How to buy a car I won't drive much?
April 8, 2022 9:34 PM Subscribe
We have to buy a car for reasons. We don't need a car often as we use our bicycles and public transport a lot for a lot, so the car will typically be driven about twice a week.
We can't afford a new car. Most of the advice about buying a second hand car (how old vs how much mileage, reliability vs price etc) seems to assume you'll be using the car constantly.
How does the fact that we won't be using it that much change the equation? Also we're not car people so can't fix it ourselves.
(We're in South Africa and even second hand cars are extremely expensive. We've already done the math on other solutions eg public transport, uber etc and much as it pains us, no getting away from having to buy a car. For all kinds of reasons I'd rather not get into here. )
We can't afford a new car. Most of the advice about buying a second hand car (how old vs how much mileage, reliability vs price etc) seems to assume you'll be using the car constantly.
How does the fact that we won't be using it that much change the equation? Also we're not car people so can't fix it ourselves.
(We're in South Africa and even second hand cars are extremely expensive. We've already done the math on other solutions eg public transport, uber etc and much as it pains us, no getting away from having to buy a car. For all kinds of reasons I'd rather not get into here. )
How does the fact that we won't be using it that much change the equation?
I don't think it changes much. When you need the car, I assume you need it to start and run without breaking down just as much as someone who drives their car every day, so it's not like you can get something less reliable just because you're using it less. You probably could feel a little more comfortable getting a high mileage car since you won't be putting more miles on it as fast as a lot of people. Good gas mileage also may not be as important to you if you aren't going to be spending that much on gas. Other than that, you'll probably just want to get the newest, most reliable car you can find that's in your price range, just like you would if you were driving it every day.
posted by Redstart at 10:22 PM on April 8, 2022 [6 favorites]
I don't think it changes much. When you need the car, I assume you need it to start and run without breaking down just as much as someone who drives their car every day, so it's not like you can get something less reliable just because you're using it less. You probably could feel a little more comfortable getting a high mileage car since you won't be putting more miles on it as fast as a lot of people. Good gas mileage also may not be as important to you if you aren't going to be spending that much on gas. Other than that, you'll probably just want to get the newest, most reliable car you can find that's in your price range, just like you would if you were driving it every day.
posted by Redstart at 10:22 PM on April 8, 2022 [6 favorites]
You should figure out what you can spend, then look for a car that has a reputation for reliability, good gas mileage and safety records, and something most mechanics know how to work on, not some obscure make or model. Think Subaru or Nissan, not Saab or Fiat.
That you will use it less means it will last longer, but all cars die. We had a 2004 Honda Element that we loved, we had part ways with it last October. We replaced it with a Subaru Crosstrek Sport, and we are digging that.
Happy Hunting.
posted by vrakatar at 10:54 PM on April 8, 2022 [3 favorites]
That you will use it less means it will last longer, but all cars die. We had a 2004 Honda Element that we loved, we had part ways with it last October. We replaced it with a Subaru Crosstrek Sport, and we are digging that.
Happy Hunting.
posted by vrakatar at 10:54 PM on April 8, 2022 [3 favorites]
Minor tangential point: don’t forget you’ll still need maintenance, and if you’re really not driving much you may need a battery charger/conditioner. I learned these lessons the hard way. More than once, too, because I’m dense.
posted by aramaic at 11:47 PM on April 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by aramaic at 11:47 PM on April 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: aramaic thanks for that. That's exactly what I'm wondering about too. I think part of the reason our previous car died was because of the long stretches we didn't drive it at all over the hard lockdown.
posted by Zumbador at 12:39 AM on April 9, 2022
posted by Zumbador at 12:39 AM on April 9, 2022
If you drive it every week, it should hold a battery charge. Check the tires often. Is theft or vandalism an issue?
I drive a Toyota Prius bought used. They really run for a long time because the electric hybrid engine reduces strain on the gas engine. 200,000 - 300,000 is not unusual. It's comfortable, hold tons of stuff, does just fine on highways. Fantastic for car-camping, as you can access the storage battery to power stuff.
posted by theora55 at 6:48 AM on April 9, 2022 [2 favorites]
I drive a Toyota Prius bought used. They really run for a long time because the electric hybrid engine reduces strain on the gas engine. 200,000 - 300,000 is not unusual. It's comfortable, hold tons of stuff, does just fine on highways. Fantastic for car-camping, as you can access the storage battery to power stuff.
posted by theora55 at 6:48 AM on April 9, 2022 [2 favorites]
Typically a car's maintenance schedule goes by both mileage and time. Like, mine lists oil changes as being needed every 5000 miles or 4 months, for example. So if you are driving very few miles/kilometers, you would track the maintenance more by time than by mileage. But driving once or twice a week should be plenty to keep the battery charged, assuming that you aren't just driving a couple of blocks.
In your shoes, I'd want to buy something common that has good parts availability and that every mechanic knows how to work on. Skimming a list of the most common vehicles sold in South Africa, that might be something like the Hilux if you wanted a truck, or a Starlet or Polo if you wanted a smaller car. Basically, a common vehicle that you see everywhere rather than a rare import.
But otherwise I think most of the standard used car advice applies in your situation, other than that fuel economy may not be a major factor if you drive so little. You want to get the best condition vehicle you can for the best price you can; lower mileage is usually better but I'd rather have higher mileage from something that was driven gently on the highway versus lower mileage from something that was driven in hard conditions, like delivery. In an ideal situation you would have confirmation that it was maintained, like buying from an owner who has service records, or where a dealership can point to their records servicing the car, but this often isn't available unfortunately.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:46 AM on April 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
In your shoes, I'd want to buy something common that has good parts availability and that every mechanic knows how to work on. Skimming a list of the most common vehicles sold in South Africa, that might be something like the Hilux if you wanted a truck, or a Starlet or Polo if you wanted a smaller car. Basically, a common vehicle that you see everywhere rather than a rare import.
But otherwise I think most of the standard used car advice applies in your situation, other than that fuel economy may not be a major factor if you drive so little. You want to get the best condition vehicle you can for the best price you can; lower mileage is usually better but I'd rather have higher mileage from something that was driven gently on the highway versus lower mileage from something that was driven in hard conditions, like delivery. In an ideal situation you would have confirmation that it was maintained, like buying from an owner who has service records, or where a dealership can point to their records servicing the car, but this often isn't available unfortunately.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:46 AM on April 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
What sort of distance do you plan to drive the car each week? If you're driving much less than... I don't know... 60... 100km a week that's going to be really hard on a car.
posted by wotsac at 8:03 AM on April 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by wotsac at 8:03 AM on April 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
If you're driving much less than... I don't know... 60... 100km a week that's going to be really hard on a car.
Eh, not really. As long as regular maintenance is performed, such light usage isn’t an issue with modern cars. The one caveat would be keeping the battery charged, but driving twice a week will easily take care of that.
Buy the best quality, lowest mileage, used car you can find that meets your needs.
posted by Thorzdad at 8:30 AM on April 9, 2022 [3 favorites]
Eh, not really. As long as regular maintenance is performed, such light usage isn’t an issue with modern cars. The one caveat would be keeping the battery charged, but driving twice a week will easily take care of that.
Buy the best quality, lowest mileage, used car you can find that meets your needs.
posted by Thorzdad at 8:30 AM on April 9, 2022 [3 favorites]
Buy an old Honda.
posted by charlesminus at 9:04 AM on April 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by charlesminus at 9:04 AM on April 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
During the first year of pandemic, I researched how often you had to drive the car before the battery died because I went agoraphobic and wasn't going anywhere. It was something like "at bare minimum every 2 weeks, at freeway speeds for around a half hour." I can't answer to "how to buy a car in South Africa" worth a damn, but I can posit that you had an issue with the previous car because you weren't driving it quite enough to keep it alive, as it were.
That said, I presume driving it twice a week won't have this issue.
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:12 AM on April 9, 2022 [2 favorites]
That said, I presume driving it twice a week won't have this issue.
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:12 AM on April 9, 2022 [2 favorites]
The fact that you won't use it much means a higher mileage car makes a little more sense, because of your dramatic under-driving. Things like depreciation per year go down under your care, and expected life span of the car goes up, compared to an average mileage driver.
posted by SaltySalticid at 9:45 AM on April 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by SaltySalticid at 9:45 AM on April 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
Not sure about your market, but in the States it's upside-down; cars with 60,000 miles are barely discounted below sticker price, while dealers are marking up new cars 30% or more. So if you can find a new car with a good warranty at sticker price, it's a relatively good deal right now.
You could look into a lease, you typically get a discount for low mileage. But if you buy, your car will deprecate less quickly with low mileage so it's the same result.
posted by credulous at 10:19 AM on April 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
You could look into a lease, you typically get a discount for low mileage. But if you buy, your car will deprecate less quickly with low mileage so it's the same result.
posted by credulous at 10:19 AM on April 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
If you are worried about the battery dying from disuse, a trickle charger does wonders. You can even get solar powered ones.
posted by advicepig at 3:00 PM on April 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by advicepig at 3:00 PM on April 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
Apart from the point already made about servicing the car based on time rather than mileage, the battery is going to be your biggest (and, really, only) point of failure. I suggest buying a new battery unless you're sure it's already pretty new and maybe start and run it for ten minutes once a week for peace of mind if you're leaving it more often than that. If you're driving twice a week, you won't have any issues at all because of that.
I have a car that I drive on average once every three weeks or so and have never had a flat battery. If you have to start a car twice a week to keep the battery charged, there's something wrong.
posted by dg at 9:17 PM on April 10, 2022 [1 favorite]
I have a car that I drive on average once every three weeks or so and have never had a flat battery. If you have to start a car twice a week to keep the battery charged, there's something wrong.
posted by dg at 9:17 PM on April 10, 2022 [1 favorite]
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posted by Oyéah at 10:04 PM on April 8, 2022