Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Thoughts on car ownership
With all the repairs the van required recently I was beginning to wonder if owning a car was worth it. Had my lovely wife been willing to live full time on a sailboat that would have been the end of my land vehicle days. Alas, for now she's only willing to spend half the year on a boat.
The van is a special category of vehicle. It's a former ambulance converted into a mini camper that's been altered to run on waste vegetable oil. Our other vehicle is an older Chevy Cavalier on its last legs. My mechanic has already warned me that it won't pass the next state inspection in June. We ended up with this car when one of my daughters wanted a new car and the trade in on the Cavalier wasn't worth much of anything.
So by spring we'll have to figure out what to do about transportation. Living out in the woods, public transportation of any sort is not an option. Neither is living in a city an option. We could get by with the van as our daily driver. My lovely wife rarely drives the van now, but is willing to adapt.
I could put my old motorcycle on the road, a 1974 KZ900. That might come under the title of “hobby project” rather than in the reliable transportation category. It would probably make more sense to just put an electric assist motor on my bicycle.
The last thing I'd want to do is to buy a new car. I can't afford to pay cash and I'm allergic to making any more debt.
Buying a used car is an option, but doesn't that sound rather boring? Wouldn't it be more fun to buy a bigger sailboat? Maybe a sailboat big enough to live on for 6 months of the year?
Decisions, decisions.
Maybe we'll just stay home next summer and order everything me need on-line. If anyone wants to see us they'll know where to find us.
-Sixbears
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Have I ever mentioned a horse and cart?
ReplyDeleteIt might have come up a time or two . . . or three or four or more. :)
DeleteThe electric assist for the bike sounds good, IF you're willing to put yourself at increased risk from idiots on the road.
ReplyDeleteThat is a valid concern.
DeleteI'm primarily driving a 1988 F250, extended cab, long bed diesel. In fact, it's going in this afternoon for a persistent fuel filter leak they can't seem to get a handle on. However, it will go just about anywhere, haul just about anything, and doesn't matter if I scrape a tree or whatever in the woods. No payments, either.
ReplyDeleteI had a diesel F250 extended cab. Engine ran fine but the body rusted out so badly the cab was falling off. Too bad, as I sure miss that engine. Much simpler than the Powerstroke in the van.
Deletecombine boat with rv into one drive and sail portable home
ReplyDeleteWildflower
That's my long term goal. Getting there one step at a time.
DeleteYou do have some fun decisions to think on.
ReplyDeleteWe are over here in Maine and getting to the age where we have some major decisions to make as well.
I told my wife that we would dump the Honda and get a truck or van. Well shoot, I thought it was a good idea