Author Topic: Sell Car / Junk car  (Read 2716 times)

Bluethunder

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Sell Car / Junk car
« on: December 26, 2016, 04:58:40 PM »
Hello,

I've been lurking this site for awhile.  I'm currently 34 years old and live with my mom.  Cheap rent and obviously no gf.  I'm pretty sure I had the cheapness disease before I found mmm which sort of brings me to my problem.

I have a 2001 Hyundai Accent with 103k miles that was bought new for me by my parents in highschool.  I think it cost a little over 8k.  Manual transmission which I had replaced after it hit 10 years and 100k that was not covered because it just barely outlasted the warranty.  I've also had two clutches changed.  I sorta stopped driving it because I was afraid to drive it after I put like 2000 dollars into it.  I should have just junked it then...  It runs fine now, but has a lot of sun damage on the paint and a few dents and scrapes.  I used it to commute to college and then to work.  When I moved back in with my mom a few years ago and realized that I could get to work by biking and train.  So I put my car into PNO status and start the engine once a week and make sure to move it a tad so its not sitting on the tires at the same spot. I also disconnect the battery when not in use to conserve charge.

I looked into Metromile and I could probably get a monthly rate of about 20ish dollars a month, but I don't think I would really drive it, but I may eventually need it if say I moved or got a new job or in the unlikely event I got a gf.  I'm torn between selling it to maybe Carmaxx or maybe try to sell it privately or keeping it the way it is or insuring it...  Right now my mom has a backup van that she lets me use once every other week to go shopping for us or if I need to run a quick errand.  It basically sits most of the time too so I figure I'm actually cycling the fluids and charging her battery so...that's a good thing right? lol.

So my questions is...what would you do?  I fear I'd maybe only get something like $500 MAYBE from Carmax, but that requires that i register and smog it before I bring it in which would probably be $150.  Private seller...I'm not sure I could get more than $1000?  Its a solid little car, but I'm afraid if I let it sit for another year or so it may just stop working altogether being constantly outside.  I'm not sure my mom wants me to dump my car because she thinks I need to get out more and I don't want to use her van more than just occasionally.  To be honest I'm totally fine just being a hermit that goes to work.  My greatest fear is that I get rid of it and then need to drop a few thousand on another used car resulting in a net loss...
« Last Edit: December 26, 2016, 05:22:12 PM by Bluethunder »

marielle

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Re: Sell Car / Junk car
« Reply #1 on: December 27, 2016, 06:55:07 AM »
I don't think this is something people here could really answer for you. This is all about what you want out of life. You kind of sound a little depressed/pessimistic. "Unlikely event I got a gf"...Do you actually want a relationship or are you just saying this because it's the "expected" thing to do? What do you want out of life? Are you happy with where you are? If yes, then sell the car and keep doing you.
Do you want to be more independent, experience life, work towards your goals and hobbies (Idk...whatever your aspirations are), then maybe you need that car. But it doesn't sound like you have any sort of plans at all right now.

FWIW, a car that runs with that few miles can be sold for at least $1500-2000 especially with a new transmission. Unless there are other problems or really bad body damage other than minor scratches/dings.

Malum Prohibitum

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Re: Sell Car / Junk car
« Reply #2 on: December 27, 2016, 07:02:41 AM »
What does your mother's opinion on the subject matter?  How old are you?

Fishindude

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Re: Sell Car / Junk car
« Reply #3 on: December 27, 2016, 07:04:54 AM »
If it just sitting unused, you may as well unload it.  Cars that sit for long periods unused, ten to wind up with bigger problems.
I'd sell to a private buyer on Craigslist or similar, as is, cash deal.

Bluethunder

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Re: Sell Car / Junk car
« Reply #4 on: December 27, 2016, 11:28:43 AM »
I am very pessimistic.  I'm not happy with where I am.  And beyond saving aggressively to just sit at home I don't really have any goals. But, I feel pressure to make the most of being able to save as much as i can for as long as I can...but that could end up being a very long time.  I think I'll at least register and smog my car and see if just having a car available makes a difference.  I can always sell it later or trash it.  Lol.  I didn't realize my depressed self was so apparent.

marielle

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Re: Sell Car / Junk car
« Reply #5 on: December 27, 2016, 11:59:05 AM »
I am very pessimistic.  I'm not happy with where I am.  And beyond saving aggressively to just sit at home I don't really have any goals. But, I feel pressure to make the most of being able to save as much as i can for as long as I can...but that could end up being a very long time.  I think I'll at least register and smog my car and see if just having a car available makes a difference.  I can always sell it later or trash it.  Lol.  I didn't realize my depressed self was so apparent.

Well...you typically save because you're saving towards something. If you have no hobbies and nothing you like to do or strive for, having a lot of money saved up or even being financially independent isn't going to magically change that. No amount of money is going to transform you into an outgoing person that is constantly busy during retirement. You're just going to be sitting on a ton of money and not know what to do with it. And...many hobbies, activities, volunteering, etc are free or dirt cheap so there's no reason to sit around just because you're saving (and that's not really the real reason anyway I'm guessing). You need to stop worrying so much about every little penny (like your concern for paying the $150 for inspection...which is really nothing) and figure out why you're actually saving. If you have some hair-on-fire debt like credit card debt, then yeah keep doing what you're doing and pay that off ASAP! Saving as much as you possibly can just to save is pretty much pointless if it makes you unhappy and gives you no freedom. Sure I could live in my car just to save that $500 a month on rent...but that would not make me happy. I could eat only beans and rice for years to save another $150 a month but at what cost? I would be miserable. Your life now is also important, and many people forget that when trying to go crazy with financial independence. No one is making you feel that pressure to save but you.

Don't trash the car. That is not a junk car. It might not look pretty but it only has 100k miles and a brand new transmission.

Bluethunder

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Re: Sell Car / Junk car
« Reply #6 on: December 27, 2016, 05:35:25 PM »
That's a good point...my mom told me she thinks I'm going to be a crazy person who sleeps under a bridge with millions of dollars one day.  My old boss thinks I shouldn't limit myself and having a car would open up opportunities that I'm closing off right now.

I think I'm doing pretty good financially. No debt.  So maybe don't have to be excessively extreme...

I actually feel much better.  I wasn't sure how long I could stand just sitting around accumulating money.  At least now I have a tiny goal. Baby steps
« Last Edit: December 27, 2016, 05:37:36 PM by Bluethunder »

kscubz

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Re: Sell Car / Junk car
« Reply #7 on: December 28, 2016, 12:53:35 AM »
Where do you live?  If you decide to sell it i would be interested in buying it. I'm in the SF Bay Area.