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You probably don't know it, but Chris got a new car last night. I wasn't there, but I know he has a shiny new dark blue Mazda 3. He needed a new car because the Oldsmobile he's been driving wasn't going to pass inspection, and fixing it (it was a headlamp problem that would call for dismantling the entire steering column to fix) wasn't really worth it.
Now I've considered getting a new car. My car just today turned over 140,000 miles. The car hasn't been in my possession five years yet, and already I've put on a lot of milage. Still, i found that I tuned the 100,000 mile on May 25th, 2003 (the car's 3rd anniversary - Thanks LJ), so surprisingly, I think I've actually slowed down the mileage gains.
Still, I worry about the costs of maintenance creeping up on me. I already worry about the suspension on this car, with the rather poor state of Houston streets (or freeways are funded differently, and they are good). My car probably needs an overhaul.
Still, that's just the point, my car probably just needs an overhaul, not a replacement. It's a 2000 Nissan XTerra, and it's always been good, and I know I'm just looking at a shiny new toy when i look at the new 2005 XTerra, that will be rolling out next month. I so want one.
My sister will tell you, we're both people who like new things, new apartments, new equipment and such. I'd rather replace than fix, oftentimes. Wasteful, sure.
Still, the fact is, I have what, four or five car payments left on this car, and I'm done. I could actually save the money for a bit and pay off some other things, or travel, like I'd like to do a little more of - vacation time permitting. Jumping into a new set of car payments for the next five years isn't necessarily the smartest move I could be making - I keep trying to convince myself.
Of course, going with the new, improved car model, just introduced, also means that you won't be looking at discounts, or special financing. All I'd be getting is new car smell - oh, and satellite radio, which is one of the big reasons I want a new car. I've actually put off getting Sirius because I was thinking I'd get the new XTerra this spring, but now I'm trying to convince myself, is not the time.
Yes, I want Sirius because of Larry Flick (![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
lfkbear), so shoot me.
So if one of the big reasons to get a new car is satellite radio - something to take the edge off off those drive to Dallas, and to replace the crappy radio that exists here in Houston, then why don't I just get it installed in my car now?
Well, I looked at the price of doing so today. I've never had more than the factory installed radio in my car, so I don't know what these things cost, but I'm finding it's not all that cheap. One quote I got, for the head unit, transmitter and antenna, would put it around $500 with installation. This was a lot more than the $300 I told him I wanted to spend, and he didn't give me much reason as to why there was a difference.
Of course I always find it shady to deal with people, and companies that aren't upfront about their pricing. there were no prices on the products in front of me at their store (Mobile One).
Circuit City had a unit that they sold at a cheap price, but didn't have the other pieces to actually let you use it. Why would you sell it? Best Buy's people never came over to talk.
I guess I was just hoping I could do this cheaper...and less flashy, each "head unit" seems to have enough LED on it to light up a runway. I like my factory installed, nondescript, no-one will ever think to steal this radio in my car. I don't want one that make people look to see if I spent money upgrading my stereo. I'm not 19 and in need of such attention. I just want to hear satellites in the sky.
Still, and I know this sounds funny, the trouble and the $500 price tag just makes me want to go out and buy the whole new car where the price of the radio will be hidden amongst the whole package.
No one said I thought smartly when it comes to new things.
Now I've considered getting a new car. My car just today turned over 140,000 miles. The car hasn't been in my possession five years yet, and already I've put on a lot of milage. Still, i found that I tuned the 100,000 mile on May 25th, 2003 (the car's 3rd anniversary - Thanks LJ), so surprisingly, I think I've actually slowed down the mileage gains.
Still, I worry about the costs of maintenance creeping up on me. I already worry about the suspension on this car, with the rather poor state of Houston streets (or freeways are funded differently, and they are good). My car probably needs an overhaul.
Still, that's just the point, my car probably just needs an overhaul, not a replacement. It's a 2000 Nissan XTerra, and it's always been good, and I know I'm just looking at a shiny new toy when i look at the new 2005 XTerra, that will be rolling out next month. I so want one.
My sister will tell you, we're both people who like new things, new apartments, new equipment and such. I'd rather replace than fix, oftentimes. Wasteful, sure.
Still, the fact is, I have what, four or five car payments left on this car, and I'm done. I could actually save the money for a bit and pay off some other things, or travel, like I'd like to do a little more of - vacation time permitting. Jumping into a new set of car payments for the next five years isn't necessarily the smartest move I could be making - I keep trying to convince myself.
Of course, going with the new, improved car model, just introduced, also means that you won't be looking at discounts, or special financing. All I'd be getting is new car smell - oh, and satellite radio, which is one of the big reasons I want a new car. I've actually put off getting Sirius because I was thinking I'd get the new XTerra this spring, but now I'm trying to convince myself, is not the time.
Yes, I want Sirius because of Larry Flick (
lfkbear), so shoot me.So if one of the big reasons to get a new car is satellite radio - something to take the edge off off those drive to Dallas, and to replace the crappy radio that exists here in Houston, then why don't I just get it installed in my car now?
Well, I looked at the price of doing so today. I've never had more than the factory installed radio in my car, so I don't know what these things cost, but I'm finding it's not all that cheap. One quote I got, for the head unit, transmitter and antenna, would put it around $500 with installation. This was a lot more than the $300 I told him I wanted to spend, and he didn't give me much reason as to why there was a difference.
Of course I always find it shady to deal with people, and companies that aren't upfront about their pricing. there were no prices on the products in front of me at their store (Mobile One).
Circuit City had a unit that they sold at a cheap price, but didn't have the other pieces to actually let you use it. Why would you sell it? Best Buy's people never came over to talk.
I guess I was just hoping I could do this cheaper...and less flashy, each "head unit" seems to have enough LED on it to light up a runway. I like my factory installed, nondescript, no-one will ever think to steal this radio in my car. I don't want one that make people look to see if I spent money upgrading my stereo. I'm not 19 and in need of such attention. I just want to hear satellites in the sky.
Still, and I know this sounds funny, the trouble and the $500 price tag just makes me want to go out and buy the whole new car where the price of the radio will be hidden amongst the whole package.
No one said I thought smartly when it comes to new things.
