Impressing the World with $19,000

[Xist]

Meet Kevin made an interesting point:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iJoEBbEm0I

I confuse him and Graham Stephen. Both are young realtors telling me how to spend money. The joke is on them! I don't have any!

If I started looking for clients willing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars I would probably not want to use my twenty year-old Honda, but once I sold one house, I should be able to afford a nicer car.

I doubt it would be a five year-old BMW or a Yaris. How about a Corolla that is a year or two old?

He made a big deal out of how much more impressive it is.

Sure.

You also pay for it.

Which is more reliable, a brand-new BMW, or a five year-old Yaris? A BMW will require more repairs and they will be more expensive. What about this?


The BMW would use $750 more gas every year than the Yaris.

[redpoint5]

I had a theory that luxury vehicles depreciate faster since those that buy them are concerned with image, and new projects a higher status image. That's around the time I bought the used (4 years old at the time) TSX for half the original price.

I'm always dumbfounded that cars like the Aveo can find buyers, because I'd take just about any used car over a new Aveo. I always repeat this, but I dated a girl that bought 2 new Aveos, and each time spent more than I did on a 4 year old Acura.

I wouldn't work in a career field that relied heavily on image, unless the important image to convey was knowledge and competence. Nothing would crush my soul faster than walking strangers around a house saying "...and this is the kitchen, it's an open concept".

That reminds me, trendy signs that say the obvious, like "Eat", in a dining room inspire me to make a sign for the bathroom that says "Poop".

[Xist]

Some of us just have a face for radio, telephone, or e-mail.

[oil pan 4]

Friends don't let friends buy BMW.
Or VW products that were made this century, unless they're diesels.

[redpoint5]

I normally help friends with their vehicle issues, but when my friend bought a VW against my recommendation and the alternator died, I charged up his battery, and got him on his way to a VW shop which replaced it for something like $500.

Why does VW use security bolts instead of regular hardware? Buying special tools to swap spark plugs is insane.

[Xist]

Would you have helped him more were it not for the security bolts or did those just add insult to injury?

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

I had a theory that luxury vehicles depreciate faster since those that buy them are concerned with image, and new projects a higher status image.

Good theory.

I'd take just about any used car over a new Aveo.

Another good theory!

I am glad I never had enough money in the budget to attempt to convey status through car purchases.

I am currently car-sitting ... oops, I mean PET-sitting ... again for my Prius Prime-owning friends. I took it to the sailing club last evening, and one joker said, "Holy $#1_! Did Darin buy a NEW car??"

[Xist]

I like to think that if I had the money for a new car, I would find a better use for it, but we may never know.

[redpoint5]

When I was 24, I had saved up enough to buy any new Lexus on the lot in cash. The salesman wouldn't give me the time of day, and looked annoyed that I was checking out the vehicles.

I've been able to "afford" a new car ever since, but never have been tempted to purchase new... except now with the stackable EV incentives. A new "low range" (150 miles) Leaf after all incentives are played correctly might be somewhere around $14k.

Never had an interest for people to admire me for what I own, because I don't have any identity in things. My identity is in ideas, character, and capabilities; intangible things that can't easily be taken away.

[Xist]

This was Humble Mechanic's first video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2NzTeGXlqw

Okay...

I changed a tire for the first time in high school without directions, but it had the same type of scissor jack that every car but Volkswagen has had for decades, not The Widowmaker.

He made a new version in January which looks perfectly professional. Also, apparently VW decided that spares took up too much room, so they only made room for deflated tires. If you need to use the spare you need to use the provided compressor first. The bonus is that you should never need to pay to inflate tires or stop by somewhere like QT that offer free compressed air, although in my experience, their pumps don't have gauges (you should carry one in your car!). The other bonus is that they provide folding chock blocks. The only time that I have heard of using chock blocks to change a tire is Humble Mechanic's video.

He recommended carrying 2x4s for that purpose. Amazon has similar ones for $17: https://www.amazon.com/Synrroe-Savin...=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Here is the new version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHyVIcjkL3k

Wouldn't a deflated tire weigh yes? Absolutely! However, the dozens of grams are undoubtedly less than the compressor: https://www.audiworld.com/forums/s4-.../#post22136259

This site lets you search for places with free compressed air: https://www.freeairpump.com/map/