muttleynfelix
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Post by muttleynfelix on Apr 24, 2013 11:44:57 GMT -5
My car stalled on the way to work yesterday. It was raining like crazy and moisture got into the engine and stalled. I was about a half mile from the office when it happened and my boss came and picked me up and at lunch I walked back over to the car and it started right up. It also stalled about a month ago during a snow storm. Other than that, it has been a reliable car for being a 1998 with 193k miles on it. DH said he was going to call his brother to work on the car over the weekend and they would replace the distributor cap and silicone around it. My plan is to replace it in a year if everything goes well. But every time it leaves me stranded, I look online to see if maybe there is something out there that I might be able to afford that will last us another 14 years or so (or maybe only 10 years). We have $7k currently set aside for a new to me car, but that is about 1/3 of our non-retirement savings. I found a 2006 Kia Optima with 42k miles for $9k and I am so tempted to go look at it. I shouldn't. Our monthly budget doesn't balance at the moment when I account putting money in savings for things like propane and car insurance ![](http://syonidv.hodginsmedia.com/vsmileys/shucks2.png) . (I'm going to change my withholdings and in June we will change cell phone providers to make up the difference). Insurance on the Kia would be a lot more. We are sending DS to preschool in the fall and there is more money out of our pockets each month. In a year, the medical bills will be paid off and maybe even our other vehicle. The timing just sucks. I have being stranded. I hate my car stalling in the middle traffic. But I can't afford it. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/sad.png)
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swamp
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Post by swamp on Apr 24, 2013 11:48:02 GMT -5
If my car is leaving me stranded, I'm getting another one.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2013 11:48:56 GMT -5
WWSS
What Would Suze Say?
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swasat
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Post by swasat on Apr 24, 2013 11:51:10 GMT -5
So what if you are using up 1/3 of your non-retirement savings? If your car is not working, its not working. Then it becomes a need not a want.
Heck, I would use up the $7K and stop my retirment contributions for a few months if I had to buy a car and was short on funds. With a SAH spouse and two young kids you shouldn't be taking any chances with your vehicle.
I say go ahead and buy a new to you car. Stop retirement savings for a few months, if you have to. You can always start them back up.
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Bob Ross
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Post by Bob Ross on Apr 24, 2013 11:51:28 GMT -5
The solution? Slap some 22''s on that bitch. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/cool.png) This method has been proven time and time again by the residents of the ghetto communities not too far from my own.
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swasat
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Post by swasat on Apr 24, 2013 11:51:47 GMT -5
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2013 11:52:47 GMT -5
She would never say that.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2013 11:52:57 GMT -5
If my car is leaving me stranded, I'm getting another one. What she said.
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muttleynfelix
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Post by muttleynfelix on Apr 24, 2013 12:04:13 GMT -5
You guys aren't helping me. Hubby just wants to try to fix it and it is his car. He and his mom laughed that I was looking at cars after the first time it died.
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Bob Ross
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Post by Bob Ross on Apr 24, 2013 12:08:51 GMT -5
You guys aren't helping me. Hubby just wants to try to fix it and it is his car. He and his mom laughed that I was looking at cars after the first time it died. See if he can fix it then. And tell him that if it dies again, it's his fault and he's driving it from then on. Isn't that what women do? ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/tongue.png)
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midjd
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Post by midjd on Apr 24, 2013 12:09:15 GMT -5
You're not going to like my answer, but I'm with the others. You have a toddler and a baby and a SAHS... you need at least one reliable vehicle. What does your husband drive? Could you switch cars if he's handier and has more luck getting the other one started?
I was recently in a similar situation - my car wasn't dying on the road yet, but it was definitely nearing the end of its useful life. DH finally had to go all hard-ass on me and told me point-blank I wasn't driving that "deathtrap" around anymore. 200K miles is a great accomplishment and IMO you can't really expect much more than that. If you're planning to buy a newer car next year, what harm will come in moving that date up a few months?
I know Rukh has a great car for sale! Not sure how far a drive it would be for you, though...
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muttleynfelix
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Post by muttleynfelix on Apr 24, 2013 12:12:04 GMT -5
We have one reliable car. It is the baby mobile (2007 Nissan Murano) and whoever has the kids gets that car. But no, hubby can't trade with me because the car I drive is 2 door and getting 2 kids in and out of their car seats with DH's bad back in a 2 door car isn't going to happen.
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midjd
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Post by midjd on Apr 24, 2013 12:12:59 GMT -5
Have you quoted it? When I bought the 2013 Focus, our insurance (3 vehicles) went from about $800 a year to $1500 a year. And I have 2 accidents and a speeding ticket on my record. ![](http://syonidv.hodginsmedia.com/vsmileys/shucks2.png) So it might not be as bad as you think, especially with a 2006 on which you're not required to have full coverage...
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muttleynfelix
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Post by muttleynfelix on Apr 24, 2013 12:13:21 GMT -5
My parents are visiting in 10 days. They only live 100 miles from Rukh. I could have them go buy it and bring it down. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/tongue.png)
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2013 12:13:27 GMT -5
How far is it to work? Is it possible to ride your bike on really rainy days when you are worried about your car?
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Bob Ross
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Post by Bob Ross on Apr 24, 2013 12:16:12 GMT -5
We have one reliable car. It is the baby mobile (2007 Nissan Murano) and whoever has the kids gets that car. But no, hubby can't trade with me because the car I drive is 2 door and getting 2 kids in and out of their car seats with DH's bad back in a 2 door car isn't going to happen. But getting two kids in and out of the trunk would be surprisingly easy. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/laugh.png) What? ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/huh.gif)
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muttleynfelix
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Post by muttleynfelix on Apr 24, 2013 12:19:07 GMT -5
How far is it to work? Is it possible to ride your bike on really rainy days when you are worried about your car? Work is 20 miles on the interstate (longer on the back roads). I'm sure I would look real professional on those days too riding my bike in the rain. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/tongue.png)
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2013 12:26:36 GMT -5
If my car is leaving me stranded, I'm getting another one. ![](http://syonidv.hodginsmedia.com/vsmileys/yeahthat.gif)
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kittensaver
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Post by kittensaver on Apr 24, 2013 12:33:31 GMT -5
If I were the single wage earner trying to support a family, I sure as h*ll would make sure I was the one with reliable transportation every day. I could not/would not put our only paycheck in any kind of jeopardy. Sorry if this sounds harsh. I agree that you should have the reliable car and DH should spend some time figuring out how to get the cranky car fixed - or sold. The kids can stay home for a few days with a sitter or a family friend while he's out figuring out how to get back to being a 2-car family. JMHO YMMV
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Apr 24, 2013 12:33:35 GMT -5
The minute that my car starts leaving me stranded, that's when I get a new one. Your car has left you stranded more than once, that should say it all.
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giramomma
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Post by giramomma on Apr 24, 2013 12:41:28 GMT -5
We have one reliable car. It is the baby mobile (2007 Nissan Murano) and whoever has the kids gets that car. But no, hubby can't trade with me because the car I drive is 2 door and getting 2 kids in and out of their car seats with DH's bad back in a 2 door car isn't going to happen. How much driving does your H really do with the kids? When we bought our van, we traded in a 2002 Outback with something like 70K on it. KBB put the value between 4 and 5K. A car like that would be plenty good enough for him, and spacious enough to get the kids out.
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midjd
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Post by midjd on Apr 24, 2013 13:07:18 GMT -5
Could you at least drive the Murano on rainy days?
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muttleynfelix
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Post by muttleynfelix on Apr 24, 2013 13:12:41 GMT -5
We have one reliable car. It is the baby mobile (2007 Nissan Murano) and whoever has the kids gets that car. But no, hubby can't trade with me because the car I drive is 2 door and getting 2 kids in and out of their car seats with DH's bad back in a 2 door car isn't going to happen. How much driving does your H really do with the kids? When we bought our van, we traded in a 2002 Outback with something like 70K on it. KBB put the value between 4 and 5K. A car like that would be plenty good enough for him, and spacious enough to get the kids out. No idea ![](http://syonidv.hodginsmedia.com/vsmileys/shucks2.png) ; he does not give me a good account of what goes on during their days, although he has gotten better. I think most of the time it is just once a week, but sometimes he runs into town with them. Last week, it was 3 days, but DD stayed home with MIL for 2 of those days. It is really hard to find low mileage cars around here. I went and looked at the Kia Optima I saw online and it would be perfect. They have it priced a little high. I emailed DH and told him that I liked it. I know he is just going to argue with me about it.
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muttleynfelix
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Post by muttleynfelix on Apr 24, 2013 13:16:33 GMT -5
Could you at least drive the Murano on rainy days? Probably. I frankly hadn't even thought about it dying on me yesterday. I hadn't had trouble in torrential rain before and when I left my house, the main part of the storm had been past my house for quite a while. It is suppose to rain on Friday, so I guess we better figure something out for then.
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muttleynfelix
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Post by muttleynfelix on Apr 24, 2013 13:35:08 GMT -5
Rukh - At this point, I guess I'm not super interested. Like I said, I still have to convince DH that it is time to get something new. I would rather get something less than 10 years old even if it is low mileage. There are also some issues with getting child safety seats in older cars - MILs '95 doesn't have lock offs on the rear seatbelts so you can't lock the seat in place! Starting in the fall I will be transporting DS to preschool 3 days a week. I need to be able to have car seat safely installed.
ETA: If you still have her in June and I'm still looking, we might have to revisit this conversation. My sister is coming down then and she lives in Hoffman Estates.
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haapai
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Post by haapai on Apr 24, 2013 13:44:26 GMT -5
I'm not going to jump on bandwagon. I've been in the financial situation where driving an unreliable car was the best thing that I could do for myself. It drove me crazy when other people told me to just replace the beast already. Comp and collision on a newer vehicle would have cost me an additional $80 a month and put me in a cash-flow negative situation.
Is the Betsey paid for? Are you still carrying comp and collision on her? Will you have to finance any replacement and will you have to carry comp and collision? If you had to sell what you are driving, what could you get for it? If you had to scrap this car, would you get paid, have to fork out for the tow, or break even? Do you have a copy of the title on this vehicle or will you have to buy a quick title just to get rid of it? Was their ever a lein on this vehicle? If so, do you have the letter saying that the lein has been released?
You owe it to yourself to figure out the answers to the above questions. It also might be helpful to figure out exactly when your various debts will be paid off. Getting a handle on exactly when the cash flow will loosen up will help you make better decisions.
Finally, I don't think that your hubby and MIL should have laughed at you for investigating replacement. You should be allowed to at least look at those numbers without being mocked. On the other hand, their laughter may be strangely comforting, they seem to understand that replacing the car is probably not the right thing to do.
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haapai
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Post by haapai on Apr 24, 2013 14:04:49 GMT -5
The cost of a tow was insignificant as I had already shelled out for roadside assistance. (My dad taught me to ignore sunk costs at a very young age. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/wink.png) ) The cost of losing several hours of pay by being late and/or having to take a day off to buy a car was much more significant. I wasn't in any danger of exhausting my boss's patience. The car finally died at a rest stop 150 miles from home and I had the title with me so scraping it was easy and surprisingly profitable. Sometimes it's all about playing lousy cards well.
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giramomma
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Post by giramomma on Apr 24, 2013 14:06:59 GMT -5
No idea ![](http://syonidv.hodginsmedia.com/vsmileys/shucks2.png) ; he does not give me a good account of what goes on during their days, although he has gotten better. I think most of the time it is just once a week, but sometimes he runs into town with them. Last week, it was 3 days, but DD stayed home with MIL for 2 of those days. It is really hard to find low mileage cars around here. I went and looked at the Kia Optima I saw online and it would be perfect. They have it priced a little high. I emailed DH and told him that I liked it. I know he is just going to argue with me about it. What do you mean by low miles? For the amount of driving your DH is going to be doing for the foreseeable future, I'd strong suggest to him that he drive whatever you can afford for 5K, and you take his car. I generally don't pull the "Well, I'm the breadwinner, suck it up, buttercup" line with my husband. My DH is pretty good at realizing that I need to be able to go out and earn an income, and he needs to do his part to support that. But, I did tell him the other day when we were talking about finances, that while yes, there are negative consequences if DH does do what he's supposed to around the house. But the stakes are much higher if I'm not a reliable worker. We won't have a house to live in.....
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muttleynfelix
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Post by muttleynfelix on Apr 24, 2013 14:31:47 GMT -5
Is the Betsey paid for? Yes, paid off in 2003 (? - before I met DH)
Are you still carrying comp and collision on her? No, liability only
Will you have to finance any replacement and will you have to carry comp and collision? We dont' have to finance it, but we might if interest rates are below 4%. I would probably do comp and collision because I could not easily afford to replace the whatever we buy even if we pay it off.
If you had to sell what you are driving, what could you get for it? $500 maybe. The dealer asked me if I had a trade in and I said probably not. Told him it was a '98 with 193k and you would probably only give me $2 for it. He said well, we could do a little better than $2, but not a lot. We are going to ask DH's brothers if they want the car before we sell it/trade it in.
If you had to scrap this car, would you get paid, have to fork out for the tow, or break even? I pay $3/month for roadside assistance on my cell phone...of course I am ditching that plan in June and going prepaid, so probably won't have that option. So, I wouldn't have to pay to tow it anywhere, junking it would gain us about $500.
Do you have a copy of the title on this vehicle or will you have to buy a quick title just to get rid of it? No. I don't own the vehicle, DH does. I don't know where the title is
Was their ever a lein on this vehicle? If so, do you have the letter saying that the lein has been released? Yes, there was. I have no clue about lien release.
What do you mean by low miles? Something under 60k would be my preference. I won't buy anything with more than 100k on it.
For the amount of driving your DH is going to be doing for the foreseeable future, I'd strong suggest to him that he drive whatever you can afford for 5K, and you take his car. - The Murano only gets 20mpg. Now right now the VW is only getting 24-25. I guess my bottom line is I'm not taking the Murano away from the kids. We got it because we have kids. I know they don't go out in it that often now, but that will increase dramatically in the fall when DS goes to preschool.
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kittensaver
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Post by kittensaver on Apr 24, 2013 15:34:29 GMT -5
:: I guess my bottom line is I'm not taking the Murano away from the kids. We got it because we have kids. I know they don't go out in it that often now, but that will increase dramatically in the fall when DS goes to preschool. :: So can't you take it temporarily (for a few days or a few weeks) until you guys sort out what to do? Seems to me that would be better than the daily worry of wondering if the car is going to break down . . . . but maybe that's just me ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/tongue.png)
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