My new econobox! (2000 Kia Sephia 1.8I4 16V DOHC 5 Speed)

[dirtydave]

@ Baltothewolf I would love an Insight one day but you cant buy an insight for $500!!

@ echo-francis yeah my battery is ok but I charge it daily. my headlights/tail lights take massive power for crap lighting I will be upgrading soon.

I EOC'ed my last battery to death. thankfully advanced auto took the hit and replaced it with 2 days left of warranty. Now I charge it everyday.

[dirtydave]

Lets do some math!!!

This is a $500 car

+$24 sold passenger mirror
+$68 rebate*
-$22 first and only oil change 6k+ miles now
-$12 spark plugs
-$15 seat covers
-$78 radiator
-$10 anti freeze
-$3 pvc valve
-$20 duct tape
-$10 zipties
-$30 dash led's / wire /switches
-$4 dryer duct WAI
-$10 spray paint
-$40 exhaust repair
-$45 transmission fluid
-$24 0W-20 SYNTHETIC MOTOR OIL
- $8 lawn air damn
-$11 metal grill block / ???
-$13 driving lights
-$45 used deep cycle

I have spent ~$808** on the car and all mods / repairs / upgrades.
I have spent ~$522 in fuel and have driven 6879.2 miles.
If I drove like a fool and got the EPA 22MPG I would have spent another ~$515

Total cost ~$1329***


* I found a huge plastic bowl of change under the seat.
** I think I included almost everything.
*** I drive co workers home / to work for $1 a day each. 3 or 4 dudes daily.


Now everything I have actually bought for the car was using amazon gift cards I earned from a few cheap android phones running Perk Tv. so I think I'm actually ahead....

[awcook]

How long did you have your phone running for to get the money for the car parts? I started running it, but only for at most 1 hour.

[ME_Andy]

You're very, um, creative, Dave. I admire it in a strange way.

[dirtydave]

@ awcook

weeks and weeks non stop. I have 5 dedicated devices and they are plugged in and working 24/7. check Perk TV for more info....

@ ME_Andy

Nothing special here boss just trying to drive for cheap / free. I also DGAF about what other people think or how my car looks so that helps.

[user removed]

Originally Posted by dirtydave

Lets do some math!!!

This is a $500 car

+$24 sold passenger mirror
+$68 rebate*
-$22 first and only oil change 6k+ miles now
-$12 spark plugs
-$15 seat covers
-$78 radiator
-$10 anti freeze
-$3 pvc valve
-$20 duct tape
-$10 zipties
-$30 dash led's / wire /switches
-$4 dryer duct WAI
-$10 spray paint
-$40 exhaust repair
-$45 transmission fluid
-$24 0W-20 SYNTHETIC MOTOR OIL
- $8 lawn air damn
-$11 metal grill block / ???
-$13 driving lights
-$45 used deep cycle

I have spent ~$808** on the car and all mods / repairs / upgrades.
I have spent ~$522 in fuel and have driven 6879.2 miles.
If I drove like a fool and got the EPA 22MPG I would have spent another ~$515

Total cost ~$1329***


* I found a huge plastic bowl of change under the seat.
** I think I included almost everything.
*** I drive co workers home / to work for $1 a day each. 3 or 4 dudes daily.


Now everything I have actually bought for the car was using amazon gift cards I earned from a few cheap android phones running Perk Tv. so I think I'm actually ahead....

My apologies Dave for not following this thread more closely. You can't argue with bean counters .

I would follow your lead but the wife is a factor that affects my DGAF guidance. The TCO calcs are seriously good. Even that didn't keep my 89 and 93 year old parents, who both own and drive 2000 era Eldoradoes, that I went to Florida and New York, to get them, from enjoying the ride in my ancient 92 Sentra.

I just let the wife use her KIA to avoid the embarassment of having to ride in my car. 0 gas can't be beat at least by me since she buys her gas and I buy mine.

regards
mech

[dirtydave]

My girl is the same way she has a 09 jetta she has her AC / comfort / power and the 19 - 30MPG that comes with it.

And also the more miles I put on my KIA is less miles on the company chevy work van that gets 13MPG. I never paid for fuel in that monster but I feel a little better driving my KIA around vs that........

Thanks Mech, I enjoy reading your posts and appreciate the knowledge you share on the forums.

[awcook]

I would totally start the whole DGAF thing if I didn't have to haul people around. My brother and his friends ride along in the car with me and they demand that the AC be on, the bass be all the way up in the car (so much power used!!!!) and that I keep the car running / going fast. I can't neutral coast to stops with them and that kills the tank.

I'm totally with you on the whole not driving company vehicles that you don't pay for gas on. I always feel bad about making people spend money. Whenever I go to the grocery store or something I see people who buy things they don't need / can get it for much cheaper and have impulses to tell them to not buy it. This especially happens at gas stations whenever I see someone pumping the gas on the fastest setting then they go into the parking lot and idle their car for the AC and keep the windows down.

[ME_Andy]

Hey, if you keep this up, you'll be able to afford whatever kind of car you want. You're actually making me nostalgic for my old beater. Sure, I got a few funny looks and the mpg wasn't that great, zero creature comforts, etc... But it was fun to drive.

[awcook]

I wouldn't mind driving a beater that is 10+ years old. Those things are just about done depreciating in value, and if I make the car somewhat better (like seat covers or new radio or something) then the car actually goes up in value vs new cars which if you mod, the value goes down. Just something to think about.