Thoughts about my car...
 

Hey everyone, I just wanted to know what everyone thought about my current situation.

I am a college student, who currently is on co-op(a paid intern) and I drive about 30 miles per day in heavy traffic. Now I have a 2002 ford explorer that EATS gas. My parents bought this car for me and pay the insurance being that I am a college student, and I am very happy for this. Now my problem obviously is that it eats gas like no other, and I have lightly confronted them with the idea of getting a smaller car, however I get slapped in the face with being "ungrateful" because I already do not have to pay for the car or insurance. Keep in mind I did not ask for such a new car, or the price it cost. I would have much rather had an older car that cost them less because I feel bad having them pay for me. There are plenty of civics in my area with less mileage then the car I have now and are much cheaper as well. Probably cheaper on insurance too.


So what do you all think about this situation? Should I try to approach them in another manner or just let it die and hope gas prices go down?

Never hurts to talk to a salesman.

Drive up to a used car lot with a "gas saving car" you might like. Ask them what the drive out cost would be including trade. DO NOT GIVE THE SALESMAN YOUR SSN OR HOME PHONE. Also do not sign anything.

Take the cost to your parents, should be less than $2000 if your are truly looking for used gas sipper (a little Honda or Saturn), and see what they say. :D

We grow by making our decisions. Should be an interesting venture for you.

That's probably how much he'll get for a tradein on the Exploder. I recently traded a 2003 Exploder XLT and got about $5,000 for it. Domestics aren't worth much these days.

Tank + city traffic = misery... my minivan is bad enough. You might help it out a tad by putting BF Goodrich Long Trail T/A tires on it, those are lower rolling resistance highway truck tires... you could express doubt about the current tires to parents, and point to the Explorer rollover accidents coming from having bad tires... then air them up to at least 40 psi.

If you're feeling really devious, you could run it out of gas in the middle of nowhere a few times and bill 'em the towing :D

You might find a Ford dealer who'd do a straight swap on an '01 or '02 Focus, but otherwise it's gonna be an older import that the trade buys.

You lose too much in a trade to be worth it. Just keep it and try to get better mileage with a tire swap and maybe take out some seats for weight reduction.
People in general don't want to hear about using less gas.There is usually a trigger response like "that's all BS, where'd you hear that".Sometimes it's easier to let the misinformed stay that way.

I find that the more misinformed they are, the more determined they are to vote :(

if you decide that you can and will trade down, give your parents an emancipation proclamation of sorts...

tell them that you're moving towards independence from them and the middle east!:D

sounds like the main deal would be how to work this through your parents... i'm thinking, just look for somewhere to trade down within the family. siblings, aunts uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, grandparents.... perhaps there is someone with a car similar to what you want, who might want or need a larger/newer vehicle, and would gladly trade.

not sure where you are from, but around here (north carolina) we have this place called carmax that will purchase your used car (they sell cars too) they will give you a quote that is good for 3 days so you can think about it.

the reason I mention this is because most used car places will give you a price on "the entire deal" so you are going to get descent on the trade in but then get stuck on the price of the car you buy. if you go this route then you have cash in hand to purchase the (new) used car and they will come off of the price much more. this is an alternative to selling your car yourself. you usually don't get as much as if you sell it yourself but you get more than if you just trade it in.

there again, not sure where you live or if you have a place like that around. they are on the web www.carmax.com I think. I wouldn't buy a car from them because they stand too firm no the prices but I would (and plan to) sell a used car to them.

just a thought

These are some good ideas. I think I will try a few, mainly going to a car dealer and seeing how much they will give me for it and if they can trade it in for a focus or something.

The main reason they bought me such a large vehicle is because my dad is a physical therapist and is extremely safety concious( I think I spelled that wrong) all the time. For my 20 years of life with my parents they have driven only lincoln town cars, grand marquis, etc. because of my dads fear of a bad accident. Only when I was about 16 did my dad buy a nissan pathfinder because I told him to please get something other than those cars lol. For my first car I, of course, had a 1991 crown victoria and there was no fighting that because he only wanted me to have a big huge car.

So I guess the main problem is trying to get my dad out of his idea of giant cars. It is a tough process and I have been working at it for years and only when I was about 16 did I successfully get him to get something else, regardless if it was a big SUV.