MDX Blues: Volume II

I… I can’t take this shit anymore.

The goddamned check engine light on the MDX came on again. So yesterday I took it to Wally’s and they said there’s a leaking seal in the gas receptacle. I also told them about a gurgling sound I’ve been hearing from the vents, and they found out that the motor which regulates the temperature of the vehicle needs to be replaced. Total cost? A little over $900. I already hate the MDX and I haven’t had it for a month. The mechanic said that the gas problem doesn’t really affect the performance of the car, but the check engine light will stay on until that’s fixed. I’ve already paid $9700 for the car and repairs, and it looks like I’m gonna go over the $10,000 mark once I get these new problems fixed. 10k in straight cash. Can one possibly understand all the things I could have done with 10k in cash?! I know I talked about the pros of cons in my last post, but there’s no pro to this con. No matter what, I have to pay for this shit and I’m no longer confident that these are the last major repairs I’ll need to make.

While I can’t find a pro to this con, I have come to a decision: this will be the last used car I ever buy. My plan was to have the MDX until retirement, and then trade it in for a brand new vehicle as a gift to myself. But if these repairs continue to pile up, I’ll have to buy a new car much earlier, like before winter starts this year. I hate the idea of financing a vehicle because I’ll be getting a loan for something that always loses money. The thing is that, no matter what happens, a car will never make money unless one is in the business of car sales. So the most one can hope for is to minimize the amount of money spent for the life and maintenance of their vehicle, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do. I’ll trade in the MDX (or sell it on Craigslist during “tax return time”), and then use that money for both the down-payment and extra fees for the new car. I like the way the MDX drives, but I’m also looking to save on gas so I’ll be in the market for a hybrid SUV as well. The best one seems to be the 2014 Ford Escape, but I don't know how my ego feels about being in a Ford. Once I get the bumper to bumper warranty and the full coverage, I’m all set.

Think about it: if I negotiate paying $300 per month (insurance included), that adds up to $3600 in straight cash paid every year. I’m about to pay over $10,000 in straight cash and I haven’t even had the MDX for a month! That 10k could have been used for two and a half years of payments for a new car. No problems and no issues that wouldn’t be covered under the warranty and insurance. Even if there is a problem and my vehicle needs to be repaired, insurance pays for a loaner until the repairs are concluded. And, after the car is paid off (I’m figuring after a five or six year loan term), I can trade it in for another new car to do the same thing over again. I'd like to trade it in at the 50,000 mile mark, and the car should be paid off by then. This is how people use banks to their advantage, and I had to learn this the hard way—as usual. There are, of course, other factors about car loans that I’ll have to research and learn. But my decision is final. I refuse to live my life at Wally’s Auto Repair.