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My Shiny New Red Car...

December 22nd, 2007 at 02:49 pm

Well, I wish anyway. MAde you look. Big Grin

Anyway, you all know (I have mentioned many many many times) how I bought a really immaculate/cute/perfect, used (but rarely used) Mustang convertible when I was out of college. Spent a whopping $5k or so because the car was about 10 years old. Thought it was pretty much brand new in every other respect. Only 20k miles; still had a new car smell.

But alas, I gave up my car when we had our first kid. It was paid for so that wasn't the biggie. We bought a family car for $1k. But we just couldn't see carrying 3 insurance payments. So I sold my baby. *sniff*

So in our financial progress, one of my big goals is to get a cute sporty car of the same variety.

Every once in a while I scan the $5k listings in Craigslist. I figure realistically I will wait until I can buy something a little more expensive. But who knows. I keep reading about despratate sales postings due to foreclosures though, so I have been skimming a bit. I haven't really seen much. Those people are mostly selling really nice/new cars and asking way too much anyway.

So on a whim I looked at the Bay Area Craigslist last night. I always say I don't see the deal with used cars because all of my used cars bought private party were bought in the Bay. There is just such a glut of nice used cars. The population is huge and most of them want to upgrade every few years.

I hit gold!



Now isn't this one a beauty??? $4k. $4k cash. Hell, I could afford that now.

It's a Toyota Celica with 155k miles. Perfect since this is pure weekend/fun car thing. I don't care about the miles. & I have owned 2 cars with tons of miles that lasted ages. So I am not scared.

I know, I have had my eye on the 2000 Camaro, for about the last decade. But when looking through the cars I am particular. Do we need another gas guzzler? Not really. My convertible could double as a commuter car. Mustangs may be a bit better, but I think they are cheap. I had one. It needed far too much upkeep for a newer car. BUT my first car was a Toyota Celica. The gas mileage was awesome and it drove another good 7 years (lots of miles) after I bought it with 150k+ miles. So I think very favorably of the Celicas. I think it would just be perfect. I wouldn't be scared to go very used and they look very sporty these days. & one of the rare sports cars to get decent gas mileage.

Anyway, this one is a 1992. I think it is splendid!

Anyway, I type in "Celica convertible" in Bay Area craigslist and 10 pop up. I am lucky to ever find one in Sacramento. so I am so excited. I know when the time comes, where I will probably by. I can always go send my dad to check it out for me. He's better at that stuff anyway.

There's actually a much newer/cheaper one. & a pretty black one.

So I am just drooling.

& dh is very annoyed with me. LOL. He has every right to be. We did just by the van a couple of years back.

Well, now is not the time. We are still back to square one. I could perhaps justify the car. But not the insurance at this point. Not that they would be much on an older car. But the insurance premiums are just nasty up here in Sacramento. With our "perfect" driving records we already pay a good $2k/year. I am afraid we would pay at minimum $800/year for a 3rd car. & we are just not there. Still back at square one.

But I can justify it sooner rather than later. We are saving up cash for our next cars. & if I buy a 2nd car, I won't need another car for a long, long time, ideally. So I think I would take an advance from the car fund. The sticky thing is dh's car doesn't have collision insurance and we really need to build up money for him too. Though he would be extremely happy with a $8k car if his car was ruined well before we intend to upgrade. (Or even buying a replacement at $2k or so until we are ready. The car itself is worth way too little to bother insuring. Though it should have a good 5 years+ left in it, easy).

I don't think we could justify it until the kids are out of preschool. Both. But by then we should have a good $15k in the car fund. I could even save the money from preschool for a few months before we divert it to retirement, to save up some extra cash for a car.

Well, it's kind of sad to wait 3 more years. That will be a good 8 years, no fun car. That's just sad. LOL. I'll survive though.

I probably need the 3 years to work on dh. He is not happy with me. Wink If it wasn't for the minivan I would have a lot of leverage. Stupid minivan. Frown LOL.

We have spent so little on our cars over the years that it just isn't a really big deal. But the insurance, yeah, that's the kicker. Of course repairs and such. But if it gets bad, I'd just sell the thing. As then it wouldn't be worth it. I don't expect much with a Toyota. Insurance is really the worst though. I could drive a car like that for $400/year in the Bay. That is the sad thing. Stupid crazy sacramento drivers, jacking up our insurance like crazy.

Anyway, it is fun to have a dream though. One of these days...

Just give me a few years, I will be showing off a shiny red or black car. Truth is I Want to enjoy a fun car while I am still young. Yeesh. Youth is so wasted on the young.

But yeah, I think dh was hoping I would outgrow this stage. That years without my convertible would make me forget. Fat chance!!!!! I literally waited until BM was 3 months old before I gave up my last one. I was in such denial. Hey dh was staying home, why would I need to give up my convertible. I would never put the kids in there. But then you know, reality sets in. Just not practical. Finances set in. I eventually gave in. But absence just makes the heart grow fonder. LOL.

No, I am going to be driving fun cars well into my old age. These days money is too tight to justify much else, but I aspire to be like Ima Saver when it comes to cars. & since my dh doesn't like cars, more car money for me. LOL. (Though admittedly, he will spend as much on electronics. But at least it is always fair; feels fair to us. We both have our luxuries).

3 Responses to “My Shiny New Red Car...”

  1. Ima saver Says:
    1198353595

    My husband says that life is too short to drive ugly cars!! So, we don't. I understand about the insurance thing. For some reason, the insurance on the vettes have not been bad. Only about $850 a year on the new one. Of course, I have never had a ticket.
    Hang in there, you will get your fun car someday!

  2. fern Says:
    1198364497

    Hey, i LOVE Ima's husband's philosophy. Although i have never splurged on a car, i too have been chomping at the bit to buy a new one. My 99 Civic has only 85K, so there's plenty of life in it, but i would love to get a Prius cus my new job involves a long commute. But, on the other hand, i wouldn't be too upset if i cracked up the Civic while i would be with a new prius. (There's a lot of traffic out there on my route.)

    So guess i'll wait longer, too...sigh.

  3. monkeymama Says:
    1198790303

    I did just remember our insurance went way down this year.

    Our neighborhood is also working on changing the zip codes. Our insurance is HORRID. If they succeed I think it will be time for a 3rd car. LOL.

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