Your car has just majorly broken down and is in need of $2,000 in repairs. Can you afford that?

[CAPTAIN-OBVIOUS]

Yes 👍

No way 😭

[Anonymous]

Yeah. But the car I drive now is over 10 years old. I would probably in most cases opt for a newer used car (I almost always buy used). But we find ourselves in a very unique market post pandemic. Due to supply chain issues used cars are even in short supply (presumably because the assholes who buy new cars every year really can't due to supply. So they've had to forgo buying a new car this year and that has crimped the trade-in used car supply). So I economics suggest I would probably be forced to buy new.

[BeMuse]

Why would I pay someone for something I can do myself. The last car repair I had to do cost me $7, it took me 20 minutes of labor, and I had to wait 2 days of not driving while a part came in the mail. Online estimator for my region puts that repair between $1,318 to $1,646.

[CAPTAIN-OBVIOUS]

What part was it

[BeMuse]

It was a little plastic part dealing with the transmission linkage cable... I literally broke down right in front of the garage entrance to an auto dealership taking someone to pick up their repaired car. I pushed my car through their garage to the back lot and put it in a parking spot and trouble shooted my car there on my own. I asked to borrow a couple of tools and they were like nope we'll give you a quote and fix it if you want. So I had to get a ride from the person I gave a ride to back to my house to get tools and come back. I figured out what was wrong after about 50 minutes. Stuck my hand in the engine bay and shifted the transmission into reverse. Backed up, turn off the car, and put the emergency break on. Then got out of my car and stuck my hand back down in the engine bay and shifted the car to drive by hand, then got back in my car, turned it on, and took off the emergency break and drove it home. Then did the reverse process in the driveway at home to get it into park safely. Got online and ordered the part that afternoon. Fixed it two days later in my driveway. It's been working flawlessly since.

[BeMuse]

It was just the bushing, but they would have replaced the entire linkage cable and charged for all the labor. For example, see the white plastic bushing at the end of the cable... One of those, but different vehicle.

[MysticAngel5000]

Yes, I could. But boy, would I be annoyed at that cost lol Since my car is older, I'd honestly debate if I'd even WANT to put that much into it. If it really needed that much work, I may just get a new-to-me vehicle that was an upgrade from the current.

[Apple1996]

Yeah could easily afford that and have had something similar happen where my car kept breaking down over and over again. Eventually sold it cause it was such a waste pouring money into it

[CAPTAIN-OBVIOUS]

What kind was it

[Apple1996]

A dodge journey. Don't ever buy one lol

[Apple1996]

Also had a dodge dart that I poured a lot of money into to fix to. Just don't buy dodges

[CAPTAIN-OBVIOUS]

Yeah I’ve heard what about now

[Static_In_The_Attic]

Budgets & emergency funds are a wonderful thing to have & as for me I’m always creating new budgets as well. If my vehicle had a major breakdown I have an emergency repair fund & it would be covered & if the repairs cost more than the vehicle is worth I also have a new vehicle budget as well.

[Anonymous]

yes. i don't waste my money on useless things. i save for emergencies and make sure i have enough in case something were to happen. i feel like a lot of people don't do that. skip that stupid thing for you hobby just once and put the money in savings. like come on...

[Paul09]

Not really. I need to change my brakes, haven't done it yet because it's expensive and my garage door cable snapped. That's 2 things that will cost me a few hundreds. On top of the 7k I have give to my condo to change all windows. Bills keep piling up for me this year. But maybe in the near future say yes.

[hahahmm]

Yeah but

• If the dealership says $2k, the local shop probably says $1k
• If the local shop says $1k, I can do it myself for $150?
• If I have time & knowledge to do it myself I go that route.

[God_of_Thunder]

Screw that noise

*Buys a new car, instead* 😂

[OlderAndWiser]

I can afford it, but that would be more than I paid for the vehicle three years ago.

[CAPTAIN-OBVIOUS]

So would you fix it

[OlderAndWiser]

I like the vehicle - a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport - but it has a slightly leaking rear window, clear coat severely flaking, cruise control doesn't work, radio doesn't work, and a few other minor problems. I will probably buy a VW Arteon or Lincoln MKZ hybrid in the next six months, so. . . probably not.

[OlderAndWiser]

. . . unless I could do the repair myself.

[MementoMori777]

depends on the bluebook value of my car at the time it breaks down

[exitseven]

Yes but I would seriously consider buying a new car if it was more that 15 years old.

[Anonymous]

I'd stick it on a credit card and pay it down as fast as I could. If I had to pay 2K cash? Noooooope

[Iron_Man]

That’s what I’m worried about because I’ve got so many bills around here and I’ve got to pay my property taxes November 1

[CuriousMufuxka]

Yes, but I'm gonna use my backyard mechanic connections to get that down to around 400 bucks.

[ShesRad80]

yes.

[LavLavLuv]

Ya...

[PointTaken]

I can.

[LiamJHayden]

No problem.