Women Alone and Our Cars........
 

Well, I want to have a place I can post about the issues concerning women alone and their cars. Mainly when something goes wrong.

I have had brand new cars a few times and that was very nice BUT at this point I don't think I will ever have another one. I'd like to but I just can't afford one. Besides the fact that being on SSI and SSDI we aren't allowed to pay more than $2000. for a car, which kind of stinks since you really can't get much of anything for that price. It's really a shame too since an older car just nickle and dimes you to death.

I was wondering how it would work if let's say you WON a brand new car. Has this ever happened to anyone? I heard that IF that should happen they make you sell it then spend that money down. But if you paid nothing for it why would they make you do that?

I have been lucky though so far. The car I have presently hasn't really given me much trouble. I paid about $2000. for it but I have put another 3 or 4000. into it BECAUSE it was just the car I had been looking for.

It's a small car, older and considering it's age doesn't have all that many miles on it. But it is very easy on gas. it takes about $15. to fill the tank and I don't drive all that much so that lasts me almost the entire month.

I think if you find a small car, easy on gas and not in bad condition you should just keep it and make repairs as needed but hang onto it. These HUGE gas guzzlers are on their way out with the high price of gas now and it's only going to get worse.

I have had a few friends, females, living alone who drive these Enormous cars. I just can't see why they hang onto them. They aren't good on gas at all. Takes them about $100. a month JUST to fill the tank. I'd really LOVE to find a two seater. I always like small cars. The biggest car I ever owned was a Grand Am, which I did love but I really didn't need that big of a car.

I really wanted to talk about when something goes wrong with our cars and the physcological effect it has on us to be at the Mercy of unscrupulous people who jack up the prices of repairs. I have even heard from many people that some mechanics actually BREAK stuff while they are repairing our cars to get us back in the shop for more repairs later.

I'm sure this must happen to men too but I think women really get the worst of this practice. I mean what do we know about what's going on under the hood or under the car?

My last stint of repairs, this past month totaled well over $1000. It started out with a broken brakeline. I did fall victim to someone who also, while under there broke the fuelline to the gas tank. It didn't end well. I ended up taking it, had it towed, to my regular guy and he fixed that and did some other repairs that needed doing. He fixed what the first guy did too. I actually stayed there and watched him. I asked him what he was doing and I found it facinating to see UNDER my car. It's really not all that complicated it's just that we women tend to believe whatever we are told needs fixing. But I wanted to actually SEE it.

Just get a Toyota or a Honda. I only get services done by the dealership, that way I have leverage if something doesn't go well. We all have to take at least some responsibility for knowing what our cars need. I've never been taken by a mechanic, but last year, I did get a bad service at a dealer in MT while on a long joyride.

They used a standard wrench instead of the Honda-specific wrench to open the oil pan. They stripped it out and it required replacement of the entire pan. I'm not their patsy and ended up having the entire repair done for free at my home dealership.

To me, it's like anything else, I am responsible to know my car and its habits, if something is out of whack, I do something about it by learning as much as I can and talking to the experts. Then, at least, I have some idea of what to expect.

Yea, good idea to do some research online too if something goes wrong. You then have some idea about it. I actually look up the "Cost" of the parts.

Once when my car was hit while parked, the hood was totally smashed in and I couldn't open it so I went online and ordered a new hood and had it delivered to my guy. He charged me only $20. to take off the broken one and put the new one on. IF I had asked for someone to get the hood then put it on it would have cost me alot more. If you can get the part already at cost then have it with you installing it takes only a few minutes, unless its some Big Deal.

My cars from now on won't be new ones so going to a dealership is out for me. Even when I had new cars I found that dealerships REALLY were expensive unless it was something under warranty and it was just done for free.

Once I wanted to buy a NEW car. I went to dealership NOT dressed up, just wearing sweats. I had 20 Grand in my pocket CA$H and a 5 year old car to trade in. Because of the way I was dressed and or the fact that I was female, I stood around and watched as the salesmen zeroed in on all the males who walked in. Not one salesperson approached me and I stood around in there for the good part of an hour. I thought that was funny story to tell.

I have bought only one new car in my whole life. The only reason I had to sell it was that it was a stick and my MS wrecked the fun of that.

I had never, nor will ever, pay for a brand new car. I only wanted to do it once and I did it.

I've always just put feelers out for the car I want with the bells & whistles I want and wait for the right one at the right price. I also know my dealership people, speak to them all when I'm there and make certain that we have a relationship. They don't care whether the car came from their lot.

Mine has $15 oil changes done according to specs. They have a nice place for me to wait, clean and accessible restrooms, coffee, juice, popcorn, comfy chairs and Wi-Fi.

Their prices are fair, service is top-notch and they use only genuine parts. Those are worth what is really only a minor premium to me. I don't like the idea of wondering whether they actually do know what they're doing.

That said, tires, wiper blades and such things are definitely cheaper from other outfits. But if someone's going to be dinking around in my engine, it's going to be someone who knows what they're looking at and has the proper tools & the back-up of the corporation.

When I was married and we went on day trips the "Car" was not my concern at the time. If something went wrong HE would deal with it. But NOW it's different. It seemed there for a while, no matter Where I went or how far away or close it was SOMETHING happened with my cars. It was almost like there was a curse on me. So now I am terrified to go anywhere for fear I will get stuck.

Just thought I'd throw that out there. :o

Ever get "Stuck" in a really BAD part of town?? It's Scary. :eek: You may not make it out alive and I'm NOT kidding.

Can't you lease the car you want (without buying it??)

Alan (before he had to quit driving because of his PN), well, we always leased and turned it in every two years and got a brand new one.

Now I have no idea if the same rules apply (about the SSDI and the SSI), if these rules apply to leasing.

It's worth checking out though, because if you can LEASE the car of your dreams without having to worry about the $2000 thing, well then, I'd at least look into it.

Melody

Leasing is ok if you can afford the monthly payments, I can't. BUT I was wondering how my situation would apply IF I were to finance a car loan for a much newer car. I haven't looked into that yet. I have some financial business I have been putting off from my divorce 20 years ago. There is the matter of a pension fund that I got half of but I am afraid to look into it. It would mean a few extra hundred a month and I could afford small payments. I am afraid to deal with it out of fear that I also have somehow been screwed out of that eventhough it was part of my divorce settlement. But I am afraid maybe he took all of that money once he left the company. I have the paperwork for it but am afraid to look into it out of disappointment. It's a VERY well know company and hasn't gone out of business but I fear I have been screwed out of it somehow.

I seem to be afraid of just about everything. :o

I think every kid {girls & boys} should take a shop or basic mechanic class.
What used to be passed down from father to sons {and maybe some daughters} just doesn't happen anymore.

Luckily my dad let me hang out in the shop with my brothers when he tinkered on things.
Plus I was a tomboy anyway LOL.

Some basic car Tips -
listen to the sounds your car is making- smooth , rough running, clanks, clunks or whines, squeals, hiss, rubbing sounds - you need to be able describe it as best you can to your mechanic - unless it makes that sound all the time...

area of the car do any odd sounds come from

Having a mechanic or dealership that is trustworthy is a good thing, maybe ask around and have a backup one also for emergencies.

It is possible to find really nice & well cared for 1 owner cars in the lower prices.
Just takes time and reading a lot of ads and comparing when you go look at them in person.

there are many sites with info on cars and repairs, so learn about your can or the one you are looking at before you get in a bind.
http://usedcars.about.com/
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...=Google+Search

Yea, I watched my Dad too when I was very young but as I grew up his business changed and he didn't work for other people, he owned and operated his own company but still he did many of his own repairs to vehicles and his own ship. One of my brothers also was this way, he became a pilot for a major airlines. I think I could have done either but you know how it was back then for girls to do anything BUT wife and mother. I really feel like I was cheated out of my own life. I wanted so much more for myself and I feel my life has just been a waste of my time. :( Now my brother is living my life or the life I wanted for myself.

OK, back to cars. ;):p

I did learn alot from my Dad about fixing things. At this point in my life I really don't need a man around for anything I can't do for myself. I am very good at " Opening jars and killing bugs." :D;) That's a quote from "Everybody Loves Raymond".