Why does Walt sell the Aztec for a mere $50?

Question

Walter sells his Pontiac Aztec in S05E04 Fifty_One. The same day he "leases" himself and Walt Jr. new cars.

First of all, I don't understand Walt's motivation to sell the car.

1. Why sell the car when the garage owner/mechanic made it clear that the car was good for at least another 200,000 miles?

Moreover, he proceeds to sell the car for as little as $50, that too in front of his son. Now that is supposed to raise some questions.

2. Why sell a car that was in perfect road conditions, with more or less, 200,000 miles in it as low as $50?

Wouldn't selling the car at such throw-away price(hell its not even throw-away, its ludicrous) bound to attract undue attention, not to mention the 2 new cars Walt "leased" that day?

I understand that this is meant to portray the callous nature and swagger Walt has developed after eliminating Gus Fring. But this action in particular is stretching it a little too far, IMO.

Answer 1

At this point in the show, Walt makes more money than he could possibly safely unload. He must find ways to dispose of the funds beyond simply setting the cash on fire.

With that in mind, dropping his current car for only $50 makes fiscal sense. I believe the Aztec is currently owned by Walter, making it an asset and therefore adds to the current overflow of cash he has. By getting rid of it, he is no longer fiscally accountable for the car.

Walt Jr., who has no experience buying or selling cars, wouldn't know to question his father's actions, and having been given a new car, he is too excited to care.

The buyer of the older car for $50 would apparently rather take the presumably unethical deal quietly and get a great car for practically no money.

By leasing the two new cars instead of owning them, Walt presumably spends more money than he would buying the cars. Leasing is usually a more expensive proposition than buying a car outright, and after a lease ends, it does not result in you owning the car. Leasing these cars creates a financial drain, which Walt needs.

Considering his financial and legal state, Walter made good business decisions here. Also it's his birthday and he presumably freed himself from a horrible situation; he's rewarding himself for a job well done.

Answer 2

Missed in my question as well as from my memory was a character of significance. A character whose presence precipitates in Walter giving away his reliable Aztek. The character is Walt's porkpie hat!

Just as the mechanic says that the Aztek is good to go for at least another 200,000 miles, Walt has a sense of foreboding that he isn't going to be around to drive it another 200,000 miles. At the very next instance he looks at his new hat(which IMO is a clever device to fadeout Walt's old persona and introduce this new fearless Walt) and is reminded that the Aztek is a reminiscent of his old life. A life where he was afraid of people like Gus and Tuco. But no more he considers himself in danger, and rather considers himself the danger.

Thus, him selling his car for such a ridiculous amount is the action of kicking away his old lifestyle and buying himself a new one(the Chrysler 300). Somehow, now he has become reckless with his decisions and doesn't consider any problem too big for Heisenberg to overcome. This and the swagger that comes with becoming filthy rich leads him to "selling" off the old car and getting a new one.

P.S. These sources: 1 and 2 further elucidate the point.