The Fate Of The Curse Mobile!

September 19, 2005 5:44 PM

TheFateOfTheCurseMobile! I purchased a used automobile about 18 months ago. Over the past year, the car has been involved in 3 minor collisions (but major headaches), none of which were my fault. I'm trying to weigh my options between getting it fixed (again!) or trading it in for a car with some (hopefully) better karma. Any advice?

I have not had any mechanical problems with the car, but I just have a bad feeling about its future. I'd estimate the car is worth 15-16k minus the most recent damage (1-2k) and I owe my lender about 13k. If I end up getting a different car, I'd like to minimize the amount of actual cash that comes out of my pocket.

Here are my options.. as I see it.

A) Suck it up. Fix the car and keep it. What are the odds someone else hits it?

B) Fix it and trade it in.

C) Trade it in as is.

My gut is leading me towards C. Any general advice is appreciated. Thanks.

posted by paulychamp to travel & transportation (5 comments total)

I pick A. You just had some bad luck, we've all been there. I got into two car accidents in 6 days last month. Neither my fault.

Ideally, you'd like to walk away from a trade with money going towards your new purchase, and in situations B and C, I don't see that happening much because you still owe money on the loan. Salesmen are going to ask what you owe on the trade and likely will give you just enough to cover it and nothing else, from my experience.

Chin up, wear your seat belt and try to keep a positive mind about it. :) Good luck whatever you do.
posted by jerseygirl at 5:52 PM on September 19, 2005

Three accidents and no injuries? Maybe you're looking at it the wrong way. Maybe if it wasn't for your car's great karma, you'd be in traction.
posted by etc. at 7:37 PM on September 19, 2005

I believe it was Homer Simpson who said 'Karma can only be portioned out by the cosmos.' I say keep the car, and try to lose your premonitions of doom, lest they turn out to be self-fulfilling.

(Though, to be fair, the only time I don't say 'keep the car' is when the repairs are more expensive than buying another vehicle.)
posted by box at 9:26 PM on September 19, 2005

It's your karma, not the car's. One or even two accidents can be simple bad luck. Three argues that you aren't driving defensively enough.

You can't depend on others to be rational or reasonable, or even to have their own best interests in mind. Drive as though everyone else is crazy.

You can't assert your rights. If some inconsiderate maniac wants to push in front of you, let him do it. The amount of extra time it takes to travel an extra car length (which is all you lose) isn't worth much.

Do you listen to the radio loud? Do you use even a hands-free phone? Do you talk to someone in the other front seat, while keeping your eyes on the road? You're using up 50% of your attention.

Look 10 cars ahead, and 5 behind, and 2 to the side to see possible trouble developing. Look on the sidewalk, and beneath the wheels of cars on either side to see pedestrians ready to dart out.

When I've been in accidents, in retrospect it's always been when my whole attention wasn't on driving, or when I was trusting someone, say, not to run a red light.
posted by KRS at 10:06 AM on September 20, 2005

Thanks for the responses. I should have provided a litle more information about the accidents. In all 3 situations my car was parked and not moving.
posted by paulychamp at 6:33 PM on September 20, 2005