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Thread: What is the longest you have made a car last?

  1. #51
    Senior Member jp1's Avatar
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    Well, state farm was surprisingly generous in their valuation of my car. They totalled it out since the damage estimate is over 75% of the value. But i accepted the settlement offer, kept it, and am having it fixed.

  2. #52
    Simpleton Alan's Avatar
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    The longest I've ever kept a car was 9 years and 200,000 miles, a Ford Escape Hybrid. Interestingly enough I replaced it with the car which I kept the least amount of time, 2 years. It was a 2014 Volkswagen Passat TDI. It had a list price of $32,000 and change but I got it for a little over $28,000. Shortly after purchasing it the whole VW Diesel Emissions thing came up and VW eventually notified me that they would either buy it back from me or provide a fix to the emissions thing and pay me a token amount for my trouble. At the same time, they sent me a $1000 gift card as their first sign of remorse.

    While waiting for a final offer from VW and considering my options, another driver crossed the center line one evening and hit me head on, totaling the car. Her insurance paid me $24,600 for the car. VW then made me an offer of $7,632 to settle any future claims against them, and the airbag manufacturer for that model year made me an offer of $300 because of a problem found with the airbags (which worked wonderfully by the way, I walked away without a scratch). So, the end result was that I drove the car for two years and from a variety of sources received approximately $33,500 for a car that cost me $28K and change, approximately $5000 net profit. I loved that car.
    "Things should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." ~ Albert Einstein

  3. #53
    Senior Member Teacher Terry's Avatar
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    A semi truck pulled out in front of my husband and ran over his Saturn a number of years ago. The only spot not crushed was where he was sitting. The car peeled like an onion due to the slippery exterior they used. He walked away with no injuries which was priceless. However, we lost money on the car when it was totaled. It cost us more to buy a similar car with more miles. I think he used up all his 9 lives that day)

  4. #54
    Senior Member jp1's Avatar
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    Alan, how did you like the escape hubrid? We’ve had those as rental cars several times and although we’re not really in the market, SO thinks that should be our next car.

  5. #55
    Simpleton Alan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jp1 View Post
    Alan, how did you like the escape hubrid? We’ve had those as rental cars several times and although we’re not really in the market, SO thinks that should be our next car.
    I loved it! It was comfortable, had lots of room and gave me approximately 32 mpg on my 100 mile daily commute to and from work with absolutely no issues outside of normal wear and tear.

    Ford re-styled the Escape several years ago and I have no idea how the newer ones differ from the mid 2000 models but if they're anything like the older ones, I think they're a fine choice.
    "Things should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." ~ Albert Einstein

  6. #56
    Senior Member jp1's Avatar
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    So I just finished re-registering the Honda as salvage at the DMV. Other than spending $64 for a new title and $133 for a brakes and lamps inspection the whole process was relatively painless. And the subrogation against the at fault driver has been successful so all told I'm going to come out about $400 ahead. Sometimes "the system" actually works the way it's supposed to!

  7. #57
    Senior Member lhamo's Avatar
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    My mom's 1992 Corolla was still going strong at around 150k miles when I totaled it in 1995. It had no AC and hand-roller windows, though, so I wasn't that sad to upgrade to a Ford CMax -- it gets 41mpg and was 5k cheaper than a Prius. Visibility also much better.
    "Seek out habits that help you overcome fear or inertia. Destroy those that do the opposite." Seth Godin

  8. #58
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    2000 Plymouth Neon - we are the 2nd owners. Bought with 23,000 and now has a little over 132,000 - I think. Still using it. Inspection sticker good to 2020 and I'm really hoping it lasts that long.
    To give pleasure to a single heart by a single act is better than a thousand heads bowing in prayer." Mahatma Gandhi
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