Saturday, March 16, 2013

A not so good car update

Our car repair ended up being $1091!!!

After the mechanic test drove the car and put it up on the rack, it was determined that BOTH front wheels needed ball bearings.  So our $550 estimate doubled. 

I really didn't want to do it.  I wanted to cut our losses with the car, despite just putting new tires on to the tune of $680.  This car is starting down a slippery slope that we have already gone down with the van.  Let's just get a beater car that can tide us over until we can get a better car.

G-man wanted to fix the car, but said this is the LAST major repair.  Maintenance stuff doesn't count, as all cars need oil changes, brakes eventually wear out, etc.  I eventually agreed, but I really think that in a few months we will be right back here.

G-man was the one who kept wanting to revive the van.  I think he was failing to see that each repair would equal X number of car payments.  I think he was trying to look at available budget money and because we really didn't have it in the budget, it was "better" to fix a dying car.

I might have agreed with him before, but not now. I am sick of the debt.  And while I don't relish trying to find money in the budget for another car payment....it may be the only way.  Yes it boosts our debt, but it is better than long term band aid solutions.

We have had to use our CC for a few things that I am unhappy about.  April is a 3 paycheck month, and I plan to use as much of the "extra" as I can to pay off the recent backslide. 

The other medical debt, which will be paid off as soon as I do the bills, will free up over $100 a month.  I am debating between adding into the current debt payments or saving it towards a new car.  I know that a new car is going to happen....just that we thought it would be a few more years.  If I apply it to the car bill, the car will be paid off in 30 months (Sept 2015) .  I don't know if his car can make it 2.5 years....but I am fairly confident it won't make it until December 2016. If I bank the $100, and the car dies sooner, then at least we have a small down payment for the car.

None of this is being "interest" driven.  The CC is the highest interest account, so in theory, if you are interest-based snowballing....that is where the money would go.  The car interest rate is very low, so we aren't saving much by paying it off early.  Just that it would free up that money if we need to apply it to another car payment.

I am letting fear enter into my decision. 

Need to think on this for a bit.





4 comments:

  1. Ouch, I'm so sorry about the car -- cars are a pain in the patootie!

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  2. Sorry mysti hang in there, repairs suck but you need the car, hopefully nothing else breaks for a while. I'm going gambling soon if I win big money I'll buy you a car!

    HS

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  3. Boy do I feel your pain. I had a 1997 car that I took over from my mother when she stopped driving. It had way low mileage but the last few years the repairs started growing - $500 here, $1200 there, new tires, $1600 repair for shocks and struts and on and on. After getting stranded twice last winter with more repairs necessary I finally bit the bullet last February and bought a new car. Was a big mind adjustment having payments again and adjusting the budget to make the payments but I had had it with the repairs. I can tell you that when you both have had enough you will know. Until then you are lucky your husband is able to do a lot of the necessary work on it. That is a bonus!

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  4. Sorry to hear mysti...that's a major hit. Cars have a shocking way of doing things like that. Such a catch-22 isn't it: we need cars for work but it sometimes feels like we're all just working to keep up with the car! (Fiona)

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