I have this '84 mazda which runs great. I spent $1200 on it ten years ago and have only had to make a few repairs. It's a fabulous car, can park it anywhere, almost never breaks, carries an amazing amount of equipment for its size.

The problem is, I look around and it's one of the oldest cars on the road. Sure, it looks a little tacky. The tires are all rusted, the windshield wipers all rusted, and a tow truck put an unattractive dent in the front of my car last year. I never cared until someone with road rage called it "a piece of sh*t".

Now I have a job where I have to drive semi-celebrities around town. Damn.

I would...



thats just me though




first

heartbeatocean said:

Ooh! What's the job? Which celebs? Dish the dirt!

.
[Edited 3/19/06 19:54pm]

I can't drive an old car...I don't know the first thing about
upkeep for them.

If you're looking for just transportation, then I wouldn't give
up on it.

Keepin' up with the Jones' has never been my first priority.

Justin1972UK said:

I work for a major film festival and give rides to filmmakers visiting from out of town.

It'd be nice to have an old car every now and then. I miss the days of rear wheel drive and making donuts in the iced over parking lots in my hometown.

heartbeatocean said:

Well, I guess artsy-types would appreciate the car's character. Or something.

Revolution said:

Well, my car doesn't need much upkeep. Why would I need to worry about the Joneses? And why would they worry about me?

Justin1972UK said:

Maybe I should make it into an art car and glue little dolls and beads to it.

Embarrassed? Heck no! Trick that thing out and roll with pride!!

Are you ashamed of putting your money in the bank instead of into a car payment?

I drive all my cars until they more or less die. I just brought my last new car last January, and it will be the last new car I will ever buy.
Why?
Because a new car loses 30 -40% of its value in the first year. From now on, all my cars will be a couple of years old when I buy them, and I run them till they're to much worry.

Recommendation:
Read "The Millionaire Next Door"

I am newly doing well, well off.

I got my first ever new car this year.

It is a very nice car Volvo 2005.

Instead of being less then a new car, it is expensive.

I have driven older cars, they were cheeper, sometimes less relyable.

In all and all, I am not feeling this new car thing.

Cars are a BIG money PIT!

Cars are 4 getting from Point A to Point B.

If you ever have to deal with someone that has a nice new car to feel good about themself, realize their car might not break down, but their soul is on the side of the road out of gas.

heartbeatocean said:

GAT DAYUM that's some funny shit Just the fact that you actually felt bad about it & for that person it was just something to blurt out in a moment of assholery



Here's my take: keep your car - it's good, there's no note, KEEP IT...

The film festival is once a year, no? So rent a car for festival time OR see if you can get your job to rent one for you. If it's a major fest & you're driving directors around, they could probably justify swinging it.

Bottom line: if the car is making you feel odd then do something about it, but don't take on a car note b/c of idiots & snobs in the world...

i drive an 1989 buick regal...it ain't the ugliest thing on the road, but it damn sure isn't the flashiest. BUT..it gets me to and from work, does 85 mph on the highway (when i'm not stuck in stop-and-go traffic hell) and has kick ass AC. if i need to go somewhere out of town, i rent a car for $19.99 a day. my coworkers are all struggling to pay $300-$500 car notes on cars that ain't even that great. BUT, if i didn't have to pay $900 a month in rent and $300 in gas and electric and $160 in health care,and paying $40 a week to fill the damn gas tank up, i might be singing a different tune

I like Calhoun's advice about renting a car during the week of the festival (if that's the only time you have to play the role of chauffer).

Sometimes, though, we get attached to cars. I say that as the former owner of an early-nineties Toyota. I had to trade it in recently because, though it ran great (mostly), it was starting to be a burden. After a while, "Yeah, but I don't have a car note," stops outweighing some other realities:

1) You might have outgrown the car. In my case, my parents weren't as spry as they once had been: Getting in and out of a coupe was no walk in the park. This was true for other people I occasionally had to give rides.

2) Its worth to you financially might have diminished significantly. If you had to trade it in tomorrow, would you get more from a dealer than an incredulous laugh? They tend to be less interested after 100K miles. Or 200K miles...

Just some thoughts. Heck, I just might be dealing with the resumption of paying a car note. Pay me no mind...

heartbeatocean said:

HELL NO YOU should not....If people are worth their salt in the least they wont be bothered with it...consider It your barameter!

You guys all rock. Thanks. I can't really complain considering I spent $1200 for a car that has lasted ten years AND last year I got a letter from the city saying they actually want to BUY BACK MY CAR for $650 because it's a high polluter. That comes out to be $55 a year for my car.

I refuse to rent a car for the festival because I already work cheap as it is and get exploited enough as it is by having a career in the arts. But I may just ask to borrow the festival's rental cars more often, which they do have available.

I don't know why it's bothering me of late. It never even crossed my mind before... Must be that I'm truly, finally, once and for all, growing out of my student/starving artist phase... I really liked that phase...

I want an old car. I fucking love Firebirds. They just scream "bad ass". I'm gonna one like that picture, but have it red and the bird and decals painted black and trick out the inside. That shit would be so damn fly.

At least I don't drive a jellybean like everyone else.

I think that's great to have a car that's paid for!

It's better, in fact, to have one that doesn't look too good. Police don't stop you as often, and maybe it's less targeted by someone who'd like to steal something out of your car.

CalhounSq said:

CS is absolutely right. Both in terms of feeling just fine about your own car for everyday use....and particularly about checking to see if your job can foot
the expenses for a rental for thefestival...with a little checking I'm sure you could find something to fit the production budget! And it's not like it has to be big or extra loaded at all...usually festivals will have a simple sedan with an identifiable festival logo sign perched right up on the dashboard and basta: official company car for artist transportation! And yes, that is a tax deductible expense on the part of your employers so they really should be able to hook you up...if they're not willing to do it, you could rent it yourself and deduct the rental cost, gas, and milage from your taxes next year (I think you would simply have to attach a schedule C form of expenses to your regular 1040, but I can't remember)...hope that helps...

...but lastly, beyond any "official chauffeur" type duties you are required to perform outside of work, just save your money, and get new wheels when the time is right FOR YOU... no rush, no worries!

heartbeatocean said:

Borrow.

You must be approaching your 30s, then. I too finally feel ready to make some money, for once!

Ottensen said:

Is there less "rat-race" mentality about always having things shiny & new in Europe? There might be more esteem for artists here on the continent (GB as well, I'd venture to guess).

Heiress said:

I think there is definitely some truth to that. I know that in the States once you're dealing with all things artistic -life is all about "the Limo". I notice that in Europe they will generally transport you in a regular car (or passeger van if you have eqipment like a musician or fashion photographer), though it will be a late model vehicle, there's no big whoop to escort people around in the largest, shinest, gas guzzlers they can fit on the road...and everyone seems okay with this. I even noticed while visiting the USA consulate here in Hamburg, that the Consul General is driven around in a moderately priced (though full sized) American car, like a Lincoln or a Chrysler...rather than some gigantic stretch limo that the average political bigwig would require in the US...

Ottensen said:

I don't know about where you live, but there's no ROOM for such cars where I am. I mean, they won't fit on the street!

I see late-model Mercedes, say, escorting celebrities here. Saw an Aston Martin once.

heartbeatocean said:

They love directors They want them to feel comfortable - it's so worth it to ask for the car

Heiress said:

That's a good point. Not only do people not care about stealing what is in the car, they don't bother to steal the car itself -- which can be quite a problem where I live.

Ottensen said:

Actually the festival gets the rental cars DONATED so they're just sitting there waiting to be used. I'm going to have a talk with my boss and hash this out.

If it takes you to point B from point A that's all that should matter.

Drive it with pride.


M

Heiress said:

er...approaching my 40s...