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Re: Thanks! That'd work for me. Posted by Justin VanAbrahams [Email] (#32) [Profile/Gallery] (more from Justin VanAbrahams) on Fri, 19 Jul 2013 13:24:05 In Reply to: Re: Thanks! That'd work for me., No Snaab, Fri, 19 Jul 2013 08:45:00 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
I had that conversation with one of my coworkers, who was trying to figure out my approach, why I own a bunch of oddball cars. Fact is, what's in my driveway probably cost less than a new Accord V6 and I can guaran-damn-tee I'm happier driving each and any of them than I would be an Accord V6. Admittedly, it'd be nice if they were all running perfectly all the time, but I'm an opportunist when it comes to cars, and if owning a Fiero or an XR4Ti - both of which are super fun - means sometimes they gotta sit quietly for a month or so while I gather up some replacement parts or find an hour or two to set things right, that's a price I'm willing to pay. I could drive a fairly new car for 4-6 years and then change it for another, or I could have a half dozen far more interesting choices and change it up as the mood or need suits me.
Financially speaking, my approach may not actually save money versus one new/recent car, but it's close and it certainly doesn't cost me more. In California I get *screwed* on registration, paying close to $800 annually. But, I save money on insurance, depreciation barely affects me, and by not having to fix my only car *right now* to get to work tomorrow I can buy parts when (or where) they're cheap and fix stuff myself when I have time versus having to buy parts now at whatever price and potentially paying someone to fix whatever happens while I'm at work so I can keep using it.
This approach isn't for everyone, but it works for me - and works for me quite well. I like having a choice when I drive anywhere, and I like being able to swap cars once or twice a year without checking the bank balance. My net loss on cars since 2003 (when I started tracking it) is somewhere in the neighborhood of $8,000. That's just a couple years' depreciation on an Accord V6! :)
posted by 12.195.130...
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