Monday, June 3, 2013

Car Talk

Car Talk

I just spent 5 hours in the car w/ my parents going upstate to my son's college (Cornell) graduation and another 5 hours + on the way home.  Among other things, this got me thinking about how much I've learned from my Dad about cars and saving money.
Mom & Dad w/ their Grandkids & Grandog!



Dad collects Model "A" Fords, which at first glance may seem like a rich person's hobby, but believe it or not, my father paid $250 for his first Model "A" Roadster and restored it himself!  My Mom was alarmed at what looked like a heap of junk, and my Grandma, may she rest in peace, called it, "the umbrella car!"  But my Dad was determined and lovingly restored it bit by bit over the years.  Today it is his pride & joy.  He gets enormous pleasure taking the Grandkids (above) out for a spin and teaching his children how to drive a stick shift!

But I digress.

The point is my Dad knows a thing or two about cars and about saving money.  So I asked him for a few tips.

Basically, his philosophy is to buy a reliable car and run it into the ground.  My first car was one he gave me to take to college: a 1967 Mustang w/ a standard transmission and more than 100,000 miles.  He taught me how to change a tire, clean the spark plugs and how to change the oil.  I once drove it to Buffalo in the dead of winter losing oil all the way!  It kept running for a few more years and only called it quits when the floor rotted out from under me.

So if you don't have my Dad, how does one find a reliable car?  Consumer Reports reviews both new and used vehicles with no advertising, so it's an unbiased view.  They will also give you the exact price the dealer pays for the car, options and all, so when you go in to negotiate at least you know how much profit the dealer is trying to wrangle out of you.  For used cars, CR survey readers every year about their specific experiences with cars and rates them accordingly in excruciating detail!

If you are going to buy a used car, I would highly recommend CarMax.  No haggling, and you also get a vehicle history report and a five day guarantee!   You can check used car prices at KellyBlueBook.

If you need a car only occasionally you can't beat Zipcar.  Obviously, it won't work for people who commute daily by car, but as the site says, "It's like owning a car without all the sucky parts!" Zipcar has different plans depending on your location and your car needs.  I have a car and don't use it, but I know several people who do and they love it.  I'd love it if you'd tell me your experience.

I have purposely not addressed leasing a car.  It may make sense if you need a shiny new car for business and there is a tax deduction involved, but in general leasing has not impressed me as a value.

Currently, I drive a 2003 PT Cruiser Turbo.  I love it but do not recommend it for a variety of reasons best left for a future blog.  Saving money on insurance is what we're going to talk about now...

Last year, in my annual "Let's see how we can further reduce our budget" exercise, I called my current car insurance provider Travelers to see if there was anything they could do for me.  I already had a high deductible, had gotten rid of the collision coverage - which most people should do once your vehicle is more than 3 years old because insurance won't pay more to repair damage than the car is worth - and had taken a defensive driving class.  I am a good driver - no accidents in the last 3 years.  Also, I had all 3 insurance policies - home, auto & umbrella - with Travelers.  I thought I was paying rock bottom, but low and behold, a supervisor got on the phone and said Travelers could write me a new policy w/ all the same coverage and it would pay for coverage for the rest of the year (this was March)!

The point here is even if you think you can't possibly save more on insurance, it pays to periodically call and see what your company can do.  E-commerce has made everything more competitive and you could be the happy beneficiary!

Now to the costs of actually running a car:  Everyone knows about AAA, but if you are 50 years old, you can purchase AARP Motoring Plan, which is less money and which will tow you 100 miles (as opposed to Triple A's measly 3 miles) if you break down.

GasBuddy tells you where to buy the cheapest gas.  Download it to your Smartphone, but PLEASE put your phone away when driving.  Pull over and stop if you need to use your phone.  I advise turning the phone off when you get into the car, because a beep or ding can be just too tempting.

In the good old Model "A" days, car repairs were simpler.  An 18 year old girl could learn how to do simple maintenance.  The good news is cars today are much safer.  The bad news is, even pros like my Dad can't figure out the complex computer systems that make today's cars run.  You are lucky if you find a reliable mechanic who has the equipment to diagnose these sophisticated troubles.  For the rest of us, there's PepBoys which at least gives a 90 day guarantee on repairs.

Finally, one cannot operate an automobile in NYC w/out occasionally getting a parking ticket, which can be very pricey.  If you think you have a legitimate issue, you can dispute the ticket online.
Dispute a NYC Parking Ticket will take your case within 30 days of receiving the ticket and issue a decision by email.  Try it - you'll like it!

New Blog Feature: Timely Tidbits!

Periodically, I learn about thrifty things that don't deserve a whole new post, but may be valuable info nonetheless. Gilt City is a good Groupon-type discounter.  If you sign up, tell them Lori Bores sent you!

Happy Motoring!  I would love to hear about your car adventures and money saving tips.  Please become a follower of this blog and leave a comment.  Next time: Good Subs (Not the 50 Shades of Grey kind)!

Keep calm & carry on...Lori Bores

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