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Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Why I Drive A Clunker

By Janson Hill

As a teen, I always wondered what sort of car I would wind up with. For a while, I hoped for something at least slightly fast and sporty. I don't think I could have predicted that I would soon be getting around in a 1990 Honda Accord with over 200k miles in it. Yes, I own a beater, by any definition of the word.

Yes, I certainly have a beater. It is fairly reliable, working most of the time, but issues to crop up from time to time. I blow coolant hoses left and right, requiring seemingly simple yet annoying repairs to get working again. As I drive, the whole car shakes, rattles, and leaks liquid randomly.

If this is the case, why I am so glad to own this car? The reason can be summed up in a word: cheap. This car gets me around everywhere I need for next to nothing. It's even survived a few long road trips (though those were slightly scary experiences at times). To sum up, it works.

Yes, my car does everything it needs, at a very low cost to me. I paid $1500 in cash for the car back when I was 16, and have been driving it for 6 years now. Even factoring in the repairs I've had to do, its still amazingly cheap.

That's not the whole picture, of course. I have to pay insurance, which in my case is extremely cheap. I have the minimum amount of insurance required by law, which is quite inexpensive overall. This saves me even more money month after month.

Now, think about a new car. A brand new car would require payments, full insurance, and other expenses. While I would probably spend less in repairs, I still save a lot of money over time by keeping the clunker.

Of course, this isn't going to work for everyone. Some people need better, more reliable cars. However, most people don't realize how much money goes into their cars, money that I save by driving a clunker. Think about it yourself, and you might just save yourself a bundle.

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