Originally posted on 05/21/2021:

Quote Originally Posted by Da Manster! View Post
Sup Gents......it's been a good minute...still dealing with a lot of bullshit in my personal life and just got my 2017 Toyota Corolla LE oil changed and serviced with their "multi point" inspections....and they say I need a radiator flush ($226), Front Brakes = rotors and pads ($607), and some other miscellaneous maintenance bullshit that totals near $500.......Anyhow, what do you guys think of this wager?...good chance to hit?...KVB, Nash, Cash, DDD, BTJ, Steve, Brick, etc?...3TM 3PT teaser paying almost even money!...

Risk:$923.73
Win: $908.26

Arizona-Rockies over 8.5
Rays-Jays over 5.5
Astros-Rangers over 6.5

Looks fine by me.
BoL Manny.

I hear ya, cars are money pits.
If I didn't have a pair of dogs I wouldn't own one anymore.
I have a GMC SUV great for transporting the pups, groceries etc.
But I have a lot of hip problems, driving is a chore for me, KVB can probably relate to.

Here's the pros for me owning a SUV.
The freedom.
I have a ride at the drop of a hat.

And like I said the SUV is great to have if I need to take the dogs to the vet, I can load them up in a heartbeat, or to the lake to run them.

Here's the cons

I live in a heavily taxed state where I have to pay a yearly car tax based on the value of my car (in this case about 28k for my 2017 GMC)
That yearly car tax is bullshit man. I shouldn't have to pay 800 bucks a year property tax on my vehicle.
I pay property tax, it's for my condo, I shouldn't have to pay another property tax on top of that.
Years ago just I looked up how many other states levy a yearly property tax on cars. (not many) and surprise, surprise, the states that do are mosstly 'blue' states. Shocker!

Gas prices are rising through the roof right now as there is more of a demand than supply these days with summer approaching and COVID dying out. $3.20 a gallon now I noticed this morning at the corner Shell station.

Maintenance.
I'm blessed with a nerdy analytical brain.
I'm an I/Y nerd by trade, I am not that great with my hands.
I can change my own oil if I have to, but I choose not to, it's not what I do well.
If push came to shove I could change my spark plugs providing you gave me the right tools and the schematics, but I'm not good with my hands like that, I respect top notch auto mechanics, they can do what I can not do.
But the ASE certified ones, the best of the best now get 125 dollars an hour minimum these days.
Maintenance costs for my SUV alone are ridiculous.

The 2017 Yukon out the door was 45k and change.
The true five year cost to own for the vehicle (gas, repairs, fees, insurance, maintenance, etc) is roughly 62k.
Did I mention money pit?
Unless your vehicle is a Volvo, or vintage, it's a losing proposition.

Not to mention I don't want to lose my life because my brakes that shouldn't give out does give out and I wrap my 2 ton vehicle around a utility pole. That's not the way I want to go out.

I did a cost analysis last year.

You'll make out demonstratively better not owning a car.
If I want to rent a car for a long weekend, a SUV rental will cost me about 200 if I need one for a wedding, social event, mini vacation, what have you.

I don't need a car for groceries, I don't even want to go into a grocery store anymore and lug out pounds and pounds of bottles and other stuff. All groceries stores from you basic box chain Stop and Shop or Shop Rite all the way on up to your high end health food stores will deliver what ever I need to my front door. And that includes Amazon, I am a Prime subscriber, they own Whole Foods now they'll deliver what I need now no fee.

I don't even need to drive to the pharmacy anymore, they deliver same day, all big Pharma does these days not to mention Amazon is in the pharmacy business too now.

I live in a megapolis, right smack dab in the middle of Boston and NYC.
In the six plus years I have been using Uber I have never had to wait on a ride longer than 8 minutes.
There's always an Uber up the street.
If I had no vehicle I would need to use Uber once a week or so (providing I had no dogs) to go to Super Cuts for instance or something like that.

My monthly Uber costs would be about 60 bucks, no more than 80.

Shit, with all the resources available to me, if I had no dogs with the exception of getting some sunshine and a little bit of exercise I really don't have much of a need to even go out anymore.

Car?
I don't need no stinking car.

Know what I call a new car owner these days.
Suckers.