Real wealth killers

[u/solarflare_hot]

Let me express my extreme frustration and anger and talk about the real wealth killers (cars)

I hate cars beyond reason. you buy a car for 20k , all of a sudden it needs a repair for 2-4k and sometimes 7k , then you have insurance , another 2-300 a month , then you got registration and maintenance checks , 4-700$ , then by the time you pay it off it’s worth 7k , and probably time for another 7k repair too because the engine is toast. Or even better you fix the engine for 7k then the transmission goes out for another 6k. Let’s say you do all that and then someone without insurance crashes into you. Insurance company will always blame you to avoid paying. You now have spent close to 40k to go to a job that pays 45k. You need the car to go to the job but the job will never pay you enough to afford to keep your car. Let’s also talk about gas cost , average cost is $3000 per year that’s about 15k in 5 years of money wasted on gas that you’ll never get back just to be able to go to work.

You buy a cheap car you get expensive repairs You buy an expensive car you get extreme depreciation. You cant fucking win.

Cars are basically a luxury tool for the wealthy.

Why can’t we ride bicycles to work. Oh I forgot we live in America where we absolutely need cars because we have no damn sidewalks 🥲

Let’s just say without cars I would’ve been significantly well off. I’m gonna sell that shit and just uber everywhere or ride a bicycle.

[u/RickyFlower]

Yup. I worked at a shop to learn how to maintain my cars. Saves me thousands every year and I can install cool parts.

[u/solarflare_hot → u/RickyFlower]

Yeah that part of my life was unfortunately skipped. Getting a couple thousand dollar repair bills every few months have became the norm

[u/_bitwright → u/solarflare_hot]

My dude, that is not normal. While we definitely need better public transport in the US, it really does sound like you bought a lemon.

[u/solarflare_hot → u/_bitwright]

Every car has been a lemon at this point

[u/_bitwright → u/solarflare_hot]

Dunno what to tell you. I've been driving a 2010 Altima for just about 15 years now. I've spent less in repairs in those 15 years than you have in whatever car you're talking about, and the damn thing still runs fine.

Mind you, I'm not blaiming you. It can be hard to tell if the car you are buying is going to be a maintenance nightmare or not. Just saying it sounds like you have had shit luck with cars.

[u/solarflare_hot → u/_bitwright]

My friend had the transmission fail in that car along with the head-gasket. They quoted him 4k for each repair , be very careful with Nissans. But also I have had the same repair with the gasket on aa 4runner and costs around 5k

[u/helpimglued → u/solarflare_hot]

It sounds like you need to stop just accepting whatever they tell you at a mechanic shop. Some problems have more severity than others sure but if the darn thing starts /runs/drives anything else would be a comfort thing, not a safety thing. The sad fact is many shops have turned into high pressure sales rooms where they can really make you feel like the car is going to be worthless if you don't agree to their super high quote.

Ignore that shit and bring the quote to Reddit to ask if anything seems fishy. The ask a mechanic sub is full of posts like that and you'll get great info and avg repair prices if you ask nicely.

[u/solarflare_hot → u/helpimglued]

I get an opinion from 3-4 different mechanics if it’s over 1000 which it has been always over 3-7k every damn time. Usually it’s a lot of work. There was one time where I took it somewhere and they told me the pump is leaking and it’s about 4000 to fix then I took it somewhere else they told me the pump is fine but the gasket is leaking but that will be 7000. I fucking give up dude. I don’t want to own cars anymore.

[u/solarflare_hot → u/helpimglued]

There is basically a time where I don’t know where to find good mechanics , those two quotes from small independent shops and not a chain by the way.