Re: Buy Old GLX or Buy New GL?

[Khan Klatt <khan@mediaaccess.com>]

At 3:24 PM -0800 2/1/2000, Brandon Wilson wrote:
> Hey Guys...
>
>
> I have  a problem.  I just sold my 95' GLX so I could get a newer car.  I was looking around ,  and for the same price I could get a 97' 98' GLX I can also get a 99' or 2000' model Jetta GL, or GLS.   Yes I loved my GLX and the power it had.  What should I do.  Can a Jetta GL be tricked out that much.  Please give me any info that would help me make up my mind...

By the time you trick out a Jetta GL or GLS, you'll have spent the same amount as you would have on a GLX. I say get it right from the factory.

Some people go with the GL, and try to trick it out later because they don't have the money now. This is how I argue against that reasoning:

1. If you don't have the money now, then finance it. The difference in financing a $20,000 car and a $15,000 car over five years is pennies on the dollar, especially if there are no prepayment penalties, and you pay a large component of that up front (Say you finance a $25,000 GLX over 5 years-- your car payment will be around $480/month-- Pay down $10,000 of that right away (from the sale of your previous car), and then refinance the car a couple months down the road to reduce your payments to a manageable level).

2. If you end up financing a lower priced car (like a used 97 or 98) the difference in payments is only going to be around $80 to $90 a month over five years. Yes, that kind of money adds up, but the resale value of a 2000 model car in 2005 will be higher than that of a 1997 model car too.

3. There is no replacement for displacement. In other words, you'll have to do a hell of a lot to a 2.0 Liter engine to get it anywhere near a 2.8 Liter engine. If performance means anything to you, get a GLX. This advice can nullify any of my earlier points-- get a 97 if you can't be convinced to spend more money, or get a 2000 if you can be convinced to spend more money.

If I were you, I'd take the money from the sale of my 95, and put some of it down for a downpayment on a new GLX, finance the car for 5 years, no prepayment penalty, pay off a large sum of it with the remaining funds from the sale of your 95, and refinance to lower your payment once you've done that, your monthly payments will be fairly reasonable, and you'll have the same kind of power you used to have, but with a brand new car. :)

On the other hand, you can try to find a "barely used" 2000 Jetta that has already been broken in (like 5,000 to 10,000 miles) for you, and save a couple thousand bucks. It's a rare find, but every so often, someone is selling a very close to new car, but they generally trade it in at a dealer rather than a private sale.

-Khan


Khan Klatt                                         khan@mediaaccess.com

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