At 35-40 mpg, any other 4-cyl would be a much better move considering the PT and Bug are probably about 30-32mpg aren't they?? Sounds like a bike still has the upper hand for cost effectiveness assuming there's no accidents and it's in good enough condition for only minor maintenance. I've also been thinking one of these Can-Am Spyders might be eventually worth holding out for. I like the idea of it because it's still a bike but has a larger visual presence for other drivers.
__________________ 2005 Armada LE 4x4 - 2* Timing Advance - AirBox Mod - PRG Mini-Lift - Nitto TerraGrapplers 325/60-18
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sweet bike, but still to young to ride something like that. i am too much of a sport bike fanatic. check out my myspace if you would like. www.myspace.com/stuntin4alivin
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"PIT CREW"
mods wanted:
stillen supercharger
uprev ecu flash
125 shot of nx
big brake upgradE
steel braided brake lines
master cylinder stiffner
REMOTE START
RHINO LINER
TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY UPGRADE
TRU-TRAC
MODS DONE!
8000k HID CONVERSION LIGHTS, REMOVED ALL THE DECALS,TINT, CAI, FLOWMASTER 40SERIES MUFFLER W/TURNDOWNS, 8" SUSPENSION LIFT, HITCH, KENWOOD IN DASH DVD 7" MP3/WMA/CD/, 1 15" KICKER SOLO BARIC L7, CRUNCH 1500.1 AMP, THROTTLE BODY SPACER, PAINTED INDIGO BLUE INTAKE COVER,BURNOUT MOD,LED 3RD BRAKE LIGHT,LED TAIL LIGHTS, CCFL HALO PROJECTOR HEADLIGHTS
I get about 4 car magazines a month, All of them have said the same thing. You can get an Aveo, Civic, Yaris, etc with the same or better MPG and more space/trunk, and more crash crumple zones. The Smart cars are currently turning out about 35-40mpg, just as good as the civic etc.
If the smart car consistently turned out 60-70MPG it would be much better and worth the price, but what they are saying currently is, that it is not worth the change.
Dont forget an extra $200-300 a month to park a second vehicle, if you even can park a second vehicle...I was thinking to get a smart car so I could park it in the back of my titan
Theres no way in Hell I'm getting on a street bike though, your all crazy, Out of the people I know with street bikes...
1 - Dead
1 - no wrecks (sold his bike)
1 - still having surgeries to put him back together form several months ago
the rest have all eaten, survived and given up on bikes with the exception of one.
It's not a matter of if you ever eat it, only when...I really would not even feel safe in a smart car and I'm sure a smart car is going to kill any relationships with the opposite sex.
Other cars are just too expensive right now after I figure in an extra $100 a month more for insurance ona new car,a nd possibly a couple hundred more for a second parking space in the future. I think I'll just pay this beast off and see what alternative energy methods we develop by 2010. I'm still hoping that some of these technologies come out to covert Gas trucks to Plasma hybrids. THere some system on the net to convert your truck to run off a Fuel Cell that converts Tap water into hydrogen using your gas power and doubles your mileage. Then supposedly a new Catalytic converter that will be used to vaporize our fuel 100% (goes before the cylinders in place of fuel injectors) and increase gas mileage up to 300% of what it is now, with no wasted fuel coming out the exhaust.
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PRG Upper Arms and SAWs DR rears 4" lift, Dunder Grill, Extensive Stereo System, HID Club, AEM, Stillen Exhaust, Wet Okoles. Some Titan Pictures (Work in Progress)
I'm not judging here, but for the life of me I can't understand living 0.9 miles (and to some extent 2.5 miles) from work and taking a truck in. I would walk or bike. I'm relocating to Cincinnati and I am going to live 2 blocks from work happily.
Pops, the only thing I can see where people are having an issue with the plan is that you are going to be paying for an asset way way way after it is used up. It sounds bad, and I likely wouldn't do it, however, I wonder how many of these people have taken a vacation or bought 1-time things with a very short useful life and then used their credit cards to finance it.
As far as vehicles go, I just fail to see the economics of it all. I've maintained for a while that if fuel prices as they are today have gotten you into so much trouble that you have to ditch the truck, then it might not have been a prudent purchase to being with. However, I do understand people wanting to save money but what has yet to make sense to me is how buying a $15,000 vehicle will benefit people who are trying to save gas (the MSRP of the cheapest HHR is $17K). For one thing, it will take a while to save $15k in gas. For another thing, unless you buy the vehicle outright, you are paying interest on a loan and you wouldn't have to pay for gas. Lastly, if all you did was put the money in an account earning 3% interest per year you would be even better off.
In the first post colding got 30.75mpg, great. Let's say on a similar highway run (since it had to be highway as the HHR is rated at 21/30) the Titan will get 14mpg. That difference is 16.75mpg. Let's assume the average person drives 15,000 miles per year. So, you use an extra 15,000/16.75 = 895.5 gallons of fuel per year. Let's assume gas is $4/gallon. Then you are saving $3,582 per year as a maximum ($4/gal of gas, and all highway driving...once city comes into the picture it's less). If the HHR was purchased new, then it would take roughly 5 years for this transaction to payoff. Clearly, the benefits are greater the more your drive and the more expensive gas gets. This doesn't even take into account financing (if any) which can easily add another year or two to this calculation.
I'm not yelling at colding or calling him an idiot, I am just using his case as a general example and for him it might make sense, I don't know. But as a general observation I think people have been too quick to jump. Buying a used car has other pitfalls such as not lasting as long or needing repair work.
The cheapest car you will ever get is the one you already own. Buying a second one, to me, seems insane unless there are some very compelling reasons.
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Top 10 Ways You Know You're a Hopeless Procrastinator:
Like you say...it's his business but you're right...lol. He'll get it once he sits down and figures it out on paper. Short term, it looks good because you keep the same monthly payment and the car loan payments disappear. But long term, a small part of every payment for the next 25 years is going towards vehicles no longer owned. And yes, that includes interest. In todays hard times though, I understand the move.
It's never a good idea to pay off short-term debt by taking on long-term debt. He'll very likely pay more in interest on the "car loan" portion of the new mortgage than if he kept paying the car loans directly. And in a few years, he'll take on another car loan or two so the "benefit" will have been short-lived. Oh well...c'est la vie.
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'07 SE KC Titan, Tow, Utility Bed, Off Road and Preferred packages, Majestic Blue
Refinancing a mortgage may not be the best alternative for managing your monthly finances, but it beats the alternatives. gas, food, insurance, and utility prices are all going up and there is no releif in sight right now. Leaving my monthly budget as it was and not changing spending habits, gradually put my monthly expenditures greater than my monthly income. no bonuses were given and no annual pay increases either. something had to give. we had long since stopped using our credit cards, but they still had balances and were not getting any smaller. we have now refi'd our mortgage, took some cash out, paid off all revolving debt, and the interest rate for new mortgage was a lot less. we have also now begun eliminating luxuries because even after the refi, the economy has not recovered (at least not in the construction industry in which i work). no more home phone, no more HDTV, no more napster, no more satellite radio, cut backs on our car insurance coverages a bit and eliminated some of the unneccessary coverages, changed our eating habits to trim our grocery budget, and my wife and i now carpool to work every day. my titan sits in the driveway every day and eagerly awaits my return home that i might take it to get a haircut every couple of weeks or to go to weekend extra jobs that i can find, etc. i am still holding out that the economy will recover sooner or later and bonuses and overtime will pick up again so that i don't have to part with my titan. We are still not in the best financial situation, but we have not lost our house or our vehicles, we have not defaulted on any loan or credit card, and now our savings is increasing again. we also have not had to touch our retirement, yet. times are tough, but so far we are making it. people do what they have to do.
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07 TITAN CREW CAB LE 4X4, 18X9 CUSTOM RIMS, BFG RUGGED TRAILS, TOW PACKAGE, WESTIN DRIVING LIGHTS, TOO MUCH AUDIO EQUIP TO LIST.
Refinancing a mortgage may not be the best alternative for managing your monthly finances, but it beats the alternatives.
It sounds like you have a handle on the situation. Sadly, many people consolidate their loans but go back out and run up new short-term debt (credit cards, car loans, etc.) totally defeating the purpose of consolidation and putting themselves in an even worse position. It takes a lot of discipline. It sounds like you are aware of that...good luck and stay the course.
I have gone round and round on this issue, selling the Titan, parking it etc... It has me constantly thinking and rethinking my situation. I almost made an impulse buy, an even swap of my 2004 Titan 4x4 (32k miles and paid off) for a almost stripped, but new Nissan Versa. Dealer made the offer.
After posting here for suggestions, it was pointed out to me that the 13 to 14 miles of round trip, daily commuting was not bad. Factor in the fact that the GF in an effort to get me to keep the truck for house work, and hurricane issues (flooded areas, carry the generators etc...) is driving the Maxima lease more and more each day, my car pooling is a bit one sided to my benifit. I have promised to keep, but park the Titan.
I did buy a 2008 350Z in early March and have paid it 1/2 off already. I could have it completely paid off in a years time (March 09) but will hang onto the extra money in case the bottom falls out of my job, economy, etc... or God forbid hurricane damage or personal illness to me, GF, dog etc....
I will be driving the Z more than I wanted to originally, was gonna be my dream car, garage queen and have it in perfect shape even after 10 years, but that is probably out the window now.
I know it does not sound like a sacrifice (because it isn't), but I have a bad feeling that one day in the next 4 or 5 years (maybe sooner) I will not have either Titan or Z, and me and the GF will be sharing some little puke mobile car.
it is weird to say i find some relief in this forum. i make good money and i struggle from time to time with the economy being in the ****ter like it is. where i relief at is people here making better money than me having the same issue, so i dont feel so bad or like dang am i the only one. i love my truck and it will take ALOT for me to give her up. my next purchase will probable be a sportbike or some old camry or accord. i dont care what it looks like or anything else, aslong as it runs good has a/c and heat. it can have 4 different tires and rims lol. ... i have the money saved up for the rest of my lift, but i have decided for the moment being, i am using that for an alternate mode of transportation. once i get a different ride purchased and paid off ill finish my truck. as far as saving my relations with the oppisite sex is concerned, i have a gf and she is pretty awesome and if doesnt last ill always have the titan to go back out in. so this is just my 2 cents and wanted to tell everyone thanks for the help and knowledge. robert
it is weird to say i find some relief in this forum. i make good money and i struggle from time to time with the economy being in the ****ter like it is. where i relief at is people here making better money than me having the same issue, so i dont feel so bad or like dang am i the only one. i love my truck and it will take ALOT for me to give her up. my next purchase will probable be a sportbike or some old camry or accord. i dont care what it looks like or anything else, aslong as it runs good has a/c and heat. it can have 4 different tires and rims lol. ... i have the money saved up for the rest of my lift, but i have decided for the moment being, i am using that for an alternate mode of transportation. once i get a different ride purchased and paid off ill finish my truck. as far as saving my relations with the oppisite sex is concerned, i have a gf and she is pretty awesome and if doesnt last ill always have the titan to go back out in. so this is just my 2 cents and wanted to tell everyone thanks for the help and knowledge. robert
You're also very young. Play your cards right and save now!!! Don't be a "gotta have it now" kinda guy and you'll be fine later on. The struggle now becomes a good nest egg later. Having said that, everyones feeling the effects of a crappy economy, high fuel and food prices and dropping housing sales. I just feel sorry for the kids today just starting out.....gotta be hard.
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- Joe
NEW - 2008 Blizzard Titan CC PRO-4X OFF ROAD LWB w/TOW, UB & RF pkgs w/XM & Bluetooth handsfree phone system, Nissan bug deflector, Under seat storage box, Nissan factory step rails, LED taillights, Line Of Fire LED Light Bar, Chrome Door Handles, TomTom GO 700 GPS, Extang Tuff Tonno.
OLD - 2004 White Titan 4X4 CC SE BT, UB, OR
Hudson Valley area of BEAUTIFUL upstate NY!
You're also very young. Play your cards right and save now!!! Don't be a "gotta have it now" kinda guy and you'll be fine later on. The struggle now becomes a good nest egg later. Having said that, everyones feeling the effects of a crappy economy, high fuel and food prices and dropping housing sales. I just feel sorry for the kids today just starting out.....gotta be hard.
well it is hard, i left home at 17 with the intentions of being able to take care of myself and have done so in many different ways. i have a degree in radiology, but i currently work in the oil field cause of the money. i make enough to get by and then a little here and there. i am just thrilled when i see other people my age trying to make for themselves instead of mommy and daddy's money. you will never appreciate what you have no matter how big or small if you dont have to work your tail off for it. i dont have alot but what i do have is all mine, bought and paid for by myself. once again that is what makes forums like this one a great thing is when people dont gripe or be biast to one thing or another and help fellow americans out so maybe they dont have to go through the same trials and tribulations that they went through. people can have different opinions and both of the opinions be right. like i have always heard and said myself, "different strokes for different fokes."
well it is hard, i left home at 17 with the intentions of being able to take care of myself and have done so in many different ways. i have a degree in radiology, but i currently work in the oil field cause of the money. i make enough to get by and then a little here and there. i am just thrilled when i see other people my age trying to make for themselves instead of mommy and daddy's money. you will never appreciate what you have no matter how big or small if you dont have to work your tail off for it. i dont have alot but what i do have is all mine, bought and paid for by myself. once again that is what makes forums like this one a great thing is when people dont gripe or be biast to one thing or another and help fellow americans out so maybe they dont have to go through the same trials and tribulations that they went through. people can have different opinions and both of the opinions be right. like i have always heard and said myself, "different strokes for different fokes."
I also left home at 17, and know I have 2 kids and a wife that doesn't work (hopefully soon she will be a real estate agent). I am 34 right now and have been putting over 700a mont h into my 401k for the last 11 years. I also have another savings account that I put about 400 a month in. I own my own place 40 acres and a small house. I bought a small used car for 4k and it gets high 30mpg's on the hwy (it's ugly, but has a/c, cruise control, and a radio), so the titan doesn't get driven much. I don't buy any meat, we eat what I kill, or catch, so my grocery bill is low. If I want something I work overtime to buy it, or I don't get it. I will not use my normal income to buy anything that isn't a neccesity. I have no plans on working after the age of 53, that gives me 10 years of working after my youngest son is 18 and on his own.
I also left home at 17, and know I have 2 kids and a wife that doesn't work (hopefully soon she will be a real estate agent). I am 34 right now and have been putting over 700a mont h into my 401k for the last 11 years. I also have another savings account that I put about 400 a month in. I own my own place 40 acres and a small house. I bought a small used car for 4k and it gets high 30mpg's on the hwy (it's ugly, but has a/c, cruise control, and a radio), so the titan doesn't get driven much. I don't buy any meat, we eat what I kill, or catch, so my grocery bill is low. If I want something I work overtime to buy it, or I don't get it. I will not use my normal income to buy anything that isn't a neccesity. I have no plans on working after the age of 53, that gives me 10 years of working after my youngest son is 18 and on his own.
i have been putting 10% in my 401k for the past 5 yrs. i am only 24, but i have a best friend who is 30 and he helps me out finacially alot(savings, investment, planning, ect.) so for my age im in a crunch sometimes, but in the long run it will(or atleast some) help out with my retirement.
05-04-2008, 06:53 PM
... i have the money saved up for the rest of my lift, but i have decided for the moment being, i am using that for an alternate mode of transportation. once i get a different ride purchased and paid off ill finish my truck. as far as saving my relations with the oppisite sex is concerned, i have a gf and she is pretty awesome and if doesnt last ill always have the titan to go back out in. so this is just my 2 cents and wanted to tell everyone thanks for the help and knowledge. robert
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