Dear Car Talk:
I love your column for the entertainment as well as to learn more about cars!
My companion, Randy, owns a 1996 Lincoln Town Car that has 136,000 miles on it. He often gets asked if he wants to sell it. He always says he will for the right price. A guy asked him about selling it just yesterday. Randy told him to think about what he’d be willing to offer for it.
Ray, this has been a very good car for him. It has only needed cosmetic maintenance and light repairs done to it in the eight years Randy has owned it. The most expensive thing it needed was a brake job.
I can’t imagine this guy will offer him anything close to what he would need to buy a good used car to replace it. I’m afraid if he sells it to this guy who makes an offer, Randy will end up regretting making the sale.
What do you think? Should Randy hold on to this car and continue to bet that it won’t need any major repairs done soon, or should he sell it?
Randy is 69 years old, by the way, so it’s possible that this car could last him the rest of his driving years. Please share your thoughts. — Laurie
I’ll give you two different answers, Laurie.
From an economic point of view, it probably makes sense to keep the Town Car. He knows the car, he presumably has a mechanic who knows it, and it’s almost always more expensive to buy a new car than it is to keep an old one.
Now, it is an old car. So, the engine could seize up tomorrow. And there’s safety equipment on newer cars he’s missing. But assuming he’s confident it’s in good condition, the economics probably point to keeping it.
But here’s the more important answer, Laurie: Let him decide.
It’s always good for people in relationships to have self-determination over at least some parts of their own lives. There are lots of things that you decide together — where to live, whether to have kids, what to watch on Netflix, tacos or Chinese food tonight. And those decisions often involve compromise.
It’s nice when each partner has at least a few things in life that he or she gets to decide on his or her own. Even if dumb decisions are made.
So, I’d say, it’s his car. If he still loves it and wants to keep it, he should keep it. If he’s bored with it or is tired of having to find two adjacent parking spaces for it at the mall, he should sell it and get something he likes better.
The money is insignificant in comparison to his happiness, and his contentment being in a relationship with you.
So, I’d say, “Randy, I love that car. But it’s your car, so do whatever you want. And we’re getting Chinese tonight.”
Got a question about cars? Write to Car Talk write to Ray in care of King Features, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803, or email by visiting the Car Talk website at www.cartalk.com.
