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OT: I am about to become like you.......

I have not owned a car (company provides me two cars) in over 25 years. I will retire at the end of this month and have a ordered a van for Linda and a truck for me. It has just hit me, the cost of cars ( yes I sell them to you, but I was not buying those high dollar things). Then I called my insurance guy to see what that was like ( hell of a lot cheaper years ago). Oh, how much to budget for gas ( mine was free, only paid for Linda). Now wondering who I hand the keys to starting in March to clean the damn things????? Not sure Linda is going to do it. 
Please someone tell how the retirement thing is going to be so good.
Oh, where do you go for an oil change:)]
Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

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Comments

  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,170
    Can't help with the above sob story but would suggest that if you don't own a watch with the day of the week display you should get one as "Every day is Saturday".  And with that you will never have a day off....enjoy the next chapter as you certainly have earned it.   :)>-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
    No note, Insurance, fuel, or mainenence charges...wow you had it freaking good!!! I think you need to delay your retirement. Haha

    I have two of those and I easily overlook how big of an expenditure that is. Quick calculation puts at about $1500 a month for me. Yikes!!!
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    edited February 2014
    The best thing is you can drive your car/truck anywhere you want, or not drive it all on any given day. 
    Given your soon to be over career, I'm surprised you ordered a couple of new vehicles. You should have the connections to get the best used, excuse me pre-owned, cream puffs available. 
    Cars, the only investment we continue to make knowing no matter what we do, it will always be worth less tomorrow than it is today, or in the case of new cars, the moment you drive it off the lot. 

    Good luck with retirement, having been there for over 10 years, I do not know how I ever had time to work!  
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • Funny story Mic. Several years ago I bought a passenger van. I had been driving company vehicles since I was 20. Anyway, I go to get insurance and they put me down as a new driver. They wanted 5,000. a year and I was in my late thirties. Good luck with that.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Jeremiah
    Jeremiah Posts: 6,412
    cazzy said:

    No note, Insurance, fuel, or mainenence charges...wow you had it freaking good!!! I think you need to delay your retirement. Haha

    I have two of those and I easily overlook how big of an expenditure that is. Quick calculation puts at about $1500 a month for me. Yikes!!!

    I'm right there with you, cazzy. But one will be paid for in about two weeks! That's why you see so many retirees with older (paid for) cars.
    Slumming it in Aiken, SC. 
  • Vehicles are a losing proposition ... I don't care how you look at it
    My PitMaster IQ120 FREAKIN ROCKS!!!!!!! Current BGE arsenal: XL & MiniMax
  • Austin  Egghead
    Austin Egghead Posts: 3,966
    edited February 2014
    Like you Mickey, I have a company car with gas, maintenance, and insurance paid by my employer. We also own our own cars.  What to do:
    For maintenance the BMW and the Acura go to the dealer; for cleaning we have a great place on Bee Caves that do a wonderful job washing and detailing the car (Acura dealer will wash the card too when we remember to take it over there).  
    For insurance, you can shop around for the best deal, or, get an independent insurance agent that will get you the best deal.  
    Now about the gas.....get yourself an AmX card from Costco and use it to charge the gas.  The discount is just as good as as the gas company cards, except you are not limited to just one brand of gas.  
    Like cazzy said,  these steel horses aint cheap. 
    Enjoy you r retirement.


    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,432
    Cars, the only investment we continue to make knowing no matter what we do, it will always be worth less tomorrow than it is today. 

     
    I bought a '77 Volkswagen bus when I moved to Albuquerque for $2,000.  Sold it five years later when I moved to ND...  for $2,000!  (I did have to drop a new clutch into it, however)  
    :)
    _____________

    "I mean, I don't just kill guys, I'm notorious for doing in houseplants."  - Maggie, Northern Exposure


  • henapple said:
    I doubled my mpg by hooking up the Pitmaster to the carburetor =))

    ... and yet, another reason to buy a PitMaster. Are you sure you aren't affiliated with them?
    My PitMaster IQ120 FREAKIN ROCKS!!!!!!! Current BGE arsenal: XL & MiniMax
  • BOWHUNR
    BOWHUNR Posts: 1,487
    edited February 2014
    Mickey said:
    I have not owned a car (company provides me two cars) in over 25 years. I will retire at the end of this month and have a ordered a van for Linda and a truck for me. It has just hit me, the cost of cars ( yes I sell them to you, but I was not buying those high dollar things). Then I called my insurance guy to see what that was like ( hell of a lot cheaper years ago). Oh, how much to budget for gas ( mine was free, only paid for Linda). Now wondering who I hand the keys to starting in March to clean the damn things????? Not sure Linda is going to do it. 
    Please someone tell how the retirement thing is going to be so good.
    Oh, where do you go for an oil change:)]
    Welcome to the real world Mickey! :D  My little business employs 13 and we have nine vehicles and a Cat skid steer.  Most days I feel like I'm working for GM, Cat and Allied Insurance!!

    Mike

    I'm ashamed what I did for a Klondike Bar!!

    Omaha, NE
  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    I thought this was a cross dressing post...kilts
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • You people pay folks to wash your cars?  You pay people to change your oil?  I must be doing something wrong.

    XXL #82 out of the first 100, XLGE X 2, LBGE (gave this one to daughter 1.0) , MBGE (now in the hands of iloveagoodyoke daughter 2.0) and lots of toys

  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    You people pay folks to wash your cars?  You pay people to change your oil?  I must be doing something wrong.
    Doc they are called new car porters and oil techs..... Yep, they don't work for free. The problem is i will not have free use of their service anymore......
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • Just wait until you have to pay for your first out of warranty repair.  You'll think those mechanics are using silver wrenches to put golden parts in.
    A poor widows son.
    See der Rabbits, Iowa
  • Yep, time to put on your Big Boy pants! :D
    My PitMaster IQ120 FREAKIN ROCKS!!!!!!! Current BGE arsenal: XL & MiniMax
  • KennyLee
    KennyLee Posts: 806
    Buy 'em 2-3 years old (at least) and drive 'em as long as you can.  My washing consists of driving through the local $3 wash and cleaning the inside myself when needed.  I do pay for oil changes though because I can get it done for not much more than I can do it myself.   

    LBGE

    Cedar table w/granite top

    Ceramic Grillworks two-tier swing rack

    Perpetual cooler of ice-cold beer

  • BYS1981
    BYS1981 Posts: 2,533
    edited February 2014
    I just sold a personal car of mine because I can bring my work truck home. Company pays for all maintenance, gas, insurance, etc.

    Now if only I could get on the same side of the bridge, I could save $5/day.
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    Only time I take my car to the car wash is when I need salt washed off during winter(underbody spray). I'm with @KennyLee about getting a used car. Most are updated every 5 years so grabbing one 2-3 years into the production run is nice because kinks are worked out and you get a nice discount. My Ford Flex was a $40k vehicle new that we were able to get for $26K.

    I am certain you already know all this. Unfortunately, my next car will be new because we are looking at the Audi A4 Avant/Allroad with the TDI engine. It is supposed to be the 2015 model. I need to upgrade from my A3 TDI because 2 kids means no more room. Plus, getting 45 mpg is AWESOME! I could get a used Allroad now but that means I am getting 39mpg highway on premium fuel. The only way I could do that is if  I got a job closer to home.

  • saluki2007
    saluki2007 Posts: 6,354
    Eggcelsior, I have an A4 I purchased a couple years ago.  It was 2 years old when I purchased it and it was certified.  If you don't mind buying a used vehicle (unless you are like my wife and everything has to be new) definitely check into that as you can get the original warranty to carry over (if still in effect) plus an additional warranty included.
    Large and Small BGE
    Central, IL

  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    @saluki2007, We were actually looking at a 09 A4 in 2011. We then went for a S4 but then we found out my wife was pregnant so we switched to the A3(the car was for her initially, but we got the A3 for a commuter car for me). We love the TDI and that is what we are looking for in a A4. We like the space it provides as a wagon(I dropped the A3 off for scheduled maintenance and the dealer gave me an Avant). On account of that, we will need to go new as they are supposed to put the TDI in the 2015 models. 
  • HDumptyEsq
    HDumptyEsq Posts: 1,095
    I just retired last week after 47 years in the auto business - 32 in the US and 15 in the UK in both retail and, mostly, in the wholesale auto auction business. While we had company cars all those years, they were used cars - nice, late model one, of course, but strictly used. I always kept a couple of other cars for fun anyway and now they're my everyday "smokes'.
    Have a long, happy, mobile and healthy retirement.

    Tony in Brentwood, TN.

    Medium BGE, New Braunfels off-set smoker, 3-burner Charbroiler gasser, mainly used for Eggcessory  storage, old electric upright now used for Amaz-N-Smoker.

    "I like cooking with wine - sometimes I put it in the food." - W. C. Fields

  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    edited February 2014
    I just retired last week after 47 years in the auto business - 32 in the US and 15 in the UK in both retail and, mostly, in the wholesale auto auction business. While we had company cars all those years, they were used cars - nice, late model one, of course, but strictly used. I always kept a couple of other cars for fun anyway and now they're my everyday "smokes'.
    Have a long, happy, mobile and healthy retirement.

    You  got me by 2 years. Started in the business 1969.

    When I started we sold new Toyota HiLux (PU) MSRP at $1500 and Corolla's at about $1250.

    Have not had a vehicle with over 5000 miles on it in forever. Bet I do now...

    Cant wait till the end of the month.

    Thanks.

    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,671
    Mickey said:
    I just retired last week after 47 years in the auto business - 32 in the US and 15 in the UK in both retail and, mostly, in the wholesale auto auction business. While we had company cars all those years, they were used cars - nice, late model one, of course, but strictly used. I always kept a couple of other cars for fun anyway and now they're my everyday "smokes'.
    Have a long, happy, mobile and healthy retirement.

    You  got me by 2 years. Started in the business 1969.

    When I started we sold new Toyota HiLux (PU) MSRP at $1500 and Corolla's at about $1250.

    Have not had a vehicle with over 5000 miles on it in forever. Bet I do now...

    Cant wait till the end of the month.

    Thanks.


    :)) i change the oil in my dodge every 7500 miles :)) and in 25 years ive washed it maybe 6 or 7 times :D welcome to the other side
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Mickey - Now that you're going to be one of the little people, wearing your kilt around town is not the same as when you wore it to work (being the boss and all). You won't hear "That kilt looks great on you, sir" or "Did you make that kilt, sir? Well, you make it just by wearing it, sir." You may find that, in retirement, hushed snickering may give way to waves of laughter.

    Of course there's always the chance that you may be able to pull it off. The only way to know is to put it on and go to the hardware store.
    Flint, Michigan
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669

    Mickey - Now that you're going to be one of the little people, wearing your kilt around town is not the same as when you wore it to work (being the boss and all). You won't hear "That kilt looks great on you, sir" or "Did you make that kilt, sir? Well, you make it just by wearing it, sir." You may find that, in retirement, hushed snickering may give way to waves of laughter.

    Of course there's always the chance that you may be able to pull it off. The only way to know is to put it on and go to the hardware store.

    Fred that's just not going to happen. Think bowling ball with a skirt my friend.
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • I hear ya buddy. That's precisely the reason you wouldn't catch this caveman wearing one. Of course, anything's possible with enough booze.
    Flint, Michigan
  • I hear ya buddy. That's precisely the reason you wouldn't catch this caveman wearing one. Of course, anything's possible with enough booze.
    Now I thought a kilt would be one step up from that long shirt your avatar wears..... You can handle it big guy!
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • Only if there's enough booze & the children have gone to bed.
    Flint, Michigan