LegendOfDave88 t1_j6n8351 wrote on January 31, 2023 at 3:12 PM

What is the current car? Why would the cold kill it?

Traditional_Link_555 OP t1_j6n8gy4 wrote on January 31, 2023 at 3:14 PM

A very beat up Toyota Corolla, nearly 200k miles and 4-5 accidents reported prior to them owning it. I guess the main concern is more the hills & city driving than the cold, as the transmission is starting to give out.

phil-l t1_j6nghd5 wrote on January 31, 2023 at 4:06 PM

Maintenance is the key, not hills and cold. Example: I sent my son to Pittsburgh (cold and hills!) for school and work - in an '06 Honda Element that recently went past 250K miles. The vehicle is doing fine; no plans to replace it. What's really wrong with the Corolla that isn't worth fixing? I see Corollas in my area - with about 200K miles - listed for sale for $2K to $5K. Take a closer look; a transmission repair could actually be worth it.

Traditional_Link_555 OP t1_j6nih2y wrote on January 31, 2023 at 4:18 PM

You make a very good point. Really the main thing that’s bringing the cost of the vehicle way down is how many accidents it’s been in. 4-5 before my partner got the vehicle, with front end and rear end body damage, as well as definite (albeit not severe) frame damage.

Liquidretro t1_j6nhaea wrote on January 31, 2023 at 4:11 PM

Georgia is not that much colder then Florida. Yes the occasionally get some ice but that's rare. Toyota Corolla's are generally considered reliable, and without a ton of financial details here it doesn't sound like it would be a great idea to buy a car at the moment. Don't use the move to try and justify a new car that you want because of hills and cold.

I also don't buy the same car is $5-10k less expensive over a state line. You are missing something or the people advertising these prices won't actually sell for that price. If the price is true when the time comes to get the car you drive to get it for that much savings. I have done multistate road trips to get cars before, it can be fun.

Oddity_Odyssey t1_j6ns88c wrote on January 31, 2023 at 5:18 PM

Unless you move to north Georgia the hills and cold aren't a problem. The metro atl area is hilly not mountainous. Also the average winter twmp here is around 50. I wouldn't worry just yet.