Try investing your money in one thing or another. Do not waste it on an expensive car or resorts or stuff like that. I'm looking at me and my neighbors that have expensive cars and go on expensive trips, I do not see them being happier then I am. I've never bought a new car in my life and I still buy most things on discounts. Even my house, I bought it early, during construction for the discount.
Like you I was not raised with money, I was not poor but we did not have a lot and as a consequence I'm happy with little and I do not like to waste money.
I've never bought a new car in my life and I still buy most things on discounts.
See, that's a mistake to me.
We used cars all my life because we've got mechanical know how in our family. Then Cash For Clunkers came along, and you're god damned right I took advantage of that.
I also disagree with the Mises institute on this because they don't really seem to understand the problems of owning a used car. It only makes sense if you repair it yourself, and if you have one used car and no others, you're a god damned idiot. You need two used cars. One that runs, and the other that you're repairing. We've had three before, and we still ran into an incident where all 3 broke down in the same time frame. Used cars take an absolutely enormous toll on time and mechanical effort.
The new car I bought, I've just maintained properly. I hit it's first major repair at 80,000 miles. Buying a new car, means you don't need two. I think the optimal situation would be a new car and a used car later on of the same type and age that you can use as a parts car.
A new car, if well maintained, cost less than the best used car you can buy.
I'm not that good with cars. I can fix some easy stuff and I know what most of the components are but that is about it. I've not had much problems with them. Currently I have a 2012 Ford Kuga that did not break on me once. My only complain about it is that the engineers who designed it are sadistic, it's a pain to change the oil filter or the battery, a problem that newer version do not have.
I usually keep a car for 2-3 years and then change it. A good argument against it would be that rather then buy 2 cars in 6 years you get one new car and have it for 6 years.
I'm honestly not sure, but so far I've not had reasons to regret.
My only complain about it is that the engineers who designed it are sadistic, it's a pain to change the oil filter or the battery
They're not sadistic, they just threw the dealerships a bone so that more people would come in.
A good argument against it would be that rather then buy 2 cars in 6 years you get one new car and have it for 6 years. I'm honestly not sure, but so far I've not had reasons to regret.
That's basically what I have. A good new car for ten years.
Eh, I've bought a used car with the express knowledge that I'm going to destroy it - small car plus 20,000mi/year means that the car's going to die, it's just a matter of when.
Still, managed to make enough of that 20,000mi/year business expenses that I made the purchase price back, which was the point.
A new car, if well maintained, cost less than the best used car you can buy.
I seriously doubt this.
I've owned exclusively used cars throughout my life. I keep up the maintenance on them, pay attention when the check engine light comes on, and maybe have to do a minor repair ($100-500) once every 2-3 years.
I've been left "stranded" exactly two times in my life; once when a timing element sensor in my '95 Mustang died, so the engine didn't know when to fire. Once when the alternator on a '98 Grand Am crapped out, so the battery died. In both cases, the cars were up and running again before the end of the day, and I was able to get myself to my destination via alternate means.
A subscription to AAA is absolutely worth it though, just for the peace of mind. Being able to call a single number for help anywhere in the US is extremely handy.
Just do your homework on the vehicle before you buy; there are car forums all over the place that will tell you everything you need to know about older cars and whether they're likely to have problems.
I don't care if you doubt it, I lived it. I got real sick and tired of going into the garage to repair one of our cars once a month. I was genuinely happy when I realized that I'd been driving 6 months in a new car and hadn't once needed to actually fix anything. I was even more ecstatic when that turned into a year... then into 2, then 3. If my car finally goes, I will cry because it has been the most loyal and enduring partner in my life. I've been able to depend on it more than my friends.
Thanks to cash for clunkers, I've only spend a grand total of maybe $8,000 - $9,000 on my car including all repairs and maintenance. First moderate problem was at 80,000 miles (tie-rod went bad). I've never had a used car do that. NEVER. If I buy a used car in January, it need repaired by June.
Hell, one of my friends bought a vehicle with no issues at all around 80,000 miles. The car literally started falling to pieces. Alternator, power steering, ignition coil, cluch, all of them seemed to die between 85k-90k miles. Then his door fell off.
From now on, I'm only buying new cars, or I'm buying two identical used cars. Never one.
I've owned exclusively used cars throughout my life. I keep up the maintenance on them, pay attention when the check engine light comes on, and maybe have to do a minor repair ($100-500) once every 2-3 years.
I'd spend $100-$500 every 3-6 months on every car. Nobody ever took good care of their cars, and worse, the cars were basically designed to fail.
This was during the popularity of the 2-3 year lease, so we'd have cars that were already shitting the bed at 40k-50k miles.
A subscription to AAA is absolutely worth it though, just for the peace of mind. Being able to call a single number for help anywhere in the US is extremely handy.
I've had it for years. I actually still have it now, but when I was living out of my new car, I sometimes lost charge on the battery by accident. (Might fall asleep with something running inside the car). So I just went out and bought one of $300 those handy-dandy portable battery jumpers & air compressors. It's totally worth it for yourself, if not for others.
Try investing your money in one thing or another. Do not waste it on an expensive car or resorts or stuff like that. I'm looking at me and my neighbors that have expensive cars and go on expensive trips, I do not see them being happier then I am. I've never bought a new car in my life and I still buy most things on discounts. Even my house, I bought it early, during construction for the discount.
Like you I was not raised with money, I was not poor but we did not have a lot and as a consequence I'm happy with little and I do not like to waste money.
See, that's a mistake to me.
We used cars all my life because we've got mechanical know how in our family. Then Cash For Clunkers came along, and you're god damned right I took advantage of that.
I also disagree with the Mises institute on this because they don't really seem to understand the problems of owning a used car. It only makes sense if you repair it yourself, and if you have one used car and no others, you're a god damned idiot. You need two used cars. One that runs, and the other that you're repairing. We've had three before, and we still ran into an incident where all 3 broke down in the same time frame. Used cars take an absolutely enormous toll on time and mechanical effort.
The new car I bought, I've just maintained properly. I hit it's first major repair at 80,000 miles. Buying a new car, means you don't need two. I think the optimal situation would be a new car and a used car later on of the same type and age that you can use as a parts car.
A new car, if well maintained, cost less than the best used car you can buy.
I'm not that good with cars. I can fix some easy stuff and I know what most of the components are but that is about it. I've not had much problems with them. Currently I have a 2012 Ford Kuga that did not break on me once. My only complain about it is that the engineers who designed it are sadistic, it's a pain to change the oil filter or the battery, a problem that newer version do not have. I usually keep a car for 2-3 years and then change it. A good argument against it would be that rather then buy 2 cars in 6 years you get one new car and have it for 6 years. I'm honestly not sure, but so far I've not had reasons to regret.
I'm not a fan of the car, but the price was good and is barely big enough for what I need.
They're not sadistic, they just threw the dealerships a bone so that more people would come in.
That's basically what I have. A good new car for ten years.
Eh, I've bought a used car with the express knowledge that I'm going to destroy it - small car plus 20,000mi/year means that the car's going to die, it's just a matter of when.
Still, managed to make enough of that 20,000mi/year business expenses that I made the purchase price back, which was the point.
Yeah, that bitch is gone. That's fair enough.
Did pretty well, though - held up to that sort of treatment for two-and-a-bit years.
Are you buying $600 used cars or something?
multi thousand dollar cars
Insert Toyota meme.
I'd buy a Toyota pickup truck. It comes with an endorsement from the Taliban for reliability, so it must be good.
There's this car mechanic guy on youtube who swears up and down Toyotas are the most reliable ever.
Not the fastest, comfortable or newest, but they run a long time with simple maintainence.
Check the used car listings in your area. If Toyotas hold their value best, then the guy was right.
I seriously doubt this.
I've owned exclusively used cars throughout my life. I keep up the maintenance on them, pay attention when the check engine light comes on, and maybe have to do a minor repair ($100-500) once every 2-3 years.
I've been left "stranded" exactly two times in my life; once when a timing element sensor in my '95 Mustang died, so the engine didn't know when to fire. Once when the alternator on a '98 Grand Am crapped out, so the battery died. In both cases, the cars were up and running again before the end of the day, and I was able to get myself to my destination via alternate means.
A subscription to AAA is absolutely worth it though, just for the peace of mind. Being able to call a single number for help anywhere in the US is extremely handy.
Just do your homework on the vehicle before you buy; there are car forums all over the place that will tell you everything you need to know about older cars and whether they're likely to have problems.
I don't care if you doubt it, I lived it. I got real sick and tired of going into the garage to repair one of our cars once a month. I was genuinely happy when I realized that I'd been driving 6 months in a new car and hadn't once needed to actually fix anything. I was even more ecstatic when that turned into a year... then into 2, then 3. If my car finally goes, I will cry because it has been the most loyal and enduring partner in my life. I've been able to depend on it more than my friends.
Thanks to cash for clunkers, I've only spend a grand total of maybe $8,000 - $9,000 on my car including all repairs and maintenance. First moderate problem was at 80,000 miles (tie-rod went bad). I've never had a used car do that. NEVER. If I buy a used car in January, it need repaired by June.
Hell, one of my friends bought a vehicle with no issues at all around 80,000 miles. The car literally started falling to pieces. Alternator, power steering, ignition coil, cluch, all of them seemed to die between 85k-90k miles. Then his door fell off.
From now on, I'm only buying new cars, or I'm buying two identical used cars. Never one.
I'd spend $100-$500 every 3-6 months on every car. Nobody ever took good care of their cars, and worse, the cars were basically designed to fail.
This was during the popularity of the 2-3 year lease, so we'd have cars that were already shitting the bed at 40k-50k miles.
I've had it for years. I actually still have it now, but when I was living out of my new car, I sometimes lost charge on the battery by accident. (Might fall asleep with something running inside the car). So I just went out and bought one of $300 those handy-dandy portable battery jumpers & air compressors. It's totally worth it for yourself, if not for others.