Honestly, I've been having this itch to jump into a new car. I still have a little over 2 years left on my current car to pay but I want to jump into a brand new '12 TL awd 6mt. What should i do?

 

then you start all over again with a new loan to pay.

 

What should you do? Well.... the first thing I'd do is ask myself "why am I asking hundreds of strangers if I should chain myself to a $35K + car that I'll have to spend the next 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 years paying for?". Isn't there someone a little closer to home that could help you with this decision?

 

Does your itch continue when you think about having a new car loan, which may mean a slightly higher monthly payment since the TL costs more than the TSX? If so, then go ahead and do it. But you should do it knowing that it's an emotional decision and not a financial one.

The better financial decision would be to pay off your current car and drive it for a while after it is paid off. You can save money for your future new car while you have transportation that you don't have to worry/pay about.

We all wish we could always drive a newer and better car. When you get into that new TL, you'll eventually want to upgrade that one also. It's better to stay emotionally-detached so that you don't wander off.

It sounds like you might prefer making monthly car payments than to have a fully paid off car. If so, you should lease that TL so that you can change cars every 3 years or so (just keep leasing a new car when the current lease ends).

 

excellent advice

 

Do you have equity in the car, or are you "underwater?" (Translation: still owe.) If you don't have equity, don't trade in. It's cheaper to just get a big red dunce hat to wear around all day.

If you're itching for a "different car," and haven't done any mods to your TSX, try paying it off, then performing some of the mods I've got listed in my sig. If your car is currently bone stock, you WILL feel like it's a whole new car.

 

Completely agree.

OP: Take a hard look at the total cost of that TL (purchase less equity of your trade), and create a list of what that TL has that your current car doesn't. Then ask yourself if that list is worth the price you'll pay. I'm going to bet you'll be paying $25K+ for some extra hp and AWD.

I've been on that treadmill of always wanting a new car every 4 years. Either resign yourself to that fact and just lease them, or try to pay this one off and own it for a while.

Like SoCali said - what's tugging at you is the emotional appeal, and a society that wants you to think if your car is 4 years old something is wrong. Give the objective side a try before you become a slave to another $600 car payment.

 

Haha my car is five years old (sale date) this month, and no one thinks anythings wrong with it. Certainly not me when I passed all the "fast cars" heading home tonight. (< 6 over the limit, Mom, truly.)

 

^ I love my 06. There is nothing out there right now I'd part with $30K to get that gives me that much more value than what I have now.

 

I don't want to commit financial suicide so i've decided to keep my car for atleast 4-5 more years. Thanks for the great advice everybody.

 

Well said! For me, maybe a 2005 RSX Type-S would tempt me, which is what I was originally shopping for. But ... then I'd have to Hondata it. Nothing less would do.

 

I agree-It goes fast enough being stock-Just ask that state trooper in Va that stopped me for speeding. I learned my lesson-

 

Go to the doctor maybe that itch is herpes...that shits serious!