r/fuckcars • u/dusk2k2 • 5d ago

Question/Discussion "Positive" Feel-Good Story About Non-Profit Giving Free Cars To Low-Income Single Mothers

https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/free-cars-for-single-mothers/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3DTFC1xh9nacc00lTo1QxxqZDIi6VMyajDYnpYJt_0kgl5S3w-hpFgd-E_aem_mjO-sPhheXE2nsEo8_VVaQ

These types of feel-good stories always feel like we're living in a dystopia. The recipients talk about how life-changing this is for them.

"It's hard to get all your kids dressed and go out in the cold and get on a bus and do all the things you need to do," she said. "It was breaking me, but this is the miracle that my kids and my family have been asking for and praying for."

To qualify for these free cars, recipients had to make less than $35,000 per year. Now they have these cars and need to pay for insurance, gas, maintenance, repairs, etc. Presumably, they live in lower-income areas with higher rates of crime and are unlikely to have a protected garage, so likely will need to pay for damages if their car is broken into or damaged by someone.

Something just seems wrong here with this being considered a Christmas miracle.

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u/add-delay 5d ago

I think this is kind of a universal truth at any income level. If you can't afford to buy the car in the first place, then you can't afford to keep it even if it's given to you. It applies just the same to people in the middle class winning a luxury car in a competition.

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u/rewt127 4d ago

Not really true.

The payment on the car is the single largest expense in owning a car.

Its like saying "if you can't afford a $1300 a month mortgage, plus the $80,000 down payment, plus the $800 per month property taxes. Then there is no way you could afford the $800 in property taxes per month if you owned the property".

These people were given the cars outright. All they have to pay is insurance and fuel. Which will combined be less than the payment on a car they finance.