. I'll think of you while not sleeping this evening. Cheers.
posted by professorpotato at 4:55 PM on October 3, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by professorpotato at 4:55 PM on October 3, 2013 [4 favorites]
I agree on waiting until after the baby comes.
I got a new car a few months before I had a baby last year and had I waited, I would have gone all the way to an SUV. I got an A4 which is probably about the same size as a Jetta (or close enough) and find my back hurts from all the bending over loading things in the car. I wish I had gotten an SUV even though at the time, I thought ANY SUV would be much too big.
On the flip side, my husband had a small coupe and waited until she was 6 months to trade it in. He found he didn't drive her around as much as I did so didn't feel the need to go SUV or larger necessarily but really felt he needed a four door.
I think it's just hard to predict what you will find 'best' until your wee one is here. Better to wait and evaluate once the baby is here than to spend a lot of money now and realize a year down the road that you would have made a different decision.
posted by polkadot at 5:23 PM on October 3, 2013
I got a new car a few months before I had a baby last year and had I waited, I would have gone all the way to an SUV. I got an A4 which is probably about the same size as a Jetta (or close enough) and find my back hurts from all the bending over loading things in the car. I wish I had gotten an SUV even though at the time, I thought ANY SUV would be much too big.
On the flip side, my husband had a small coupe and waited until she was 6 months to trade it in. He found he didn't drive her around as much as I did so didn't feel the need to go SUV or larger necessarily but really felt he needed a four door.
I think it's just hard to predict what you will find 'best' until your wee one is here. Better to wait and evaluate once the baby is here than to spend a lot of money now and realize a year down the road that you would have made a different decision.
posted by polkadot at 5:23 PM on October 3, 2013
I'm in a civic with one baby, and it's not bad. So like others said, wait and see.
That being said when/if you do decide to upgrade don't get a Jetta. I say that because of personal experience as well as this recent question.
posted by pyro979 at 6:00 PM on October 3, 2013
That being said when/if you do decide to upgrade don't get a Jetta. I say that because of personal experience as well as this recent question.
posted by pyro979 at 6:00 PM on October 3, 2013
Seconding the Jetta TDI wagon as being awesome. The space and the gas mileage are great. We also installed a back porch on ours for monthly trips to big box stores, etc.
Yeah, they are pricey. We bought one that was 1.5 old, still under warranty, but not as expensive.
My only complaint is that it was really hard to find one.
posted by aetg at 6:04 PM on October 3, 2013
Yeah, they are pricey. We bought one that was 1.5 old, still under warranty, but not as expensive.
My only complaint is that it was really hard to find one.
posted by aetg at 6:04 PM on October 3, 2013
I had a baby in a VW Beetle. And by had I don't mean gave birth.
And a 90 lb. Dog .
posted by k8t at 6:27 PM on October 3, 2013
And a 90 lb. Dog .
posted by k8t at 6:27 PM on October 3, 2013
Used car? Yes?
Babies - and dear heavens - toddlers are hard on cars. I mean the Cheerios alone are everywhere. And the occasional leaking bottle (and diaper!)
I would wait and then I'd buy an SUV that's a few years old.
posted by 26.2 at 7:29 PM on October 3, 2013
Babies - and dear heavens - toddlers are hard on cars. I mean the Cheerios alone are everywhere. And the occasional leaking bottle (and diaper!)
I would wait and then I'd buy an SUV that's a few years old.
posted by 26.2 at 7:29 PM on October 3, 2013
I really agree with those who suggest that you just wait and see how things go with the car you have. I will tell you what our situation was not to be holier than thou, but so that you can have an example of what's possible. Before our daughter was born, we had one car, a 1995 Ford Escort station wagon. We could both walk to work (in a tiny, tiny University town), so the car was for driving to the grocery or to the city an hour away.
When our daughter was about to be born in 2010, we bought a 2003 Mazda Protege5 to go with our Ford Escort. It cost $5500 and had 80,000 miles. We still have it 3 and 1/4 years later, and it has 157,000 miles. We have spent $800 on ordinary maintenance (timing belt and water pump, which all cars need around 100,000 miles), and that's about it. I will need to put on new brakes and possibly have the clutch replaced soon. If I have a shop do those things, I am probably looking at another $800, maybe a bit more. Still that's $7100 for at least four years of ownership (and we will probably keep it for at least two and a half more years, until I can hopefully pass the tenure point). The 1995 Ford Escort was plugging away until a few weeks ago. But that's another story...
Anyway, our 3 year old has done fine in the car so far. We hardly ever used a stroller, preferring to use slings for either of us to just carry her, but we could fit a stroller, a car seat, diaper bags, etc. in the Protege5. It's not that much bigger than a Sonic. In fact, it might actually be the same size, because the Protege5 is lower. Some of the stuff people tell you that you need to cart around for your child just didn't matter to us. Honestly we took her out many times with a diaper bag and that was it - put a sling in the diaper bag, some diapers, some snacks, a different onesie and you were set.
Children do cost a lot of money and lots of things come up money-wise that you don't anticipate until they arrive. While we tried to go light on accessories, we still dealt with surprise "costs" such as a dairy allergy, which necessitated a more expensive diet than some kids might have had. We gladly paid it, but it has always helped that we have never had a car payment.
Good luck and congratulations on your child!
posted by Slothrop at 7:36 PM on October 3, 2013
When our daughter was about to be born in 2010, we bought a 2003 Mazda Protege5 to go with our Ford Escort. It cost $5500 and had 80,000 miles. We still have it 3 and 1/4 years later, and it has 157,000 miles. We have spent $800 on ordinary maintenance (timing belt and water pump, which all cars need around 100,000 miles), and that's about it. I will need to put on new brakes and possibly have the clutch replaced soon. If I have a shop do those things, I am probably looking at another $800, maybe a bit more. Still that's $7100 for at least four years of ownership (and we will probably keep it for at least two and a half more years, until I can hopefully pass the tenure point). The 1995 Ford Escort was plugging away until a few weeks ago. But that's another story...
Anyway, our 3 year old has done fine in the car so far. We hardly ever used a stroller, preferring to use slings for either of us to just carry her, but we could fit a stroller, a car seat, diaper bags, etc. in the Protege5. It's not that much bigger than a Sonic. In fact, it might actually be the same size, because the Protege5 is lower. Some of the stuff people tell you that you need to cart around for your child just didn't matter to us. Honestly we took her out many times with a diaper bag and that was it - put a sling in the diaper bag, some diapers, some snacks, a different onesie and you were set.
Children do cost a lot of money and lots of things come up money-wise that you don't anticipate until they arrive. While we tried to go light on accessories, we still dealt with surprise "costs" such as a dairy allergy, which necessitated a more expensive diet than some kids might have had. We gladly paid it, but it has always helped that we have never had a car payment.
Good luck and congratulations on your child!
posted by Slothrop at 7:36 PM on October 3, 2013
When shopping for a car, test every part of it. How cold does the A/C get? How easy is the trunk to open? Can you reach all the way to the deepest part of the trunk without climbing in?
Climb into the back seat. At some point, you'll be riding back there. Is there enough head room and leg room? Everyone takes a test drive, but no one ever gets in the back seat, and many regret it later.
Even if you'd prefer a sedan, try out a minivan. That sliding door is amazing for getting the car seat (and diaper bag and kid and everything else) in and out. Like, night and day different.
posted by xedrik at 7:53 PM on October 3, 2013
Climb into the back seat. At some point, you'll be riding back there. Is there enough head room and leg room? Everyone takes a test drive, but no one ever gets in the back seat, and many regret it later.
Even if you'd prefer a sedan, try out a minivan. That sliding door is amazing for getting the car seat (and diaper bag and kid and everything else) in and out. Like, night and day different.
posted by xedrik at 7:53 PM on October 3, 2013
Anyone been in a similar situation? Tips?
I agree it's best to wait, especially since you don't drive much. Examples: we are not stroller people, so we just carry our 13 month old baby around in a carrier. The dog rarely comes out with us these days. We don't really travel to see family, they come to see us. So our car needs don't lean toward SUV (I'm in a Prius, fwiw).
Now, for car seat recommendations in a small car, you might consider a Chicco Keyfit 35. This is a little shorter than other seats and will fit better. You can get this as a travel system, or you can get a snap n go (stroller frame you just put the carseat into). You can get away with that setup for awhile, probably until your baby can go in a lightweight umbrella stroller.
If you'd prefer to leave the seat in the car full time, Coccoro makes a smaller seat. Baby will grow out of it sooner than other convertibles, but if you're planning on going with a big car sooner rather than later, it's a good option. It's also good for plane travel.
posted by smalls at 8:00 PM on October 3, 2013
I agree it's best to wait, especially since you don't drive much. Examples: we are not stroller people, so we just carry our 13 month old baby around in a carrier. The dog rarely comes out with us these days. We don't really travel to see family, they come to see us. So our car needs don't lean toward SUV (I'm in a Prius, fwiw).
Now, for car seat recommendations in a small car, you might consider a Chicco Keyfit 35. This is a little shorter than other seats and will fit better. You can get this as a travel system, or you can get a snap n go (stroller frame you just put the carseat into). You can get away with that setup for awhile, probably until your baby can go in a lightweight umbrella stroller.
If you'd prefer to leave the seat in the car full time, Coccoro makes a smaller seat. Baby will grow out of it sooner than other convertibles, but if you're planning on going with a big car sooner rather than later, it's a good option. It's also good for plane travel.
posted by smalls at 8:00 PM on October 3, 2013
A Jetta is larger than a Sonic, but I'm not sure if it is all that much larger to warrant going into even more debt over it. Never sell a car unless you can easily afford it, and for sure not if you are upside down on the loan. (Again, unless you can write a check for the difference and not bat an eye.)
If you need more space, look at hatchbacks. They are WAY more versatile than regular cars, and no more expensive. (Generally.)
Use the Sonic with the kid for a while and as you are doing so, make a list of annoyances. When you go to get a new car, make sure it eliminates those annoyances.
posted by gjc at 4:38 AM on October 4, 2013
If you need more space, look at hatchbacks. They are WAY more versatile than regular cars, and no more expensive. (Generally.)
Use the Sonic with the kid for a while and as you are doing so, make a list of annoyances. When you go to get a new car, make sure it eliminates those annoyances.
posted by gjc at 4:38 AM on October 4, 2013
Another vote for staying with your existing car. We decided to stay with a Peugeot 206 when our son was born 6 years ago. Our 2 kids are now 5 & 6 and our Peugeot 206 still fits everything we need for 98% of our trips. We love having a small car for the convenience and ease of driving and parking as well as the cheaper fuel costs.
We have coped with the situation by...
1. We borrow station wagons from family members occasionally.
2. Sometimes when we go on vacation 1 or 2 of us take the train and we meet in the mountains (when the car is packed with ski stuff).
3. Sometimes our car is packed to a ridiculous level with vacation stuff: bags under the kids feet, between the kids, stuffed to the top of the hatchback. This isn't ideal, but worked for our summer vacation.
We keep saying that we will rent a car sometime for a vacation - easier and cheaper than buying a new bigger car that we only need for 2% of our trips.
posted by jazh at 4:42 AM on October 4, 2013
We have coped with the situation by...
1. We borrow station wagons from family members occasionally.
2. Sometimes when we go on vacation 1 or 2 of us take the train and we meet in the mountains (when the car is packed with ski stuff).
3. Sometimes our car is packed to a ridiculous level with vacation stuff: bags under the kids feet, between the kids, stuffed to the top of the hatchback. This isn't ideal, but worked for our summer vacation.
We keep saying that we will rent a car sometime for a vacation - easier and cheaper than buying a new bigger car that we only need for 2% of our trips.
posted by jazh at 4:42 AM on October 4, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by thomas j wise at 4:01 PM on October 3, 2013