Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com - View Single Post - Buying used, instead of new for environmental reasons -Pros and Cons ?

order99 · 01-01-2021, 02:58 PM

Well, being on the wrong side of the poverty line my entire life, I buy nearly used everything.

My cellphone is a 16-year-old Motorola, and I did buy that one new because it was the only way to get service back then in my region-but I have not upgraded and will not upgrade until the 3G signal is no longer supported (and since 5G takes infinite repeaters every friggen' mile and 4G is compatible with 3G it's going to be a looong time). I changed the batteries 6 years ago.

Nearly 90% of my clothing comes from Thrift Store (exceptions are socks, underwear, watch and most shoes). Why spend $25.00+ for a set of pants when I can get a decent set for $5.00 or so, with a decade or more of use remaining?

My 1993 Ford Festiva lasted 30 years to the day and then shorted out every electric component except the fusebox-and if I hadn't had over 525,000 miles on the engine, a shortage of parts and a $3500 estimate on a custom wiring harness I'd have fixed it up yet again! Between purchasing used ($700.00 at 95,000 miles) a rebuilt transmission($400.00 at 300,000 miles) and rear bearings on the left wheel($150.00 at 375,000 miles), I spent less than 1400.00 over my 20 years of ownership-gas, oil and insurance notwithstanding...best of all, my landlord bought her for $300.00, took her to Florida and had her refurbished and customized, so the Red Menace rides once more!

I purchased my 2015 Xenon 50cc scooter used with 2,000 miles on it for $500.00 (much better than the $1500.00+ new) upgraded the jets, muffler and intake for about 200.00 and ended up with a 45MPH cruiser averaging 130MPG (of course with NC speed limit for scooters at 35MPH the engine was always loafing). I drove it for over two years until some idiot texting on his cell knocked me into the ditch with a two-ton custom pickup-the recovery took awhile. Little Wing on the other hand, needed only $10.00 of fiberglass tape and epoxy, a rattlecan touch-up and a new mirror.

Once the imbecile in the truck had been caught (yep, idiot tried a Felony hit-and-run) and settled out of court to avoid LOTS of prison time I purchased a 1998 Chevy S-10 for $900.00, let a mechanic go through it with a fine-toothed comb(1400.00 in repairs/upgrades) and now I don't worry so much about idiots texting...Little Wing was purchased by a fellow employee last August ($400.00 at 12,000 miles) so I still get to see my custom butterfly-stencil fairing pass by from time to time...

Until recently, I bought all my computers used-you can get one a few years out of date for roughly $30.00 at Habitat for Humanity and other places. Since i'm a Linux user, older hardware doesn't mean a thing. Last year was my only exception-A HP All-in-one with Terabyte HD, 4G of Ram and quad processor went on sale for $275.00 right after some idiot tried to steal my (obsolete) laptop and destroyed it in the process. So, given my computer needs, i'm probably set until 2029 or so...

I have never purchased a bicycle new, and never will as long as idiots keep buying them new and then dumpster them at the first sign of tire rot or chain stretch..my current grocery-getter is a 1974 Shabondama single speed from Japan, purchased by a soldier in Oahu and sold to me for $10.00 at a yard sale-two brand new tires and some lubricants ($40.00) and the critter is bulletproof. Over the years I have been riding bikes that collectors would pay hundreds for now, and yet they were often abandoned at trash pickups when I found them-I spent next to nothing on them, rode them like I stole them and gifted them to others who needed or wanted them more, and i'll bet most of them are still trundling down bike paths to this very day...

I am currently living in a 2002 Jayco, 21,000.00 new but purchased in 2013 for 7,900.00 (depreciation is insane on RVs) parked next to an 8X8 outbuilding for my workshop and storage-sadly, I paid full price for the outbuilding but I got what I paid for at least! The great thing about getting such a cheap living quarters is that you aren't afraid to modify it-the Jayco was originally a Bunkhouse style (three beds, pull-out couch and drop-down table for up to 10 sleepers at once) so the bedroom is now an office with a walk-in closet and I have lots of room and low heating/cooling costs (I drilled holes in the inner walls, filled them full of closed-cell foam one can at a time and painted them-R15 up to roughly R35 or so). This RV has withstood both a minor and a major hurricane-I am utterly, thoroughly impressed with this inexpensive frame on wheels...

In short, I would be dead in an alleyway somewhere if Used was not an option-but with it, I live pretty well. And if I suddenly find myself awash in more money than i'll ever need in my life, I doubt i'll stop being a bargain hunter-although if I do purchase new, i'll probably hire someone to design a vehicle or a dwelling custom-I mean, can you imagine one of these frames:

BugE Main Page Earth for Earthlings

With a modest 150cc powerplant, alternator system, plug-in for heated clothes and upgraded suspension, maybe modify the fairing just a touch? Highway speed Ecomobile,drooool....

01-01-2021, 02:58 PM	#47 (permalink)
order99 EcoModding Apprentice Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Newport NC Posts: 247 Thanks: 21 Thanked 47 Times in 27 Posts	Well, being on the wrong side of the poverty line my entire life, I buy nearly used everything. My cellphone is a 16-year-old Motorola, and I did buy that one new because it was the only way to get service back then in my region-but I have not upgraded and will not upgrade until the 3G signal is no longer supported (and since 5G takes infinite repeaters every friggen' mile and 4G is compatible with 3G it's going to be a looong time). I changed the batteries 6 years ago. Nearly 90% of my clothing comes from Thrift Store (exceptions are socks, underwear, watch and most shoes). Why spend $25.00+ for a set of pants when I can get a decent set for $5.00 or so, with a decade or more of use remaining? My 1993 Ford Festiva lasted 30 years to the day and then shorted out every electric component except the fusebox-and if I hadn't had over 525,000 miles on the engine, a shortage of parts and a $3500 estimate on a custom wiring harness I'd have fixed it up yet again! Between purchasing used ($700.00 at 95,000 miles) a rebuilt transmission($400.00 at 300,000 miles) and rear bearings on the left wheel($150.00 at 375,000 miles), I spent less than 1400.00 over my 20 years of ownership-gas, oil and insurance notwithstanding...best of all, my landlord bought her for $300.00, took her to Florida and had her refurbished and customized, so the Red Menace rides once more! I purchased my 2015 Xenon 50cc scooter used with 2,000 miles on it for $500.00 (much better than the $1500.00+ new) upgraded the jets, muffler and intake for about 200.00 and ended up with a 45MPH cruiser averaging 130MPG (of course with NC speed limit for scooters at 35MPH the engine was always loafing). I drove it for over two years until some idiot texting on his cell knocked me into the ditch with a two-ton custom pickup-the recovery took awhile. Little Wing on the other hand, needed only $10.00 of fiberglass tape and epoxy, a rattlecan touch-up and a new mirror. Once the imbecile in the truck had been caught (yep, idiot tried a Felony hit-and-run) and settled out of court to avoid LOTS of prison time I purchased a 1998 Chevy S-10 for $900.00, let a mechanic go through it with a fine-toothed comb(1400.00 in repairs/upgrades) and now I don't worry so much about idiots texting...Little Wing was purchased by a fellow employee last August ($400.00 at 12,000 miles) so I still get to see my custom butterfly-stencil fairing pass by from time to time... Until recently, I bought all my computers used-you can get one a few years out of date for roughly $30.00 at Habitat for Humanity and other places. Since i'm a Linux user, older hardware doesn't mean a thing. Last year was my only exception-A HP All-in-one with Terabyte HD, 4G of Ram and quad processor went on sale for $275.00 right after some idiot tried to steal my (obsolete) laptop and destroyed it in the process. So, given my computer needs, i'm probably set until 2029 or so... I have never purchased a bicycle new, and never will as long as idiots keep buying them new and then dumpster them at the first sign of tire rot or chain stretch..my current grocery-getter is a 1974 Shabondama single speed from Japan, purchased by a soldier in Oahu and sold to me for $10.00 at a yard sale-two brand new tires and some lubricants ($40.00) and the critter is bulletproof. Over the years I have been riding bikes that collectors would pay hundreds for now, and yet they were often abandoned at trash pickups when I found them-I spent next to nothing on them, rode them like I stole them and gifted them to others who needed or wanted them more, and i'll bet most of them are still trundling down bike paths to this very day... I am currently living in a 2002 Jayco, 21,000.00 new but purchased in 2013 for 7,900.00 (depreciation is insane on RVs) parked next to an 8X8 outbuilding for my workshop and storage-sadly, I paid full price for the outbuilding but I got what I paid for at least! The great thing about getting such a cheap living quarters is that you aren't afraid to modify it-the Jayco was originally a Bunkhouse style (three beds, pull-out couch and drop-down table for up to 10 sleepers at once) so the bedroom is now an office with a walk-in closet and I have lots of room and low heating/cooling costs (I drilled holes in the inner walls, filled them full of closed-cell foam one can at a time and painted them-R15 up to roughly R35 or so). This RV has withstood both a minor and a major hurricane-I am utterly, thoroughly impressed with this inexpensive frame on wheels... In short, I would be dead in an alleyway somewhere if Used was not an option-but with it, I live pretty well. And if I suddenly find myself awash in more money than i'll ever need in my life, I doubt i'll stop being a bargain hunter-although if I do purchase new, i'll probably hire someone to design a vehicle or a dwelling custom-I mean, can you imagine one of these frames: BugE Main Page Earth for Earthlings With a modest 150cc powerplant, alternator system, plug-in for heated clothes and upgraded suspension, maybe modify the fairing just a touch? Highway speed Ecomobile,drooool.... Last edited by order99; 01-01-2021 at 03:11 PM..