Driving A 28-Year-Old Beater Made Me Love My Car Again

While visiting my parents in Honolulu this past winter, I ended up driving my dad's 28-year-old beater for eight days. He bought that Toyota Avalon new in 1997—back when I was a college sophomore and he was stationed in Guangzhou, China for the U.S. Foreign Service.

I’ve known this car nearly as long as he has, and for more than half my life, I’ve driven it during my visits home. Sure, it drives like a boat and shakes when I hit the brakes on the highway, but it reliably gets my family around the island.

Not Getting a New Car After 10 Years After All

I once planned for summer 2025 to be the year I’d finally upgrade my ride. I always believed the ideal time to replace your car is when it hits about 10 years old—long enough for safety and technology improvements to kick in, which is crucial when you’re transporting your family.

Yet, after spending time behind the wheel of my dad’s old Toyota in Hawaii, I returned to my own car in San Francisco feeling like I was driving a brand-new luxury automobile!

My current car—a 2015 Range Rover Sport HSE that I bought in December 2016, just before my son was born—feels amazing by comparison. It handles smoothly, the steering is tight, and there’s no annoying shake when I brake.

The Range has Bluetooth for tunes, a backup camera that beeps when something gets too close, and even twice the horsepower of my previous ride. The paint is still shiny, and the tires boast about 80% tread remaining. There's even leather seats, which are starting to smell amazing again given its age.

If my dad’s car could last 27 years, I’m confident my Range will easily last at least another five years, for 15 years total.

Driving A 28-Year-Old Beater Made Me Love My Car Again
My dad's 28-year old car looks pretty good parked out front a nice $4 million stealth home in Kahala, Oahu

New Cars Are Just Way Too Expensive

I’ve looked at several new luxury vehicles comparable to my Range Rover, and every one of them costs between $115,000 and $170,000. Maybe I’m a bit nostalgic, but today’s new luxury car prices seem utterly absurd compared to the $60,000 I paid after tax. Even though I’ve been diligently saving and investing in a new car fund for nine years, the thought of shelling out six figures after taxes for a new vehicle feels completely off.

So, the logical alternative is to stick with what I have. I’ve also considered more budget-friendly options, like the fully loaded Honda Civic for about $28,000, but it’s too small for our family road trips and lacks features like four-wheel drive—meaning I’d have to tack on chains in snowy conditions on our way to Lake Tahoe. No thank you.

The next option I looked at was the new Honda CR-V, which runs about $42,000 fully loaded (roughly $46,500 after tax). While that might be acceptable for someone without a car, I already have a perfectly fine family car. And to be frank, it feels like a steep downgrade, when I’d like to enjoy nicer things in my older age.

Bashed old car - if I had a new car, I'd be stressed
The one day valet in Lake Tahoe bashed my car, which caused $14,000 worth of damages. Had to drive 40 minutes to get a rental car. Took almost 3 months to get my car back. I'd be pissed if I had a brand new car!

Used And New Car Prices Should Continue To Come Down

Another factor I'm considering is the gradual decline in average used car prices, especially with the possibility of a recession ahead. Luxury car prices are likely to take a hit as more owners sell off unnecessary vehicles. At the same time, new car prices may see more discounts as inventory continues to rise.

Below is a great chart from the St. Louis Fed showing how used and new car prices peaked in 2022 and have been trending downward since, with inventory steadily increasing. Therefore, I expect consumers can get better car deals between 2026 – 2027.

New and used car prices CPI index by St. Louis Fed

Recently Spent a Bundle on Car Maintenance

Over the past two years, I’ve invested roughly $5,400 in maintaining my Range Rover, which has around 61,000 miles on it. Here’s a quick rundown:

  • New battery: $500 (2024)
  • Two new 22-inch tires: $825 (2024)
  • Water pump: $1,250 (2024)
  • Vacuum pump and PCV valve: $1,050 (2024)
  • Oil change service: ($199, January 2025)
  • Brakes and rotors ($1,600, Jan 2025)
  • Heater manifold: $1,025 (potential cost maybe in April 2025, but the coolant isn't leaking anymore)

Fortunately, my mechanic is just a one-mile walk from my house, so dropping off the car for maintenance is never a hassle. After $5,400 in repairs and upkeep so far, the idea of selling my car to buy a brand-new one just doesn’t make sense.

If I were to get rid of my car, I should have done it before reaching 50,000 miles and before these expenses began to pile up. Now that I’ve had these repairs done, I expect my Range to be in great shape for another 5-10 years or 60,000 miles.

The Joy of Driving a Well-Worn Car

After nine years of driving my 10-year-old car, I’ve grown accustomed to its quirks—much like my father’s steadfast 1997 Toyota Avalon. Every time I head to the supermarket, I feel no stress about door dings. In fact, when a new ding appears, I just see it as another character mark on a car that’s been a reliable part of my life.

I also love that as the car ages, it draws less attention. I bought my Range because I loved its look and performance—ever since I was a middle-school kid in Malaysia, I’ve been a fan of Range Rovers. And attracting attention isn’t my goal, which is why I appreciate the tinted windows.

Finally, if my old car can last another seven years, it'll be perfect for teaching my son how to drive. Hopefully, he won’t crash it—but if he does, its larger size should provide some extra protection. Plus, by then, it won’t be much of a financial loss either.

Hmm, now that we’re talking about safety, maybe upgrading to a safer car sooner isn’t a bad idea. At the very least, I should wait one to three years for used prices to drop as the economy slows. When the time is right, I might splurge on the best car I can afford while my kids are still living with us.

Landscaping with Range Rover
The Range at the landscaping company to haul rocks and dirt

Final Reflection: Keep Your Old Car For Longer

Driving my dad’s old beater made me realize that sometimes the best decision is to stick with what works. Instead of spending a ridiculous sum on a brand-new car that may not drive any better, I’ll save and invest my money. My RR Sport has served me well and still has plenty of life left in it, and that reliability is worth more than chasing the latest model.

In a world where new cars are prohibitively expensive and constant upgrades may be more about status than functionality, holding on to a well-maintained vehicle is a smart, financially savvy move. Let a car's depreciation work for you by getting your House-To-Car Ratio as high as possible, if you want to achieve financial independence sooner.

Although I will say, car shopping is one of the most fun things I've enjoyed as a kid and adult, mainly due to the test driving. That could be a fun father son, father daughter bonding experience in the future. However, I'm hoping by the time my kids are able to drive, they won't due to safer, self-driving cars.

Driving an old beater makes me appreciate my older car again
Every bestselling author needs a large enough car to hall boxes of books around for events and mailings!

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Robert C
Robert C
16 minutes ago

Hold on to car sounds like the perfect vehicle for your kids to learn how to drive. Liability only coverage and if the kid gets in an accident no worries. All our kids learned in really old cars. Actually youngest was driving a 2000 Avalon until she got in an accident recently (not her fault). The other drivers insurance gave us a check but nowhere close to buy a decent used car to replace. Kids need crappy cars to learn they are going to have small dents and dings, and a really high chance of a crash. Insurance for your son is going to be insane especially living in a big city. Keep the car.

tyler69
tyler69
1 hour ago

Keeping up on the car’s maintenance is such a great advice!

Bret
Bret
1 hour ago

New car prices are insane. I really need to replace my 2000 F-150, but I am not paying $60K for a new pickup truck. Unless I find a good deal on a used truck, I will keep driving my old one for now.

The number one reason I was able to retire at 58 was because my wife and I drove old beater cars, and I maintained them myself. I invested the money I would have spent on car payments instead, and it grew. We didn’t get new cars until after we were 50.

Alex
Alex
1 hour ago

Perfect timing, sam! Our daughter is currently looking for her first car and has her eye on a BMW Mini for 15000 Euros. I have calculated that the car will cost her 66,000 Euros over a period of 10 years. Unfortunately, she doesn’t seem to care. Hope your excellent article helps. Thank you!

Jamie
Jamie
3 hours ago

I’m a bit of an odd ball in that I love to watch car races, but I have no desire to own a fancy or fast car myself. What is important to me is reliability and safety. Airbags are a must and a backup camera is incredibly helpful. If I ever upgrade down the road, a front camera would be an incredible upgrade for parking assist. Nevertheless, I’ve done fine without one so I don’t feel I really need one. The cost of a new car will be a very prohibitive mental hurdle for me as well. Even if I can afford it, shelling out huge bucks for a car just doesn’t feel good to me.

And I hear ya on not wanting a super nice car with young kids. Oh the crumbs and shoe kick marks…

JfromTexas
JfromTexas
5 hours ago

Hi Sam – you had a few posts that discussed the concept of owning the nicest house during a certain window for your kids’ childhood. Any similar thoughts on owning a more utilitarian car (for example an extra roomy SUV) during the time when the family will get the most use out if it? Thinking of kids sports, beach vacations, longer roadtrips etc.

Joseph Ruiz
Joseph Ruiz
7 hours ago

Your dad’s home-to-car ratio is insane! My Audi is 5 years old. I thought about painting it a different color and getting new wheels as a way to feel like I got a new car for a fraction of the price. I’ll probably also rent a Lamborghini for a day ($1200) to get that car lover thing out of my system.