I mentioned this in a couple of recent posts, and let me be clear (it’s post election 2025 America and the phrase “let me be clear” has been used so much I want to vomit), this is in no way a brag or a humble brag, or whatever type of bragging is in fashion today,… Continue reading Confession: I Bought a Brand New BMW
Tag: cars
Confession: That Time I Tried to Buy an Audi A4
I have done a great many stupid financial things in my past, but few were as embarrassing as the time I tried to buy an Audi A4. File this on under “How much stupid can you do at once.” In 2004 at 24 years old I had gotten the misguided idea into my head that… Continue reading Confession: That Time I Tried to Buy an Audi A4
Cars Suck…Again
It seems like every year I have another complaint about my vehicle situation. Whether it’s my old truck and the maintenance, having to get a massive SUV, or the fact that I unapologetically lease a German luxury SUV and I friggin’ love it. Now I have to complain that the (dirty, evil, so not FIRE… Continue reading Cars Suck…Again
Revisiting the Practicality of My Pickup Truck
Two years and only six tanks of gas ago I decided to replace my completely useless, leased sedan with a slightly more useful ’87 Chevy C10. The idea was that I was trading a lease payment for no payment, an impractical car for a semi-practical car, and eliminating most needs to deal with mechanics. Here’s… Continue reading Revisiting the Practicality of My Pickup Truck
I Finally Paid Off My Truck
In October 2019 the lease ran out on my Hyundai Sonata, a car I’d originally gotten to commute and then to leave sitting in my driveway for 2.5 years after I started working from home. I decided to buy something cheap, old, and practical that I could work on myself if it broke. After a… Continue reading I Finally Paid Off My Truck
My Upcoming Car Problem
I have always loved driving small, fast cars. As long as I was single, I always had cool little six speed cars that were great fun for commuting, horrible in the snow, and completely impractical to get anything done. Soon after getting engaged, I started to think that cars should serve a purpose. My fiance… Continue reading My Upcoming Car Problem
One Tank of Gas
Back in November I turned in my seldom used leased sedan and bought a much more practical 1987 Chevy pickup. The car was costing me about $400/month between the payment and insurance (I rarely got gas), and the truck cost me $4000 to buy. It’s a 10 month break even and I’ve set up an… Continue reading One Tank of Gas
Commuting and the Value of Time
Like many metro areas, Long Island is a commuter’s nightmare. We have three major East/West highways, a couple of minor ones, and a whole bunch of local highways with lights about every 50 feet. A closure of any one road can ruin the commute for hundreds of thousands of people. Any one of our three… Continue reading Commuting and the Value of Time
Car Deals
Over many years of paying close attention to this, I’ve realized that I don’t know anyone that’s ever gotten a bad deal on a car. How could that be possible? I know I freely admit that I once got a horrible deal on an Acura TSX because I was young and stupid and really wanted… Continue reading Car Deals
Freed by 50 