GTI :: Money $ink
September 09, 2008 / Tuesday
A Different Kind Of Money Sink
Back when I first bought my car, I noticed how much more everything cost: the car itself, DMV fees, insurance, gas, maintenance, parts... Then I started customizing it and things got *really* expensive. I ended up creating a special blog category for it: Money $ink.
Fortunately, the novelty wore off after a couple years and I stopped buying toys for my car. That, and I got used to the increased cost of owning and operating it.
This year, my car reached 100,000 miles. In November, I will have had it for 6 years. Its age is showing; I've spent a couple grand on repairs already, and that's not counting the maintenance I normally do, or the wheel and tire I had to replace no thanks to Caltrans.
This week, I had yet another exhaust leak fixed. I also had the temperature (among other things) sensor replaced. At least the two fixes overlapped in terms which parts needed to be pulled off for access. Labor is usually most of the repair cost.
Later this month, I'll need to bring my car back to have one of the CV boots replaced. It's also time for some new rear brake pads.
People keep asking me if I'm going to buy a new car. For now, probably not. I suspect my car's pile of problems this year is due in no small part to the ridiculous number of miles I've had to put on it no thanks to my new sucky work commute, and I absolutely do not want to be putting that many miles on a new ride.
So, what to do? Get a new commute? I'd like that not just for my car, but for me, too. But alas, a job is not all about the commute, although it's starting to play bigger factor with each hour wasted on the road, each expensive repair, and each visit to the gas station.
Gotta mull that one over some more. Perhaps it'll get its own post someday.
05:45 PM | GTI:Money $ink| Comments (1)
October 18, 2004 / Monday
Stainless Steel Sparkin'
A glimpse at part of my ECS Tuning checkout page just now:
Line item 1: Standard 40,000 maintenance. Amazingly, people seem to like the OEM spark plugs the best. I just wish they weren't so expensive.
Line item 2: Mmm ... racing brake fluid. Overkill, yes.
Line item 3: Droooool ... stainless steel brake lines. Definitely overkill.
Wow, I really am salivating at that.
I'll be done with my 40,000 mile service after the spark plugs and brake fluid flush. But gosh, how much money did that cost me in total? More than I'll dare to calculate.
I know my spending habits pretty well. Was I right, or was I right?
06:01 PM | Mods:Money $ink| Comments (0)
September 17, 2004 / Friday
The Wallet/Car Happiness Tradeoff
Ordered my new suspension setup today. H&R Sport Springs and Bilstein Sport Shocks. Bought me some red calilper paint, too.
18" rims, a tighter suspension, red calipers. I'm gonna be stylin 'round corners like a mofo.
That is, if I can find money for gas.
05:18 PM | Money $ink| Comments (0)
August 23, 2004 / Monday
Okay, Now I'm Poor
Holy moly, I just dropped a whole lot of money on new rims for my car. It's gonna look like this, except that my car is red and the wheels will be 18" and the wheel gap will someday (soon, I hope) be smaller.
It doesn't ship 'til 9/1. Fortunately, I have a full size spare, so I can probably grandma around on that for a little while. Now I just have to figure out how to get my spare on without my gums throbbing and exploding. Kersplat. Ow.
10:33 AM | Mods:Money $ink| Comments (0)
July 18, 2004 / Sunday
My Car The Seductive Money Pit
As I was ordering oil filters for my car today, I realized I'm due for my 40,000 service after this upcoming oil change / discretionary tire rotation quickie. The 40,000 is a big deal for my car. I haven't had anyone take a really good look at my car since I bought it ('cause then they'd have to touch it, eek), so I'm thinking this is a good one for me to bring it in for service.
My car will not be going to a dealership for its 40,000 mile celebration. I've taken my car to a dealership all of one time (for a recall installation), and they scratched my hood. I'd even done research beforehand, and this was supposed to be the "best" dealership in the Bay Area. Sheesh.
That leaves me with a small handful of VW tuning shops in the area. I'm thinking I'll either take it to New Dimensions (way South of me) or Tomas Sport Tuning (way Northeast of me).
But if I'm going to take it to a tuning shop, I really should get coilovers while I'm there. I mean, it's more convenient that way, right?
And it's about time for new tires. I should get that done then, too.
And if I'm going to get new tires, I might as well slap 'em on new wheels.
And if I'm going to get new wheels, I should get a big brake kit.
And if I get a big brake kit, I should paint the calipers red.
So exactly how much is my 40,000 mile service going to cost me?
Maybe I should just take it to the stealership. It'll be cheaper.
01:26 PM | Mods:Money $ink| Comments (0)
May 14, 2004 / Friday
VW Dealership Blurb 1: What a Ripoff!
Ron Price VW's prices on oil filters for my car, laaame. 20 bucks for an oil filter! A buck something for a crush washer! It makes Boardwalk VW (for which I also have a great dislike) seem like my friend. Pfft.
VW Dealership Blurb 2: GLI!
Hey ... the Jetta GLI ain't bad! Saw a beeeautiful Blue Lagoon one on the showroom floor today. It is to the Jetta what the 20th is to the GTI. Nice body colored valences and sideskirts. A shiny round single chrome tailpipe. Lowered suspension. 18" BBS wheels. Recaro seats. Brushed metal interior trim. I'm not a big fan of the Jetta, but I definitely wanted this one.
Wow, did I just say that?
10:47 PM | GTI:Money $ink| Comments (0)
February 23, 2004 / Monday
I'm Moving Into A Crappy Neighborhood
Good thing I'll be saving money on rent, because my car and motorcycle insurance is going up $600 a year at my new place. That's silly, given that I'll have an enclosed parking space for both of them after my move. Ugh, feeling poor ...
01:37 PM | Money $ink:Motorcycle| Comments (0)
January 07, 2004 / Wednesday
Uh-Oh ...
Now that I've set up Quicken I realize that I have a big fat car insurance payment coming up. When is my registration refund going to come?
02:18 AM | Money $ink| Comments (0)
January 02, 2004 / Friday
Good Gas For Cheap
They have 93 octane gas here in Boston. That's what my car should be running! Gas is much cheaper here, too. 93 octane from Shell for $1.65 a gallon. How much is the 91 octane at the Shell near my office? $1.95? More? Siiigh ...
06:19 PM | Money $ink| Comments (0)
November 17, 2003 / Monday
I Hope My Check's In The Mail
Arnold sworn in, car tax repealed! I wonder when my check will arrive.
04:18 PM | Money $ink| Comments (0)
October 14, 2003 / Tuesday
Cars and Bikes and Houses and Relatives and Stuff
My car doesn't feel fast to me anymore. All of a sudden I feel like it's a waste of money to buy things for it. I passed up a the $220 CAI I wanted even at $130 this morning 'cause I thought, why spend money when it's only gonna give me a few more horses? What will a few horses do for my car relative to how fast my bike is? It'll make my car sound meaner, sure, but you know what? The bike sounds 5 times meaner, and that's with the stock exhaust. Wait until I put the Yosh pipes back on! The incremental improvements are just not worth the massive amounts of money I have to spend to upgrade. Heck, for the money I'd save on my car I could be riding around on something better ...
So there. Maybe a CAI someday 'cause they're relatively cheap, but no turbo, no fifteen hundred dollar suspension, no thousand dollar rims. Not until I have money coming out of my ears, at least. On the turbo note, there's a company out there that can slap a twin turbo on my 24v for a total of 490 horses. Tempting, yes.
On this slightly more responsible spending note, there's a part of me that says to quit spending money on things that go vroom, 'cause there's no way in hell I'll ever vroom my way into owning a house.
On the other hand, you can sleep in a car but you can't drive a house.
Or, I could suck it up and live in my aunt's basement for free and save myself a grand a month. That is, until my shrink fees start adding up. I think they would soon run me well over what I'm currently paying for rent.
Oh, but free rent. Very tempting. More tempting than a 490 horsepower twin turbo 24v VR6 engine in my little red car.
Health insurance covers therapy, right?
12:03 PM | Mods:Money $ink| Comments (0)
September 11, 2003 / Thursday
The Insurance Industry Is Screwed Up
Remember that car insurance craziness from earlier this year? Well, here's some more craziness, this time for my motorcycle insurance.
Progressive, who is my car insurance company, quoted me $3720 for one year of motorcycle coverage. Divide by two, that's $1860 for 6 months. The guy who did my quote laughed. I could buy myself a second motorcycle for that amount.
On to State Farm. They quoted me $162.43 for 6 months. Needless to say, I went with them instead. I showed up at their office to finish up paperwork. Upon running a record check, I was told they would have to charge me more because of my little speeding violation / license suspension from three years ago. But then ... I got a good driver discount (!) and my final bill came down to $150.40.
Yes! $150.40 for 6 months of insurance! Does that rock or what?
Strangely, their car quote was higher than what I'm currently paying Progressive.
I just don't get this whole insurance thing.
03:16 PM | Money $ink:Motorcycle| Comments (0)
September 05, 2003 / Friday
VLF Ouch
Got my registration renewal in the mail today. My eyes bugged out of my head and then I checked the DMV site. They said:
The increase in Vehicle License Fees that was announced on Friday, June 20, 2003, affects vehicle registrations that become due October 1, 2003, or later. Vehicle registrations that become due before that date will be unaffected by the increase.
Vehicle owners whose registrations become due on and after October 1, 2003, cannot pay early to avoid the increase.
$499 to register my car for next year. This calls for another dogfarkingdarnit.
Or maybe two. Dogfarkingdarnit!
05:42 PM | Money $ink| Comments (0)
March 14, 2003 / Friday
Chain$
Chains for my Civic: $35.00
Chains for my GTI: $325.00
Erf.
04:13 PM | Money $ink| Comments (0)
January 22, 2003 / Wednesday
Let's Go Geico ... Not!
So yesterday I got my 6-month premium bill from Progressive. $826.90 for 6 months. $140 a month, for those of you who have asked in the past and gotten my standard "I have no idea" answer. It's hard to have an idea when you pay every half year. Anyway, I thought perhaps I'd try to get a better quote from Geico. I visited their website, filled out their forms, and this morning I got their quote. 'Tis as follows:
Thank you for requesting a rate quote from GEICO Direct.
Your 6 month total premium is only: $2,137.7
Vehicle: 2003 VOLKS GTI VR6
Coverages Limits Deductibles Premiums
COMPREHENSIVE 500 $332.30
COLLISION 500/W $1073.20
BODILY INJURY LIABILITY 30/60 $336.50
PROPERTY DAMAGE LIABILITY 25M $224.00
MEDICAL PAYMENTS 5M $87.00
UM + UNDERINSURED MOTORIS 30/60 $84.70
Total Premium for Vehicle $2137.70
Total Premium $2,137.7
All of a sudden my Progressive quote seems quite reasonable and lovely. $140 a month? Sure! Here! Take my money!
"Only" $2,137.70. Ha!
