Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I know a family that is in this very situation. They have a 12 year old car that they bought used with lots of miles on it but it was the best they could afford. They have not taken care of this car and it is trashed on the inside and out. The engine light is on, they have a rejection sticker on it and for the past 2 years it sounds like the front tire is going to fall off when they go around a curve. I blame them for not taking the car to at least get an estimate on what the terrible sound is and if it is a danger. I guess they are afraid to find out because it will probably be expensive.
They are in a tight spot because the car is falling apart around them but a few years back they had to refinance it which means today they are still making payments. They owe about $2000 the car is worth $1000 on trade in and their credit is shot. What are they going to do? If the repairs cost more then the car is worth they plan on trading it in and crossing their fingers.
It is a mess that I hope to never find myself in.
It is not so much penny wise as pound foolish but it is life for a family that is just scraping by.
They've made their bed, now they have to lie in it!
They have nobody to blame but themselves for their position in life. And according to your post, they've been living this way for years, so they show no desire to better themselves or improve their lot in life.
Driving your family around in a deathtrap, endangering not only their own lives but the lives of everyone else on the road because "they are afraid it will be expensive to fix" is one of the dumbest things I've ever heard. Shows how much they care about their family, let alone everybody else.
Hmph. I thought this was going to be about the cop setting down his doughnut and wiping his mouth with a napkin and getting in the cruiser to go out and stop the first car he sees, to meet his quota on revenue raised for the county. Followed by the insurance company saying whoa you've got three points, and raising the premium by a hundred bucks a year for the next three years. And the wonderful old interstate highway system being gradually be replaced by toll roads. And the shop labor rate now over a hundred bucks an hour for a guy who hangs out a Midas logo and rips you off for a whole new exhaust system when you have a rusty bracket., in order to get your state inspection sticker, which is a presumption of guilt (driving an non-compliant vehicle) until you prove your innocence. Not even a safety issue, just regulatory rules.
Once again Jimmy is trying to enlighten the unwashed masses, but nobody gets the message.
Let me give it a try:
My sister- in -law used to drive a Mercedes Benz, bought it used. When it came to the point where she couldn't pay more for the ever-increasing high-dollar repairs she traded it in for a used Mini Cooper S, which isn't known for its stellar reliability either.
Then the Mini developed a minor problem with the clutch, like five new-car payments worth of trouble.
When my wife asked for advice, I gently explained, that for all the cash wasted for glamour she could have bought a sparkling new Kia or Toyota and she'd be happy with a good car for at least ten years with a few oil changes and brake pads for expense.
Last edited by mgforshort; 03-10-2018 at 05:57 PM..
One of the realities of owning a vehicle, dumping money into them.
That radiator-hose that is going bad on your 500-dollar beater and it is going to cost you 100-bucks to replace.....don't get mad.
I bought the beater for $500 instead of $5,000, so I can buy lots of radiator hoses. I realistically estimate the cost of expected repairs, and figure that into the purchase price. Still cheaper than buying a new or late model car.
Which doesn't address the OP. The fact is, over X years, owning a car will cost you Y dollars. It's your call, whether that works out to nickels and dimes.
My nephew spent his whole life driving what he calls "Hunnerd dollar Cadillacs"?. He just bought a retirement house for over a half a million. Apparently, his cars did not nickel and dime him to death.
One of the realities of owning a vehicle, dumping money into them.
That radiator-hose that is going bad on your 500-dollar beater and it is going to cost you 100-bucks to replace.....don't get mad.
Actually, that radiator hose is about $15, I just bought one for my 20 year-old Jeep Cherokee Sport...I noticed that the hose was splitting when I [gasp] popped the hood to check the oil and did a quick once-over on the belts and hoses. All it takes to change it is a screwdriver to loosen and tighten two clamps.
The reality is that you *know* [stuff] is going to break/wear out/need replacing...and you do it *before* it leaves you stranded on the side of the road in Fumbuck, NoWheresville, or, at least, you carry some spare parts, tools and consumables (coolant, motor oil, tranny fluid, light bulbs, etc.) for when it *does* happen.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mgforshort
Once again Jimmy is trying to enlighten the unwashed masses, but nobody gets the message
Nah, he's just going on a rant because some bug crawled up his butt.
Reality is, that some folks have circumstances/situations where they simply do not have the means or the knowledge to be prepared for the [stuff] that is going to happen. I've been there a time or two. Some people, sure, they are perpetually in that condition, living paycheck to paycheck and *hoping* that [stuff] doesn't go all to heck this week but there isn't much that can be done about them, they just aren't bright enough to do anything different. Others, well, it's temporary, but when [stuff] happens, it happens.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cebuan
I bought the beater for $500 instead of $5,000, so I can buy lots of radiator hoses. I realistically estimate the cost of expected repairs, and figure that into the purchase price. Still cheaper than buying a new or late model car.
Which doesn't address the OP. The fact is, over X years, owning a car will cost you Y dollars. It's your call, whether that works out to nickels and dimes.
My nephew spent his whole life driving what he calls "Hunnerd dollar Cadillacs"?. He just bought a retirement house for over a half a million. Apparently, his cars did not nickel and dime him to death.
Yep, I've bought more than a few beaters for $100 (a couple for less) and driven them right into the ground. Some needed little, didn't even get oil changes, others needed some extra TLC and had some hassles...but still cheaper in the long run. I had one Toyota that I paid $100 for, and didn't get a mile down the road (literally) before the fuel pump failed...$89 for a replacement and I was on my way. I drove that thing for two or three or four years before it turned to total crap and had to be towed to the junkyard. Was I ahead of the game? You betcha.
You seem interested in keeping poor people poor. I want people to take responsibility for their lives and to work hard to NOT BE POOR! Being poor is a mindset, it's your attitude in life that determines whether you are successful or not, don't try to blame it on anything else.
If you see yourself as a victim YOU WILL ALWAYS BE A VICTIM!!!
That "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps" philosophy is BS in its purest form.
Yes, attitude does play a role but it's far from being a guarantee of success.
There are plenty of responsible and hardworking people who are poor.
Perhaps, you should not judge everyone broadly without learning each individual's story.
Someone hasn’t checked car parts and labor since the 70s.
More like thousands of dollaring.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
