[JyRO]

I tried to find an existing thread about paying off Odys but, I'm not the search Nazi that some guys are.

Anywho, come 7/16/2010, my Ody will be paid off. There is a bit of balance left, but I'm going to whomp what's left on that day.

After that I will target keeping the van until either 2016, or until the wife berates me thoroughly enough about buying an Audi Q7. I think the Q7 is good looking enough, but will have nowhere near the versatility. And will likely be very expensive to make repairs.

We will see. The Q7 is at least a year down the road. Until then, there will be NO CAR PAYMENTS! Yeah!

- JyRO

 

[atl_sud]

Congratz!

I too am closing in on my final payment ($400 x 2) that is due in August of this year. I'm looking forward to banking some of that cash!

Now the question is do I hold on to the Ody or trade it in while it has some value to make a significant down payment.

I get a little jealous of Ford Flex drivers I see on the road.

 

[JyRO]

Flex...

I like that Flex too!

 

[skinny2]

Wife has been close to pulling the trigger on an Enclave several times but I've managed to hold her off. We won't finance anything so it certainly makes it a big deal when you're writing a check.

As far as the questions "do I hold on to the Ody or trade it in while it has some value to make a significant down payment":

This is where you can get a serious leg up. You need to take the payment you were planning to make on the Q7 and stash it away. The Ody will depreciate some, but no where near what you're stashing away (and no where near what a Q7 will depreciate during that same period).

 

[JyRO]

skinny - A couple additional notes:

I never trade in. Unless my car is a complete pile of trash, I never will. I won't sell trash to Joe Q. Public. But I'll give a dealer trash at any time. I may trade in a junker. Otherwise, it will go on ebay.

If I buy an Audi, I plan on avoiding the initial depreciation. I will not buy new. It will be 2 years old (minimum), maybe 3 to 4 years, but would be top-o'-line V8 yada-yada-yada.

After selling the Oditty, and putting that on a used Audi, the payment should be tolerable.

But as far as I understand, the Q7 doesn't even come with a DVD player. I know I can add it aftermarket, but many of them look tacky. Will deal with that later.

 

[nicomtl]

Y'all probably know this already, but the Q7 and Flex are not minivans (part of their appeal... ) so depending on your situation you may end up missing the Ody.

With our three young kids and dog, the Flex or Q7 would not have had enough space for us or for luggage. Also, the third row, which we use everyday, is just not comparable and the second row is much less flexible.

I see us in a minivan (hopefully this Ody...) for a good 10-12 years, until kids start leaving, as the 8 seats will let us carry everyone and some of their friends.

Nicolas

 

[skinny2]

I agree and personally if the Ody had AWD I would be more open to another. The cargo space is terrific and comfort is top-notch but even with Blizzaks the Ody does not get around in the snow to our liking. It has a horrible time on the steep hills and is likely the biggest reason my wife wants to go back to something with more traction. Her previous Tahoe with all-seasons and my other FWD vehicles with snow tires could make it....but the Ody has been parked at the bottom several times. It's not a huge deal but overall she just has never been happy with the snow performance. The Sienna has AWD but there's several things we don't like about it at all. So next stop will likely be something with some compromise on space as well.

She wanted a Mercedes R-class until we looked at how compromised the space was on that.

I like the Flex but wife says no-way. Butt-ugly was I believe her description.

 

[JyRO]

I'm pretty sure my wife's opinion of the Flex would be comparable for your wife's. I know the Q7 is an SUV, but the wife has an image complex and really wants to go back to an SUV. She loved our previous 4Runner (as did I).

But I love the Odyssey as it IS a superior tool. But since the wife has the image complex, and because we are near mid-life crisis ... and since I have an FD RX-7 to quell my mid-life crisis issues, I guess she's entitled to a Q7 even though it is a pathetic tool , in comparison to an Odyssey.

However, it is AWD. But we live in L.A. (Lower Alabama) and 'ain't got no need for them new fangle 4 wheel drive systems." If we get us one (for her), maybe I can talk her in to moving back to Michigan!

- JyRO

 

[nicomtl]

Good points about AWD: We live in Montreal and had a Subaru Legacy before and we really appreciated its traction, but we ran out of space...

AWD is the reason we considered the Flex (not enough space with all seats up), Sienna (only seats 5, so couldn't have carried friend/family/lots of luggage without roof box) and Sienna (just meh and only 7 seats with AWD).

We ended up buying the Ody, so I'll get the best winter tires I can get and wish for the best...

Nicolas

P.s. Man, your wife's midlife crisis is expensive. My girlfriend only wants a mini...

 

[JyRO]

P.s. Man, your wife's midlife crisis is expensive. My girlfriend only wants a mini...

Well, I don't think it's officially started yet. But this may help curb whatever may come. She's always had an eye for what I'll refer to as: snooty vehicles. One's that tend to differentiate the average person from those who *think* they're better than everyone else.

Personally I don't think anyone is better than another (aside from some being criminals and other's being not). I myself wear slouchy torn up clothes, and I'm sure I have an image as a garbage truck driver (not that there's anything wrong with that, could be fun!), but just happen to earn more than the average guy my age. I don't care to have an image one way or the other, but also don't care to reach for an image of being snooty. I'd rather have a dump truck driver image, than to be the type of BMW owner that must wear his BMW cap when driving his snooty beemer (no offense, just my views). Or to have my snooty poodle on my lap while driving a Lexus. I'm definitly NOT down with the snooty image.

Which turns me off of the Audi. But, the wife likes all the snootiest of vehicles. So, something may have to be done. However, if we procure an Audi, and she mentions the word Poodle or Pomerainian, I will blow a gasket and veto any such animal.

If she only liked flat-bed pick-ups, Hummer 1's & Corvettes, I'd be in hog-heaven. :stupid: