Comments on: The Attack of The Used Car Disease… https://eliteedgemoney.com/the-attack-of-the-used-car-disease/ Money | Minimalism | Mohawks Sat, 08 Apr 2017 11:34:30 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 By: Ash https://eliteedgemoney.com/the-attack-of-the-used-car-disease/#comment-21221 Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:54:15 +0000 https://staging.eliteedgemoney.com/?p=7887#comment-21221 One thought is that you could rent the Benz and take it out for a weekend of joyriding. You might find that’s enough for a bit. :)

As for me, I’m taking my ’99 Honda and driving it until the wheels fall off. I don’t have anyone else to worry about (like kids) if I get stranded, so to me, right now, it’s fine if one day it dies at work (again).

]]> By: J. Money https://eliteedgemoney.com/the-attack-of-the-used-car-disease/#comment-21195 Wed, 30 Mar 2011 21:52:39 +0000 https://staging.eliteedgemoney.com/?p=7887#comment-21195 @Donna Freedman – That’s the plan, Stan. As long as I don’t step onto any Mercedes lots I’m good ;)
@Jon | Free Money Wisdom – Mmmmmmm… ferrari….. TL not too shabby either!
@LAL – GOOD POINT! When you own a beater you don’t worry about scratches, and dings, and all kinds of nonsense others can inflict on it. I don’t even care about the areas my paint is peeling! haha…
@Paul Walnuts – Oooooh just googled it – that’s HOT!!! never heard of before..
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/1986_Parisienne_Nova_Scotia.JPG
@Carol – haha, that’s the truth. mine’s actually due for another oil change now and I’m kinda scared to take her in ;) sorry to hear about your latest expenses, but I do hope you’ve got many years left w/ it!
@Rob – Yeah, that’s true – good point. I didn’t ask what, exactly, needed to be fixed, or how much, but I’ll have to be better about paying attention to that stuff. Congrats on killing all your payments! That’s awesome. Even more so that you’re now applying it all toward your student loans. You’re a smart one, sir!

]]> By: Rob https://eliteedgemoney.com/the-attack-of-the-used-car-disease/#comment-21193 Wed, 30 Mar 2011 20:00:13 +0000 https://staging.eliteedgemoney.com/?p=7887#comment-21193 I just paid off my car (2005 Ford Focus) this month and immediately turned that money around to pay down my student loan debts.

Now I intend to drive that car until it falls apart around me. I got the car in ’07 with ~15k miles on it and since I have a long commute to work (150 miles per day) I’m at ~150k miles. With regular maintenance, I’m hoping to get at least another 50k out of it, but I’m curious to see if I can get it up to 300k.

Mechanics like to tell you that a repair would cost more than the car is worth, but that’s the wrong yardstick. You should be comparing it to how much it will cost to replace the car. If I had to replace the engine and transmission at the same time, it would still cost significantly less than a car loan. The only thing I can think of that would make it necessary to replace the car entirely is if something happened to the frame. That’s probably the one piece that can’t be serviced, replaced, or safely lived with.

]]> By: Carol https://eliteedgemoney.com/the-attack-of-the-used-car-disease/#comment-21151 Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:38:28 +0000 https://staging.eliteedgemoney.com/?p=7887#comment-21151 I have a ’99 Toyota Camry that was not affected by the recalls, and has aged well. Last week, at the 105k mark, some repairs were needed. What I thought was just a muffler turned into a bit more. She now has a fresh new clutch, and catalytic converter. This little adventure was around $1700, but I figure I won’t be buying any of those items again while I still own the car.

Overall it has been pretty good, it’s just reaching that age where those bigger ticket items will kick in every 10-25k miles. Hope I’m good for another 2-3 years before the next vehicle. It’s when every oil change starts to cost $500+ that you have to consider moving on.

]]> By: Paul Walnuts https://eliteedgemoney.com/the-attack-of-the-used-car-disease/#comment-21149 Wed, 30 Mar 2011 02:40:27 +0000 https://staging.eliteedgemoney.com/?p=7887#comment-21149 Our particular war canoe was a 1986 Pontiac Parisienne. It had all the options. Man, what a sweet ride! You could fit three babies under the back windshield!

When she started to fall apart, though, the costs accrued quickly. Her 60,000 mile service uncovered the need for some new wiring. At 120,000 she developed a fuel filter issue that never self-corrected. She stayed true to the game until 160,000 miles and 20 years.

The point of diminishing returns for her was when we discovered leaks in her head gaskets that would have required a rebuild. That particular engine has no more new head gaskets available; you can only get them used. That, combined with its starting-to-wear clutch (the clutch was awesome, it never needed any service beyond fluids!) brought the point of diminishing returns on that car.

It’s hard to determine when you’re car has reached that point of diminishing returns.

]]> By: LAL https://eliteedgemoney.com/the-attack-of-the-used-car-disease/#comment-21145 Wed, 30 Mar 2011 01:33:07 +0000 https://staging.eliteedgemoney.com/?p=7887#comment-21145 I dread the day I give up my little corolla. I love my beater. I love zipping around, the oldness makes me not worried about parking it anywhere the size is cute. My next car is going to be a very practical minivan. I die a little inside thinking about it. And my corolla is 12 years but going strong. I will keep it another I’m thinking 4 years and get the minivan when we are going to have kid #3. or maybe sooner, depending on dogs and family.

]]> By: Jon | Free Money Wisdom https://eliteedgemoney.com/the-attack-of-the-used-car-disease/#comment-21141 Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:54:40 +0000 https://staging.eliteedgemoney.com/?p=7887#comment-21141 Ignore the masses, it’s a winning strategy! This article was pure inspiration for me. Living in San Diego, I see quite a few nice cars. I drive a nice one myself (2004 TL) but when I see an M5, my mouth starts to water. But then I just go back to that Forbes article that states that 2/3’s of most luxury car drivers either lease their cars or never own them, just make payments the rest of their life. No thanks, I’d rather retire early and get my Ferrari!

]]> By: Donna Freedman https://eliteedgemoney.com/the-attack-of-the-used-car-disease/#comment-21139 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 23:22:37 +0000 https://staging.eliteedgemoney.com/?p=7887#comment-21139 Drive it ’til the wheels fall off, pal. It won’t owe you a thing and you can put off the big buy that much longer.

]]> By: J. Money https://eliteedgemoney.com/the-attack-of-the-used-car-disease/#comment-21137 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:18:41 +0000 https://staging.eliteedgemoney.com/?p=7887#comment-21137 What! Applebees is dope. 2 entrees and 1 appetizer for $20 bucks! Love that place, I won’t deny it… also used to work there back in the day (not at that specific one, but right after college). Was a dishwasher and made way more than the servers did ;) Plus I got to blare music and get dirty, haha…

Oh, and my wife wants you to know that those mini-desserts they have are crazy good. I’ll have to agree — usually I just want a bite or two instead of an entire plate so it works out nicely for $2 or whatever.

]]> By: Paula @ AffordAnything.org https://eliteedgemoney.com/the-attack-of-the-used-car-disease/#comment-21133 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:43:57 +0000 https://staging.eliteedgemoney.com/?p=7887#comment-21133 J Money, I think the bigger question that emerges from you post is … what were you doing at Applebees??

My philosophy: If you’re trying to save money, eat at home. If you’re going to eat out, go swanky. Applebee’s will get you a $12-per-head check and a stalled car in the lot.

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