to buy a car or not

[mamaofthree]

a couple years ago dh sold his car and got a motorcycle. recently he has started wanting a car again. We have some "extra" money coming in june. My orginal plan for this money was to pay down some debt, but dh wants to use the money to buy a car for himself. My beef with this is a car cost more in gas and insurance (his motorcycle we pay about $23.00 a month in insurance and about $14.00 a month in gas) and we will still have our debt. I understand some of his issues as he is tried of almost being killed on the motorcycle, but then he begged and begged for the bike too. I am torn...
Suggestions?? (The money we are getting isn't a HUGE amount about $1500.00)

H

[chickabiddy]

I lurk much more than I post, so forgive me for jumping in, but I have to say that being "tired of almost being killed" would be a compelling reason to spend some money on a safer vehicle.

[organicmommy]

I have to agree with the PP. I begged dh to get rid of his motorcycle because I didn't feel that he was as safe driving it to and from work. I wanted something safer for him as I wanted to know that he was coming home every night.

[phathui5]

Originally Posted by chickabiddy

I lurk much more than I post, so forgive me for jumping in, but I have to say that being "tired of almost being killed" would be a compelling reason to spend some money on a safer vehicle.

Yup.

[kijip]

If it means taking on a car loan to buy the car, then I would say no. Especially if you can't afford the gas and insurance for sure. Also, if you are buying a used car for $1500, you may have a repair bill in the making each month or so. Do you currently have a car? Is there a way to combine trips and only use 1 car? Is there a way for him or you to use public transportation? There may be a solution besides a second car (if this would be a second car).

[mamaofthree]

We do have another car. At the moment I am using it alot (the kids have alot going on) but as summer gets here and it is so blazing hot, we tend to hold up in the house and yard, maybe once a week go to the public pool. So he could use the van then alot.
He could get a bus pass... that is a thought. And we might have to get a loan for the car, as I am not sure what good cars we could find for $1500.00. Although it would be for to and from work for him mostly.
I am so torn, as I get him wanting one, BUT he was so pushy about the bike, I feel a bit annoyed about it actually. UGH.
This is something I am going to have to mull over some more, but we have time, as we can't do anything until the beginning of june anyway.

H

[GooeyRN]

I wouldn't want my dh riding a motorcycle to work. I wouldn't mind around town at low speeds, but not to drive on the highway. I would be afraid he would be killed. I would let my dh get a car.

I guess he takes the bike to work when it rains?

[Aka mommy]

Could dh possibly wait until fall to get a new car? I would put $500 into a savings account not to be touched AT ALL. Then monthly whatever money you all can save and put aside add to the $500. By the fall you may end up with more then the original $1500 and dh can get a pretty decent used car (check craigslist). The other $1000 i would use to pay off debt. Get rid of things with the highest interest rates first.

Also would dh be selling the motorcycle he has? Is it owned outright or a loan? If its owned outright the cost he makes in selling that would also be a nice bonus to the money you all are saving.

To me this seems like a happy medium. Gas prices are always higher in the summer months and the cycle does get better mileage. DH sees a light at the end of the tunnel and on the days you all are staying in the house he can use the van. Then come the end of the summer when prices start to drop again hopefully everyone is happy!

[mamaofthree]

He actually only drives in town. We live in town and he works in town... all of maybe 10 -15 minutes away depending on traffic. He really doesn't ride it much other than that.
He doesn't ride it in the rain either (living in the desert we don't get much rain. LOL) And if it does rain it is usually on a park day, so if he needs the van it is his, as we are not going any place in the rain. If the kids and I must go some place on a rainy day then we drop him off at work and pick him up. We have been a one car family for awhile now, it has been working out great until recently when he started wanting a car. I am not sure if he is wanting to sell the bike or not. That is something we will have to talk about for sure.

H

[kijip]

Originally Posted by mamaofthree

He actually only drives in town. We live in town and he works in town... all of maybe 10 -15 minutes away depending on traffic. He really doesn't ride it much other than that.
He doesn't ride it in the rain either (living in the desert we don't get much rain. LOL) And if it does rain it is usually on a park day, so if he needs the van it is his, as we are not going any place in the rain. If the kids and I must go some place on a rainy day then we drop him off at work and pick him up. We have been a one car family for awhile now, it has been working out great until recently when he started wanting a car. I am not sure if he is wanting to sell the bike or not. That is something we will have to talk about for sure.

H

With that kind of commute I would either drive him to work everyday, alternate the car (somedays you go without, somedays he goes without) or put him on the bus/train etc. Is 30 minutes of driving per day worth the price of the car plus gas and insurance? Especially when you are paying off a debt. We are a one car family too on a day to day basis and it works out really well in terms of the costs saved. My husband rides his bicycle to his internship everyday that he works or hops on a bus for all or part of that since it is in the opposite direction of where I work (which is too far/too many transfers to bus with a child). Last quarter, we commuted together and I dropped him off at his internship site or he dropped me off at work.

[shell_sea]

if you're still paying off a debt, I would say that it would have to be EITHER a car or a motorcycle, not both. Especially if it's only for a 15 min commute each way.

Personally I'd vote for a bicycle. very cheap! very healthy! very environmentally sound! You can invest some of the money you have saved into high-quality rain gear for those days that it rains...

just my 0.02

[A&A]

Have him sell the motorcycle.