Got a dilemma, need opinions.

So everyone knows I have a baby on the way(my first and hers) and with that in mind, her and I are having trouble deciding on getting a third car with my tax return. I want to get one but she doesn't. I know I might get around 600-800 at most and I was going to use it to hopefully get a 4door car that's good on gas and can be the baby mobile. Either something I can fix cheaply to get going or one that doesn't have any mechanical/electrical issues.
My thoughts were this:
• third car means if a vehicle doesn't run, we have a back up car. Especially since we live far out in the country. We don't have buses near by and taxi price can kill us.
• gas prices are going back up and my 13mpg jeep sucks lol I work 30 miles from where I live so that 2 gallons a day. Something that gets 25mpg would be a relief.
• my jeep isn't fit to carry a baby, it leaks, it's loud(no carpet) and i have a lot of things this rig needs fixed.
Her one thought is this:
•money.

I get it on money but I feel the pro's out weigh the con(s)

What would you guys do in my shoes? I'd like to save money but if also like to take the jeep of DD service and use it as a back up vehicle if her car or mine goes out or if the weather gets to severe.

What about her car?

a 3rd car can be expensive, Especially at your age with Increased insurance.. Not to mention increased maintenance, and honestly.. How great of a car do you plan to get for under a grand?

My opinion.. It sounds like you dont trust your jeep, spend the money on turning that around.. At minimum, since you live out a ways, Buy a AAA Premier membership.. $150 gets you an incredible amount of Peace-of-mind.. I've been a AAA member for a few years..

I've seen re-gear packages for XJ's starting at $400.. Via RWKhaus and other sites.. Look into that, I know there are a few cheap installers.. Heck, PM Redjeep2.0 for his advice on that..

Gearing to 4.56s and 31s will be better then 31s and 3.55s.. I know a late model XJ can get around 20mpg on the highway.. Plus, Later on, 4.56/33s is a good combo too!


If carpet bugs you, Go to a junkyard, grab the best looking $35 carpet, take it home and power wash it on a hot day.. (ive done this a few times)

Trust me, If you cant hardly afford the jeep now, Getting a 3rd car will hurt more then you realize

For now, save the money until you absolutely know you need a third car. That being said, we got a third car for the same reasons you mention. But dont forget the extra insurance cost. Another option is sell her car and use that money and the tax money to buy a decent family car.

Edit: congrats on the kid. Having kids is simultaneously the best and hardest thing I have ever experienced.

the_weirdo said:

Edit: congrats on the kid. Having kids is simultaneously the best and hardest thing I have ever experienced.

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besides dealing with the northwest chapter?

:wave:

the_weirdo said:

For now, save the money until you absolutely know you need a third car. That being said, we got a third car for the same reasons you mention. But dont forget the extra insurance cost. Another option is sell her car and use that money and the tax money to buy a decent family car.

Edit: congrats on the kid. Having kids is simultaneously the best and hardest thing I have ever experienced.

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This is very sound advice! I would follow it trust me I did this when I had my first kid worked out well. Once you have the baby she won't drive for a while anyways and you will drive like your 103 and scared to be behind the wheel.

Keep the Jeep sell the car combine the money and buy something better for a family car. Even at 13mpg you will still be money ahead. Buy a 3rd car pay more money and that can just be spent on gas for the Jeep. The offset just isn't worth is in your case. I debated buying yet another car for better fuel mileage but did the math and it just don't work.

And by the way, When I was younger 19 years ago. My daughter rode around in a leaky Wrangler with no carpet or even a muffler! It's the best way to get them to sleep. Well, other the mounting there car seat to the washing machine.

NW-ZJ-SCOTT said:

besides dealing with the northwest chapter?

:wave:

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It's a close tie.

I love it up here and won't move back to CA...in fact I'm buying a house up here right now. I like and know how to deal with most of the people up here. Most are great, some just baffle me. I truly think it must be the weather that's drives some people nuts in the winter.

mojojojo said:

What about her car?

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She has a vw bug and I just can't imagine trying to wrestle a baby and a car seat with that thing.

NW-ZJ-SCOTT said:

1.How great of a car do you plan to get for under a grand?
2. If carpet bugs you, Go to a junkyard, grab the best looking $35 carpet, take it home and power wash it on a hot day.. (ive done this a few times)

3. Trust me, If you cant hardly afford the jeep now, Getting a 3rd car will hurt more then you realize

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1. I was hoping to find one that was a mechanic special ish and I could work on it and fix it up.
2. It's not the carpet, I have mine it's just the really bad leak I have on my driver side and the heat from the tranny tunnel that burns that no one likes lol
3. I can afford fixing the jeep, it's the time I'm short on. With it being my only vehicle, I need sufficient amount of time to fix it and any extra time if a unexpected problem pops up, Which I don't have. What time I do have is the type where If I had a third car I was working on, I can stop and put on hold for a day or two till I can work on it again.

the_weirdo said:

Another option is sell her car and use that money and the tax money to buy a decent car.

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That's what she has been talking about as she has only a couple payments left on the bug but I feel bad as she loves that bug like I love my jeep and id feel bad if she had to get rid of it, which was another reason for the third car.

NW-ZJ-SCOTT said:

besides dealing with the northwest chapter?

:wave:

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Lmao

BoringDave said:

Keep the Jeep sell the car combine the money and buy something better for a family car. Even at 13mpg you will still be money ahead. Buy a 3rd car pay more money and that can just be spent on gas for the Jeep. The offset just isn't worth is in your case. I debated buying yet another car for better fuel mileage but did the math and it just don't work. .

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I know, the main concern and my reasoning for a 3rd car came from when my brakes went out little over a month ago. I couldn't get to work as my gf was already at her job(our schedules slightly over lap one another) I had no buses near by(closes is 8 miles away) and after paying bills for the month. I didn't have the cash for a taxi. It screwed me and I hated that feeling.

Keep it coming guys on the opinions. I'm not 100% on the 3rd car, just giving you guys a more in depth to help discuss

id trade her car in on a better family car (thats what we did) even tho my wife loved her stupid v6 mustang convertable she happily traded it for a car that was safe and secure for a child.

Larry you're in a hard spot selling trading her car might not seem fair but if you sell the jeep and then you have no adverse weather vehicle. ie flood snow wind and such. seeing how you are out 30 miles or so that could spell even worse disaster then 13mpg.
personal opinion. make the trade get something safe something large enough for the whole family something with decent mpg and something that wont leave either of you stranded. after that get the jeep reliable and figure out why its only getting 13mpg.

I went a different route cause I'm in a different stage in my life I was able to get the extra family car in the 300 touring but there was added costs payments and insurance. remember you have friends near that can also help fix things.

Don't listen to Stang, you have no friends and we all hate you. As for the car issue, sell hers and spend the money to put a blown 502 in the Cherokee. With that much power to weight ratio you'll get way better gas mileage. If you're worried about noise and heat just fill the engine compartment with the standard pink home insulation and cover the jeep in dina mat.

Demonoid369 said:

She has a vw bug...

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TORX said:

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if only a cop was pulling it over the jokes the jokes

Man up and get a scooter. 50 mpg, minimal insurance, and the wind in your grill.

paddlernate said:

Man up and get a scooter. 50 mpg, minimal insurance, and the wind in your grill.

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I'm pretty sure that is a picture of Larry!

that IS larry!

88nwxj said:

Don't listen to Stang, you have no friends and we all hate you. As for the car issue, sell hers and spend the money to put a blown 502 in the Cherokee. With that much power to weight ratio you'll get way better gas mileage. If you're worried about noise and heat just fill the engine compartment with the standard pink home insulation and cover the jeep in dina mat.

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Bwahahahaha I'm just feeling the love.what about a ls1? That might be easier lol

ruger81 said:

I'm pretty sure that is a picture of Larry!

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NW-ZJ-SCOTT said:

that IS larry!

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paddlernate said:

Man up and get a scooter. 50 mpg, minimal insurance, and the wind in your grill.

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How did you get that pic?!? Fml I thought I had that hidden lmao

TORX said:

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Seriously how are you guys finding our pics?!?! Lol



On a serious note though. If we did sell her car and used my tax and hers to get a car, what's a good car you would get for around 3.5k-5k? Good mpg is a must.
I've thought about a suburu forester or something similar(awd for bad weather) they get good mileage also.

Larry I did what you want to do. Bought a $500 car, spent about $150 on it and got double the mileage of the Jeep. At the time I was commuting from Beaverton to Woodburn and even with the added cost of insurance I made up the difference in fuel consumption in a few months. I just sold the car for $500 so in the end it cost me almost nothing. I say do it right and it'll work out for you.