frescagod

i'm thinking of selling it, and its $450/mo payment + $100/mo insurance + gas. the thing is, i can't be completely without a car in DC because it's too big of a hassle getting some places without one.

i'd probably end up getting a used integra, ~1998-2001. it'll be as fun (or more fun) to drive, and it'll cost me about 1/4 what i still owe on my TSX.

i can also drive to work (literally 2 miles down the street from me) but i have to pay $130/month to park there.... it's about 7 minutes door to door, as opposed to about 30-35 when taking the metro.

what do i do?

sorry, this is just stream of consciousness internet thinking.... my main question is: will i really miss my TSX once it's gone?

TSX2345

After reading I believe you answered your own questions. The choice is yours. Can you afford it?

04rob

You can also do one of those zipcar things instead of buying a cheaper car. Do you think you could be transferred again/switch jobs any time soon?

mrgold35

Sounds like if you don't need a car where you are living and you can save almost $700 per month (payment, insurance, maint, gas, and parking). If you do need a car, you can rent one for the week or weekend. You could save $7,000 to $8,000 in just one year just by selling the TSX. It would be like getting $8,000 pay raise that is tax free.

I had no car payment for 4 years before the TSX and it was the only time I was debt free since starting college in 1984. Give yourself the money instead of Honda/Acura.

dalieu

i think the integra will have higher insurance:

The CCC reports the ten most stolen vehicles for 2005 are as follows:

1. 2001 BMW M Roadster
2. 1998 Acura Integra
3. 2004 Mercury Marauder
4. 1999 Acura Integra
5. 1995 Acura Integra
6. 2002 Audi S4
7. 1996 Acura Integra
8. 1997 Acura Integra
9. 2001 Acura Integra
10. 2000 Jaguar XJR

http://autos.msn.com/advice/article....d=2891&src=map

6/10 of the top ten spots... maybe check with your insurance company first... good luck whatever you do.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Where do you live? If you live in Arlington, residents of Arlington County get free membership to ZipCar and there are ZipCar only parking spaces all over the city. You might want to consider this.

frescagod

FREE? are you serious?

frescagod

true, but i probably wouldn't get collision insurance if it were like 8 years old, and paying cash for it would mean no car payment. it's not like the insurance on a '99 integra is going to be $200/mo when it was $100/mo for both my old RSX and the TSX.

Savio

get a vespa

feelgood13

why did you buy a tsx when you can't afford it? that's what civics are for.

mg7726

i've been to DC and that Metro is not adequate. even with subway here, i still ain't giving up my car no way

i'm spoiled now and wouldn't downgrade to a civic either, that's just me

frescagod

dude, it's not that i can't afford it. if you read my post, you'd see that i've had it for awhile and i CAN afford it. my circumstances have changed (read: switched jobs), but apparently you didn't read that part of my post.

if i don't drive it monday through friday, and maybe 10-20 miles on the weekend, then at $5/mile (80-90 miles a month), maybe i don't need it, right?

thanks again for your worthless contribution!

frescagod

well, there's always the chance that i get transferred to yet another project sometime next summer, either by choice or by necessity. if that happened, there's a 50/50 chance i would have to rely on the car 100% for work.

there's also my desire to move to new york city within 2 years at the latest, so that's also on my mind. i'm certainly not moving anywhere in the next year though.

rsx_r04

What're the chances that you'd be transferred again, and would need a car?

If you're saving roughly $700 / month, that's a fair chunk of change! I'd say go for it.

Acura TSX is not going anywhere; you can always purchase a new one when the redesign comes out within the next two years or so.

=)

aznt1217

Hmmm.... you do save a lot and time value of money does a lot. Get a used A to B car. IMO use that money invest it properly or make it accrue some type of interest.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Yes. You don't pay the initial setup or the annual fee. You only pay for the time that you use the car, which is around $8/hr or something like $50/day and that includes everything such as insurance and gas.

If you really don't need a car most of the time, this is probably a good way to go. Now that I think of it, I remember you mentioned that you lived near Brown's Mazda by the Ballston Mall (I think) so you should definitely qualify. This way, you take metro during the week and on weekends when you need to go elsewhere, you can book a zipcar ahead of time and take that instead.

Reach

If you're in/around Ballston and its easy to walk to the Metro... sell the TSX and get a sportbike for A --> B.

TSX is a lovely car, but if you don't need it, you don't need it. That's a lot of money that could probably help you out somewhere else in life, like paying off that over-priced condo!

Othello

I'm in the same boat, got a new position that will allow me to work 100% from home so paying $500/mnth on a car that will sit in the driveway 95% of the time doesn't seem to make much sense. I will be putting it up for sale shortly and find something that I can pay off in cash and be car payment free.

peter_bigblock

Zipcar sounds really great as long as you can reliably get a car (in advance, granted) when you want/need one. I haven't lived in DC (Bethesda) for years, but it isn't the kind of metro area that you get around using the Metro -- the subway is mainly for getting into and out of DC.

If it were me, I'd keep the car. In a couple years it'll be paid and you'll have a great used car. If you buy a cheaper and older car, you may save money up front but, right when your TSX would've been paid off, you may be having to consider repair or replacement costs of the older, cheaper car.

The $500+/mo savings is seductive, though. Just my , colored by the fact that I really like my TSX.

Newplay1

Your going to miss it badly.. I would keep it..

Thats what I did about a year ago when I was in similiar position.