Preachin' to the Choir

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jamie
  • Start date Start date
J

Jamie

I know I am preaching to the choir, but here goes:

I caught myself telling my wife today, "You know, most Americans simply
want a car that will last 10 years and 100,000 miles."

Then I looked at the Volvo and realized it was 20 years old and had
200,000 miles. (1987 740 GLE).

We're planning to buy a house soon, so I sold a GREAT 2001 Honda Accord
EX. I loved that car - but owed about 10K so I let her go.

I bought this Volvo for $500 from it's one and only owner, never even
having started the car! It looked like hell, and then ran like hell,
and leaked oil all the way home.

Now, this car has become the BEST project I have ever had. There is so
much natural, solid material to work with, that it just keeps getting
better.

Normally we buy a car for mucho money and watch the numbers decline. In
my case I bought in at rock bottom and am building up! I love that
thought.

The car is paid for, it's a labor of love, and in the end - who cares
if I've spent a bit more than her book value.
 
I know just what you mean.

A couple weaks ago, I bought an '85 245 station wagon for $470.

Runs rough, tail lights out, leaks a bit of water, overdrive not
working.

But the engine didnt't tick or knock and had power; the manual
transmission shifted smoothly, clutch okay, heater blower motor quiet
and works fine, so the basics are decent.

I've been working on it since, deriving great satisfaction from
troubleshooting and improving the car.

Soon she should be purring like a kitten, and then I'll turn it over to
my son, for he and the family.

They don't make 'em like they used to, the 240 series is built like a
tank, easy enough to work on, and parts (new and wrecking yard) are
plentiful.
 
Jamie said:
We're planning to buy a house soon, so I sold a GREAT 2001 Honda Accord
EX. I loved that car - but owed about 10K so I let her go.
Click to expand...

Some years ago I heard a consumer-spending-advice guy on the radio who
said something I've always remembered. He said, don't buy a new car
until / unless you can pay cash. He said, with the money you save from
not paying interest, you can buy your stove and your fridge and your
washer and your dryer and your television and...who knows what else.

cheers,

Henry
 
I am new to these groups, but curious about the archiving and removed
from groups, etc.
 
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