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what will you do when the replacement car needs repairs? now you've got a monthly payment as well as a repair bill.
you've got to know if your car is worth keeping.
My daughter's car was in 2 or 3 accidents while it was owned by my wife's father. I know that he only changed the oil since 2000 and charged the A/C system a few times. I've pretty much caught the car up on 17 years of maintenance in the last 6 months. The only worry I have is the loud rear diff that may or may not be a problem.
A few months ago I was driving my old run down car up in rural upstate New York and it died. I had it towed to a dealer and he said I needed a new transmission and a number of other repairs. I had it towed again to another dealer and he told me the same thing.
The car had a blue book value of about $2000, so I would be spending its value to get it back on the road and back home. I spent the money but now think it was a mistake because it started to cost me lots of money after that with many small to mid-sized repairs. 190,000 miles and 14 years old.
Would it have been better to just sell it for junk and fly home?
Why were you taking an old run down car to a dealer for repairs? Dealerships do not compete on price for auto repair. Most of their work is warranty work where they have a captive market. There are also a lot of people who think scheduled maintenance has to be performed there to maintain the warranty.
Car repairs have nearly ruined me at various times in my life; I tend to hang on to cars longer than I should, and they hit a point where worn out parts start hitting me to the tune of $1K-$2K every few months. Not only is this an expensive pain in the butt, it also makes it very difficult to save money (for anything, let alone a car downpayment). Just last month, I dropped $3K on repairs, and missed a week of work because of it. Together, that would have been a very solid downpayment on a new car, or it could have paid for a dependable used car with under 100K miles on it. Instead, I am stuck with the old car, and a list of things that are due to fail sooner rather than later... So, I have to go with the others who say it just isn't worth it; a car payment actually makes more sense.
Now that you have it home, don't let it become a moneypit. I'd start planning my next car and give myself the rest of the year to make it happen (and that is, in fact, what I am doing). Once they start crumbling, there really is no end to it.
Cars must be selling for less in your area of the country. Around here, any vehicle under $2k is pretty much worn out garbage.
Also, 200k miles isn't necessarily a bad thing. All of my Volvos have closer to 300k and are completely road-worthy.
Yes , here in Seattle too . With this traffic a $2000 is a beater car I would not touch . I didn't either some years ago my old trans Am caught fire and burned completely on the side of I-5 (fuel injector broke and sprayed gas ), I took the bus forever until I got my tax return and got a newer car .
A few months ago I was driving my old run down car up in rural upstate New York and it died. I had it towed to a dealer and he said I needed a new transmission and a number of other repairs. I had it towed again to another dealer and he told me the same thing.
The car had a blue book value of about $2000, so I would be spending its value to get it back on the road and back home. I spent the money but now think it was a mistake because it started to cost me lots of money after that with many small to mid-sized repairs. 190,000 miles and 14 years old.
Would it have been better to just sell it for junk and fly home?
just sell it to the junk yard and buy another beater with cash...pay your self a car payment every month till you can move up in your car,rinse and repeat.
Great point! I know I'm way OT here, but we're getting my ds, 20 a used car. He simply needs something for work and school. I was looking at cheaper cars, but think I will go for a better-looking used car. His self-esteem is low, he needs something he feels comfortable in, as well as being reliable. Being a laughing stock to save a few dollars doesn't help anything in the long run. Also, your image is important
A few months ago I was driving my old run down car up in rural upstate New York and it died. I had it towed to a dealer and he said I needed a new transmission and a number of other repairs. I had it towed again to another dealer and he told me the same thing.
The car had a blue book value of about $2000, so I would be spending its value to get it back on the road and back home. I spent the money but now think it was a mistake because it started to cost me lots of money after that with many small to mid-sized repairs. 190,000 miles and 14 years old.
Would it have been better to just sell it for junk and fly home?
So far I've been doing good on cars..........buying new, 200,000 trouble free miles, selling them for hardly nothing before repair bill start.
However, while dairy farming I allowed myself to get attached to a tractor and used the old justification..........." as long as I have this much stuck in it, I might as well stick more money into it "
I had 3 x stuck into it than what it was worth and finally paid the last big expense when I retired.........and another thing was going bad on it.
just sell it to the junk yard and buy another beater with cash...pay your self a car payment every month till you can move up in your car,rinse and repeat.
That's just about the worst advice anybody can give. Buy another beater? He has one now.
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I know I'm way OT here, but we're getting my ds, 20 a used car. He simply needs something for work and school. I was looking at cheaper cars, but think I will go for a better-looking used car. His self-esteem is low, he needs something he feels comfortable in, as well as being reliable. Being a laughing stock to save a few dollars doesn't help anything in the long run. Also, your image is important
