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Way to go, Pepinox! I have the same philosophy. I can't fix my car but I have an excellent mechanic NOT LOCATED AT THE DEALERSHIP who will order aftermarket or find good used parts when I need my car fixed. He understands my philosophy and helps me to keep my car safe, enjoyable and cheap to maintain. I've found that if I do my research and buy a very well made used car (2 years old) and maintain it very well, I save TONS of money. My current car is a 2001 Saab and people tell me all of the time (not that it matters one whit what others think) that it looks new because I take such good care of it. This is only the 5th car I have had in my life (and 2 of the 5 were replaced because of total-loss accidents - neither my fault!). Not having car payments is SUCH a gift......driving something shiny new, which wears off very quckly, simply can't compete with the feeling of having paid-for, reliable transportation. Good for you!
For me that issue isn't enough to motivate me to trade a perfectly good and safe vehicle. Sure, there are probably 100 other features available on other cars that enhance safety but you never will have every safety feature. I never had curtain airbags so if they come with my next car down the road, it will be an enhancement. Now if my airbags didn't work at all, my brakes were unsafe or there was some critical issue....sure I would take action as a responsible driver but curtain airbags aren't a necessity imho.
I'm with Tinabean and Pepinox when it comes to vehicles. I drive a 1997 Honda CR-V, of which I'm the original owner, that just rolled over to 290,700 miles. It's a great vehicle that I maintain according to the manufacturer's recommendations (regular oil changes and other service intervals) by non-deal but manufacturer-certified mechanics. All parts have been Honda or, in the case of the radiator, an after-market version.
Aside from the obvious of not having a collision, I think the key to the longevity has been the regular maintenance. Our mechanics are great! The regular services enable them to inspect and catch things before an issue turns into something bigger (and more expensive). One thing in particular that I think vital is that my baby has always had a Honda oil filter. (No quick-change, chain oil places for my Hondas.) As a result, it never has dripped one spot of oil.
Some may think it's not fugal to spend $$ on periodic services, but in the long run, doing so has always resulted in having vehicles that are super reliable for years.
Some may think it's not fugal to spend $$ on periodic services, but in the long run, doing so has always resulted in having vehicles that are super reliable for years.
I'm enjoying the posts about keeping older vehicles running, although I do not own a car personally.
Everytime I see the title of this thread pop up, I chuckle a bit.
"Purchase" and "Frugal" don't really belong in the same sentence in my mind.
Part of being frugal, for me anyway, is making do with what one has, making things last as long as possible and trading/bartering or getting things for "free" whenever possible.
I've found great deals on ebay on used items. My daughters Jr Prom and Sr Ball dresses were $7 and $1 respectively. Fortunately she was on board with it and now shops used herself for many things
I've found great deals on ebay on used items. My daughters Jr Prom and Sr Ball dresses were $7 and $1 respectively. Fortunately she was on board with it and now shops used herself for many things
I knew a couple of teenaged sisters who would hit all of the used clothing stores in town and would buy up all of the popular brands at a good price. Then they sold all of that stuff on E-bay. They pretty much financed their college education at the local state school.
I have 2 I can tell about. Several years ago I went to an auction at an older house. They brought up a couple boxes (maybe about the size of a 12 pack box) full of roofing nails and put them with some other stuff. My friend bought it all for $10 and got a surprise when we looked at the nails. They were old copper roofing nails. We were 2 blocks from a recycling center. He took the nails and sold them there. Don't remember the price per pound but he got close to $40!
My recent tale happened last week. My son had been looking for a small boat. He was given a trolling motor in exchange for working on a man's computer and needed something to put it on. Found a good deal in an online classified ad. 14 ft. wide bottom john boat, with trailer, $500. He called and talked to the man and was ready to buy it when he got better news. The man said,"I'll tell you what. My wife told me to get rid of all my toys all over the yard so, if you'll come tomorrow and get it, I'll sell it to you for $300." We were there to pick it up by noon! lol The boat looks great, no holes or dents. Trailer is in great shape too!
I'm with Tinabean and Pepinox when it comes to vehicles. I drive a 1997 Honda CR-V, of which I'm the original owner, that just rolled over to 290,700 miles. It's a great vehicle that I maintain according to the manufacturer's recommendations (regular oil changes and other service intervals) by non-deal but manufacturer-certified mechanics. All parts have been Honda or, in the case of the radiator, an after-market version.
Aside from the obvious of not having a collision, I think the key to the longevity has been the regular maintenance. Our mechanics are great! The regular services enable them to inspect and catch things before an issue turns into something bigger (and more expensive). One thing in particular that I think vital is that my baby has always had a Honda oil filter. (No quick-change, chain oil places for my Hondas.) As a result, it never has dripped one spot of oil.
Some may think it's not fugal to spend $$ on periodic services, but in the long run, doing so has always resulted in having vehicles that are super reliable for years.
Nancy, my Geo Tracker has somewhere around 400,000 miles on it. The reason we're not for sure is when my step daughter and husband owned it (I took over bank payments) they were doing 85 down the Pa Turnpike when the speedometer cable broke. Said it sounded like a honey bee on steroids and scared them half to death. They just never bothered to replace the cable. I drove it a couple years the same way.
What helped me keep from speeding is those signs the state police put out to show you what your speed is. On my Tracker 55 MPH is 3000 RPMs. lol
Something else I did was on a station wagon I owned. The windshield wiper motor went out. A new one was $80. I love using Rainex. I have met semis in pouring down rain and not needed wipers. Water just runs right off. My boss asked me why I didn't get another wiper motor. Wiper motor is $80. Rainex is $2. I drove 4 years, rain and snow, with no windshield wipers, just Rainex.
Fields of Green - I agree $175 is WAY to much for cell phone use. I think I am paying way too much with $24 for 200 minutes when I never use over 100 minutes. My husband's plan is "grandfathered" and he pays only $14 tops - sometimes comes in at $11. We both have Verizon, but it isn't a family plan. and I'm hoping I can get a cheaper plan with U S Cellular.
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Now if my airbags didn't work at all, my brakes were unsafe or there was some critical issue....sure I would take action as a responsible driver but curtain airbags aren't a necessity imho.
