New member with IST TRD Turbo 'kit car'

[Rayza]

Hey guys

Ray here from Auckland. I have been browsing the local forum on/off after owning 5 Toyotas over the years. They have been good and reliable everyday cars, including this current one which I have owned since 2014. It's a 2004 Toyota IST (1NZ-FE) with a factory TRD Turbo kit and other TRD parts (aero-kit, suspension, intake-filter, muffler), etc...

http://www.trdparts.jp/factory_trdturbo-bbist.html
http://www.trdparts.jp/factory_trdturbo-plan.html
* Sorry about the lack of translation from Japanese but this is where Google Translate is very helpful

It is our daily driver for almost 4 years to and from work, the usual grocery trips and rarely some spirited driving. With the arrival of my 2nd child due in 3.5 months, we have recently bought a bigger (3rd) vehicle to fit us all in. I knew a day like this would come when I might have to let the car go but I am still undecided considering the IST has only done 103K kms (1st NZ owner since 62K kms)

My main concern is the on-going cost of full insurance, WoF, rego as well as depreciation while I get lesser use of the car. The car has not given me problems aside from the usual wear and tear (front sway bar end-link bushing, front brake pads) and I do not expect to do much work to keep it going.

Even though this car is not 'expensive', how can I justify keeping this car while we go on single-income for the next year?

What do you guys think?

Ray

[BlakeNZ]

i'll help you justify it...
Firstly how much would you realistically get for it if you sold it?
Can you be bothered with tyre kickers, and being insulted by low ball offers?
How much would you have to pay, and how long would you have to wait, or search, to find one as good as the one you have got?
Every once in a while take it for a spirited drive. That smile on your face is priceless.
Now, consider the dollar value you arrived at in question 1, and question 3. The difference in those two figures, will more than outweigh the cost of insurance and reg for the year. (in my humble opinion).
The answer is as plain as the nose on your face
PS. that smiley is not my smile. It is yours! It is how YOU feel when you give it the jandal through your favourite road.

[ALES_AE111]

^^^^
This is pretty much why I still own my AE111 that I can't put my toddler's car seat in and has to have a battery charger on it more or less every time it goes for a drive.
It's a logic that I've always been happy to stick to despite the apparent senselessness of keeping the car.