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Is that 15 miles to the UVM Medical Center/Fletcher-Allen? Taking a quick glance at bus routes for Chittenden County, that sounds somewhere like Jeffersonville/Underhill. If you were a bit closer, I'd suggest looking Uber since you have all those college students who'd like to earn some beer money. Driving out 15 miles to get you is going to be costly. If your car dies, Uber is certainly an option for you but it's tough to exist in rural Vermont without a car.
Yep, east Jericho, about 1/2 miles from Underhill Flats. The only bus is the once a day Jeffersonville commuter.
For that brake repair you are not just replacing pads and rotors. You are also replacing the calipers too. Even the most expensive pads and rotors will be less than 800 for a complete set front and rear. Add in labor and you are talking at most 1200. I still do my own brakes. I learned to do them about 20 years ago.
Well, considering it was a work truck located 3000 miles from my office, I just wasn't going to fly up to Northern Alberta are replace the brakes to save a few dollars when there is a Ford dealer near by.
All good suggestions. I am definitely going to wait until the warranty expires, which gives me until March of 2016 or 83k, and I am sure the date will come first. I put all new tires and a battery into it this year, so I may as well get as much use with the coming good weather as I can. Of course, I will get less for the car next year.
Good idea to try the bus first and see how it is. I don't have many doctor appointments and I can walk to the dentist. I do hate to give up the freedom to just get out and go somewhere, even if just to a movie.
There is also a bus that comes here every week to take anyone shopping at the large grocery stores. The new grocery will be smaller, but at least will have the necessities.
I can probably get a ride to the barn. I am just starting again this year as I had a horrible injury a few years ago and haven't ridden since. Unfortunately, there are no taxis in town, so calling one to go somewhere would be very expensive. I wish the bus to Burlington ran more often, and I still don't know why UVM doesn't have Zipcar yet.
I lived most of my life in NYC, and never needed a car. They are such money-sucking beasts!
Thanks for all the input.
The problem is that you have lived your entire life in very car-hostile environments. Out in the country in non-rusting areas, it's a different ball game.
If you are set on staying in VT, I would agree with selling the car, although, given that it's about to go off warranty, you will get less for it. But that's just my thoughts - no way would I buy a VT registered car, if I could find on around here. Rust never sleeps.
Well, considering it was a work truck located 3000 miles from my office, I just wasn't going to fly up to Northern Alberta are replace the brakes to save a few dollars when there is a Ford dealer near by.
Understood. I was just explaining for the person who thought it was excessive for $2400 to do brakes that it probably was a bit more than that and what it was. No mention that it was wrong to do that.
I just want to also put in a good word for a used Toyota Corolla. Although I bought my used 2007 Corolla when it was 1-1/2 years old, it's been a heck of a good reliable car. I get the usual maintenance required and at 115,000 miles it gives me no problems at all.
The dumbest thing I ever did with cars is to trade in my '04 Corolla toward my new Honda SUV. I should have kept it in the family. I feel sorry about that all the time. It worked well with 150,000mi on it.
I drive a '06 Kia Sedona minivan, now 10 years old, with 84K miles on it, the warranty ran out at about 50k or was it 60K? The only repairs I have had cost me a grand total of about $25-30 a month spread over the ownership of the vehicle. I cannot get a new car/vehicle for that in a payment! I plan to keep it for at least another 5-6 years if not 10. It was paid for a long time ago and is worth about $3-4K. I can handle the repairs, though the $1k hatch latch repair is a bit excessive. I am checking out alternatives.
Your choices:
1} KEEP the car. It will be paid for, still has low mileage,and should last you another 10 years if you "Drive it til it drops". You will have your own transport, can go to the barn anytime and don't have to waste a whole day in the "city" via the bus dropping you off in the AM and not picking up til PM. You will most of all, have your FREEDOM.
2} SELL The car for the $10k and buy a $5k car to replace it with, bank the other $5k for emergencies or for car repairs. The $5 cars are about 6-8 years old, but if you find a nice one for about the same mileage from a small-time dealer who needs to unload a great car, you can get a great buy. Shop around carefully. If you have any repairs, you will rest easy with $5k in the bank.
3} SELL the car and TRY to live off the bus, the sponsored donation ride,and see how you do. IF you don't do well, go back to #2 above,the second half of the suggestion.
4} in EITHER case, with $0 in savings, IF you needed a non-covered medication {which happens} WHat are you to do? NOT ALL medical stuff is covered, and trust me with my SSDI and supplemental insurances, I STILL have bills/meds NOT covered and co-pays that can be at times outrageous,and i pay through the nose for "full coverage plan F"! And your SS is way higher than my SSDI !
.....YOU NEED to figure out a way to SAVE some money, even if only $5 a month {$60 a year is better than not} If not, you need to find a way for a part time job. THEN you MAY NEED a car. Trust me, besides the car issue, you WILL have other issues come up you will need money for..even if only for a new winter coat and boots which can set you back an easy $100-150 for those long VT winters....Perhaps you could work and get PAID at the barn DOING SOMETHING?
Have you got friends that could take you where you need to go? I'd seriously consider selling, because a car is not cheap to keep up, repairs, insurance, license. Can you ride a bicycle or moped in warm weather. Obviously not winter, but other times. If you can ride a horse, I would think a moped would be a possibility.
4} in EITHER case, with $0 in savings, IF you needed a non-covered medication {which happens} WHat are you to do? NOT ALL medical stuff is covered, and trust me with my SSDI and supplemental insurances, I STILL have bills/meds NOT covered and co-pays that can be at times outrageous,and i pay through the nose for "full coverage plan F"! And your SS is way higher than my SSDI !
.....YOU NEED to figure out a way to SAVE some money, even if only $5 a month {$60 a year is better than not} If not, you need to find a way for a part time job. THEN you MAY NEED a car. Trust me, besides the car issue, you WILL have other issues come up you will need money for..even if only for a new winter coat and boots which can set you back an easy $100-150 for those long VT winters....Perhaps you could work and get PAID at the barn DOING SOMETHING?
BEst of luck to you
Thanks for your reply, Galaxyhi. I think keeping the car is my best choice. There isn't much out there in the $5k range that wouldn't require money (slim pickings in Vermont).
I am fortunate in that my SSA is SSDI, until I am 66, which is only 1 1/5 years away. Nothing really changes then. Vermont is generous in the support aspect. I get help with prescriptions (above and beyond my Part D plan) and what Medicare doesn't cover, the hospital will. I don't know where you live but some states have literally no resources for low-income seniors, and some are outstanding. Vermont is incredible and I am lucky to live here.
My 2 cents is to sell the car and use the money to get a cheaper one. You'll be saving on car insurance for one thing.
Subsidized housing usually doesn't allow people to have savings or to work, right? They'd just raise your rent if you worked so there's no sense in working. There isn't any way to get ahead. The only way to have any money for medical expenses--and there will be some as you get older--is to sell the car and get a cheaper one.
Rust is definitely a problem in this part of the country and subsidized housing doesn't give you a garage so that makes it even worse. But you can get the car washed in the winter when the weather gets above freezing (every once in a while, lol.) That's when the rust forms. Rust doesn't form when it's below freezing, it forms when it's a bit warmer and the salty road water splashes up onto the undercarriage of your car.
Each time you get the car washed in winter, get the undercarriage protected too. There's something they spray on it.
You could get a good used car for a few thousand $$ and not use it very much instead of keeping the $10,000 car and not using it very much. Just check the reviews online and get a GOOD used car. And maybe take someone with you to look at the cars, AND make sure the seller can show you all past car maintenance bills.
Bank what your housing situation allows you to have and keep it in the bank.
If they only allow you to have a bank account with maybe $3000 and you actually have $6000, I think I'd hide the rest under the mattress! Funny how they'd probably allow people to own a Mercedes but they won't allow a person to save.
Thanks for your reply, Galaxyhi. I think keeping the car is my best choice. There isn't much out there in the $5k range that wouldn't require money (slim pickings in Vermont).
I am fortunate in that my SSA is SSDI, until I am 66, which is only 1 1/5 years away. Nothing really changes then. Vermont is generous in the support aspect. I get help with prescriptions (above and beyond my Part D plan) and what Medicare doesn't cover, the hospital will. I don't know where you live but some states have literally no resources for low-income seniors, and some are outstanding. Vermont is incredible and I am lucky to live here.
This is also true of NY and many of the other supposedly "high tax states" that so many seniors think they want to escape. My guess is that if most/all of your income is from SSDI or SS, you don't pay income tax in VT, just like NYS ... and as a low income person, you can get a lot more support than you can in most supposed "tax havens". The tax havens are fine for the well-heeled elderly but they're not so fine for the many more elderly who are low income.
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