200k miles on a $800 wagon, and I won't junk it

Everyone in this group told me to scrap my 2002 Volvo at 195k, but I crossed 200k last Tuesday and it still runs better than my buddy's 2015 with 60k. Sure, the radio's dead and the bumper sags on one corner, but I've spent maybe $400 in repairs over two years. Am I crazy for keeping a car that's worth less than my monthly insurance, or has anyone else hit a milestone that just made the math work?

2 comments

2 Comments

leelewis21d ago

Shook my head reading this because $400 in repairs over two years is insane. My last car ate $800 in brakes alone and it wasn't even a wagon. That Volvo must be some kind of miracle machine, like it's running on spite and old Swedish magic. The radio being dead and the bumper sagging just adds character, honestly. If it's not burning oil and passing emissions, you'd be dumb to toss it. Keep rolling it till the wheels fall off, that's the real victory lap.

the_anthony19d ago

And here I thought $400 over two years was just called normal maintenance, not a miracle. You're acting like the thing cured cancer or something. Plenty of clapped out cars run fine on cheap parts, the radio being dead and the bumper held on with zip ties doesn't make it special. If it breaks down next week, you'll still have saved money, but let's not pretend it's some kind of legendary machine.