Should I continue putting miles on Stinger or get a used sub 10k car

[Maljey]

I bought this car specifically because it has AWD and I want something that can handle the Pittsburgh hills in the winter time. If I wanted a garage queen I would have never bought this car in the first place lol. That's like buying a Subaru and putting it away for the winter.

I actually can't wait to drive this thing in the winter! I'm just debating if I'm going to preemptively buy a separate set of winter tires + wheels, or use the stock all season setup. I'm leaning towards using the all season setup for this year's winter and seeing if I really need winter tires.

With all that being said, I probably will look into getting some rust protection, since I plan on keeping this car for a long time.

 

[87and66]

I bought this car specifically because it has AWD and I want something that can handle the Pittsburgh hills in the winter time. If I wanted a garage queen I would have never bought this car in the first place lol. That's like buying a Subaru and putting it away for the winter.

I actually can't wait to drive this thing in the winter! I'm just debating if I'm going to preemptively buy a separate set of winter tires + wheels, or use the stock all season setup. I'm leaning towards using the all season setup for this year's winter and seeing if I really need winter tires.

I’m also in the Pittsburgh area. I’ve driven my car through 2 winters now. It does pretty well. Even with all season tires. I’d bet it would be very good with actual winter tires. I bought my car with the same thinking as you. It would be perfect year round since it’s AWD.

The problem is, I try to keep the car looking nice and that salt just destroys the look of the black paint. It’s just so abrasive, by spring time, the car needs paint correction or all you see is scratches and swirls. And then with our awful roads and the amount of snow we get sometimes, a lowered car can be a headache. Also, getting peppered by salt trucks in the other lane REALLY sucks.

 

[Spyder168]

I have been contemplating this question, should I continue to use my Stinger as a daily driver and put miles on it? it's been 10 months and I have already put 13k km on odo. This is my only car, what are your suggestion? should I get a sub 10k used car or use the Stinger. Also, my wife wants an suv but not soon in the next 2 years, she plans. So, for the next 2 years should I just use my Stinger?

13k KM was during pandemic and lockdown in Canada I am sure the driving I do I will put up 20k - 25k in a year. Any suggestions?

I feel I'm pretty lucky that my so called commute to work is 6 miles round trip, therefore on my 2 days off I can drive as much as I want and I'm still not putting loads of miles on it, compared to some who have to drive say, 100 or more miles a day just for work. My annual miles are less than 4000! Also a small break on insurance due to cars low mileage annually. Drive it like you stole it and have fun! Just don't crash it!

 

[Maljey]

I’m also in the Pittsburgh area. I’ve driven my car through 2 winters now. It does pretty well. Even with all season tires. I’d bet it would be very good with actual winter tires. I bought my car with the same thinking as you. It would be perfect year round since it’s AWD.

The problem is, I try to keep the car looking nice and that salt just destroys the look of the black paint. It’s just so abrasive, by spring time, the car needs paint correction or all you see is scratches and swirls. And then with our awful roads and the amount of snow we get sometimes, a lowered car can be a headache. Also, getting peppered by salt trucks in the other lane REALLY sucks.

Oh man, I have Panthera Metal, which is kinda close to black paint and I'm dreading the salt dust. The pollen has already been annoying me.

I'm not lowered, and don't plan on messing with the ride height. the car already barely gets in my driveway without scraping lol.

Good to hear about the stock all seasons and snow. The real test will be going up and down our hills. If the tires can handle that then I'll be happy.

 

[dimwit]

I am mid-60s and retired, so I have no.commute and no "daily driver". The wife actually encouraged me not to compromise on this vehicle purchase since I probably have maybe ten years of driving left. I plan to take lots of road trips, keep up on the detailing and maintenance, and drive it until it (or me) dies a natural death.

 

[Nicotinebar]

Thanks for the comments. This is my 1st car and it's a special one for me and hence I am planning to keep this for a very very long time. I want to make sure I can drive this for many years. I also, don't plan on selling this car no matter how beaten it gets. Hence, I was thinking to get a sub 10k daily driver. Judging by the response, I should hold off on the thought of getting one. I am in Burlington, Canada and I have done rust proofing, clean my interiors and exterior every week during winters.

 

[RedCal]

Keep it clean, don't skimp on maintenance (oil changes, etc) and when your wife gets her SUV, use it for the really short, and really long trips.

 

[Intelliburn]

I guess the answer is to have two Stingers. Lol

 

[Kamauxx]

Thanks for the comments. This is my 1st car and it's a special one for me and hence I am planning to keep this for a very very long time. I want to make sure I can drive this for many years. I also, don't plan on selling this car no matter how beaten it gets. Hence, I was thinking to get a sub 10k daily driver. Judging by the response, I should hold off on the thought of getting one. I am in Burlington, Canada and I have done rust proofing, clean my interiors and exterior every week during winters.

Take a third of that $10k and get the entire car wrapped in matte PPF. It'll make it look quite unique and protect the paint from a host of environmental/road damage.

 

[Grump]

Mileage doesn't kill cars in Canada, time kills cars (RUST). I say pack on the miles.

Buried my charger just shy of 400k KM because of rust. The motor trans were perfect. 25k/yr. It's amazing what a little maintenance will do. I'm glad I spent all 400k in that car and didn't waste time in some piece of shit. I dont care about resale, or value to someone else, I drive every car I buy to the ground and enjoy every KM of it, so the car better be good.

In 15 years when rust takes my stinger I'll get the next best thing to drive to the ground.

 

[Stingin' Away]

Mileage doesn't kill cars in Canada, time kills cars (RUST). I say pack on the miles.

Buried my charger just shy of 400k KM because of rust. The motor trans were perfect. 25k/yr. It's amazing what a little maintenance will do. I'm glad I spent all 400k in that car and didn't waste time in some piece of shit. I dont care about resale, or value to someone else, I drive every car I buy to the ground and enjoy every KM of it, so the car better be good.

In 15 years when rust takes my stinger I'll get the next best thing to drive to the ground.

Do keep us updated in 15 years/400k km on how it works out for you, you will be our time machine looking back

 

[Devin]

Whoah! It's a Kia, not a Ferrari!

Is your Stinger RWD or AWD?

Agreed. Stinger is not a garage queen. However, if I did have a Ferrari, I would drive it to work.

 

[Newdoc]

You also have to keep in mind where you drive. Lots of bad traffic, parking lots, car parked in the sun may make sense for a beater to drive as well. Also, an uninsured claim with a higher deductible and loss of value post accident on your Stinger would hurt a lot more than your beater getting damaged. My RWD GT is not much fun in the rain as it cuts loose with traction control. I have an old Lexus GX that gets bad weather duty. Some of us have that option, some don't. It almost always cost more $$ to keep, maintain and insure a separate beater over the value savings keeping the Stinger with low miles. I agree there is no perfect answer for this.

 

[Stingin' Away]

Agreed. Stinger is not a garage queen. However, if I did have a Ferrari, I would drive it to work.

To each their own.

 

[7Andrei7]

I just reached 80k km in 2y & 4m of ownership and I still am very much in love with it.
The way I look at it is: a car will loose in value over time no matter how much it's been driven. I think it's much better to "pay" (depreciate) 30k $ for 150k miles of using it rather than "pay" (depreciate) 20k $ for only 50k miles. The older the car gets the closer the resale values get, irrespective of milage. The Stinger is not the kind of car that will ever appreciate in value any time soon.
If you think about it, the more you drive it the less $ per mile you loose in depreciation. So just go ahead and enjoy it. It might happen that whatever you pay in insurance on the second car will end up being more than you would "win" on a lower milage Stinger.

 

[dtrail7a]

Thought it was just me that poured on the miles. Nice to see someone else who drives too much

By the end of this month I'll have had mine 6 months and will have put over 30,000 miles on her. Will have well over 300,000 miles by the time it's paid off assuming she makes it that long.

 

[Deviate]

By the end of this month I'll have had mine 6 months and will have put over 30k on her. Will have well over 300k by the time it's paid off assuming she makes it that long.

So you only drive it on the weekend? That's a bummer...

 

[WRXtoStingerGT]

lmfao

 

[Devin]

To each their own.

Whatever floats your boat?

 

[Stingin' Away]

Whatever floats your boat?

If the boot fits?