In Missouri, once a vehicle reaches the ripe old age of ten, it has to pass an inspection to get new tags. Our trusty F-150, the last car we ever wanted to own, was ten years old, so off it went to Firestone for (what we thought would be) a quick inspection before a trip to the DMV for new tags.
To be fair, it passed the inspection. However…the inspection revealed issues with the turbos and catalytic converters. We aren’t car people, so the full explanation was a bit over our heads, but we did clearly understand the $5,000 price tag to fix it.
On a 2016 truck with 160,000 miles? Nah. We’re good.
So it was that we found ourselves at the car dealership on a Tuesday afternoon. It was, we can safely say, the last place we wanted to be. The truck only had to last another year or two. That’s it. We were so close!
Now, standing in that car dealership parking lot, we KNEW this would be the last vehicle we would ever buy. To that end, we did some research before we left and we had a vehicle in mind.
Our criteria:
- No white cars (this is a rule both of us are fully united on)
- Preferably a hybrid (because…gas prices)
- 4 or all wheel drive (we live in Missouri, the land of random snowfall. Could be an inch, could be a foot)
- It had to be able to hold Gene’s band gear. Typically, that will require a truck, SUV, or crossover.
- But…it did not have to haul a trailer anymore, so we could look at smaller vehicles
- It had to have good resale value. We aren’t keeping this one until it needs an inspection. Not by a long shot.
We did some looking online and really liked the Ford Maverick. The Maverick checked all the boxes on our requirements. They have a hybrid version that is all wheel drive. And the dealership had Mavericks in colors besides white!
We saw a few used models on the lot, but the Maverick is a relatively new model for Ford and their resale value is still high, so we found that for a few thousand dollars more we could get a 2026, which came with a full warranty and a lower interest rate.
And that is how we came to bring this 2026 Ford Maverick Lariat hybrid home.
Why didn’t we buy a beater car that would run for the two years we need it? First, the peace of mind. Buying a car in the $5000 or under price point brings a level of risk we didn’t want regarding repairs and maintenance. The new car has a full warranty (and free car washes for life!). We have enough to worry about these days. We don’t want to add car repairs to the list.
Second, fuel economy. The hybrid will save us in gas versus the F-150 to the tune of about $100-$150 per month. The F-150 averaged 9 miles a gallon. The Maverick averages 38 miles a gallon. You can’t get that level of fuel economy in a beater car.
Third, the math. The resale value for a 2-year-old model of the same vehicle is currently sitting at $6,000 less than we paid for this beauty. We’ll enjoy her while we need her and then sell her to someone who will give her a nice life, sort of like everything else in our lives these days. 🙂
Are we guaranteed to break even on this purchase versus a beater car? No, but we’re willing to take the risk for the comfort (heated steering wheel and leather seats!) and peace of mind.
We (really, really, really) did not want to buy another vehicle. But we can pretty safely say that this will indeed be the last car we ever buy. The idea of a full warranty and low fuel costs, along with the fun amenities, softens the blow a bit.
Steph is keen to name the Maverick! Any ideas as to what his/her name should be?
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