Cars

[bertine]

My car is a 2000 Saturn SL1 and has 100,000 miles on it. It gets ~30 miles to the gallon and I maintain it pretty well. In the last year, including the $600 I am putting into it today, I have paid about $1300 to maintain it. That was mostly things I could have lived with out like recharging the air conditioning, fixing a seat and fixing a window.

Still, sometimes I want a new car so badly because it would look nice and have a sunroof and wouldn't need things like oil valve gaskets and serpentine belts replaced. Then I look at the car payment and get sticker shock.

Comments

[inkedmama.livejournal.com]

jake & i were talking about new cars last night - i'm due for the next one in a few years. i don't think i want one. i have no car payment, *knocks wood* everything works on it, i typically get 28 mpg average, both kids will fit, i like it, etc.

more than anything, i don't want to get a new (well, slightly used) car because i don't want to lose any gas efficiency & i *really* like not having a car payment. i'd like something slightly larger, but i'd lose about 2-5 mpg. i think we're probably going to end up waiting to see what happens with the gas drama, but i'm still so hesitant.

[bertine.livejournal.com]

I really like not having a car payment but I have had this car for 6 years (I bought it used) and it seems like I am always fixing things on it. Though, when I did the math the maintence fees are only about $100 a month (with oil changes).

The oil prices are going to be a big thing. I can see it hitting $5 a gallon in the next couple years and then that 2-5mpg is going to be a big deal.

[inkedmama.livejournal.com]

my thoughts exactly!

jake didn't seem to think that gas would get above $5/gallon, but i'm not willing to take a chance. i don't see our income going up exponentially within the next few years to offset that increased expense with the cars that we currently have, let alone try to figure out how to pay for a less fuel efficient car.

[bertine.livejournal.com]

With, more fuel costs and a car payment. Though he is a car guy, right? So that might be part of why he wants a new one.

[inkedmama.livejournal.com]

yeah, he perpetually wants a new car. :) when he got his new car 2 or 3 years ago now, it was THE car he'd always wanted (white honda accord coupe with 6 speed manual transmission, leather, sunroof). he's been scoping out his next new car since he brought that one home. :)

his car gets pretty good gas mileage (~26 mpg) considering he drives about 40-45 miles round trip daily for work, so he can't even justify it that way.

[bertine.livejournal.com]

Yeah, so he will always want a new car. How old is your car?

[inkedmama.livejournal.com]

both of our cars are 2003s, so we definitely don't *need* new cars. my plan was to drive my car for at least 3-5 years after it was paid so it would still have decent resale (we paid it off this spring).

with car & gas prices, driving it another 8-10 years doesn't sound so bad. if it's still puttering along safely & without many problems, it could be chase's first car. :D

[bertine.livejournal.com]

That is a good plan. My plan has always been to drive my car until it has something that isn't worth fixing.

[purplesquirrel.livejournal.com]

In addition to a car payment, add in the cost of higher insurance.

[bertine.livejournal.com]

Actually I still carry full coverage. I should call them and change that, I promised myself I would do that when I hit 100k.

[purplesquirrel.livejournal.com]

I do too, but I made sure to have a high deductible. I think mine's at $1,000.

[bertine.livejournal.com]

That is where mine is at too. It is like $600 for 6 months I think. Does it get more expensive than that?

YIKES!

[damncutekitty.livejournal.com]

I pay $99 a month for full coverage with a $250 deductible AND renter's insurance.

Re: YIKES!

[bertine.livejournal.com]

Really? Wow. I didn't think mine was that expensive. Actually I looked it up and my deductable is $750. Plus Eric is on my policy so I get a multicar discount.

My condo insurance is seperate, that is like $350 a year.

Re: YIKES!

[damncutekitty.livejournal.com]

Well renter's insurance is always cheap. If you want I can give you the name of my broker.

Re: YIKES!

[bertine.livejournal.com]

Sure. Email it to me. Still, I wonder why mine is so expensive.

[sterlingphoenix.livejournal.com]

I totally miss not having a car payment. The only reason I got a new car at all last year was because getting a kayak and skis and stuff in my car was a huge hassle. It was a nice car, but my lifestyle had changed.

Plus my *cough*SUV*cough* gets better mileage than my car did!

[bertine.livejournal.com]

I can see getting a different car if you need something bigger but I would just get another sedan. Still they are so nice and new.


SUV? Sell-out. :P

[sterlingphoenix.livejournal.com]

I know I'm a sellout.

But my suv gets about 30 miles per gallon, too, so... (:

[bertine.livejournal.com]

Well... that isn't so bad. It can't be a big SUV.

It is funny that my little car gets about the same gas milage as you.

[sterlingphoenix.livejournal.com]

It's a Toyota rav4, they don't get much smaller.

I had a Saturn for a week once!

[bertine.livejournal.com]

Those are cute. My mom wants one (or a truck)


Did the windows work? I guess it is common for the windows to have issues. BAH.

[sterlingphoenix.livejournal.com]

The windows were MANUAL. And they worked, yes. And I needed them, cause this was in July and it was parked out in the sun all day and was almost black and the AC took like 20 minutes to actually be effective.

[bertine.livejournal.com]

For most of the summer last year my a/c DIDN'T WORK AT ALL. It wasn't until I drove to Joplin that I decide I had to get it fixed and then it was the nicest thing ever.

[sterlingphoenix.livejournal.com]

I had my heater not work in January. I had to drive around with the windows down so it wouldn't get all fogged up. That was FUN.

[bertine.livejournal.com]

I am not sure which is worse. I don't handle heat very well.

[sterlingphoenix.livejournal.com]

I don't either, and usually I say "there's only so many clothes you can take off" and all, but driving semi-fast, you at least get a breeze, and you can have a cold drink with you... but driving n 35W at like 65MPH with the windows down when it's -20 degrees, there's just no way that's not hellish.

[avecvu.livejournal.com]

My favorite thing about living in Boston is that cars are TOTALLY UNNECESSARY and, in fact, VERY MUCH DISCOURAGED. This is not to say that I never drive, more that I a) hate it and b) suck at it.

A and B are very much related.

[bertine.livejournal.com]

I don't like driving either. I don't hate it but I would prefer someone else did it. If I didn't work in the suburbs then I wouldn't drive.

[avecvu.livejournal.com]

I drove last Saturday to pick up Milo, but I ended up making him drive back to my place because, as I told him, "I care about you way too much to kill you."

[bertine.livejournal.com]

LOL.

I am not that bad of a drive but I am much worse when someone else is in the car. I get to distracted.

[avecvu.livejournal.com]

Dude, I am MUCH more likely to crash the car if there is somebody in the passenger's seat. I suck at multi-tasking.

Even the cell phone is challenging. I can see why they are outlawing them.

[bertine.livejournal.com]

I shouldn't talk on the phone while driving though I do all the time. I have had so many close calls. That should be on my 101 list!

[avecvu.livejournal.com]

The problem with me is that I have begun driving again after, like, a three year hiatus. When I first started driving, I was much better and I had horrible road rage and I talked on the phone all the time.

I'm much more courteous these days, and much more nervous. I let pretty much ANYBODY go... I'm a very cautious driver. Which I think might be temporary, as soon as I get my confidence back, watch out.

[bertine.livejournal.com]

Well, it is a good thing I live so far away. :P

I get lost in thought too easily. I forget that I am driving. It is a bad habit.

[avecvu.livejournal.com]

Seriously, dude. Billy is coming out this summer, and I have informed him that if we have to drive anywhere, he can drive.

(He said he'd just sit in the back seat so I could just look at him in the rearview mirror.)

[ex-ciannait.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I hit that a bit with my Corolla. The inside didn't wear nearly as well as the engine; my interior kept literally falling apart. When the driver's side door lock stopped working, I decided I needed a new car. Having a good-paying job helped a lot with that, though.

[bertine.livejournal.com]

The a/c made sense, it was 7 years old at that time. Still, the interior wasn't high end to start with and it seems dirty. Maybe it is time for new floor mats, that might help.

For me it comes down to the fact that I would rather travel than get a new car. I actually kept putting off buying my first car because trips would come up. I finally bought one when I was 25. Ha!

[polyranger.livejournal.com]

You have to get in good with a mechanic. There are days I love my brother a lot!