Killing the car guy?

Status
Not open for further replies.
What part of this all is the Michigan insurance system by design? Isnt there some no fault system, where not only your liability, but the liability of everybody else on the road gets calculated in?

You get hit, 100% fault of the other driver, but your insurance pays for your damages. So you're always paying for the stupidity of others.

And if there was an exodus of responsible, insured, producing type professional people, the risks go up. Then there you have it.
 
Originally Posted By: otis24
To me, these days, a car is an appliance. I like to look and dream on occasion.



A lot of us on this board do not share that view. Many of us are car enthusiasts and will gladly buy impractical, overpriced, or unusual vehicles because it's a hobby.
 
That's true now, but my parent's 1984 Toyota Van was completely assembled in Japan. Same goes with 70s 80s. Era Mercedes. I agree that the big 3 make reliable vehicles now. I was referring to older American cars that were lucky to go 80,000 without an engine or tranny rebuild.

My dad's an airline pilot and I remember a time when just about every other trip he went on my mom would get stuck on the side of the road with 3 toddlers in an American made car. My dad upgraded in 1984 and we sold all our American cars for Toyotas, which I was still driving in high school 13 years later.
 
Play around with the stem, seat and handlebars on your bike. I put some north road bars and a higher stem on my old mountain bike and I got a completely comfortable ride for less than $100. My dad has arthritis and back issues so I'm getting him the same setup on his mountain bike. You don't look as cool ad a road biker, but with slicks I can cruise at about 15 mph and be completely comfortable.

I second the above opinions, I love this site because it helps me figure out how to drive my cheap car until the wheels fall off. Cars might be cool, but besides cocaine, they're probably the worst place to put your hard earned cash.
 
I feel your pain. Thats why I drive late model used. Bought my F-150 with 52,000 miles on it this past February, neck deep in snow,for $9400 delivered. It is a 2 wheel drive XL. Haven't been stuck in snow for over 10 years now. Hard for me to justify spending $40,000 for a car/truck with all the bells and whistle's when I spend an hour a day in it. I'd rather put the money into my house, and my son's college fund.
 
It completely makes sense. If you live in a city, a car is a hassle. I used to love taking the subway in NYC or the Metro in DC. For a few dollars I could get to my destination and read the paper or a book at the same time.
 
Originally Posted By: dparm
Originally Posted By: otis24
To me, these days, a car is an appliance. I like to look and dream on occasion.



A lot of us on this board do not share that view. Many of us are car enthusiasts and will gladly buy impractical, overpriced, or unusual vehicles because it's a hobby.


Yeeehawwww...
11.gif


I have two nice Grand Marquis, both yet to cross 60K mi... One was purchased at 12 years old but only 33Kmi, other was a year old(should have bought older used but got a good deal on it)... Its only the fourth vehicle in almost 47 years I haven't paid cash for...

I also gave a beater 1996 F-150, yeah the head liner is falling and it has several beats and bangs but it runs fine... My seven year old twin grandkids(boy & girl) both love it, though I suspect Natalie will be like her mom and be embarrassed to ride in it in a few more years...

For the impractical, there a '88 Turbo Coupe T-Bird with a Hot Rod 5.0(orig had a pressurized, half motor[4cyl]), a 72 Mercury Comet(Maverick twin) that's in the process of getting a fresh 302...Last but defiantly not least a 1969 428 Cobra Jet Fairlane Fastback I bought in 1973, pulled the cover off and took it to a car show about three weeks ago for the first time in several years... Oh yeah I'm retired, on a fixed income and have bought four of the six in the last five years(T-Bird was bought in '97 & I converted it to 5.0)...

Never had a interest in them ferrin types, give me old school Detroit iron...

Yes I most certainly consider myself a car guy...
 
My son caught the car/bike bug from me- he's not as much of a gearhead, but he likes nice cars. I can easily see him with a JK Rubicon and a Cayman S or Z4 M coupe in his garage in a few years.
 
Originally Posted By: MCompact
My son caught the car/bike bug from me- he's not as much of a gearhead, but he likes nice cars. I can easily see him with a JK Rubicon and a Cayman S or Z4 M coupe in his garage in a few years.


$100,000 worth of cars, does he own a bank? I know plenty of people that make $300,000 and drive 10 year old Camrys. I couldn't see paying that much for cars unless I was making at least $500,000 a year. That kind of dough belongs in a retirement account or other investment vehicle.
 
Originally Posted By: greaper007
$100,000 worth of cars, does he own a bank? I know plenty of people that make $300,000 and drive 10 year old Camrys. I couldn't see paying that much for cars unless I was making at least $500,000 a year. That kind of dough belongs in a retirement account or other investment vehicle.


Thanks much;! I'll be sure and let him know of your financial concerns! That said, I would never recommend buying a 10 year old Camry; I find Camrys of any vintage to be extremely dangerous.
My son-like his father-would almost certainly die of boredom behind the wheel...
 
Originally Posted By: MCompact
[
Thanks much;! I'll be sure and let him know of your financial concerns! That said, I would never recommend buying a 10 year old Camry; I find Camrys of any vintage to be extremely dangerous.
My son-like his father-would almost certainly die of boredom behind the wheel...


ROFLOL
 
Originally Posted By: greaper007
Originally Posted By: MCompact
My son caught the car/bike bug from me- he's not as much of a gearhead, but he likes nice cars. I can easily see him with a JK Rubicon and a Cayman S or Z4 M coupe in his garage in a few years.


$100,000 worth of cars, does he own a bank? I know plenty of people that make $300,000 and drive 10 year old Camrys. I couldn't see paying that much for cars unless I was making at least $500,000 a year. That kind of dough belongs in a retirement account or other investment vehicle.





You sir, are correct! Most people won't see it that way though.
 
Originally Posted By: MCompact
Originally Posted By: greaper007
$100,000 worth of cars, does he own a bank? I know plenty of people that make $300,000 and drive 10 year old Camrys. I couldn't see paying that much for cars unless I was making at least $500,000 a year. That kind of dough belongs in a retirement account or other investment vehicle.


Thanks much;! I'll be sure and let him know of your financial concerns! That said, I would never recommend buying a 10 year old Camry; I find Camrys of any vintage to be extremely dangerous.
My son-like his father-would almost certainly die of boredom behind the wheel...


If I wanted to spend that much and have fun in a vehicle I'd buy an aerobatic plane like an extra or a Pitts. You can do way crazier things in that than a car, and it's worth about how much you paid for it (or more) a few years later.

An expensive car is just a way to lose lots of money.
 
Last edited:
Wife and I drove beaters for years. We now have our home paid for early. Saved money for two more years and purchased two new vehicles cash in hand afterwards. Now we have two beaters and two "like new" vehicles still under warranty.
Coworkers and friends laughed at us for years. They are still trying to pay off one payment. If your willing to sacrifice and live within your means its doable. I still drive a beater to work everyday, no shame here. And i will drive them till the wheels fall off. Beaters rule indeed.
 
I look at our vehicles and everything we own about the same! Why replace a perfectly good appliance when the new won't do it any better. May that be the SUV, car, mower, TV etc. Both of our vehicles run and drive good and both been in the family since 30k so not alot of unknowns and paid for. Would love for the Focus to be a Mustang but frankly speeding tickets and "exhibitions of speed" can be rather costly. All our extra money is in the RV right now.. with our love of travel seemed like the right thing to do.
 
20K for a basic economy sedan?
Not hardly.
In real world discounted pricing, 20K would buy you an Accord, a Camry or a Dodge Caravan.
Any of these vehicles would give you 200K of good service and any would probably rival the real world fuel economy that old Cobalt delivers.
The advantage of a new car is that nobody else has messed with it in ways you'll never discover until weird electrical problems start showing up, or the tranny dies because someone who thought they knew better used the wrong ATF, or the engine is discovered to be a sludged up mess internally because someone used the wrong oil on too long drain intervals.
With a new car, you know what you're getting and 200K with nothing more than normal maintenance is highly likely.
 
Originally Posted By: JANDSZIRKLE
Wife and I drove beaters for years. We now have our home paid for early. Saved money for two more years and purchased two new vehicles cash in hand afterwards. Now we have two beaters and two "like new" vehicles still under warranty.
Coworkers and friends laughed at us for years. They are still trying to pay off one payment. If your willing to sacrifice and live within your means its doable. I still drive a beater to work everyday, no shame here. And i will drive them till the wheels fall off. Beaters rule indeed.


I'm 56 and I've owned nine Bimmers -all but two were used- since 1983. Despite that, I'm in just about the same position as you. Completely debt free except for a 12 month 0.9% loan on the E90 and an $1,100 18 month 0.0% loan on my Best Buy card for some computer and HTS equipment.
My beater is the Mazdaspeed 3. That is a blessing...
 
Cars are expensive, but it can be done cheap. Lots of interesting cars can be bought for under $5k or a lot less if you look and have the ability to wrench.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top