If you're neglecting blinker fluid, you're sitting on a ticking time bomb. PLEASE take it to the most-expensive import specialist mechanic ASAP, for your own safety!
My 98 bmw with 210k miles when I sold it was the most dead reliable car I've ever owned! Bmw i6 engines are legendary, as long as you get the ones that still have a steel cable from the throttle peddle to the throttle valve. Once u got a potentiometer with 6 wires that go to the ECU which then suggests what the electronic throttle body does, is where the reliability sort of ended LOL.
It's an e46, it doesn't cost shit to keep running provided you don't take it to a shop to get work done on it. Unless of course you get an M3, in which case the exact amount to keep it running is "way too much".
No. Also you can't walk or cycle. I mean, on a really rare occasion I see someone try but there's a really strong chance you'll get hit and die. You never see them try a second time. The last time I was walking 2km up the road because I had dropped my car off at the tire shop, four people offered me a ride to get me off the side of the road.
Our family could benefit from one electric vehicle for our commutes but I often drive 1500-2000km in a day driving to the mountains out west for my job. I also need a specialized vehicle with very high ground clearance and real 4 wheel drive.
Electric vehicles are still pretty expensive and we're not ready to take on a payment right now. We have a big family (five drivers) and our current cars are a 2007, 2011, 2013 and 2016. We're just trying to keep them on the road for now.
Owning a car is such a con. Between car payments, the price of fuel, insurance, upkeep, parking charges, I'm glad I live in a city with good public transit. I feel bad for people who have to rely on a car.
Cool. Not everyone gets to live in such a city. And those of us who live public transits cities city, want to leave it sometimes. That requires a car.
And most cities with public transit are unaffordable for middle class people. They are fantastic if you make well over 100K a year, but if you make 40-60K, forget it.
rental costs at the airport are 200-300% of those at non-airport rental locations.
you dont' rent cars, clearly. you are just making up nonsense. i rented cars for years before i gave up and bought a car, because owning a car was CHEAPER than renting one 2-3 times a month and dropping like $150-200 on every rental.
car renting is a PITA process. 1/3 of the time you don't even get the car you booked, you get a 'similar model'. you also need to pay for insurance would more than doubles the rental cost.
I make less than 15k a year but I live in Berlin. I guess I made the right decisions and also got somewhat lucky (not to be born in the US for example). But I guess in the US there would be other possibilities.
There is no border for that issue, itās universal, the only reason anyone would buy a BMW in the first place is because theyāre already a stupid asshole.
Itās like the square and quadrilateral thing. Not every stupid asshole has a BMW, but everyone who has a BMW is a stupid asshole.
Stop measuring your self-worth by the car you drive -> Buy ancient Toyota or Honda -> Save $800/mo in car payment, $300/mo full-coverage insurance -> Pay for the occasional repairs -> Profit.
Or, keep paying out the nose for a status symbol that you use for an hour or two a day to be seen by strangers who will think you're an asshole who can't drive or park regardless of how shiny the badge is on your hood.
Reliable cars have existed for quite some time. Some of them are older and need some of the parts replaced, but they are no less reliable.
But, If by reliable you mean 'cars I can drive for years with only simple maintenance' then yes, you're right. Only new-ish cars will have that property.
However, if you have to spend $5000 to repair a $5000 used car which costs you $0/mo + $80/mo in insurance you will save far more money in the long-term than paying a $5000 down payment and then $700-800/mo + $200-250/mo in comprehensive insurance for the next 72 months.
It is a lot easier and less hassle to simply sign a contract and pay $950/mo, but it is far more expensive in the long-term.
There are not many things that can require a $5,000 repair, unless you're crashing your car into things in which case a new car is going to hurt your even more.
A $5,000 repair is still cheaper than an $1000/mo car+insurance payment. Unless you're replacing your engine or transmission every 4 months then you're still going to be paying less by covering the repairs.
The cost of ownership of a used car 5-10 years old is cheaper than a new vehicle. This has been the case for decades. Buying a new car has always been the most expensive option in both the short and long term.
lol what. i have a 1yr old car. my insurance and car payment is like 450 a month, and the new payment goes away after 3 years. you are vastly over exaggeration.
i got a new car because my 10 year old car needed $5000 worth of work and it made no sense to keep it anymore. new tires, fluid flushes, new brakes, etc. not sure if you have had a car worked recently, but like a brake job for all four brakes alone is $1500. the tires and wheel balance was $600, etc. a nicer car would have cost a lot more. one reason i don't own a suv is the maintenance costs are double that of than a fwd sedan. had it been a crv the maintence would have run me probably 8000.
your prices seem 10-20 years out of date for car repairs. yeha, in 2002 I was paying like $2000 to overhaul an old camry, but that was 25 years ago.
As a European with very decent public transit and bicycle options, I feel like an idiot for getting a Mazda 3 half a year ago. I really should have tried to make do with a nice cargo bike. Couldāve been hundred of Euros going into my ETF instead of payments, insurance and so on.
Oh well, at least I donāt anticipate a lot of trouble from my Mazda.
I'm a retired Brit living in the middle of the Welsh Marches, 10 miles from the nearest town. There is no public transport. Having a car is vital out here and I dread the day my 13-year-old Tiguan gives up the ghost.
Similar distance from town but in Australia. My 2002 Verada and 1996 Magna just keep on going. Look after them and they'll usually look after you. Not sure how much built in obsolescence might be in a Tiguan though. Might be old enough to be predictable.
Well if it's one of the direct injected petrol models, it's prone to carbon buildup on the valves, which can be cleaned preemptively - if the buildup gets too bad, it can wreck the valves IIRC. If it's a DSG rather than a conventional automatic or manual, those can be problematic depending on the exact version. Expect a couple grand to fix if it goes wrong. Any chain-driven VAG engine usually doesn't have a very long lifetime on the chain and they're a pain to replace.
I wish you luck with the Tiguan, but honestly if I was a Brit living in the countryside, I'd rather be driving a Land Rover. Not that I expect it to be less problematic than VW, I just think they're cooler and it's the one country where LR enthusiasts and independent workshops are plentiful.
Oh there's a good reason I said "not that I expect it to be less problematic" lol
I just have bad experience with VAG cars and know many others who do too. I consider it to be about as horrible to own as JLR, without the cool factor.
Yea some are worse than others too! I don't love the Ford era stuff. I like the L332 with the bmw V8 believe it or not, and love me a 300tdi cuz despite always leaking oil and having something fucked up they are simple machines that just keep kicking. As long as you know what your getting into! The range rover super charged V8 is a riot too as long as it don't break while you own it LOL
I can afford my car, it'd cost me 5-7k a year if I had to rebuild the transmission every year. Mostly I get by on <3k a year all in since it's depreciated and my insurance is like 20 EUR a month and I do my own repairs. This with a notorious German money pit that will be celebrating its 20th next year.
However
I'd still take the motorcycle if I could. Seems way more fun. But now I've got a 2 year old so that plan's on pause for several years. I had a nice older Ducati Monster picked out before I got coaxed into this, which I was fully expecting to not be very sensible lol
Biggest car costs are insurance, taxes and big repairs as you said. In lots of countries those costs can go down if you choose the right car.
Other option of not owning a car, while varying in difficulty, include car pooling, taking the bus or other kinds of public transportation, moving near place of work or at least moving near public transportation lines.
I know people that spend the entirety of what would be their disposable income in a car they barely use. Which still beats the idiots bankrupting themselves to go on 1 hour traffic jams to avoid a 15 minute train ride. Don't underestimate car brains.
7'000 per year for a car? How much are you driving? The average is "only" 14'000 miles per year (median much lower). At 5$/gallon and 25 MPG that are fuel cost of 2'800 $. The rest combined should be below the fuel cost.
Yeah ... I have no idea how they came up with such a figure.
5-7k a year? If you need an engine or transmission replacement every year, maybe. Or if you have an expensive-to-maintain import (like OOP's bimmer) and you take it to a specialist mechanic every time it has the slightest hiccup.
But for 5-7k a year, you could be entirely replacing the car every year.
Eh? My Honda Civic just had to have its struts replaced, and that was a $1000 expense which was difficult to cope with and would have been impossible were I not working three different jobs. If I wanted working AC, which I have never had in the vehicle, Iād need to spend like ~2k every year because the model has a defective condenser (and in Trumpās America, warranties are suggestions)
At some point you have to recognize that many Americans cannot afford any vehicle. Unfortunately the U.S. is not designed for people who donāt have vehicles.
While my car was in the shop yesterday, I looked at my options for getting to work, which is about seven miles from my house. There was a bus route, which would have taken at least a full hour compared to my usual 15 minute drive, and there was Uber/lyft, which would have cost me about a third of the money Iād make at work.
If god forbid, something happened to my car, Iād have to take a loan out for something I could not afford, because I have to be able to get to work to survive and pay for the damn car!
Iād probably be ripping my hair out and back inpatient if it werenāt for one job ending in a couple of weeks and another slowing down substantially around the same time.
I donāt sleep much until I get sick and have to take off from one of the jobs for a ācatch upā day. I drink three or four Red Bulls a day, plus some Diet Coke to top off.
I was hoping to have enough to move states by the end of the summer, but it turns out Iāll probably still not have enough. Very difficult to rebuild when you get divorced from a vindictive billionaire.
That sounds rough. Respect for keeping things moving, especially with three jobs. Seriously impressive dedication. If you don't mind me asking, what kind of work are you doing to make this setup possible.
I think its more what are they not doing. I bought this car in a meh condition and have only done the bare minimum to keep it alive and passning inspection.
A lot of US states don't even require inspections. Also, I travel to Michigan a fair bit. The previous post asked what people were doing with their cars. Among others things, they're driving in Michigan. My last trip cost me an axle, but to be fair, foolishness might have been a contributing factor.
And this is why you want to promote bicycles. Most car trips are under 3 miles which is easily doable on a bicycle, even easier on an electric bicycle.
Maintenance costs? Like double digit costs per year per bike, if that. I bought a new bike and had zero maintenance costs for 2 years now
Oh, I completely agree! I'm just speaking from experience. We got a bridge near me, with plenty large enough leeways on the side, that cops will ticket pepper walking or riding a bike.
we have shitty people here too. Itās just that those shitty people also bike (or have relatives that do so), and thus have an interest in keeping biking safe.
I've lived in the Netherlands, it's just a completely different world. So densely populated, full of historical roads that weren't built for cars in the first place, and almost entirely flat.
The roads where I live were just built a few generations ago with cars in mind, and fixing just a little part of my community to be walking or bike friendly would cost billions. We're moving in the right direction with new construction but it's slow. Maybe my grandkids will be able to bike somewhere.
Dude, my toenails aren't good. But my dad's toenails are a war crime and he's got upper middle class boomer money. I haven't had health care in decades. But I own four shitty cars, and three of them are usable.
Same with motorcycles sadly. They are fairly cheap to buy, especially when used, but the maintenance, insurance, and parking adds up to thousands of dollars quickly.
109 Comments
OwOarchist@pawb.social · 59 pts · 110d
You knew what you were getting into when you bought a Bimmer instead of a Honda.
errer@lemmy.world · 35 pts · 110d
Please, theyāre super reliable cars! I havenāt needed to fill the blinker fluid on mine even once since getting it
ivanafterall@lemmy.world · 17 pts · 110d
If you're neglecting blinker fluid, you're sitting on a ticking time bomb. PLEASE take it to the most-expensive import specialist mechanic ASAP, for your own safety!
fartographer@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 110d
Sorry, best I can do is collect crates of boxes of parts, and claim I'm learning German
BlackVenom@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 109d
Ooo where is the community for this hobby?
fartographer@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 109d
Idunno... Uhh... !lefthazardlight@lemmy.lies.deceit
innermachine@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 110d
My 98 bmw with 210k miles when I sold it was the most dead reliable car I've ever owned! Bmw i6 engines are legendary, as long as you get the ones that still have a steel cable from the throttle peddle to the throttle valve. Once u got a potentiometer with 6 wires that go to the ECU which then suggests what the electronic throttle body does, is where the reliability sort of ended LOL.
boonhet@sopuli.xyz · 11 pts · 110d
It's an e46, it doesn't cost shit to keep running provided you don't take it to a shop to get work done on it. Unless of course you get an M3, in which case the exact amount to keep it running is "way too much".
MacAnus@sh.itjust.works · 5 pts · 110d
I know it's not that crazy but these moments always amaze me:
Never in my life had I heard BMW's being called bimmers/beemers,
And this is the second time I see it today.
Alcoholicorn@mander.xyz · 11 pts · 110d
Its not uncommon in America
EddoWagt@feddit.nl · 4 pts · 110d
Its also not uncommon outside of America
Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe · 1 pts · 110d
I forget the rule or why, but if memory serves Beemer is car, Bimmer is bike.
Or the reverse. I don't know why.
sexy_peach@feddit.org · 29 pts · 110d
Laughs in doesn't own a car
doingthestuff@lemy.lol · 11 pts · 110d
You'd be homebound or relying on ubers if you lived where I am.
chris@l.roofo.cc · 13 pts · 109d
I'm glad that I don't. Where I live a car is a luxury and not a necessity.
k0e3@lemmy.ca · 3 pts · 109d
Right? I saw the comment above and was like, "OK?"
sexy_peach@feddit.org · 8 pts · 110d
But I don't and I can't even really afford a car the way I set my life up
Enzy@feddit.nu · 2 pts · 109d
You don't have busses?
doingthestuff@lemy.lol · 10 pts · 109d
No. Also you can't walk or cycle. I mean, on a really rare occasion I see someone try but there's a really strong chance you'll get hit and die. You never see them try a second time. The last time I was walking 2km up the road because I had dropped my car off at the tire shop, four people offered me a ride to get me off the side of the road.
sexy_peach@feddit.org · 1 pts · 109d
You're probably living in ideal conditions for electric cars. Charging at home with cheap electricity etc.
doingthestuff@lemy.lol · 2 pts · 109d
Our family could benefit from one electric vehicle for our commutes but I often drive 1500-2000km in a day driving to the mountains out west for my job. I also need a specialized vehicle with very high ground clearance and real 4 wheel drive.
Electric vehicles are still pretty expensive and we're not ready to take on a payment right now. We have a big family (five drivers) and our current cars are a 2007, 2011, 2013 and 2016. We're just trying to keep them on the road for now.
sexy_peach@feddit.org · 1 pts · 109d
Your job provides for the car with that milage though, right??
doingthestuff@lemy.lol · 2 pts · 108d
Nope, I'm classified as self employed.
TubularTittyFrog@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 109d
buses don't go anywhere useful. they also are dont' show up, and even the high frequency buses, are never on time.
they are not useful or reliable.
NickwithaC@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 109d
Owning a car is such a con. Between car payments, the price of fuel, insurance, upkeep, parking charges, I'm glad I live in a city with good public transit. I feel bad for people who have to rely on a car.
TubularTittyFrog@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 109d
Cool. Not everyone gets to live in such a city. And those of us who live public transits cities city, want to leave it sometimes. That requires a car.
And most cities with public transit are unaffordable for middle class people. They are fantastic if you make well over 100K a year, but if you make 40-60K, forget it.
Poem_for_your_sprog@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 109d
If you live in a good city and leave for travel you can still rent a car.
TubularTittyFrog@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 108d
No, you can't. Renting a car is not a practical thing to do.
Poem_for_your_sprog@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 107d
TubularTittyFrog@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 107d
rental costs at the airport are 200-300% of those at non-airport rental locations.
you dont' rent cars, clearly. you are just making up nonsense. i rented cars for years before i gave up and bought a car, because owning a car was CHEAPER than renting one 2-3 times a month and dropping like $150-200 on every rental.
car renting is a PITA process. 1/3 of the time you don't even get the car you booked, you get a 'similar model'. you also need to pay for insurance would more than doubles the rental cost.
Poem_for_your_sprog@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 107d
The rental services near me are cheaper at the airport.
sexy_peach@feddit.org · 3 pts · 109d
I make less than 15k a year but I live in Berlin. I guess I made the right decisions and also got somewhat lucky (not to be born in the US for example). But I guess in the US there would be other possibilities.
Katana314@lemmy.world · 25 pts · 110d
Itās not that I love my bike. Itās that I love the hundreds of unplayed indie games I bought on Steam more than I would love a car.
Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe · 20 pts · 110d
BMW - well there's your problem!
one_old_coder@piefed.social · 9 pts · 110d
In France, every BMW driver is a massive asshole that cannot drive properly. I should make statistics about this.
Bademantel@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 110d
It's not all that different in Germany.
spazzman6156@sh.itjust.works · 5 pts · 110d
Nor in the US. Though the bar is lower here, admittedly.
NotASharkInAManSuit@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 110d
There is no border for that issue, itās universal, the only reason anyone would buy a BMW in the first place is because theyāre already a stupid asshole.
Itās like the square and quadrilateral thing. Not every stupid asshole has a BMW, but everyone who has a BMW is a stupid asshole.
Alcoholicorn@mander.xyz · 2 pts · 109d
That seems universal.
bridgeburner@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 109d
Don't. Otherwise people here gonna label u as a racist lol. /j
TrollTrollrolllol@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 110d
Bavarian Money Wasters
Luffy879@lemmy.ml · 2 pts · 110d
Toyota aygo from '03 FTW
gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works · 18 pts · 110d
Ooohhhh e46 estate š
innermachine@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 110d
Long live the long roof!
Etterra@discuss.online · 16 pts · 109d
What did you expect for buying a fucking BMW.
Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works · 15 pts · 110d
I am going to laugh if OP didn't pick a BMW for a reason and it was just the first car image to come up when they made the meme.
ivanafterall@lemmy.world · 16 pts · 110d
Yeah, I drive a Mazda.
FauxLiving@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 110d
Stop measuring your self-worth by the car you drive -> Buy ancient Toyota or Honda -> Save $800/mo in car payment, $300/mo full-coverage insurance -> Pay for the occasional repairs -> Profit.
Or, keep paying out the nose for a status symbol that you use for an hour or two a day to be seen by strangers who will think you're an asshole who can't drive or park regardless of how shiny the badge is on your hood.
veni_vedi_veni@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 110d
Like the guy in the 100k BMW is gonna stop to think about depreciating assets... C'MON!
NotASharkInAManSuit@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 110d
Like the guy in the 500k BMW is gonna stop to think about depreciating assets... C'MON!
FauxLiving@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 110d
A fool and his money...
TubularTittyFrog@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 109d
reliable used cars cost nearly as much as new ones these days.
FauxLiving@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 109d
Reliable cars have existed for quite some time. Some of them are older and need some of the parts replaced, but they are no less reliable.
But, If by reliable you mean 'cars I can drive for years with only simple maintenance' then yes, you're right. Only new-ish cars will have that property.
However, if you have to spend $5000 to repair a $5000 used car which costs you $0/mo + $80/mo in insurance you will save far more money in the long-term than paying a $5000 down payment and then $700-800/mo + $200-250/mo in comprehensive insurance for the next 72 months.
It is a lot easier and less hassle to simply sign a contract and pay $950/mo, but it is far more expensive in the long-term.
TubularTittyFrog@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 108d
Until that $5000 car needs another $5000 repair, and another and another.
There is a reason most cars don't last more than 10 years.
FauxLiving@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 108d
There are not many things that can require a $5,000 repair, unless you're crashing your car into things in which case a new car is going to hurt your even more.
A $5,000 repair is still cheaper than an $1000/mo car+insurance payment. Unless you're replacing your engine or transmission every 4 months then you're still going to be paying less by covering the repairs.
The cost of ownership of a used car 5-10 years old is cheaper than a new vehicle. This has been the case for decades. Buying a new car has always been the most expensive option in both the short and long term.
TubularTittyFrog@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 108d
lol what. i have a 1yr old car. my insurance and car payment is like 450 a month, and the new payment goes away after 3 years. you are vastly over exaggeration.
i got a new car because my 10 year old car needed $5000 worth of work and it made no sense to keep it anymore. new tires, fluid flushes, new brakes, etc. not sure if you have had a car worked recently, but like a brake job for all four brakes alone is $1500. the tires and wheel balance was $600, etc. a nicer car would have cost a lot more. one reason i don't own a suv is the maintenance costs are double that of than a fwd sedan. had it been a crv the maintence would have run me probably 8000.
your prices seem 10-20 years out of date for car repairs. yeha, in 2002 I was paying like $2000 to overhaul an old camry, but that was 25 years ago.
FauxLiving@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 107d
The cost of new car ownership has massively increased since 10-20 years ago. If it was a better deal 10 years ago, it is even better now.
Here's the data: https://www.bts.gov/content/average-cost-owning-and-operating-automobilea-assuming-15000-vehicle-miles-year
TubularTittyFrog@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 107d
data is great, but data isn't reflective of my local mechanic rates.
in my city car mechanics charge 200/hr, on the cheap side. bicycle mechanics, charge 100/hr.
i am sure in rural texas the costs of mechanic work or half or less than what i pay.
dragnucs@lemmy.ml · 12 pts · 110d
It means you cannot afford that car and should either get an appropriate one or none.
Alcoholicorn@mander.xyz · 31 pts · 110d
Depreciation is the biggest loss for newish cars, but maintaince, fuel, tires, insurance costs come up quickly, often averaging 5-7K/year.
In much of America, not having a car means not being able to get to work or buy food.
If you can't afford a car, you might be able to afford operating costs for a used japanese motorcycle.
deepflows@lemmy.today · 16 pts · 110d
As a European with very decent public transit and bicycle options, I feel like an idiot for getting a Mazda 3 half a year ago. I really should have tried to make do with a nice cargo bike. Couldāve been hundred of Euros going into my ETF instead of payments, insurance and so on.
Oh well, at least I donāt anticipate a lot of trouble from my Mazda.
UncleArthur@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 110d
I'm a retired Brit living in the middle of the Welsh Marches, 10 miles from the nearest town. There is no public transport. Having a car is vital out here and I dread the day my 13-year-old Tiguan gives up the ghost.
Alcoholicorn@mander.xyz · 4 pts · 110d
Simply buy a 20 year old honda.
EddoWagt@feddit.nl · 2 pts · 110d
I drive an 18 year old Honda with 250k km on the clock right now and it's been sunshine and rainbows for the last 20K atleast
BagOfHeavyStones@piefed.social · 3 pts · 110d
Similar distance from town but in Australia. My 2002 Verada and 1996 Magna just keep on going. Look after them and they'll usually look after you. Not sure how much built in obsolescence might be in a Tiguan though. Might be old enough to be predictable.
boonhet@sopuli.xyz · 1 pts · 110d
Well if it's one of the direct injected petrol models, it's prone to carbon buildup on the valves, which can be cleaned preemptively - if the buildup gets too bad, it can wreck the valves IIRC. If it's a DSG rather than a conventional automatic or manual, those can be problematic depending on the exact version. Expect a couple grand to fix if it goes wrong. Any chain-driven VAG engine usually doesn't have a very long lifetime on the chain and they're a pain to replace.
I wish you luck with the Tiguan, but honestly if I was a Brit living in the countryside, I'd rather be driving a Land Rover. Not that I expect it to be less problematic than VW, I just think they're cooler and it's the one country where LR enthusiasts and independent workshops are plentiful.
innermachine@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 110d
As somebody who primarily works on land rovers, LOL. They are certainly designed to keep us in business !
boonhet@sopuli.xyz · 2 pts · 110d
Oh there's a good reason I said "not that I expect it to be less problematic" lol
I just have bad experience with VAG cars and know many others who do too. I consider it to be about as horrible to own as JLR, without the cool factor.
innermachine@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 110d
Yea some are worse than others too! I don't love the Ford era stuff. I like the L332 with the bmw V8 believe it or not, and love me a 300tdi cuz despite always leaking oil and having something fucked up they are simple machines that just keep kicking. As long as you know what your getting into! The range rover super charged V8 is a riot too as long as it don't break while you own it LOL
Frostbeard@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 110d
Diesel or petrol? Skyactive diesel engines w/turbo needs one long drive a week to burn the particle filter if you do many short drives
deepflows@lemmy.today · 4 pts · 110d
Thanks for the tip! Itās a 2.5L naturally aspirated petrol engine, which hopefully should be rather reliable.
boonhet@sopuli.xyz · 5 pts · 110d
I can afford my car, it'd cost me 5-7k a year if I had to rebuild the transmission every year. Mostly I get by on <3k a year all in since it's depreciated and my insurance is like 20 EUR a month and I do my own repairs. This with a notorious German money pit that will be celebrating its 20th next year.
However
I'd still take the motorcycle if I could. Seems way more fun. But now I've got a 2 year old so that plan's on pause for several years. I had a nice older Ducati Monster picked out before I got coaxed into this, which I was fully expecting to not be very sensible lol
dragnucs@lemmy.ml · 3 pts · 110d
Biggest car costs are insurance, taxes and big repairs as you said. In lots of countries those costs can go down if you choose the right car. Other option of not owning a car, while varying in difficulty, include car pooling, taking the bus or other kinds of public transportation, moving near place of work or at least moving near public transportation lines.
Alcoholicorn@mander.xyz · 4 pts · 110d
Anyone who is broke because of their car obviously doesn't have better options.
Hazel@piefed.blahaj.zone · 7 pts · 110d
Just buy a house near your very stable and well-paying job, duh!
ViatorOmnium@piefed.social · 4 pts · 110d
I know people that spend the entirety of what would be their disposable income in a car they barely use. Which still beats the idiots bankrupting themselves to go on 1 hour traffic jams to avoid a 15 minute train ride. Don't underestimate car brains.
dragnucs@lemmy.ml · 0 pts · 110d
Two important things:
Eheran@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 110d
7'000 per year for a car? How much are you driving? The average is "only" 14'000 miles per year (median much lower). At 5$/gallon and 25 MPG that are fuel cost of 2'800 $. The rest combined should be below the fuel cost.
OwOarchist@pawb.social · 3 pts · 110d
Yeah ... I have no idea how they came up with such a figure.
5-7k a year? If you need an engine or transmission replacement every year, maybe. Or if you have an expensive-to-maintain import (like OOP's bimmer) and you take it to a specialist mechanic every time it has the slightest hiccup.
But for 5-7k a year, you could be entirely replacing the car every year.
andros_rex@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 110d
Eh? My Honda Civic just had to have its struts replaced, and that was a $1000 expense which was difficult to cope with and would have been impossible were I not working three different jobs. If I wanted working AC, which I have never had in the vehicle, Iād need to spend like ~2k every year because the model has a defective condenser (and in Trumpās America, warranties are suggestions)
At some point you have to recognize that many Americans cannot afford any vehicle. Unfortunately the U.S. is not designed for people who donāt have vehicles.
While my car was in the shop yesterday, I looked at my options for getting to work, which is about seven miles from my house. There was a bus route, which would have taken at least a full hour compared to my usual 15 minute drive, and there was Uber/lyft, which would have cost me about a third of the money Iād make at work.
If god forbid, something happened to my car, Iād have to take a loan out for something I could not afford, because I have to be able to get to work to survive and pay for the damn car!
dragnucs@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 110d
How are you even working three jobs?
andros_rex@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 110d
Really itās like 3.5 with the side gigs too.
Iād probably be ripping my hair out and back inpatient if it werenāt for one job ending in a couple of weeks and another slowing down substantially around the same time.
I donāt sleep much until I get sick and have to take off from one of the jobs for a ācatch upā day. I drink three or four Red Bulls a day, plus some Diet Coke to top off.
I was hoping to have enough to move states by the end of the summer, but it turns out Iāll probably still not have enough. Very difficult to rebuild when you get divorced from a vindictive billionaire.
dragnucs@lemmy.ml · 2 pts · 109d
That sounds rough. Respect for keeping things moving, especially with three jobs. Seriously impressive dedication. If you don't mind me asking, what kind of work are you doing to make this setup possible.
andros_rex@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 109d
All the jobs are in the field of education.
Somehow, Iāve mastered the art of doing calculus on 5 hours of sleep!kk
dragnucs@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 108d
Very smart choice. Education is a good field. š
Epzillon@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 109d
Me in my $1300 lancer wagon 2007 laughing in duct tape and safety hazards
JamesBoeing737MAX@sopuli.xyz · 1 pts · 109d
Well, my 2002 Golf mk4 1.9 TDI only needed a rear axle replacement, some not really necessary stuff (rust) and oil changes.
What are people doing with their cars?
Epzillon@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 109d
I think its more what are they not doing. I bought this car in a meh condition and have only done the bare minimum to keep it alive and passning inspection.
doingthestuff@lemy.lol · 4 pts · 109d
A lot of US states don't even require inspections. Also, I travel to Michigan a fair bit. The previous post asked what people were doing with their cars. Among others things, they're driving in Michigan. My last trip cost me an axle, but to be fair, foolishness might have been a contributing factor.
JamesBoeing737MAX@sopuli.xyz · 2 pts · 108d
Fair point. The car has actually been in my family it's whole lifetime. It was taken care of and regularly maintained, like all cars should be.
But if you bought your car in a shitty condition and/or can't afford to repair it, it's fine.
Gammelfisch@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 109d
Woo...the BMW E46 Kombi is one of my favorites.
ddplf@szmer.info · 4 pts · 109d
ZIS IS TOURING
YiddishMcSquidish@lemmy.today · 2 pts · 109d
Ā”Yo tambien! But it's still a beemer meaning you never really get rid of that car note.
doingthestuff@lemy.lol · 4 pts · 109d
Between my wife and I and our oldest daughter we spent over $4k on maintenance in just the last month.
phoenixz@lemmy.ca · 7 pts · 109d
And this is why you want to promote bicycles. Most car trips are under 3 miles which is easily doable on a bicycle, even easier on an electric bicycle.
Maintenance costs? Like double digit costs per year per bike, if that. I bought a new bike and had zero maintenance costs for 2 years now
doingthestuff@lemy.lol · 6 pts · 109d
No one rides bicycles where I live. NO ONE. You will die.
YiddishMcSquidish@lemmy.today · 2 pts · 109d
Yeah as much as agree with the "fuck cars" sentiment, it's simply not possible or even safe in more rural, or even suburban, environments.
goldfndr@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 109d
Or watery, like a houseboat.
FlordaMan@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 108d
I live in the netherlands, here even people in rural places bike. Itās an infrastructure problem, not a bike problem.
YiddishMcSquidish@lemmy.today · 1 pts · 108d
Oh, I completely agree! I'm just speaking from experience. We got a bridge near me, with plenty large enough leeways on the side, that cops will ticket pepper walking or riding a bike.
WizardofFrobozz@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 108d
It's a "shitty people" problem.
FlordaMan@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 108d
we have shitty people here too. Itās just that those shitty people also bike (or have relatives that do so), and thus have an interest in keeping biking safe.
doingthestuff@lemy.lol · 1 pts · 108d
I've lived in the Netherlands, it's just a completely different world. So densely populated, full of historical roads that weren't built for cars in the first place, and almost entirely flat.
The roads where I live were just built a few generations ago with cars in mind, and fixing just a little part of my community to be walking or bike friendly would cost billions. We're moving in the right direction with new construction but it's slow. Maybe my grandkids will be able to bike somewhere.
Jyek@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 109d
This really depends on where you live. Most of my car trips range between 10 and 60 miles.
mrgoosmoos@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 109d
gotta cut down on the pedis, bud. sometimes you just gotta live with normal people funky toenails
doingthestuff@lemy.lol · 2 pts · 109d
Dude, my toenails aren't good. But my dad's toenails are a war crime and he's got upper middle class boomer money. I haven't had health care in decades. But I own four shitty cars, and three of them are usable.
SuperSpruce@lemmy.zip · 3 pts · 109d
Same with motorcycles sadly. They are fairly cheap to buy, especially when used, but the maintenance, insurance, and parking adds up to thousands of dollars quickly.