Second Car Crisis

So… the Saturn SC1 we have likes to have me replace the starter about every month. Twin and I call it “Push Push” and her parents compare it to the Flintstones’ cars. I’m not sure why this keeps happening. Logically it would suggest that there is something causing starters to burn-out quickly. It may be the car, or maybe these are just poor quality replacement parts.
We have been talking about replacement options, but I want to focus on some of my own thoughts because I often get them confused (and this sort of thing fuels my general indecisiveness or lack of action).
–          The SC thing didn’t work out, and it returned less fuel mileage than we expected (Average 30, low of 28 and as high as 40). It is pretty cool to drive, peppy. I like the styling and the third door is pretty nice to have. We also ran into some issue of having more than the two of us to drive around.
–          I have attachment still to getting a Camaro. I know a V6 can get up to 29 MPG, but average 25 MPG. With that, we can get a sporty car that has removable roof panels for the summer. However, it is less fuel efficient than what we wanted for running around town. It’s still not as practical as a 4-door car. I’m not 21 years old any more. A car isn’t my only getaway, and I don’t have a bad situation to run away from. It is a car of the past… and that’s where it should stay. Still, T-tops are pretty sweet. Also, everyone liked that car. No one gets excited when you buy a new-to-you 4-door sedan.
–          So we get into an SL… but I would definitely want the twin cam. We know we could average 34, 35 MPG. It’s the practical choice given we wouldn’t carry much debt for a loan, if a loan was even needed.
–          We have talked about getting a small pickup, like an S10. I guess they can get an average of 25 MPG and extended cabs can carry more than just the two of us. However, our Subaru also gets that sort of mileage so everything would be, “do we take the Subaru or the truck?” A truck would have a lot of practical use while renovating the house and yard. The debt would be minimal.
–          We also talked about reaching up and getting a Chevy Cruze. I like the styling, MPG, and the practicality… even though it’s still pretty expensive. When compared to other manufacturers it is still cheaper. I sat in one at the Car Show the last time I went and really liked everything about the car inside. I will never buy a NEW car, especially a commuter type car because they lose value so fast the first couple of years.
Twin is going to make a change in her professional career which will lead to much more income; I also get the push from the “2nd Car Crisis” to get into school and earn a more comfortable pay rate. We still owe money on the SC and would only get 1,000 for a trade in most likely. It may be another month or so before we act on changing out the second vehicle. The Subaru will always be #1. It can facilitate transportation for all the things we need for each hobby. It has never had any crippling operational malfunctions.