Owning new versus older car ?

Maybe this is a rant, but for me whenever I own a new/newish vehicle. Any little cosmetic issue that happens, frustrate or irritate me and they tend to occur randomly for whatever reason. For instance yesterday, I noticed that the bottom portion of the rear bumper was wrinkled and a bit melted, with further assessment it was caused by the muffler tip.

Apparently, when I installed the SI rear diffuser, the exhaust gases were getting under the lip area which ended up heating/melting a very small area of the bumper. So now it's become an eye sore, and looking to possibly repair it. So I'm either going to reshape the diffuser to hide the area, or get it repainted and reshape the diffuser. And a few weeks ago, when I first removed the front bumper to install the fog lights. 2 tabs on the headlight frame that the front bumper clips into, broke off. Front bumper doesn't sag and sits flush. But that's in the back of my head of something that I could get replaced.

When I had older used vehicles, I rarely had issues. And if it did, that wouldn't bug me. Now with this car, I feel like I'm becoming tedious over the smallest things. I wonder if any of you experience similar things. Sometimes I think, I'm better off with an older used vehicle and not worrying about it. Rant over, lol.

Ralf

I feel same

I always damage my new car in the first 2 weeks somehow, either I close the garage door on it (Civic Sport), or hit a low parking curb (330i), or some teenage girl drags her POS Lincoln along the side of the rear bumper ('97 GSR).

Whatever it is, I get over the angst of protecting my new car in the first 2 weeks.

It gets annoying, things keep coming up. Lol

I was that way too. But now, after 2 years of owning my Si I told myself it’s just a civic. Things will happen and at the end of the day, you have to ask yourself is it worth your time and money (which is time again) to try and fix every tiny damaged/worn spot. My wife told me that the car works for me and I shouldn’t work for the car. That changed my approach.

BUT it should be well taken care of mechanically, at the end of the day, you put your life in these cars every day and whatever money you will get back of these cars will be down to how well your engine, suspension, etc. was maintained... not the paint and cloth - which will be worn off no matter how hard you will try.

Same here! I was coming from a '95 Acura whose paint was peeling off, and an '05 Kia whos paint was starting to fade to a new '17 Civic. It's still my baby as this is the nicest car I've ever owned thus far, so I'm super OCD about it. I got a few paint chips which I touched up with a paint pen so those aren't SO bad but recently I got this ding in a parking lot (some asshole probably swung their door open) right on the upper body line of the passenger door. It's small but since it's exactly on the body line you can see it, even more in certain light. I feel like it'd be too expensive to fix, but it's bothering me so I'm stuck, haha.

Same. I just paid off my 2018 ex hatch within 9 months of owning it, and of course day 2 of driving it paid off some moron tried to merge into me when i was in the middle lane. Luckily i didn't get hit but i swear whenever i pay off a car it starts to become a magnet for morons.

I'm scheduled to get the rear bumper area fixed tomorrow. Another dumb expense, I guess it's my fault, Lol. But just more annoyances. I'm stupid OCD when it comes to certain things, like cars, electronics, guitars.

I much rather have bought a 9th gen si or accord sport manual/v6. But honestly somebody always is coming close to totaling my car. So next time, Great drivers around here (virginia)

I actually was close to getting a 98 Civic EX, before I got my 16' Civic. For it's age, the wear and tear wasn't really bothersome, I could manage to not complain with cosmetic issues.

When you become too careful, that's when things happen. Lol

Me: My OCD nature demands that my car be perfect. My car is a reflection of myself.

Also me:

I am anal about stuff that I buy brand new as well, but after 6 or 7 years you start to realize that the car will be in the scrap heap soon enough, so you don't worry about small cosmetic blemishes so much.

I tend to finally only let it go after the 2 year mark. Something about trying to keep it all in good shape for at least two years. I FAILED by my own hand with this latest vehicle and the year 2 is complete next month so I guess it will be hakuna mattata very shortly.

Don't get me wrong, I still take care of my cars but after 2 years, well, the required effort goes up a lot and as pointed out above, these are just Civics and really, everything is just a car. Even amazeballs cars of the past become crap in short order. The sun and parking lots are going to catch up with you eventually.

EDIT: Clarity in second paragraph.

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff and It's All Small Stuff: Simple Ways To Keep The Little Things From Taking Over Your Life

Book by Richard Carlson, motivational speaker. Well worth reading.

https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Sweat-Small-Stuff-Its-ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Sweat-Small-Stuff-Its-ebook
Every new car should come with a copy !!!

arsh88 said:

Same. I just paid off my 2018 ex hatch within 9 months of owning it, and of course day 2 of driving it paid off some moron tried to merge into me when i was in the middle lane. Luckily i didn't get hit but i swear whenever i pay off a car it starts to become a magnet for morons.

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There could be some truth to it, since your car tends to go where your eyes are looking. New cars are eye catching, especially a Civic hatch.