Yeah!!! My Car is Paid Off...

[iGary]

Yeah, right.

105,000 miles.

October: Timing Belt - $495.00
November: Front Struts - $215.00
December; Two Front Control Arms Found During Above Repair: $700.00

Still yet to go:

Clutch: $550.00
Brakes: $450.00
Tires: $400.00
110,000 Service: $400.00

"Wow no more car payment I get to save $350.00 every month.

Anyone else?

 

[skunk]

My annual service costs £700-£1,200.


Servicing the car is even more.

 

[iGary]

My annual service costs £700-£1,200.


Servicing the car is even more.

The thing that pisses me off is that the car has been immaculately maintained. Every factory service, the works.

I think the three years in Washington DC roached the suspension, though, hence the shocks and broken control arms.

 

[skunk]

Mine has major crises in components I didn't even know existed. That's the trouble with cars these days: you used to be able to fix just about anything with a hammer, a wrench and a screwdriver. Now you need some £200,000 computer before it'll even tell you the time of day.

 

[aquajet]

I picked up my beetle from the dealership today. It's been in there since Friday for transmission repairs -- a new seal and a new oil cooler, plus a new filter and fluid. $1200

Right now, it's in another shop for:

timing belt $650
coolant system flange (not sure yet)
window regulator $280

So after this week, I've paid $2130, not including the flange.

At least I own it. It's got 154k miles. I'm hoping for at least another 100k.

 

[strider42]

It feels great doesn't it. I paid off my first car 5 years ago, and its let me save a bunch of money. My insurance is lower (car isn't worth anything), it gets decent gas mileage, and no monthly bill.

I have spent a bunch on maintence over the last few years, way more than I wanted to (and I do every factory recmomended service and change the oil every 3000 miles). But its still been worth fixing it because a new car would cost more than that per year and the insurance costs would be higher as well. I just want to keep it going another 2 years so I can continue saving money so I can maybe start my own business in the future. At that point hopefully I can take on a monthly payment with no problem. I could do it now, but that would rpevent me from saving as much in the short term, and that's what its all about for me at this particular point in time.

 

[iGary]

Mine has major crises in components I didn't even know existed. That's the trouble with cars these days: you used to be able to fix just about anything with a hammer, a wrench and a screwdriver. Now you need some £200,000 computer before it'll even tell you the time of day.

Yup - I used to do everything with my fvirst couple of cars.

I wouldn't touch mine even if I had a slight clue.

 

[aquajet]

My friend tried to talk me into just buying a new car. Why the hell should I pay 15k or more for a new car? Why not spend a couple grand to take care of a bunch of stuff and keep it going? My car is in primo shape and the two major components -- engine and transmission -- are in solid mechanical condition. Honestly, I don't know what some people are thinking.

 

[WildCowboy]

Yowzers. I don't drive much...I've only got 33k on mine, and it's over six years old now. But the only thing I've had to put into it outside of oil changes and the usual maintenance is new brakes about a year ago. I had a few other things go wrong during the warranty period, but they were obviously all covered.

I'll be taking it in for a new battery soon, as it's still the original and I don't want to stuck when it decides to conk out. Also having problems with the display on my stereo...it only works about 2% of the time.

 

[BoyBach]

I'm going to "pay off" the outstanding finance on my car this month (or maybe in December) so that I can sell it to help fund 2007.

But before I can sell it, it needs a few things fixed:

New MOT
The drivers side lock doesn't "unlock" manually
The driver's side window stutters and screeches when rising and lowering
A small dent on the passenger door
A tiny scratch in the bumper
The rear bumper squeaks (it sounds like I'm smuggling a canary in the boot)
The rear spoiler is working it's way loose

So far I've bought some new dust caps (they were stolen and they only cost 99 pence in Motorworld ) and booked a MOT for this weekend.

(Yes I have a list written down to help motivate me - it's not working!)

 

[Abstract]

My car is being serviced today. No problems, just oil change, and some other really bull**** type tasks that are probably easy to do, but will cost me $150 anyway. It's around 20 months old.

 

[vniow]

I'm so glad I don't own one anymore.

 

[Graeme A]

We were so happy to pay for our car a couple of years back. We paid it off early and saved about $5000 on interest.

That letter telling us that Toyota took their ownership interests off the car was beautiful to read. Just pains me to have to keep giving VICRoads $600 a year for the rego.

 

[rdowns]

Car ownership sucks. I lease my cars and get a new one every 4 years, just before the warranty runs out.

 

[sushi]

The best car in the world is a paid for car.

Car payments suck!

Luckily I have not had a car payment in many years. It is surprising how much more money is left over at the end of the month when you don't have a car payment to make.

I once had a paid for car many years ago. All I had to pay for was taxes and insurance to have it sit in my garage. Hardly anything at all. The car worked well and got great gas mileage. But then things started to go. I got concerned that I was wasting money keeping the car going.

Then I made a big mistake and went out and bought a new nice car. My monthly car payments were terrible. Insurance rates went up. Taxes went up. Fuel costs went up (it was a performance type car).

Then I got deployed in the military. So now I have this expensive car sitting in my garage that I can't even drive, making monthly payments that were more than my last cars yearly costs. That is how I learned my lesson.

When my current car goes, I will purchase a nice used car to replace it. And I will do it with cash. No more car payments for me!

On a side note, mortgage payments suck too! Just paid one of mine off this month!

 

[Counterfit]

Unemployed + monthly car payment =
Some February, I have to start paying for my car ($296/month). I need a job

 

[benthewraith]

Car ownership sucks. I lease my cars and get a new one every 4 years, just before the warranty runs out.

Leasing a car? My mom leased her car, came to realize that she liked the car, and decided to buy it. She was just throwing money into the wind for a car that she liked and could own. I'm probably going to get a new car after college. I've put over 20,000 mi on my car since last year.

I'm also about 2,000 mi overdo for an oil change. :S

 

[sushi]

Unemployed + monthly car payment =
Some February, I have to start paying for my car ($296/month). I need a job

Ouch! Good luck at finding a job.

 

[DZ/015]

Congratulations on paying off the thing! Now you can save your money for lube™ jobs.

 

[sushi]

Now you can save your money for lube™ jobs.

They can get expensive!

 

[DZ/015]

Buy 4 and the 5th is free! This should take the sting out of the purchase.

 

[Markleshark]

My annual service costs £700-£1,200.


Servicing the car is even more.

! What do you own?

Also, servicing my own car means cheaper... I think ive spent about £150 on my car since Feb. That includes 4 new tyres (and a set of Alloy Wheels) and a new clutch (after 97,000 woman miles )... I guess its not what you know, but who you know...

 

[bartelby]

I'm going to "pay off" the outstanding finance on my car this month (or maybe in December) so that I can sell it to help fund 2007.

But before I can sell it, it needs a few things fixed:

New MOT
The drivers side lock doesn't "unlock" manually
The driver's side window stutters and screeches when rising and lowering
A small dent on the passenger door
A tiny scratch in the bumper
The rear bumper squeaks (it sounds like I'm smuggling a canary in the boot)
The rear spoiler is working it's way loose

So far I've bought some new dust caps (they were stolen and they only cost 99 pence in Motorworld ) and booked a MOT for this weekend.

(Yes I have a list written down to help motivate me - it's not working!)

My Alfa is in for her MOT today. She'll go through that, then an Alfa service and then she's for sale!

I have to buy dustcaps too! I bought some for our new car and they were pinched!!

 

[Ish]

Yeah!!! My Car is Paid Off…

Great!! … My car has just been written off.

 

[Abstract]

My car is being serviced today. No problems, just oil change, and some other really bull**** type tasks that are probably easy to do, but will cost me $150 anyway. It's around 20 months old.

Wow, one painless maintenance check later, and the car just drives noticeably better. I think even the breaks work better!