RastaDec 30, 2024

I was busy elsewhere today..

#GoodEvening #BonneSoirée #GutenAbend

I needed another vehicle. It's a little risky to buy from someone leaving the country suddenly, but it was in my price range. So, everything from test drive, pulling money from the bank, getting insurance, picking it up and waiting hours at the Licensing office to register it. That was my entire day. (well, I was home for lunch) . I hope I invested in a couple of years of use.

Show threadThe Lady (La Donna)Dec 31, 2024
@Rasta
I hope this turns out to be a "better than you expected" purchase 🤞
Show threadRastaDec 31, 2024
@ldmay65
Oh my. I remember the good old days, when I could pull two paycheques out and buy an old car.
Dealers no longer inspect and resell cars on trade. You need a tow truck to get them home. And at full used price. This guy seemed honest and a decent guy. I didn't ask if he HAD to leave the country, but I was concerned about not having enough time to process the whole deal. I spotted the advert at 6pm, and was there at 9am, the rest of the day was paying for it, getting paperwork done ASAP
Show threadRastaDec 31, 2024
@ldmay65 Because if something would not be correct, incorrectly dated, or signed in the wrong spot, that would be the end of it.
I've said ,after bills, I can afford $500/month. I can save it in the winter too. So I just get saved up.. and something new eats the money.
Christmas there's no GIFTS, it's cash for the kids/grandkids, there's $1000. Hot water heater went, as soon as I spent that money, $900. just spent $2000 on the older van since May, It's a hard choice to buy a used car.
Show threadRastaDec 31, 2024
@ldmay65 But, all cars need work. It has a little rust and trim on one side, lots of wear inside, but leather seats for the cats to shred.
I've always taken out van seats. It's my wife and I, kennels, cats and plants everywhere I drive. the seats will stay for now, until I start moving to the country for summer ( if everything lasts so long)
There were things on my other van that were gone forever. You'd never get AC fixed. Cost more than the vehicle by a lot. Remote receiver went, one key..
Show threadRasta
@ldmay65 And I had to put an alternator in it, which was pretty expensive by itself, it's a common van, but the Alternator was more than my large RV Camper alternator cost. To have the garage put it in, would again, be more expensive than the van is worth. Now, I usually pay cash for my vehicles. I save up, and go buy it. If you divide the entire year's maintenance cost, it's far cheaper than a car payment per month, less insurance, worry, interest or other. Still needs tires.. Oil changes
Dec 31, 2024 at 5:25amWeb
Show threadRastaDec 31, 2024
@ldmay65
I've owned 2 new cars in my life. both were bad investments. My first, was the year they started selling Honda Civics, nice little car, but an axle wore out in 6 months, not a warranty item? And rust ate the paint of it the first year. Great little drive, but metal and body were junk. They improved since then, and raised prices from cheapest to a luxury purchase today. Anyway. I bought a new luxury looking sedan when I had children and child seats. Car payments ate up money.
Show threadRastaDec 31, 2024
@ldmay65 We wanted a house. There was no way I could afford another payment.
The plan was, sell the new car, spend the car payment on a mortgage... took a huge loss on the new car, 6 months old, less than half the value offered by dealer. Kept it a full year, and sold it privately for more. But, still needed a car, but now I needed 2, since I worked on ships, and my home was outside the city (now my summer camp)
I've never owned or wanted a new car since.
I'm not a mechanic at all BTW
Show threadRastaDec 31, 2024
@ldmay65
When you can't afford the repair shop, you either learn to repair or you don't drive. And rural, while it was far superior in 1980 to 2020, still had min-resources. Garages closed at 5pm, gas pumps with them. If I was called to work in the middle of the night, I needed two cars, full of gas, ready to go. If one didn't start, I was in the other and gone.
When I was running my DJ business, I needed a van(s), same idea, used vans, hauling gear, they get beat up. But, useful for us
Show threadRastaDec 31, 2024
@ldmay65
My wife had to give up her little car, it rusted in the driveway, I'm always driving and we don't need two cars. But outside the city you do. I was stranded with two vehicles at once, part at the garage for my pickup, and I blew a tire on a sharp stone. No air pumps, no phone service (I have CAA/AAA) and it's 100 miles to the city.. Same when the Alternator went in summer. How to get it to the city to fix it? CAA won't take passengers with towed vehicles since Covid. No bus service
Show threadRastaDec 31, 2024
@ldmay65
Anyway, I just got up from a nap, so you've got my full ADHD going. This is turning into a chapter. But, just hoping this vehicle runs well, and has minimal problems. And that the other keeps going until summer, because it has the trailer hitch.