So. This urgent need came up for me to get to the Big City.
I mean the Actual Big City (hereinafter ABC) as opposed to the place I laughingly call the big city (PILCTBC) or the cute little resort town (CLRT), the two places locals go to shop.
I don’t currently have a working car. That has so far been no great problem. Yes, it’s been a gigantic grumple trudging on foot through the worst season the PNW has had in 30 years. But it’s not like I have to walk through Minnesota blizzards. It’s not like I even have to walk far to get anyplace. It’s been fine. Easy, really.
But now I had to get to the ABC, the Real Deal, which is three hours away on the freeway. Not wanting to impose on a friend, I told my contact in the ABC I’d try to plot out a bus trip. I knew it would be complicated, but little did I really know.
And this is where you smack head-on into the hazards of living in the wayback.
Of course, there’s no public transport direct from the wayback to the ABC. And certainly no car rental outfits, taxis, Ubers, or any of the other things you civilized types are used to. So first I plotted a bus route that went through the PILCTBC. Uh oh. Not only would it take five buses (from four different transit systems) plus an Uber (or a sixth bus from a fifth transit system) to get where I needed to go. But it couldn’t be done.
The buses were almost comically timed NOT to coordinate with each other. For instance the bus from the PILCTBC was scheduled to arrive precisely five minutes after the Greyhound left for the ABC.
There was no way to take that route without staying overnight somewhere. And this, I remind you, for a trip that takes three hours by car.
Then I plotted the route through the cute little resort town (CLRT). Only three buses and an Uber (or a fourth bus) this time. But the bus from the CLRT to the ABC left early in the morning. And guess what? You can’t reach the CLRT early in the morning … unless you drive.
Then I thought about finding my way to the CLRT later in the day and renting a car. They wanted $140 minimum for the three hours I’d need their vehicle.
Headbang. Headbang. Headbang.
Finally I hit on a route that could be done in one day for some reasonable rate. It involved: three buses, two Ubers, and Amtrak. And it would get me to the ABC after an exhausting nine hours. Probably too late in the day to do any good.
I ended up prostrating myself at neighbor J’s feet, begging her to drive me in her nice, friendly car to the ABC. For money, for whatever you want. Just please, please, please, please, please don’t make me face government transit from the middle of nowhere to the Actual Big City.
Of course she said yes as easily as if blowing her whole day for me was a minor inconvenience. All she wanted in return was a tank full of gas and lunch at her favorite burger joint.
But you see what you were asking me to do, you folks who helpfully suggested back in February that I take a bus or a train — or hey, just rent a car! — to reach the ABC for my Big, Scary Medical Exam? Damn near caused me a nervous breakdown, merely attempting to make such nonsense work.
That’s one of the prices of living off the beaten path.
That is why I’m going to buy a car to replace Old Blue. And this time, even if I have to sell my soul to a bank and make payments for five years (something I have not done in decades), that car is not going to be another ancient beater. It’s going to be the car that will last me the rest of my life.
And get me wherever I need to go.
Let me ruin your day and suggest that you DON’T buy the car… after you factor in the monthly payments, insurance, maintenance etc., plus you know you’re gonna be using it for those trips into ‘town’ with a lot more frequency than you are probably willing to admit… that’s more money on gas and less exercise for you….
And after all that, in a years time you can afford to rent that car many times over for when you *really* need one….
Oh that reminds me – I think I’ll jump in the truck and drive 5 blocks to pick up that pizza… 😉
Issues like yours illustrate the unfortunate need for a vehicle for most of us. I live in CLRT/SRP (semi rural Podunk), depends on the day. I take a fairly convenient bus to ABC for just over hour when absolutely necessary or to fly, a big hassle of coordination both ways. I am trying to get my 2008 Subaru Impreza to be my last car but it will probably croak down the road, hopefully at the time I enter a nursing home with good food paid for by a family member or decide to take the phenobarbital saved since 1968 for a special occasion like tapping out.
These kind of plans for last cars, etc., seem to turn into somewhat melancholy planning exercises for me, coped with best by not thinking about. “If you aren’t dead, don’t worry about it and if you are, you aren’t worrying about it.” Maybe a great thinker before me said that, Buddha, maybe.
Financially, not getting a car is probably correct like MJ said but trying to rent one when you need it…maybe.
Are you willing to do your share of helping your neighbors out?
Then a pleasant day-trip in your company in exchange for burger and gas isn’t as big a pain in the #ss as you think it is.
Oh, and unless you live in ABC you don’t have the population density necessary to make a scheduled bus system efficient. If you do live in ABC, the bus system will be designed to make a pretty map, not to actually move people.
In the hinterlands, one big reason for an operable vehicle is emergencies. Like if the Monk had sliced himself open on your project, and you needed to make him accept transport to medical care.
M Jarvis — You are right about everything, of course. Except the “less exercise for you” part. Actually, Ava and I got more exercise when we could drive up into the hills and walk the logging roads, which we did every day. But yep, I’m dreading the extra insurance costs, payments, and all that jazz.
But larryarnold’s right, too. Fortunately the Monk didn’t machete himself on my property, but if he had, a car would have been essential to get him to a doctor. A few weeks ago a young visitor fell off a ladder at a neighbor’s house. She refused an ambulance, but unable to walk, she was able to stretch out in the back of another neighbor’s SUV when she agreed to go to the hospital. (She was okay, but bruised and sore.)
And yep, Larry, I do try my darnedest to be a good neighbor, and J. and I enjoy each other’s company. So it will work out. But taking a whole day to go to the ABC and back is way above the call of duty.
You’re right about transit, too. Frankly, I’m surprised at how good our little local bus system is — as long as you don’t hope to get anywhere outside of the immediate vicinity on it.
StevefromMA, you’re probably right that the whole “last car ever” business is an exercise in both futility and morbid planning. So perhaps I’ll settle for an extremely reliable vehicle that’ll be trouble-free for … 10 years? Also a vehicle that’ll let me haul stuff for neighbor J occasionally to help repay her kindness.
OTOH, understand (MJ and anybody else thinking about car payments and insurance rates and such), this mythical “last in a lifetime” car is not going to be some $35,000 bruiser, bought shiny new. It’s still going to be a used economy car. Just one of known sterling reliability and durability.
So although I’m dreading putting myself in bondage to payments, they won’t be that big and bad. Bad enough. But survivable.
A ten year old Toyota, Honda or Nissan?
Every temptation I’ve had to replace my 40 year old Datsun has evaporated against either sticker price or failure of mechanical simplicity. It would still be my daily driver if rent where 43% of family and many friends are was realistic.
Put it and my keep stuff in storage and got a Nissan NV200 that drives and parks like a car. It can haul stuff or carry two months of food and water. I can sleep in it too. Lets see. Batteries, solar, refrigerator, internet. Some where I am pay the median one bedroom rent of ~$2500. Not sure if other than just because they can?
When I get the bug I just pull out the Datsun, check oil and water, and go see If there are any 1970’s like hippies around to help solve the big world issues:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvAk9718Jo8
A lot of the real people I’ve known are Hippies or Marines, so don’t expect a lot by way of answers from me.
🙂
“… but trying to rent one when you need it…maybe.”
I think you missed that part of the blog. Nearest rental car place is nearly an hour away and how do I get there without driving? Although it is possible to get to the towns that have car rental, it can only be done on weekdays and via ridiculous bus schedules. Weekends? Evenings? Forget about it. You don’t leave this town unless you drive, hitchhike, or bike.
Rental car would also not take care of emergencies, long trips, or simply something like hauling bags of dog food from the next town over.
I like what the Buddha (or whoever) had to say about it, though.
“A ten year old Toyota, Honda or Nissan?”
You have a cool lifestyle, John.
The last car I bought before Old Blue was a 10-year-old Nissan Xterra. It lasted seven years before developing a mystery problem that no one could diagnose because (getting back to your simplicity issues) the computer code it threw off was wrong and three mechanics simply couldn’t get past that. (“But the computer says …”)
It wasn’t a bad car, but I wouldn’t have another Nissan. They’ve fallen far since their glory days.
Honda or Toyota, yes. How old seems to matter less than how many miles. Another thing I’m never, ever going to do is buy a car with more than 100,000 miles on it.
In your present situation, this is definitely worth a read.
The problem with small towns/country is exactly as you say, Claire – there’s no way to compromise transportation needs. You DO need a vehicle.
My 2004 RAV4 (64000 true miles, and still purring) is truly the “last car I’ll ever buy” and I have enjoyed it, but I will have to make a major decision within a year – my driver’s license is coming up for renewal, and age has caught up with me; I really don’t like to drive anymore. Find me a town where I can walk to (let’s see) grocery, post office, bank, pharmacy, garden center, dental/eye facilities, farmer’s market – and I’d sell my car to you in a minute, Claire. (Plus – it has a RebelFire sticker on it!)
I’d like to purchase a 3- or 4-wheel cycle, but towns are so strung-out that even cycles are inconvenient for old people (or dangerous to ride) these days. Amazon/mail order helps meet many needs, but doesn’t cover everything, and certainly not the daily, and personal, needs like fresh produce or friendly neighbors.
ANOMB (Ain’t None Of My Business), but give some consideration to a used small 2WD pickup. The dream one is a diesel Toyota HiLux – they cannot be destroyed, people have tried and failed – but a several-years-old Tacoma in good condition can run a close second (the HiLux also is not imported to the US, and there’s no such thing as a diesel Tacoma, but occasionally an owner-imported HiLux turns up).
Manual trashmissions are cheaper, and more easily fixed, than awfulmagic ones, even if the clutch needs replacing. Recent year trends in body styles add rear seats by sacrificing bed length, but probably extra seats are more useful to most than another 2 feet of bed space. YMMV.
Other brands are often nearly as good as the Tacoma (all have their quirks and pecadillos, some more then others, and some a lot more) but not as common, and lotsa wheels on the road means greater – and cheaper – parts and service availability. You’ll be stuck with a certain amount of electronics, but going back 4-5 years can help avoid the worst of the new geegaws.
Whatever you wind up buying, from whomever you wind up buying it, HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED BY A TRUSTED AND VERY, VERY COMPETENT MECHANIC WHO HAS NO FINANCIAL SKIN IN THE SALE AND IS ENTIRELY BEHOLDEN TO YOU AND NO ONE ELSE prior to any money changing hands. And, stay flexible on money – the inspection may turn up worn brakes, coolant due for replacement, etc., all of which can be used as leverage to lower the price.
And by whatever you wind up buying, I would not exclude a brand new vehicle from a dealer as not needing a competent mechanic’s inspection. You’re going to have this vehicle for a very, very long time, possibly for the rest of your driving life. A few dollars and some time up front can save many tears later.
It’s a little toward the extreme, but when you schedule the inspection ask about chemical analysis of vehicle fluids – coolant, transmission lubricant, engine oil, differntial lubricant, brke fluid, etc. especially if it’s a high mileage vehicle. Judge the need for it on overall vehicle condition, it could be money well spent. And don’t be afraid to follow through on some maintenance items if they’re recommended when/if you by the car. Ex: brake fluid is hygroscopic (it absorbs water, and water corrodes brake parts) and brake systems should be flushed, refilled and bled about every 4-5 years. Almost no one does. Ex 2: some older Japanese engines require regular replacement of the timing belt (my truck manual says 100K miles or 8 years), and the choice will be about $300 for belt only, or about $1200 to also replace everything that has to be removed to get to the belt or is more easily accessible then (depends on engine design, but think water pump, gaskets, shaft seals, radiator hoses, accessory belts, coolant system flushing etc.). I would not want to spend $300 on a new belt and 18 months later have to spend another $700-800 on a new water pump.
Hoses and belts are easy to do yourself, available inexpensively online, use old underhood rubber as price leverage on the purchase (don’t forget you’ll need new antifreeze, and use distilled water in the radiator, never tap water – usually too many minerals).
I’d suggest, despite the obvious and dire need for wheels, do not fall in love with any deal, be prepared to walk away if the entire deal isn’t right. An attractive payment schedule and/or service dept promises can be used to hide a lot of sins, don’t succumb. And, in car buying, the internet is your friend, not just for pricing, but recall notices, and owner experiences on the various vehicle forums.
You might ask if I followed my own advice; my truck just turned 21, and until wheels start randomly falling off, it will have a home in my garage.
Good luck.
I like Eric Peters Autos (Caution: has a freedomista bent. & Beware of Clovers.)
And Yeah, The big down side of the over 100k mile vehicles is the uncertainty about maintenance. A fail there can wreak a really great machine.
My 280Z has well past twice that and I’m sure I can get another 100k miles from it, if a few key parts remain available. (So far so good.)
A well engineered, maintained, and oiled machine, can run a really long time. I’m unimpressed that a lot of new car add ons are intended to have longevity. Fine if you are disposed to trash the whole thing in ten years or less. Maybe the core will keep going longer with all that busted wis-bang hanging on for the ride?
And yes, my new purchase rest on my respect for what the manufacturer made 40 years ago, and that it was $5k less than the Ford equivalent.
And I think Toyota and Honda still like that they have a respected name, and want to keep it?
I echo John’s comment. Eric Peters just had an article on Lew Rockwell about how now is a good time to buy a used car. The reason is that cars built prior to 2015 are repairable whereas the new gizmo-laden wizz bang machines are so gussied up with unnecessary complexity that it will make no financial sense to repair them when at the end of their service life, which he estimates at about 10 years.
I have been driving a 1998 Tahoe since 2001. Paid $15000 for it. Haven’t had a car payment since 2006. I figure I’ll spend $1000 a year on something to keep the old wagon rolling. That’s breaks down to a pretty cheap car payment by-the-month. I haven’t had a big bill for a couple of years, but even if the transmission totally crapped out I could afford the repair/replacement.
In 2010, my 2001 Subaru Outback’s transmission self-destructed. We were a 3 car family and I was confronted with a big dilemma: Do I fix it for $4000 or buy a similar car for $8000? But then, a similar car might have similar problems. I chose to fix it. My son has been using it for the past 7 years with no real problems (except a set of tires, another $600). So for about $60 per month he’s had wheels. The resale value of the car is immaterial. All I value is the transportation value. (His insurance cost a bit more because he’s 1.) young male, 2.) learns by bumping into things, not by listening to Dad.)
I assume Old Blue is long gone, so reopening the discussion about the value of a vehicle vs the value of transportation is probably moot. I’m an advocate of an old used car, American made (can have a foreign brand name, but if made here the parts are readily available, unlike my 2008 German made VW Jetta). The reality of living in 2017 America is that we mostly live in relatively low density communities, even in metropolitan areas, so reliable wheels are a necessity.
I can only offer anecdotal information. I have an ’08 Mercury Grand Marquis with 265k miles on it. I’ve taken it out in the woods a lot, so it has been beaten up and has proven surprisingly capable off road. The engine is “flex fuel” with a recommended 7.5k mile oil change interval. I’ve been having it done every 5k because it can be pretty hot here. I don’t know how long the engine will last, but for now it still runs like it’s new, getting about 22-23 mpg around town. It has needed some expensive air conditioning work, which apparently is common for these vehicles. Otherwise I haven’t done much of anything other than replace the alloy wheels (which cost about $471 from the dealer) with steel ones. Good old standard rear wheel drive has a lot to say for itself. If this car dies, I’m considering replacing it with a 2011 (the last year they made these) Ford LTD Police Interceptor, which has sturdier running gear and slightly lower gearing, which will reduce the gas mileage some. These vehicles often end their lives as taxis, which shows how functional they are. While they lack the obvious advantage of a pickup, the trunk is huge. The overall size of course has a safety advantage; in an accident big car beats little car. Absent TEOTWAWKI, parts will be available as long as we are. And since there are so many of them, the prices are very reasonable. I’d rate it as the best car I’ve ever owned.
Good stories, comments, and advice. Good (sad) Eric Peters article, too.
Thanks, Pat, for the offer of the RAV4 complete with RebelFire sticker. 🙂 It sounds as if you drive about as much as I do, but I’m in a little better position WRT local amenities. I wish you luck.
And Ron Johnson — Old Blue is not gone. She’s still sitting in my driveway. Once every two weeks or so, I even take her 1/2 a mile to the grocery store, though even on those short trips, I notice new or more ominous degrees of noise every time. I’m not sure what I’ll do with her; keeping her around and barely alive for some extreme emergency is a possibility, but I don’t know.
I’m not going to have her transmission fixed, though, partly because there are signs (not certain; just signs) that her engine may also be going. If I had a ton of money, I’d fix both and feel great driving around in an “old” car that was almost new. But …
I like this crowd. Not a single whimper about how the evils of affordable – sort of – private automobiles have destroyed the ancient glories of public transportation, peacebeuntoit.
Claire, your eventual solution to the Gotta Go To ABC is the same as mine: Be a good neighbor to get good neighbors, then bum a ride – but in my experience it never works well in built-up areas, so good on you.
Claire your argument is basically the same one I use against public transit between cities and inside cities everywhere. Inter city and city transit is wonderful if you have a lot of time, don’t mind the smell, the jostling and the ever present threat of somebody going nuts that people being crammed together in small spaces brings. Get the car.
My car is a 2001 Saturn, manual trans, that I bought new in Calif. I would have had to pay big bucks for them to remove the A/C (standard equipment on ALL of their cars), so it stayed, but now I wish I had gotten rid of it. No use for it here. I was able to pay it off in less than 4 years, since they were offering a no down payment, or 0% interest… and that was a no brainer. 🙂
16 years later, it has about 90,000 miles on it. I’m pretty good having the necessary maintenance done, oil changes and such. Two sets of tires over the 16 years, and only one actual mechanical problem… had to replace a strut last fall. Everything else works just fine, as always. I turn the key and go. My insurance is very low, and the car tax is thankfully low here too.
There is a very good chance that this is the last car I will ever have. But as long as I live here I will need to have a car. There is zero “public transportation,” no taxi, bus or train connection of any kind. The “senior center” has a large SUV, and they take their residents around, but I’m not a member… and never will be, since they are snooty about my guns! The “senior center” is the only place in town posted as a “gun free zone.”
My neighbors would be happy to help in an emergency, but I couldn’t expect anyone to get me to work and back each day, etc. I live about 2 miles from the little nearby town, but walking there is not an option. Most days I couldn’t make it to the end of my own driveway on foot… and what’s more important, I couldn’t make it BACK to the house – at least not on the same day. LOL
Claire, I’m so sorry that the Saturn you got was not a good one. I suspect the former owner(s) neglected it and abused it, and that’s something not easy to see or even discover. Which is one of the big problems with buying a used car, especially from people you don’t know and can’t check out thoroughly.
Our ultimate TEOTWAWKI machine is a 1949 Chevy Suburban, recently reconditioned for practical service. I avoided the temptation to swap out to a V-8 and had it redone to the original design philosophy: 292 ci straight 6 with Getrag 5-sp and disc brakes. It still looks 68 YO and has the original USAF ID # on the firewall. Note that this involved spending s much on it as a new one would cost, but that would be just another computer afflicted machine built to the bureaucrats’ specs. Old cars rock!!
We live in the semi-country with a bus stop a mile or so away, but having a reliable car is worth what it costs and we can afford it. One of the things I learned in the journey to old age is recognizing what’s worth paying somebody to do and what is worth the PITA of doing yourself. We had a Chevy truck with the evil 6.2l diesel, and one day after a series of mechanical misadventures the injector pump died. Mechanic’s estimate: $1500 – price for the pump: $400. It took 4 long days in an open garage during a cold November, but since I was unemployed it was worth all the misery. Today my arthritis wracked body and hands plus a 2014 Hyundai Turbo make the services of a mechanic a necessity for nearly everything.
Good luck in resolving your vehicular dilemma.
Claire,
This experience also reflects on your ability to survive an emergency. Not only is it impractical to rely on others/government to provide our routine needs, in an emergency it may be impossible. I would suggest that you consider a high clearance pickup or SUV. Not necessarily a 4X4, but something that can get you and an injured neighbor to some help (or vice versa) in the event of _____ (fill in the blank). Love your work and the new blog. Keep on giving them H*LL!
Sorry to chime in again, but OldSeeker makes a good point: unless you’re heart-sick for the deep, deep woods, avoid 4WD and stick with rear wheel drive 2WD. It will be much cheaper and a great deal more trouble-free. If snow/ice/mud is a substantial consideration, buy a good set of reinforced snow chains (as in Weed V-Bar or less expensive equivalent, but good chains will not be cheap) and fab up a piece of plywood and some spaced lengths of 2X6s to make installation easier (practice installation in 72 degree sunshine so your “maiden voyage” with installing chains isn’t at 21 degrees in a foot of snow). Other than real deep mud, there aren’t many places a 4WD can go that a 2WD pickup with good chains and 1-2 hundred pounds of ballast over the rear axle can’t also go, and you can buy a new set of chains every year and not approach the additional money a 4WD would cost. An inexpensive ($12 at Amazon) tow hook on each end and a 30 ft tow strap (about $20-25) provide backup insurance for a lot less than 4WD.
What’s interesting (at least to me) is the fact that I’ve carried snow chains for a very long time, eleven years now in NE Wyoming alone… and I have never needed them. I’m told that the snow tires with the front wheel drive is plenty for most situations. In really bad weather, of course, I just stay home! 🙂
The only time I got stuck was in So. California, in sand. I used the front floor mats to put under the wheels and easily drove out of it. The mats were easy to shake out, and were immediately put back into the car. No problem. Of course, I didn’t spin the wheels and dig deep holes in the sand first. I knew better. I wonder if that would work in snow?
I had a Teal Saturn sl1 that drove like a sports car except in the winter when it skidded like a coffin with regular tires. JMHO, but snow tires and/or chains have to go on when weather sucks and you don’t want to be out there putting them on. Otherwise, you leave them on during times you should have taken then them off, changing conditions. Respectfully disagree with anti-4wd, with all-weather high quality tires on I think they are are least hassle and most flexible vehicles but YMMV.
Toyota and Honda are the best long term bets, Civic, Fit, Corolla, Camry being among the best reliability ratings in the consumer report books. I just got my last car(hope) Toyota Scion which is Corolla driveline in 13 after my previous 85 Toyota van died after 25 years. Came with a lifetime driveline warranty. Ms. has an 86 Civic we got new(over 31 yrs) that runs fine but starting to worry about parts, probably will get either Corolla or Fit if it dies or she decides to let go. Don’t know what year they changed but a lot of the older ones used a timing belt which is a costly maintenance every 60k, timing chain is much better. Use good oil(synthetic) and filters. NOT fram. 4wd is high cost, low mpg, and high maintenance. Ck ins rates on model before you buy, lot of difference between models. Avoid hybrids, beware of buying from a “friend”.
It’s taken me a sadly long time to realize that my friends are just as happy for the opportunity to do something for me as I am doing something for them, never considering it an imposition. And it doesn’t hardly get better than a day out with a good friend that includes a burger.
They say it’s more blessed to give than to receive, but why is it so hard to let a friend get a little blessing and we do a little receiving? We people are a funny bunch.
Dad’s experience, after a career in the Quartermaster Corps delivering supplies to front-line Army units, is that people are more likely to get stuck in a 4WD than a 2WD, and a lot more likely to get stuck where extraction took special equipment.
In my experience Up North (Pennsylvania and Nebraska) we ran our GMC van on snow tires in the winter, with sand or salt stashed in the back.
The only places where mass transit actually works, sort of, are those with high population density where the city and the system grew up together.
Ahem,
https://ericpetersautos.com/2016/09/03/practical-reasons-buy-motorcycle/
Or as other have said, Honda or Toyota, or:
https://ericpetersautos.com/2013/10/16/old-vw-everyday-use/
All this talk about older vehicles being better misses a very important point. Look at this crash video (1998 vs 2015 Toyota Corolla) and tell me which car you’d rather be driving. I’ll take the newer car, thank you very much.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zkxq2pPw0Uc
Could this maybe be in Claire’s future:
http://gizmodo.com/dogs-and-sidecars-a-match-made-in-motorcycle-heaven-1582768582
Making blanket statements by manufacturer or model is risky, look for the specific make/model/year/options. Recommended makes (Honda- CRV with air conditioning major problems only modestly covered with recall. FIT gets those crash ratings in the consumer reports by designing the front seats as part of the system and they will kill your back in 8K miles like they did my wife’s) Toyota Camry with 45K miles maintained by the book engine gunked up with sludge and turned it into 1.5tons of scrap metal) Do your homework with information sources you can trust. Lots of it is a mile wide and an inch deep so for in depth research talk to owners of the type and ask lots of questions.
Comrade X — Um… no. I could subscribe to “the Ron Swanson school of thought on dogs — anything under 50lbs is actually a cat” though.
SamInOregon — I’m glad you brought that up! There’s a lot I don’t like about the newer cars (computerized everything; over-engineered everything; the fact that you can’t even roll the windows down without working electronics). But for safety? Absolutely the newer cars. Those ’50s-’60s cars may have looked like tanks, but they didn’t hold up like them.
Claire,
If I recall, don’t a lot of car dealers have big, pre summer deals on Memorial Day? Check your local ads. I’ve seen ads “drive it in, tow it in, any condition, we’ll give you top dollar” Old Blue might prove to have some serious value towards a down payment if you find someone offering one of those “book plus $$$” deals..
Claire one thing that became news to me recently is about CVT transmissions. If you get a deal on a vehicle with one walk away even it it is the steal of a life time. I’ve been looking around and I had a chat with the mechanic who works on our truck and i talked to my brother-in-law who had a car with a CVT. They both told me the same thing is there is no reasonable way to repair a CVT if it goes south. If it’s under warranty good, but if not you are looking at the cost of replacing the whole unit. My brother-in-law’s Saturn had a bearing go and he went to three places including a dealer for repairs. At each one they quoted him for a replacement transmission. The mechanic I go to told me he will not even touch them.
JW — Given that the nearest car dealers are roughly an hour away and Old Blue would have to be towed or trucked to their facilities, I don’t think “top dollar” would even cover the expense to get to the lot. If I don’t keep OB around, I’ll probably let a local wrecker pay me $100 or $200.
MJR — A CVT is a new concept to me (though now that I read about it, I guess it’s actually an old concept). It looks as if some pretty decent cars have those, though. And now I wonder whether this has anything to do with the recent tendency of car makers to give extra-long warranties on their powertrains.
Claire, you need to get the most out of your old vehicle. Offer it for $100 to a local high school boy, who needs engine practice. Or find a vocational school that trains mechanics. They will haul your car for you!! You could also donate and take the tax deduction. I did that when my beloved Volvo wagon’s engine blew up in 1997. The vocational school almost kissed me and were oh-so-excited to start tearing the engine apart. Everybody has their need…..😜
I now drive an 11 yro Honda Element and it has been an amazing car. Regular car service, one new alternator, and new tires. That’s it-so I can only say good things about Honda vehicles. My other love is a Subaru-which I would still be driving if some nitwit hadn’t hit me on the freeway. There is a reason that Subaru is the National Car of Wisconsin. You can plow through snow, ice, up hills, down switchbacks; you name it. It is like having a super exciting tractor. These babies really move and your are always AWD. My friend drives a Toyota Prius: she is a critter sitter. Dogs, cats, cows, goats, what ever; she is beloved by farmer’s who can trust her not to kill their livestock while they take their first vacation in 15 years. Her Prius is pretty good about ranch roads and sips fuel.
You need wheels, girl! Electric bikes are fun, but at $4000+, why not just go for the car?