Here’s the latest reader question, along with my reply!
Krishna asks: I am planning to move to Colorado soon but am currently stuck in California until then, unfortunately. That being said, I might not be able to move for over 30 days, in which case, rather than buying a car in Colorado, I might have to buy it in California, worst case scenario. If I do need to do that, I’m thinking about shipping the car to Colorado (this would be in lieu of leasing or renting a car while I’m in California before I exit).
I’ve decided on buying a Jeep Grand Cherokee. My question is, therefore, would it be more advisable to lease and/or rent while I’m in California or would it make more sense to buy in California and then ship the car to Colorado – and why? I’m not too worried about the shipping expense. My main concern and curiosity is, would a Jeep Grand Cherokee bought in California be of significantly worse physical and/or mechanical quality than buying it physically in Colorado and if yes, why? If it would be, then I feel like I should buy in Colorado. In any case, at your earliest convenience, please let me know of your answer, thoughts, and recommendations.
My reply: I’d start be seeing what the cost to buy the GC in California would be – including all applicable taxes – and the costs of transferring title/tags, etc. once in CA and then again in CO – vs. the cost of buying it (and titling/registering it) in CO. My hunch is you’d save money by buying the GC in CO – even factoring in the cost of renting a vehicle for the 30 days you’ll be in CA. And by doing this, you’d eliminate the cost of shipping the vehicle to CA – which I’m guesstimating will run you around $800-$1,200.
Another thing to take into account is the miles you won’t put on the vehicle, if you wait until you’re in CO to buy the GC. And also that, if you buy it from a local dealer (in CO) you will have a relationship with that dealer, which may be important in the event of warranty/service issues.
So, unless you can find a really good deal on the GC in CA, my advice would be to wait until you are in CO to buy and – for the next 30 days – rent the cheapest basic appliance you can find.
Keep us posted on all of this – and your move, too!
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I have an 84 Wagoneer. It was a friends who gave it to me cause his friend ran it low with oil till it only had 5 lbs of pressure. Even at that I would have fixed it but that friend also backed it into a big tree hauling ass. I nearly cut the back end off and made a pickup out of it since it was a really nice vehicle. I would have stuck a 383 Chevy in it with a 700 R 4 and still be driving it. It was luxurious with great leather seats and really tough interior and exterior. Black out the windows and it would be a sleeper with that driveline in it. But the cost to put a new rear roof and side on it was a deal breaker.
One of the best things about it was being a perfect dogmobile. If you stopped it and got out near a dog, you had to be quick or they’d be in it. Something about it made dogs want to ride in it. He had a pittie and had a chain bolted on the seat belt holder and locked onto the double thick harness. If anyone had tried to get in it, they would have had plenty help with him dragging them on in. We’d leave the Passport on the dash and a Hi Power in between each seat and the console and never worried anything would be gone.
If I could find one with a good body I’d fix it and drive it. They’d drive as fast on snow and ice as they would on dry pavement. No need for a cooler in the winter. Just put a box in the roof rack and never worry except to make sure it didn’t freeze.
In our old original Cherokee you don’t need a cooler in the winter INSIDE the car – LOL
In it’s defense, I don’t think the vacuum controlled hot water valve is working right. One more thing I need to try to fix “someday.” Maybe after I get the tilt column tightened up ….
I didn’t really appreciate the Wagoneers back in their day. I was more of a full size Chevy 4×4 pickup man (still, I guess – I have two of them right now plus the old 2wd that doesn’t exactly run).
“its defense” – damn, I do know the difference, but my fingers just due there own thing anymore – ha!
FWIW, Ca. removed it’s lockdown yesterday. Whether that makes any difference I couldn’t say.
Why wouldn’t you just drive it to CO ???
Plus, if she waits and rents, she could rent a GC and live with it for a while. To be certain it’s what she wants. Can better determine which trim to get too.
Yeah- The new Cherokees are essentiaqlly Fiat junk now, and one of the least reliable new vehicles out there. Something’ll probably break in the first 30 days, and make it easy to fall out of love with it- then how’s Krishjna gonna get to the airport to beat his tambourine and sell flowers? 😉