I’m going to have to go car shopping sooner or later
@shaggin (73190)
United States
January 18, 2025 10:25pm CST
Well that was not what I was expecting. I just got my car back from the garage on Friday. My son, my youngest daughter and I went out of town shopping today. The first hard breaking I had to do at a red light 30 miles from home all the sensors came up on my dashboard again. That was the reason it was at the garage earlier in the week to begin with.
So if there is another broken wheel bearing that’ll be another $345.
It hasn’t been running right almost a lagging or chugging at times so I was thinking maybe the transmission is going. Is it worth putting in more money for a 14 year old car I’ve been driving for almost 5 years? If the mechanic thought it would pass inspection in August then $1000 or more would be fine to put into it. But there’s a little bit of rust starting on the wheel well so it won’t pass.
The exhaust has gotten noisy again the past few weeks.
My husband said the engine burning oil is bad that it’s something in the engine and he doesn’t want me breaking down in the cold god knows where with his daughter which is understandable.
I’ve never had a drop of trouble with this car until now. But with the age of it I think it’s all just going to start to nickle and dime me and my husband feels the same.
My husband wants to go shopping for a new car for me tomorrow. With the big storm it gives me an excuse to put it off another week. I don’t want to have a monthly car payment or more expensive insurance that a loan would require. Especially since he just bought a brand new truck a few weeks ago and the monthly payments are $800 for the next 6 years. I definitely will not be getting anything brand new!
In other news my son accidentally broke my car phone charger today. What a day. At least I got a lot of groceries so I shouldn’t have to go out of town for two weeks or so.
19 people like this
18 responses
@shaggin (73190)
• United States
19 Jan
@mayka123 I forgot to mention as well in my post that before I took it to the garage and after when I hit ripples in the road the car hits them hard. There is a loud thumping so it seems something else is wrong that they didn’t find the problem with. Maybe another wheel bearing?
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (39784)
•
19 Jan
I know a new car is probably not in the budget when your husband just purchased a new truck, but you do need a safe, reliable vehicle and that one is on it’s way to the graveyard. If it were newer, it might be worth dumping money in, but at 14 years old, it’s not. Plus if it won’t pass inspection, it’s not worth it to fix it. I’m sorry, there’s never a good time for a big, unexpected purchase.
3 people like this
@shaggin (73190)
• United States
19 Jan
@Mariecoyle a new one would be out of our budget but my husband said a nice used one will okay. I do worry though. Yes at 14 it’s just gotta go unfortunately with all the things that are wrong and could go wrong with it.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (161594)
• United States
21h
It is expensive to own a car, and the newer it is the more expensive it is. It is a hard decision to make, but with you needing to take your little one for appointments often, it may be time to start looking.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (73190)
• United States
18h
@GardenGerty oh gosh the prices the past few years are insanely overpriced. I bought my car 5 years ago for $6000. Outright so I never had payments. I’d never even find a car that low cost anymore. My husband isn’t as good with saving money so we will have to do a loan and make payments 
. I am out very often I do need a vehicle I should be okay until February though.
. I am out very often I do need a vehicle I should be okay until February though.
@snowy22315 (183771)
• United States
19 Jan
Ugh..car payments. Maybe you could trade y ours in for a slightly newer model
1 person likes this
@shaggin (73190)
• United States
19 Jan
@snowy22315 it’s a reconstructed title I think. Means it’s okay to drive but has been wrecked in some way that it has to have a different title. Sometimes it’s as simple as hail balls denting the metal that gives it an R-title. Sometimes after floods sometimes after accidents.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (73190)
• United States
19 Jan
@snowy22315 it’s an R title so my husband said it can’t be traded in. He said to put a sign on it $500 non negotiable in the yard. That would be okay if people wanted it for parts but I think there’s to much wrong with it and would rather take it to the junkyard and get a few hundred dollars for it.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (183771)
• United States
19 Jan
@shaggin what's an E title? 500 sounds much too cheap. Go to Edmunds.com or Kelly Blue Book, you can input info and find out what your car is worth.
1 person likes this
@much2say (56728)
• Los Angeles, California
19 Jan
Recently my car was becoming a serious money pit . . . we decided it wouldn't be worth putting any more money into it. We hoped we could trade it in and put it towards a used car. Well out here, the price of a good used car was not that much cheaper than a new car . . . so we opted to get the new car (although it was a 2024, with bare basic features which is fine with old school me). We were able to trade it in as is (my neighbor rear ended me and we didn't repair it - I kick myself that we could have gotten more for it if that hadn't happened). I cringe we had to make such a purchase, but now I don't have the headache of worrying about the car. I hope you find a nice car of your liking!
2 people like this
@shaggin (73190)
• United States
19 Jan
@much2say My husband was saying that too that a used truck wouldn’t be that much less then a new one so he bought a new one. Even if it saved $6000 I think that would be been better to save that money and go with a used one. But he and I disagree on money matters. His money so his decision.
That really stinks that you got rear ended and so wound up getting so much less for it. I’m guessing I won’t get much for my car with it being 14 years old. My husbands was in worse shape his truck and they gave him $1000 for it at the dealership so I guess we will see.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (73190)
• United States
1h
@much2say wow that sounds like you did wind up with quite a good deal and like you said you wouldn’t have to worry about repairs for a few years at least. That’s awesome they gave you $2000. Mines an R-title so I don’t think they will give me anything for it according to my husband. I will ask though to find out for sure I’m not going to take his word for it.
@much2say (56728)
• Los Angeles, California
1h
@shaggin We had intended on buying a used car. But we were shocked at the prices - certainly not the kind of prices we were used to in the past. No joke that the decent used ones were at least $23,000. For "a little more", we could get it new plus the warrantees and not worry about near future repair jobs.
The car we traded in was a 2010 - so it was 14 years old too! They gave us $2000 for it. But they also took off another 1000 off for registering my husband's SUV with them (we take our cars to that dealer for fixes anyway - brand/dealer loyalty thing). And then there was a promotional rate for the model we got - 2.5%. Look into all options - you never know.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (73190)
• United States
4h
@allknowing thank you. I really am dreading car shopping. One good thing if I get a different vehicle I will make sure it has 4 wheel drive for when I have to work in two years. Also I will choose one hopefully that is high off the ground so I can go on roads that are old and beat up that my low car now cannot make it on.
@Tina30219 (82220)
• Onaway, Michigan
4h
I hope your car shopping goes well for you
1 person likes this
@shaggin (73190)
• United States
3h
@Tina30219 I’m truly dreading it and knowing my husband will want to use it often to go to work to save money on gas. He should have just bought a car himself instead of a giant truck to save money on gas. I don’t want to be left without a car most week days. Those are the days I am free to do what I want because he’s working.
@shaggin (73190)
• United States
1h
@Tina30219 nope definitely not. His other truck was big enough I was scared to drive it. This truck is a lot bigger. In an emergency I’d likely never use it. Imagine if I did any damage yikes he would kill me 
@Tina30219 (82220)
• Onaway, Michigan
2h
@shaggin Right totally understand that. I would tell him that you need a car what if something happens while he has yours . Yeah his truck would be there but I am sure you probably do not feel comfortable driving it
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (139073)
• United States
19 Jan
If it's having those kinds of problems, then it's time for a different vehicle. You've gotten your money back from all the driving you've done since you bought it.
Please be careful if you go far from home. I don't want you stuck somewhere with no way home again.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (73190)
• United States
19 Jan
@Daddyevil before and after taking it the garage it thumps hard when going over ripples in the road. Each time I thought I had a flat tire but it wasn’t. Maybe there were two broken wheel bearings? I won’t have to go out again for sure until February so we will be okay. Next week I’m sure my husband will make me go car shopping.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (139073)
• United States
20h
@shaggin I've never had a car with a broken wheel bearing, so I don't know how they drive or sound when one is broken.
I hope you find something you like. Good luck!
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (109889)
• Marion, Ohio
19 Jan
I understand not wanting another payment but if you can afford it, I think it's time.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (73190)
• United States
19 Jan
@wolfgirl569 he says we will be okay and estimated that if we get me a used car for around $20,000 that between our two car loans it will be one paycheck from him a month that will go to that. But then there will also be much higher insurance then I pay for. Right now I pay $300 a year my husband pays close to that a month for his trucks full coverage. I dread that.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (73190)
• United States
22h
@wolfgirl569 wow that’s amazing it’s still going!
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (109889)
• Marion, Ohio
22h
@shaggin Insurance does have to be figured too. My truck is 24 years old
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (51882)
• Canada
19 Jan
I hope that you can find a gently used car for you that won't cost a fortune.
Try to do a search on the most reliable and reasonably priced used cars, that might help point you in the right direction.
I remember the winter after our son began his first year away at university, my car had a bad diagnosis, and my hubs said that he would replace it. We didn't have alot of savings, and the car that we could afford was so ugly that I cried.
But it turned out to be the safest, nicest riding and literally the lowest car to maintain that we have ever owned. I hope that you can find something like that.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (81703)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
19 Jan
I hope it all works out for you and you find the car you need,
1 person likes this
@shaggin (73190)
• United States
23h
@RasmaSandra thank you. I’m assuming we will go out next week to look at a car for me. I don’t look forward to it at all.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (117603)
• Anniston, Alabama
19 Jan
I understand completely, I think I'm next for car shopping. I never buy new, can't afford it.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (73190)
• United States
19 Jan
@andriaperry oh no I’m sorry to hear you are going through similar. I hate car shopping it’s so stressful. If I don’t go though my husband will just buy something and that will be it so I better go and at least put in some input. He makes me to nervous to drive so he will have to text drive it instead of me to decide if it’s good.
