vania-janet/multiturn-rag-retrieval-data huggingface dataset:
"Here's what you do without, on the negative side, just for balance: A bill: When I last had comprehensive insurance, it cost something like 3-4% of the value of the car per annum. (Obviously ymmv enormously but I think that's somewhere near the middle of the range and I'm not especially risky.) So, compared to the total depreciation and running costs of the car, it's actually fairly substantial. Over the say 10 years I might keep that car, it adds up to a fair slice of what it will take to buy a replacement. Financial crisis costs: I don't know about you, but my insurance went up something like 30% in recent years, despite the value-insured and the risk going down, said by the insurer to be due to market turmoil. So, at least hundreds of dollars is just kind of frictional loss, and I'd rather not pay it. Wrangling with the insurer: if you have insurance and a loss, you have to persuade them to pay out, perhaps document the original conditions or the fault, perhaps argue about whether their payment is fair. I've done this for small (non-automotive) claims, and it added up to more hassle than the incident itself. Obviously all insurers will claim they're friendly to deal with but until you actually have a big claim you never know. Moral hazard: I know I'm solely responsible for not having my car crashed or stolen. Somehow that just feels better. Free riders: I've seen people ""fudge"" their insurance claims so that things that shouldn't have been covered were claimed to be. You might have too. Buy insurance and you're paying for them. Choice: Insurers are typically going to make the decision for you about whether a claim is repairable or not, and in my experience are reluctant or refuse to just give you the cash amount of the claim. (See also, moral hazard.) Do it yourself and you can choose whether to live with it, make a smaller or larger repair, or replace the whole vehicle with a second hand one or a brand new one, or indeed perhaps do without a vehicle.
Another bit of advice specific to your scenario. Consider buying an ALMOST new car. Buying last year's model can knock a huge amount off the price and the car is going to still feel very new to you, especially if you buy from a dealer who has had it detailed.
"I was just reading Consumer Reports' December 2009 issue.  The issue's focus is electronics, and there was a small section on extended warranties in the ""Best electronics"" article.  Here's what they said: Extended warranties still aren't   worth buying Seven in 10   respondents to our survey on buying   major electronics reported they were   pitched an extended warrranty.    However hard they're sold, extended   warranties are generally bad   investments.  Most electronics   products won't need a repair,   especially if you choose brands that   have fared better than others in the   reliability ratings we include in this   section.  In the unlikely event they   break, other Consumer Reports survey   data has shown,  the average repair   bill is often comparable with the cost   of a warranty. However, buying   a plan that includes accidental damage   might be worth considering for a   laptop or netbook that you'll use a   lot on the go.  And buying a computer   warranty that extends tech support,   too, might make sense if you or a gift   recipient could use a lot of   hand-holding. [...] Paying   with your credit card might   automatically double the   manufacturers' warranty and offer   other benefits at no extra cost   [...] Seven in 10   respondents to our survey on buying   major electronics reported they were   pitched an extended warrranty.    However hard they're sold, extended   warranties are generally bad   investments.  Most electronics   products won't need a repair,   especially if you choose brands that   have fared better than others in the   reliability ratings we include in this   section.  In the unlikely event they   break, other Consumer Reports survey   data has shown,  the average repair   bill is often comparable with the cost   of a warranty. However, buying   a plan that includes accidental damage   might be worth considering for a   laptop or netbook that you'll use a   lot on the go.  And buying a computer   warranty that extends tech support,   too, might make sense if you or a gift   recipient could use a lot of   hand-holding. [...] Paying   with your credit card might   automatically double the   manufacturers' warranty and offer   other benefits at no extra cost   [...] BTW, I like Consumer Reports and I am a long-time subscriber.  Check them out if you haven't before."
If a high mileage car has been thoroughly maintained with a credible service history, there is no reason to discard the vehicle because of a hypothetical future expense.  Considering the low value of the vehicle, it would be prudent to also lower the cost of the repairs.  U.S. car dealerships have a well-known reputation for charging significantly higher repair rates than independent repair shops. Lower the cost of the repairs: brakes can be done at independent shops for half what the dealer quoted.  Sears can install a set of 4 tires on an '04 Accord for $331 out the door.  It makes no financial sense to purchase costly repairs for a low-cost automobile when economical alternatives are available.
If everyone bought used cars, who would buy the new cars so that everyone else could buy them used? Rental car companies? Your rant expresses a misunderstanding of fundamental economics (as demand for used cars increases, so will prices) but economics is off-topic here, so let me explain why I bought a new car—that I am now in the 10th year of driving. When I bought the car I currently drive, I was single, I was working full-time, and I was going to school full-time. I bought a 2007 Toyota Corolla for about $16,500 cash out the door. I wanted a reliable car that was clean and attractive enough that I wouldn't be embarrassed in it if I took a girl out for dinner. I could have bought a much more expensive car, but I wanted to be real about myself and not give the wrong impression about my views on money. I've done all the maintenance, and the car is still very nice even after 105K miles. It will handle at least that many more miles barring any crashes. Could I have purchased a nice used car for less? Certainly, but because it was the last model year before a redesign, the dealer was clearly motivated to give me a good deal, so I didn't lose too much driving it off the lot. There are a lot of reasons why people buy new cars. I didn't want to look like a chump when out on a date. Real-estate agents often like to make a good impression as they are driving clients to see new homes. Some people can simply afford it and don't want to worry about what abuse a prior owner may have done. I don't feel defensive about my decision to buy a new car those years ago. The other car I've purchased in the last 10 years was a four year old used car, and it certainly does a good job for my wife who doesn't put too many miles on it. I will not rule out buying another new car in the future either. Some times the difference in price isn't significant enough that used is always the best choice.
I worked at Autozone many years. Many crappy parts had lifetime warranties and helped us grow. Sometimes one year warranty parts from NAPA were better. THE WARRANTY WAS A MARKETING SCHEME.   Hyundai can not possibly feature the reliability of Toyota who has been continually improving since WWII.  I drove the first Hyundai, the Excel in 1986. They have improved a lot. The look is great, The warranty is great. The marketing is 24/7/365.Impressive.
"&gt; I am confused how you spin an ""infinite mileage warranty"" into something negative  It will increase their costs in a business model which, until recently, lost money on every unit.  It's good news for buyers in the short term. If Tesla goes out of business, however, the infinite-mileage warranty won't make any difference.  And, in the larger picture, if they're out of business, their awesome customer-focused model doesn't really benefit their customers in any way."
There are the 15-year-old (or older) cars which were used up and traded in; the majority of these end up auctioned off and cannibalized for parts with the remaining hulk sold for salvage. Then there are the in-betweens; between three and ten years old, you get a wide variety. This car could have been garaged all its life and driven to and from work and around town before its owner got a raise and decided to splurge, or its previous owner could have driven the wheels off all over the continent for work or travel. It could have a major problem that developed or was discovered after the warranty expired (and there isn't an E46 on the road that's still under warranty) which caused the owner to sell. Overall, I would wait until you have your first real job to spend real money on a car like this; the one that will actually pay the bills with enough left over for fun. When you're making 35k a year with only your own personal expenses, as long as you manage your debt well and don't get in trouble with credit, you should have no trouble buying a car like this (or even a newer one). If you are going to buy used even then, I recommend you do your homework on required maintenance for the brand and in general, what each milestone will cost you, and (based on mileage) how soon, and I would find a reputable used car dealer (which is stereotypically a contradiction in terms, but there are guys out there who aren't out to completely screw you over)."
"Look at the previous owner and the maintenance records they have for the car. Someone who has regularly serviced the car (and I mean more than just an oil change, preferably maintenance history from a reputable garage or main dealer[1]) and hasn't skimped on it. Also, keep in mind that the newer the car, the more electronic components they have that can go expensively wrong, especially if you fall prey to a garage whose method for debugging electronics is to throw components at the car for a grand a pop. I tend to look for the following (but I am a bit ""special"" when it comes to buying vehicles): And don't forget the golden rules of car buying: [1] Unfortunately that might not be one and the same place"
My suggestion would be to keep it. The value of a new car is that you get to drive it around when it's still new and shiny, and that you know its history. If you maintain it in good condition, both mechanically and cosmetically, then you can have both of those benefits for the life of the car. Your question merges the old car sale and new car purchase transactions together, but that's not correct. The value of your 2010 car has no relationship to the value of any new car you might buy, except incidentally through the market forces that act on each. The car dealership is likely to be skilled at making you feel like your most important criteria are satisfied, but they will try to construct the deal to maximize the money you pay them while making you feel like you're the one maximizing your value. Also note that the dealership cannot give you maximum value for your car, because it costs them money to sell it and they take all the risk. Some of the difference between typical direct-sale and trade-in prices is the commission you are paying them to both sell it for you and absorb the risks in the transaction.
"I am confused how you spin an ""infinite mileage warranty"" into something negative.  Even if they have found powertrain failures (to your point)... they are handling it and their customers about as well as anyone could.  Yes, it is good PR because that in-turn will increase sales / revenues / profits.  What company doesn't want to do that?  Perhaps you're in the anti-Tesla circle-jerk?"
"Suggested way to make the decision to repair or buy: Figure out what it will cost to repair your car. (If necessary, pay a garage to evaluate it ""as if your daughter was interested in buying it"".) Then think about whether you would pay that much to buy a car just like yours but without those problems. If the answer is yes, fixing it us probably your most cost-effective choice, even if it is a big bill. If the answer is no, consider a used car, and again have the mechanic check it for any lurking horrors before committing to buy it. That avoids the ""proprty-line tax"" where a new car loses a significant percentage of its value the moment it leaves the dealership. An almost-toy car us virtually indistinguishable from a new car, costs much less, and realistically has about the same expected life span. I bought a new car once -- at about $300 over the dealer's real (as opposed to sticker) cost, since I was willing to take the one he was stuck with from the previous model year. (Thank you, Consumer Reports, for providing the dealer's cost info and making this a five-minute transaction.) If it hadn't suffered flood damage I'd probably still be driving it, and even so I sorta regret not pricing what it would have cost go completely replace the engine. If you really plan to drive it until it is completely unrepairable, you may be able to justify a new car... But realistically buying a one- or two-year-old car would have been a better choice."
"I'm not sure if you know much about electric motors, but there isn't much to service. There are so few moving parts, and they endure so little wear, that this will very likely be a total non-issue for Tesla. The transaxle will be the thing to possibly need extra servicing, but I'm sure there's a ""normal use"" clause in the warranty that precludes damage from overheating due to heavy loads, etc."
"This is my opinion as a car nut. It depends on what you want out of a car. For your situation (paying cash, want to keep the car long-term but also save money) I recommend seriously considering a slightly used vehicle, maybe 2 or 3 years old, or a ""certified pre-owned vehicle"". Reasons: Much less expensive than a brand new car because the first two years have the biggest depreciation hit. Cars come with a 4-year warranty, so a 3 year old car will still be in warranty. Yes, a certified pre-owned car will have a bit of a premium compared to a private-party used car, but the peace of mind of knowing it's in good shape is worth the extra cost considering you want to keep it long term. Consumer Reports will have good advice on the best values in used cars."
Extended warranty or insurance is a tricky thing.  In general, the big screen TV, or other electronics are going to become obsolete before they fail. Laptops, even Macs, are at risk for higher failure rates than other electronics.  The question remaining is whether after the item has reached its 3rd or 4th birthday, if you would already be in the market for a newer model.  In the big picture, if you have the money to buy a new replacement, or pay for a repair, you are better off to avoid the insurance. The highest failures are in the first year (aka 'infant mortality') and after N years, closer to 7-10, enough for obsolescence, than in years 2-5.
Well, it really depends on for how long the quote has been made. But yes, when you're honoring it, you should let them know that this is a once of thing and that you're out of pocket doing  it. Most people will understand and when you make the appropriate quote next time around,  especially when elaborate where the additional cost that you did not account for initially, come from. It's important to maintain customer trust by being transparent. You can justify higher prices with time needed, material needed or whatever comes to mind. It's just important to convince that customer that without it, they  wouldn't get this superb service that they're getting now.
Considering that Tesla is a very new car company with a very new product, the sorts of problems reported should not have been unexpected for anyone.  In case a problem *does* occur, the tier of service in hours or days stands a tier *above* almost every other car company (most of which are on the level of days to week**s**.)   There is also no way to buy a car that is guaranteed not to have issues in the first few years.  There's always a chance of a defect even if the chance is minimal and backed up by a long favorable track record. Even Toyotas have their share of issues, and while serious issues may be more rare, the level of inconvenience in case of an incident will inevitably be higher when a new Camry *does* have an issue (speaking from personal experience).
On most of the consumer electronics it would not make much sense to get Insurance. Mostly these are not priced right [are typically priced higher]. IE there is no study to arrive at equivalent claim rates as in motor vehicle. Further on most of the items there is adequate manufacturing warranty to take care of initial defects. And on most it would make sense to buy a newer model as in todays world consumer electronics are not only getting cheaper by the day, but are also have more function & features.
"Okay, definitive answer for this particular company (Toyota Finance) is (somewhat surprisingly, and glad I asked) it must be fully insured at all times, including liability, even if being stored.  I asked at a dealership and they answered ""just fire and theft (of course)"" but I ended up calling their finance department and the answer was the opposite. So there you go. Thanks for the answers (and for trying to talk me out of wasting money)."
This answer should be taken as a counterpoint to Thevin S's excellent answer. I have comprehensive insurance on my vehicle. That is, if I crashed it and wrote it off, my insurance would cover the replacement costs. Now, if this happened, I would be able to deal with the replacement costs myself, even without insurance. It would not significantly impact my lifestyle and would not put my emergency funds at risk, though obviously I wouldn't be happy about this. As the insurance company is planning on making money off of me, it's clearly not in my financial best interests to carry this insurance. Statistically speaking, it's a cost to me, and a profit for the insurance company. So why do I do it? Because I find it easy to pay a small amount of money every month for the peace of mind that, if I crash my car, I will not have to cover the large expense. I am (perhaps irrationally) risk averse. I'm happier paying a small amount of money in exchange for a guarantee that I will not have to pay a large amount of money. I mitigate a potentially larger cost, albeit with low likelihood, for the certainty of a smaller cost (my monthly insurance payments). This is separate from the mandatory PL/PD (public liability, public damage) insurance that I am required to cover. That insurance fits into Thevin's definition of a devastating event.
"Most of the new cars should come with the following in the basic model: The rest of the features will be extra and usually a part of a ""package"" (like bluetooth comes with the ""connectivity package"") that is offered when you buy the higher trim levels. For example the first trim level above basic might come with a nicer stereo with sound system, but you might have to buy the 3rd or top trim level in order to get leather seats and/or sunroof. Typically you can pay extra to get the Bluetooth with most of the trim levels, or have it installed for cheaper after you guy the vehicle. (One note if you are buying a Chevy, if you don't buy the factory Bluetooth package and want to put in an aftermarket one you have to disable the Onstar system in order to be able to run the Bluetooth though the car sound system) Automatic Transmission is typically $500-$1000 more expansive than getting a manual, although many vehicles do no offer a manual option these days."
"Annual property tax and home insurance come to mind as things that are easily forgotten, but surely the biggest true, ""I didn't see that coming,"" is a major car repair. There are a number of things that can go wrong with a car with little warning and end up costing a thousand dollars or more.  Since most people are dependent upon their car for getting to work, doing anything but fixing or replacing the car is not an option.  If you fix it, that's an out of pocket expense that most aren't prepared for.  If the car has some age, you might be inclined to replace it, but doing so in a rush costs a lot more than taking your time in such a decision."
I must say, I can't completely agree with the tone of most of these answers.  I think there may be a good reason to buy a new car, or a luxurious used car. For years I drove old, second hand cars that were really cheap. and unreliable.  I can't count the number of times I was left stranded because my car didn't start, or the alternator burned out.  I could have bought more recent models, but I was trying to save money. But in 2010 I found a very low mileage 2008 Smart Car for small money.  It was a good deal at the time.  It was almost new, having very low mileage, and about 60% of the price of a new, less well appointed Smart.  I found out that I really like driving cars that won't break down and leave me stranded in sleet or ice storms.  When my wife's Mazda hatchback finally rusted to the point that it wouldn't pass the safety inspection and couldn't be repaired, we bought a new 2013 Toyota Rav4.  We are really happy with it.  It's probably not a luxury car to you, but having reliable heat and air conditioning seems like luxury to us, and we are happy with our decision.  I get the Smart serviced at the Mercedes shop.  They have very nice coffee and pastries, and very fast free wifi.
Your short-term time frame makes buying used the best option, but it seems you already are aware of that.  Look into a certified pre-owned model if you are concerned about lemons. You will usually get some sort of warranty.  However, be aware that any car can be a headache with repairs.  I would not recommend a lease because basically you are still paying for the depreciation on the car plus interest. Generally, this is the most expensive way to drive a car. You may find the numbers look good for a lease but beware of the 'gotchas' in the terms that can put you way over budget (over mileage, wear and tear, etc.).  My best recommendation is to buy gently used with cash. This gives you the most flexibility and best resale value. If you finance a late-model vehicle, be aware that depreciation can leave you upside-down on your loan. That would put you in the position of having to shell out cash just to get rid of the car.
From what you have typed Up, this is very impressive I would not be surprised if you could squeeze another 50,000-100,000 out of this car. Honda has a good reputation for making reliable cars. Also from your post you mentioned that your are not too car savvy. Dealership repair are usually unnecessary after the car is off warranty reason being that most if not all repairs will be 2-3x more than a good reputable local shop. Also many aftermarket parts are just As good if not better than dealership car parts and not to mention that with Hondas the options are Endless...parts are easy to come by. Buying a new car has some benefits but usually it ends up being more expensive to go new vs maintaining an older car. At this point in time, you can save the most money by finding a local reputable shop to do your repairs, there is no point in going with the dealer, also if you are using regular motor oil ( not synthetic) you don't need to change it every 3,000 miles like the dealer says, oil technology has improved so much that you can go 5,000 miles with no problem, just make sure your oil level it topped off. I will say this though anything electrical that is an issue is a good reason to get rid of the car.
Unless it is in the contract that you must replace it then this should be replaced by your insurance. They sent you a box that was defective, consumer grade electronics are designed for at least 85 deg C (185F) and unless they can prove your car was hotter than that they sent you a defective unit.  That being said, I do not think it would be worth suing them for that low amount, I would suggest you get a new insurance company. The current company clearly values your business less than 185 pounds(?) and this issue will happen multiple times since the company has no incentive to buy better products if customers keep footing the bill.