The picture says it all, no? In case you can’t tell, I am driving an old car with flaming Sweet Sixteen candles on top of it, crossing over the 250,000 miles banner. The car is also disproportionally big compared to the driver.

My 1996 Honda Accord sedan is running strong, running long after sixteen YEARS and 250,859 MILES. When my dad passed down his car to me when I left college, it was already 10+ years old. Now that it crossed over the quarter-million mark, it’s still doing well with no immediate problems. Can you believe it?

Here’s what I wrote in ode to old cars post back in 2009:

1. An Old Car is most likely to paid off. Which means… no car payment, which means… more money in your pocket. Of course, repairs can cost higher than a new car’s, but in many cases the math still works out in the Old Car’s favor. Even with periodic repairs to the tune of $1,000-$1,500 a year, my Old Car is still cheaper than a New Car would be.

2. Cheaper insurance. Old Cars are cheaper to insure (and you might not need comprehensive or collision insurance for an old car). Added up over the course of 5 years, you can save hundreds or thousands of dollars on insurance if you drive an Old Car instead of a New Car.

3. Less worry of damages. A bump on an 1997 Toyota Camry adds character (or so I’d like to believe), a scratch on a 2009 BMW 335i is a glaring blemish. I have little scratches on my car that I don’t worry about fixing. I don’t want my car to be scratched, of course, but if it happens it won’t break my heart. If I were driving a brand-new car, however, that would be a different story.

4. At this point, it’s become something of a “let’s see how many miles I can put on this car” game. I had one mechanic tell me he has a Honda that topped 400,000 miles. While I don’t know if my car can get that far, I’m hopeful that my car have a few more years in it.

I feel the same way today. I love my car so much. It is a faithful buddy that asks very little: regular oil changes, repairs when needed, and a wash now and then. And it has given me so much in return: ability to get around, freedom from monthly car payments, a reliable and comfortable ride, and 29-30 miles per gallon gas mileage. I would have never been able to save as much as I am for retirement or travel to all those places if I were not gifted with a car. For that, I am grateful. To the car (and my dad)!

How do you keep your car running to the quarter-million mark? According to an MSN Money column, the average car is about 13 years and has 145,000 miles when it’s scrapped. So if you can drive your car to 250,000 miles, your car will have given you 100,000+ more miles than an average ride. The column goes on to give you several tips to make the car lasts longer. I’d say that for me, it’s part luck and part maintenance. Regular oil checks (I do mine at 3,000 miles no matter what anyone says!), a trusted mechanic, and a solid build has helped my car go and go. The lack of serious accidents obviously is a factor as well. Can’t drive a car to 250K miles if it gets totaled earlier.

Do you think your car will make it to 250,000 miles and/or sweet sixteen mark? What’s the make, model, and year?

Want to really get drivers worked up? Just ask them about expensive tickets issued as a result of those ubiquotous cameras above traffic lights. THEN tell them that they didn’t actually have to pay the fine. Apparently, red light camera tickets, are really just… voluntary.

According to a Los Angeles Times article:

City officials this week spotlighted a surprising revelation involving red-light  camera tickets: Authorities cannot force violators who simply don’t respond to pay them. For a variety of reasons, including the way the law was written, Los Angeles officials say the fines for ticketed motorists are essentially “voluntary” and there are virtually no tangible consequences for those who refuse to pay.

The disclosure comes as the city is considering whether to  drop the controversial photo enforcement program, with the City Council scheduled to vote on the matter Wednesday.

I have never gotten a red light camera ticket before, although I did have a very big scare back in 2009. I understand that these cameras can provide a useful deterrent to dangerous driving, but most of the times they seem to be a way to wring extra money out of citizens who makes a quick right hand turn or something of that ilk. With the latest turn of events, however, if you get a red light citation… you’ll know what to do with it!

If you live in Southern California (or maybe if you even live outside of the area), you probably have heard about Carmageddon – a heavily trafficked stretch of the I-405 will be closed between the I-10 and I-101 for this weekend. The I-405 is the basic artery of north-south traffic on in West Los Angeles, so if you live in that part of town, stay put!

SoCal is such a car-based culture, really, if you don’t have a car here, you don’t have any way of getting around.

Possible new car purchase?

When it comes to the buy new car vs. keep old car dilemma, the financially prudent answer seems to always lean towards the latter. Of course, a new car is a significant drain on one’s monthly cash flow, but when is the right time to finally buy a new car? I have never considered buying a new car quite as seriously as I am doing right now. This past Independence Day, I spent $350 on rest and pampering… for my car! (some recent repairs include: $120 in December 2009, $350 in May 2009, and $400 in November 2008).

The cost and headache of spending a holiday weekend on car-related issues has made me wonder: should I buy a new car? Has the time come to finally let go of my beloved Honda (who has served my Dad, then me, faithfully for 230,000 miles, and counting) and get something with side-impact air bags and a CD player?

Recently, my parents also suggested that I should buy a new car, mostly for safety reasons. I demurred, although driving 60 miles a day has made me somewhat more inclined to consider a new, more comfortable ride with updated safety features.  CB raised a good point – given that my car is so old (even though it’s still in very good condition for its age / mileage, knock on wood), I should do some research into the type and cost of car I want.

Estimated Cost of New Honda

My family has had pretty good luck with Hondas, so I pulled up the numbers on Edmunds’ Auto Loan Calculator to see how much a Honda Civic DX would cost.

Even with a $10,000 down payment on a 36-month loan, and at a very favorable 5.0% interest rate, I would be paying $234 a month in car payment.

New car vs. Old car in dollars

Keep Current Car: the cost of driving and maintaining my car total $400 a month, or $13.11 per day.

• $150 – gas
• $90-$100 for liability only
• $150 – repairs / monthly contribution to Repair Fund

Buy New Car: if I were to buy a new car, my repair expenses would decrease, but my other car-related expenses would increase.

• $150 – gas, maybe somewhat lower because of more efficient gas mileage? my current car gets around 29 miles per hour. I’m not sure what new Honda would get.
• $234 – monthly payment (according to Edmunds calculator)
• $130? – car insurance would go up because I’d be insuring a new car and I’d need comprehensive / collision coverage
• no out-of-pocket repair costs for the first 3 years (or so I’d hope)
• I would also be out the $10,000 for down payment

Safety concerns?

It seems that keeping my old car would be in my best financial interest. However, am I compromising my personal safety by not purchasing a new car? As cars get older, their safety features becomes outdated. Even though my Honda is rated very well for its year in terms of safety, and it has never been in a major car accident (again, knock on wood), a new model would of course have more up-to-date safety features. If I somehow end up in a match with a Hummer on the freeway (knock on wood, again, that that never happens), I will very much like to have side-impact air bags and new 2010 construction.

So, questions for readers: How did you decide to keep your old car or buy a new car? How did you reconcile the safety concerns with financial concerns when it comes to possibly buying a new car? If you were me, would you buy a new car?

This Sunday night, my car greeted me by making a sad sputtering noise when I tried to start the engine. My last major repair cost $350 in May. Before that, I spent $400 in November 2008. I’m not overjoyed at the prospect of another big repair, but I understand that my car is old. And, well, old cars need more attention. Car repairs usually cost me $1,000 a year, so… I’m right on schedule.

My most recent BlogHer post was on the ways that unemployment can cost more than you think. The three major areas I discussed were (1) health insurance, (2) travel, and (3) friends / hobbies-related expenses. However, I realized that I’ve forgotten one big cost – the unexpected costs that car ownership can bring.

Aside from the normal, recurring costs, such as car payment, routine car servicing, and auto insurance, you also have to take into account costs of accidents, major repairs, and possibly car replacement. Being unemployed does not mean that your car will cooperate and delay its troubles. And in the morning I’ll learn just how much this unexpected expense will cost me. [Edit: car repair "only" cost $120! Yes for beating anticipated costs.]

In other news, I’ve made it through an initial screen and will be moving on to a second round of interviews. Your good thoughts must have helped – I’d appreciate it if you can please keep ‘em coming.

A month ago I thought a Red Light Camera got me going through a yellow light as I was coming home from a job fair. I saw a flash and was certain that I’d be on the hook for $500 in fines and traffic school fees. I even commiserated to Mom about it (who recently got a ticket).

After a few days of feeling bad about it, I mentally wrote off the fee as a sunk cost and resigned myself for the inevitable notice in the mail.

Well, it’s been 4 weeks, and I still haven’t received a citation. I was afraid that the notice was sent to my previous address, so as soon as I got home that day I went online and updated my information to make sure that my mailing address was current. I’ve also been checking the County website for traffic citations under my driver’s license.

So no citation received in the mail. No citation showed up on the web search.

Could it be? That I’m… safe?

I hope so. But I’ll be checking the County court website for another few weeks just to be sure!

I have.

When I signed my credit card receipt for $354 worth of TLC at my mechanic’s.

Then I drove home in my steam-free car.