Question for Those Who Traded Their Newer Stingers

[th3n4m31zd4n]

This thought has crossed my head so many times since being in a Stinger owner Facebook group and to a lesser extent on these forums...... Why do so many people seem to buy the car only to keep it for a few months or a year?

I see a lot of posts like "Traded my 22 gt2 with 4,000 miles for <insert car here>" or people say they only plan on having it for +- 1 year. I don't hate at all, because it's their money, but I just wonder why so many people seem to do it. I see it in all car groups, but this one it seems much more frequent. I just don't know why so many people are willing to take that depreciation hit, or otherwise most likely lose quite a bit of money. I think it's a really nice and enjoyable car, i just can't wrap my head around spending 40-55k on it and then getting bored of it right away. Why not just buy what they really wanted off the bat? Or keep driving it until you at least break even? Again, no hate intended here, I just have a completely different mindset, so I'm trying to listen to other points of view to help me understand.

Cheers!

 

[NIU_Huskies]

Good question, especially those that paid near or over MSRP.

I've had my 2019 GT2 since Dec 2019. Only reason I've been considering selling it is because the cost of premium gas is at $5 and I have a 2nd vehicle. I was one of the benefactors of the huge lease rebates. So I could probably sell mine for what I paid, if not more.

 

[th3n4m31zd4n]

Good question, especially those that paid near or over MSRP.

I've had my 2019 GT2 since Dec 2019. Only reason I've been considering selling it is because the cost of premium gas is at $5 and I have a 2nd vehicle. I was one of the benefactors of the huge lease rebates. So I could probably sell mine for what I paid, if not more.

Right on man

By the way I'm NW Chicago Suburbs, very familiar with NIU lol

 

[MerlintheMad]

I only bought the Stinger because the promo book and a test drive convinced me. Buying ANY vehicle was literally the furthest thing from my mind: I was slowly "restorodding" my '94 stick shift Plymouth Voyager. So, the Stinger ambushed me. I've been thoroughly satisfied ever since: it's been just over four years in. I've watched owners do what your OP says: and I think that you hit on it: easily bored, and they don't really know what they want, or at least how to find it. A number of forum members apparently go through cars every couple of years, give or take. It's a phenomenon that should probably have a medical name for it. I'd say that anyone who budgets for a monthly lease payment, in perpetuity, is a lost cause on any car: they are into NEW every couple or three years and are not going to quit enjoying the rush of NEW.

 

[NIU_Huskies]

Right on man

By the way I'm NW Chicago Suburbs, very familiar with NIU lol

Awesome, I try to get back for the NIU home opener every year to go tailgating and have fun with old college friends. I left Illinois after college and haven't lived there since.

 

[NIU_Huskies]

I only bought the Stinger because the promo book and a test drive convinced me. Buying ANY vehicle was literally the furthest thing from my mind: I was slowly "restorodding" my '94 stick shift Plymouth Voyager. So, the Stinger ambushed me. I've been thoroughly satisfied ever since: it's been just over four years in. I've watched owners do what your OP says: and I think that you hit on it: easily bored, and they don't really know what they want, or at least how to find it. A number of forum members apparently go through cars every couple of years, give or take. It's a phenomenon that should probably have a medical name for it. I'd say that anyone who budgets for a monthly lease payment, in perpetuity, is a lost cause on any car: they are into NEW every couple or three years and are not going to quit enjoying the rush of NEW.

I tend to keep vehicles for a long time like you. They are a depreciating asset and poor investment, especially if switching vehicles every few years. I won't judge anyone for doing what makes them happy or if their finances or life circumstances require them to make a vehicle change.

 

[Legendsk]

I don't quite fit the profile, but I'll respond anyway. When Ford and their dealers became so erratic and unreliable that my vehicle wasn't safe any more, I traded it for a Kia Soul about 5 years ago and was really happy with the Kia - until I wandered through the dealer's lot while waiting on an oil change, and saw a Stinger GT2. I did trade the Soul and took delivery of the Stinger one year to the day from when I got the Soul. Planned to keep it forever and was certain that it would be worth more in the future than it cost 4 years ago.

I'm still happy with it and would keep it as long as I last except, the world has moved on. Technology will force full self driving upon us, fuel prices will go to more than I can afford and insurance for those who insist on driving will be WAY MORE than I can afford. I could just keep it for a collector's item, but I can currently trade it on an EV and they will give me $16,700 more than I paid for it 4 years (and 20,000 miles) ago. Then when I'm not using my EV, I can just send it out to the robo fleet to earn me some money. Next step, Solar the house too, and get off the grid.

 

[Blanco_k8]

I am unfortunately someone who changes cars frequently, the reason.... because I'm dumb and like shiny things (although I keep everything else except cars) I tend to want to experience cars for a few years and move on, now I will say I have a 2nd vehicle (XC90) for years however I am looking at the new bronco so let's see what happens

 

[stoopid]

I am unfortunately someone who changes cars frequently, the reason.... because I'm dumb and like shiny things (although I keep everything else except cars) I tend to want to experience cars for a few years and move on, now I will say I have a 2nd vehicle (XC90) for years however I am looking at the new bronco so let's see what happens

I've generally not held on to cars for long, either. My last car was about 3 years, which is the longest in several. In the past I drove 20-30,000 miles annually [partly due to work, part where the weekend outdoors activities were back in NY]. I was getting a lot of condensed behind the seat time, and after a year or two and 50-60,000 miles it was time to move on. This is also where a lot of warranties start to expire and/or mechanical issues start to creep in. I need my car for work (on site IT from time to time), so I tend to drive vehicles with an active warranty/loaner.

After moving to Vegas I'm actually driving long distances less, and as a result my average annual is down to 15,000-ish miles. This is partly how I managed 3 years with my prior vehicle, slower accumulation of miles/time in the seat = getting bored with it slower.

At the 17 month mark with the Stinger and I wouldn't say I'm bored yet. Part of the reason is spending most of my drive time in traffic, so not a lot of opportunities to enjoy the vehicle for its best attributes. And now with gas going up, I'm even pickier about where I'm heading on the weekends. There's a lot of rock climbing and hiking within 15-45 minutes of my front door, so it's tough to justify spending time and gas money on longer trips for the same activities I get closer to home. And when we do head away for days for camping, we take my GF's CX-5.

Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

[stoopid]

Related note: when the trade-in for my current Stinger reached my loan balance recently, it did get me thinking about what options I might have. Do I downscale perhaps, taking on a smaller loan/cheaper vehicle since I'm not driving a lot and most of it is boring/bumper to bumper? Do I go upmarket, getting something quicker and maybe only have a slightly more expensive payment?

I didn't bother pursuing it much past thought experiment, and not long after I had the notion interest rates started going up and now it wouldn't make much sense unless scaling down/getting a POS for commuting. I like the Stinger enough to not want to drive anything less, even with the payment, gas, and rape me Vegas insurance rates.

Looking ahead in my crystal ball, I won't say with 100% certainty this will be my last nice car but things are not looking promising in the car or general financial markets. I'm going to hold on to the Stinger just because it's a nice enough vehicle and I got in at just the right time, there's no way I'd own one today or tomorrow with the way things are trending.