Author |
Message |
Natedgr8gatsb Samba Member
Joined: February 15, 2021 Posts: 2 Location: Arkansas
|
Posted: Tue May 11, 2021 9:40 am Post subject: Cost of ownership |
|
|
I am a new guy here, and have never actually bought my own car before. Never owned my own car is more accurate (shameful, I know, I'm trying to do something about it.
I was wondering if anyone had some information, sage advice, common knowledge, etc. about running costs (regular maintenance, as well as seasonal and yearly jobs) and/or insurance.
I know taxes, laws, and registration change from state to state (though if any Arkies want to chime in, that would be great ), but at least general ideas, resources, and what companies I should be looking at or what companies or practices I should avoid.
Thank you so much,
Nate |
|
Back to top |
|
|
KTPhil Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006 Posts: 33883 Location: Conejo Valley, CA
|
Posted: Tue May 11, 2021 9:49 am Post subject: Re: Cost of ownership |
|
|
Are you talking an old air-cooled VW, or any car in general? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Natedgr8gatsb Samba Member
Joined: February 15, 2021 Posts: 2 Location: Arkansas
|
Posted: Tue May 11, 2021 10:38 am Post subject: Re: Cost of ownership |
|
|
For the beetle ideally, but any advice would be great. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
KTPhil Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006 Posts: 33883 Location: Conejo Valley, CA
|
Posted: Tue May 11, 2021 11:12 am Post subject: Re: Cost of ownership |
|
|
The vintage VW can be an inexpensive car, or one of the most costly you can buy.
Body work is expensive, but assuming you are talking about recurring maintenance and repairs, here goes:
The difference its in how much of the work (and these cars need a LOT of work to run reliably) you can do yourself, considering your skills, tools, time, and facilities available.
If you can do all the maintenance (tune-up, lube, chassis adjustments) yourself, you can mitigate the high maintenance costs these labor-intensive cars require.
If you can do heavier work like brake jobs and engine removal, you can save on the larger expenses. Even if you don't tear the engine down, and just do removal, cleaning, and installation work yourself, instead of having a mechanic do it, you see a lot. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
vwinnovator Samba Member
Joined: July 11, 2005 Posts: 1555 Location: Still doing it in the back of your VW
|
Posted: Wed May 12, 2021 7:25 am Post subject: Re: Cost of ownership |
|
|
depends on the condition of what you start with..
Used worn out will cost a bit to bring back to "normal" condition..
Reconditioned/restored will cost more up front, and if it was done thoroughly, future maintenance will be minimal.
Basic tune ups/valve adjustments/oil changes...
Occasional brake adjustments..
generally are enough, yet more frequent than newer cars..
All the other maintenance issues/intervals are compatible to just about any car..
Wiper blades
Tires
light bulb replacements
wearing suspension components
Etc
Again though, it all depends on what condition you start with..... |
|
Back to top |
|
|
AirHead1966 Samba Member
Joined: October 17, 2019 Posts: 561 Location: Triad Area NC
|
Posted: Wed May 12, 2021 8:10 am Post subject: Re: Cost of ownership |
|
|
Natedgr8gatsb wrote: |
I am a new guy here, and have never actually bought my own car before. Never owned my own car is more accurate (shameful, I know, I'm trying to do something about it.
I was wondering if anyone had some information, sage advice, common knowledge, etc. about running costs (regular maintenance, as well as seasonal and yearly jobs) and/or insurance.
|
Not the advice you wanted to get from a classics car forum but you asked, so:
1. This will be your first car. Get something that is low maintenance. I recommend a nice Toyota or a Honda.
2. Buying a 50 year old car as your first car is a terrible idea. Others may disagree but I would not recommend it. You want something that you can get in, turn the key and go and not worry about maintaining too much.
3. Talk to your neighborhood insurance agent. Find out what the rates will be for the kind of car you can afford.
4. Don't buy anything that is more than you can afford - in payments, gas and maintenance - no matter what the salesman, your friends or anyone else tells you. Only you know what you can afford.
5. Don't buy anything for which there aren't plenty of good mechanics where you live.
6. This will be your only car so buy something that you can jump in and go wherever you need to go without thinking about it - doesn't matter if it is 5 miles or 3000 miles. Hint a 50-some year old car is not the right choice for that but a Toyota or a Honda is.
Good luck. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
vwinnovator Samba Member
Joined: July 11, 2005 Posts: 1555 Location: Still doing it in the back of your VW
|
Posted: Wed May 12, 2021 8:24 am Post subject: Re: Cost of ownership |
|
|
AirHead1966 wrote: |
Natedgr8gatsb wrote: |
I am a new guy here, and have never actually bought my own car before. Never owned my own car is more accurate (shameful, I know, I'm trying to do something about it.
I was wondering if anyone had some information, sage advice, common knowledge, etc. about running costs (regular maintenance, as well as seasonal and yearly jobs) and/or insurance.
|
Not the advice you wanted to get from a classics car forum but you asked, so:
1. This will be your first car. Get something that is low maintenance. I recommend a nice Toyota or a Honda.
2. Buying a 50 year old car as your first car is a terrible idea. Others may disagree but I would not recommend it. You want something that you can get in, turn the key and go and not worry about maintaining too much.
3. Talk to your neighborhood insurance agent. Find out what the rates will be for the kind of car you can afford.
4. Don't buy anything that is more than you can afford - in payments, gas and maintenance - no matter what the salesman, your friends or anyone else tells you. Only you know what you can afford.
5. Don't buy anything for which there aren't plenty of good mechanics where you live.
6. This will be your only car so buy something that you can jump in and go wherever you need to go without thinking about it - doesn't matter if it is 5 miles or 3000 miles. Hint a 50-some year old car is not the right choice for that but a Toyota or a Honda is.
Good luck. |
While this could be good advice...
Don't let the age of a car discourage you..
you can have a "new" car in an old shell based on your budget.
I've seen just as many worn out 20yr old hondas and toyotas needing $1000's to get them back into shape. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
my59 Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2003 Posts: 3781 Location: connecting the dots
|
Posted: Wed May 12, 2021 3:49 pm Post subject: Re: Cost of ownership |
|
|
All of the above is good advice.
The IRS figures milage at about $0.57 per mile, includes insurance, upkeep and purchase costs.
You want to get the most dependable thing you can afford, and have a dedicated fund to pay for upkeep. How much do you think you will drive it, and how much time do you have to do upkeep?
My first car was a 71 mg midget, and it was a cesspool I poured my wages into, having no living expenses. Glorious when it ran, the biggest POS bad idea I ever had when it didnt.
I've been rolling 300d Mercedes since the mid 90's (with a 190e 5 speed in there for a while) and the most expensive cost 1k to buy. Having gotten over the learning curve of knowing how to keep them going has been the key. They look like crap, but do the job. No working ac, or cuise control, loud, and folks get out of the way because it's obvious that their new plastic bumpers will not survive.
If I didn't know how to maintain them and depended on a mechanic to do everything, I wouldn't touch one as a first car.
Meanwhile, we keep a 2012 VW jetta as the long haul car, now with 230k on it. Was dealer maintained until 200k, but my wife's business paid for it.
Toyota corolla is where I'd be looking if it was my firsdidn't.
Toys come later. That's why you see old fucks like me driving cool cars. _________________ my59: Well son, my grandfather died before I got to drive it, so does that answer your question?
our79: sunroof bus w/camper interior and 2.0 FI
Other:'12 Jetta, '77 Benz 300D, and a 74 MG Midget. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
cbeck Samba Member
Joined: January 14, 2014 Posts: 2494 Location: high ridge, mo
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
|