Old Audi's worth keeping ? was:Dead Puppy

[Huw Powell]

> >The way I
> >see it, I could have a $300/mo car payment, or I can budget $300/mo to
> >maintain my Audi.  The latter gives me a car I like to drive.
>
> I use the same argument. The problem arises when you commit to
> $1500 (5 months of payments) to fix the tank and 3 months later
> something else breaks, thereby "adjusting" your payment schedule.

If you keep records from the beginning, no car should do that to you,
though.

You've got the purchase price, amortize that monthly on one spreadsheet
line.

Then there's the money you had to put in right away, that starts you off
with maybe a high monthly average maintenance cost - but could easily be
added in to the purchase price.

Over the years, the trouble free months will offset the big expenses -
or at least they should - and get the long term numbers into line.

My 90Q has been slowly creeping down form the just over $300 a month
figure, under 250 now and still dropping.  I've got about the book value
(allowing for body/paint work sort of) into it, but I have eurolights,
new fuel tray parts, new radiator & stuff, 15" wheels, new clutch bits,
and everything except the ABS (and the AC, but I ripped that out myself)
works.  Of course if I factored in my labor it would be a darker
picture...

Parts cars can be entered as line items and as things are sold off them
reduced to zero (I think it's cheating to go below zero on them against
another car, that part pays off the trouble of parting them out), then
they supply free parts.

And what the heck does $250/month get you these days, even ignoring down
payments and much higher insurance?  Certainly not a sophisticated piece
of German engineering, more like a new Saturn.  Which you're still
making payments on when it is a rather old Saturn.  By then, your Audi
has had everything replaced w/new bits and is still as good as new!

--
Huw Powell

http://www.humanspeakers.com/audi/

http://www.humanthoughts.org/