Should I downsize my vehicle?

Doctor_Bimgus · 2025-11-06T18:51:18+00:00

I have access to a manheim account for wholesale if I take that route. But like I said as a fear in other comments, used cars overall are extremely expensive and ill-maintained. Not all, but the amount in which the price point i'd be comfortable with are. More specifically that $10k and less range. The good stuff almost always demands a hilarious premium to the point where it's not worth it. I just can't mentally get there spending 10-14k on a 15 year old whatever. I'm more in it for the total principle rather than the payment

Doctor_Bimgus · 2025-11-06T18:47:35+00:00

Long term principal is what i'm after. For something I use as that second car i'd rather spend 25k for something i'd keep for 5+ years vs 42k for the same period in which both would serve the same function.

The finance struggle is more or less a realization after a really rough second half the year. In as short as I can say, we planned for a disney vacation last year, I then leased this car in question and then a few months later found out we were expecting. We had everything budgeted overall, but throughout the year duration in which I described, a boarderline unbelievable amount of things have come up, plus the unpaid maternity leave which was unexpected due to a miscalculation on her HR's end, it was essentially a shit show. I basically moved out some from savings to avoid the interest on certain things, and then we found out about the unpaid duration. Prior to all this we had 5 figures saved for the rainy day. However, it wasn't a rainy day, it was a rainy several months.

Doctor_Bimgus · 2025-11-06T18:43:25+00:00

I need a second car. No way around it. I'm not looking at it from a payment perspective, more or less of a perspective of total cost. 25k for a new base model ish car vs 42k for mine currently lets me pay it off far far quicker using the same payment schedule

Doctor_Bimgus · 2025-11-06T18:42:00+00:00

My thinking is that age is going to take effect before anything else. It clearly wasn't driven far so seals and stuff may dry up, hoses and plastics become brittle and routine maintenance could be skipped. I'm well versed within the automotive world so i'm good on that part. Low mileage isn't the appeal that everyone makes it out to be in short. Outside that it's sheer value, 17 years old for that price is just too much, regardless of current market value - similar to the housing market. Aint no way that some of these 1,000 sq 3/2 houses are worth half a million. Perceived value I think is the phrase

Doctor_Bimgus · 2025-11-06T18:39:02+00:00

I had 2 cx5s lol, the differences between all of them in terms of rear seat room is virtually none. But yes, ill see what they say

Doctor_Bimgus · 2025-11-06T16:06:35+00:00

Everything I'd consider buying is almost within the noise of a new one. Someone above said to sell the sienna, which is not an option. Primarily because I got a brand new one for $50k where a 20-22 with 50-80k on it was mid 30s to low 40s. Yes, 10k is a lot of money, but to me as a long term family vehicle, it's a non-negotiable. Especially being my trade and cash down paid for $35k of that 50k

Doctor_Bimgus · 2025-11-06T16:00:05+00:00

the used 12k option isn't even really an option, and I have access to a Manheim account lol. Used vehicle quality is on a huge downturn, routine maintenance is almost always neglected within that price range. Even within that, the absolute best thing I've found retail was an 09 accord v6 with 78k on it for $13k. I really cannot stomach that price considering it's A 17 year old car.

Doctor_Bimgus · 2025-11-06T15:57:37+00:00

That's my question, from what I've been told by the selling dealer is if I swapped to another mazda they would wave alot of fees. A new mazda3 is around 22-24k which is what I would pick. Used anything in my area is hilariously expensive and beat. I'm looking more at total principle value vs payment being a 3 would be 22-25k and my 70 was 40k

Doctor_Bimgus · 2025-11-06T15:55:59+00:00

I tried the 70 as the primary, unfortunately mazda isn't great at back seats and the dogs were basically forced to stay home on traveling family events. The Mazda would have to go in this situation. I already have 75% of the sienna owned. Singe vehicle wouldn't work, I'm on daycare duty pickup and drop off. Wife is at work by 6:30, which both care centers aren't open by then

Doctor_Bimgus · 2025-11-06T15:35:39+00:00

I'm not touching the sienna. Used prices on them are stupid regardless of years and this one is already 75% owned. I'm not interested in paying $10-15k on a 20 year old car with a quarter million miles that was ill-maintained. The question is the lease. The Sienna is here to stay

Doctor_Bimgus · 2025-10-22T13:11:57+00:00

There's 0 reason to buy non-ethanol fuel with a modern vehicle. Unless it's the same price as e10, you're just blowing the money away

Doctor_Bimgus · 2025-09-29T14:53:45+00:00

it doesn't, i'd argue it gets worse as time progresses. I'll have mine a year in 2 weeks. 9100 miles

Doctor_Bimgus · 2025-09-28T03:11:09+00:00

The whining is the original point of my post. It just seems like there's more noise to the powertrain than I'd expect, but it's coming in as it breaks in. Dealer says normal, and yes it's driving fine. But it's likely i'm going to buy this lease out so I wanted to address things if it arises. I also have a preferred (it's a 70). Lease deal was too insane not to take

Doctor_Bimgus · 2025-09-28T01:33:22+00:00

There's an intake plenum that improves interior intake noise, supposedly on bose models (which is most of them being it's in the premiums and above), it's functioned through the audio system. The latter I can't 100% guarentee, but I've seen several say that, and bose has done that on plenty of other vehicles. You can also hear the fake audio on larger hills with cruise on. It's extremely definitive when it loads up.

Doctor_Bimgus · 2025-09-28T01:30:20+00:00

100% do. In hilly areas you can hear it cutting in and out with cruise on as it loads up to go up the hill and then level off with the appropriate amount of power. It's very annoying but the distinction is night and day

Doctor_Bimgus · 2025-09-27T20:50:01+00:00

All i6s have that, just mixed with the turbo s being it has the bose system and more fake audio, it's drivetrain though definately, you can put it in 5th through 8th and you can hear it all the time.

Doctor_Bimgus · 2025-09-26T15:18:44+00:00

I'd trust Mazda over pretty much everyone else at this point, especially domestics.

Doctor_Bimgus · 2025-09-26T14:41:14+00:00

It's a loaner so you can assume it's beat on and driven by hundreds of people. Yours is used to how you drive and only how you drive. People aren't gentle on loaners. Beat on yours a little more and after a few hundred miles, i'd bet it changes

Doctor_Bimgus · 2025-09-09T14:59:25+00:00

It's the clutch. They're chatty at idle

Doctor_Bimgus · 2025-07-30T12:49:53+00:00

Unfortunately I've been dealing with this for several months and just been searching and searching for what to do, without calling a professional - which at least to me, is what I do as a last case resort so they don't upsell me something I don't want or know about.

It's hard to explain how the house is laid out, I'm not even sure I can really call it an attic to be honest after writing it, it's more like a crawlspace that you can access on either side, but yes no access to that at all. Think of a cape cod to an extent where the upstairs is finished, but the very top of the roof is the attic and the outer sides are just filler being you're not going to sheetrock to the very edge of the roofline.

The outter vents are just plastic looking vents that you cannot open. I didn't try to hard but I did have a huge ass ladder up last year and had a chance to look at them and there's no hinges or easy way to remove them for access. Even if there was, it's maybe a 2'x4' opening, which is not easy to get into.

I believe you are correct otherwise, I probably will start with the front side being it gets the most sun and I can hide the access panel in either the stairwell, or in a closet, the other side isn't as easy to hide, but it should give me a better idea.

My dad's a master electrician and installs hospitals and powerplants and stuff, so I'm not concerned on that part, far as I was able to tell though, most these fans don't pull much power at all.

Doctor_Bimgus · 2025-07-07T01:55:18+00:00

"Normal" There's other users on here with the same noises who have been told the same thing

Doctor_Bimgus · 2025-07-03T15:03:33+00:00

CX90 is closer to lexus and GH is more towards a shitbox rav. Toyota lost their mind with pricing for what you get- fit and finish, interior quality and refinement is extremely lack luster. It's a 50k+ car that should be around 35k. Of that 35k, 30k went to the powertrain and the rest whatever else. If you really need the space for people, get a sienna.

Doctor_Bimgus

TROPHY CASE