Author Topic: car 3000 miles away  (Read 3312 times)

cbear

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car 3000 miles away
« on: August 06, 2013, 09:12:06 PM »
My friend lives in a cold east cold city where he recently moved for work.  The other day while we were talking about his love life, poor finances, he tells me he is still making payments on a  new car he financed that is still in another state 3000 miles away.  He is keeping it so he can drive it when he goes for a visit, 2-3 times a year.  Not to mention paying for parking, insurance, whatever.  He couldn't understand why I was so upset.

superhero

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Re: car 3000 miles away
« Reply #1 on: August 07, 2013, 01:01:36 PM »
That's pretty sad. People get so attached to cars, it's the last thing they want to give up most of the time. Expensive car payment and high interest CC debt payments? The car is non-negotiable. It boggles the mind.

Also, like your friend, people don't understand the "total cost" of a car. Parking, insurance, registration and depreciation (yes it depreciates even if it just sits).

mpbaker22

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Re: car 3000 miles away
« Reply #2 on: August 07, 2013, 02:58:18 PM »
Also, like your friend, people don't understand the "total cost" of a car. Parking, insurance, registration and depreciation (yes it depreciates even if it just sits).

Nah, man.  Didn't you know those are all just set expenses.  They don't change just by owing a car.

I'm being sarcastic, but that's truly what a lot of people think.

Numbers Man

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Re: car 3000 miles away
« Reply #3 on: August 07, 2013, 03:06:38 PM »
I used to live in Chicago and visit a couple of times a year. It costs me approximately $200 a year for a rental car. Sounds like your friend needs some serious counseling from others as well. In other words, an intervention. Don't try to be the lonely voice, it's not worth the stomach acid.

rockstache

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Re: car 3000 miles away
« Reply #4 on: August 08, 2013, 10:17:52 AM »
That's pretty sad. People get so attached to cars, it's the last thing they want to give up most of the time.

I am actually pretty emotionally attached to my 2003 Toyota Corolla which has 190K miles on it. It was my first car, and I have had it for >10 years now. It wasn't very mustachian at the time, as my stepfather pushed me to buy it new (and I had no idea what I was doing), but I have experienced a lot of life in/with that car, and I sincerely hope it goes for another 30+ years.

I can't imagine being attached to an expensive item just because of brand or style or whatever though. Especially if I only got to visit it 2-3 times per year...yikes!

cbear

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Re: car 3000 miles away
« Reply #5 on: August 08, 2013, 08:21:21 PM »
I don't think he's attached to the car, I think he's too lazy to figure out another way.  Oh - and he's sleeping on couches in his new city because its expensive. 

fiveoclockshadow

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Re: car 3000 miles away
« Reply #6 on: August 09, 2013, 01:12:45 PM »
Heh...

I'm in a similar but slightly less face-punchy situation.  I've got an old truck in storage on the other side of the country from me that I use for camping vacations.  The rental fees on anything that could get me where I want to go (4WD) are insane, so as long as I use it for two weeks a year it is a "win" (well, obviously short of deciding that I don't need to go camping in that part of the country which would of course be even cheaper).  It is paid for with insurance dialed down to the minimums and little maintenance.  It still seems like a luxury when I consider the annual expense involved in storage/insurance.  If it was new and I was making payments on it too?  Ouch!

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!