Different strokes for different folks. I can think of many ways to blow $1500/yr extra in preference to a new car (esp. a frickin’ Accord!). Driving an old car doesn’t mean “living like a hermit”:
* Take a trip to some interesting place for a week. $1500 will cover air fare and hotel
* Buy a sailboat and fix it up.
* A few more hours of flying lessons
* A fixer-upper motorcycle.
* Quite a lot of theatre tickets
* Skiing!
* Musical instruments
Cars just don’t rank high on my list of things that I give a crap about, unless the car is interesting in some way and/or classic. Having a more comfortable way to be stuck in traffic is like asking whether I want my teeth pulled or be punched in the face by a mugger.
As far as the old car, to hell with donating it to some bum. Price it right on Craigslist and someone will show up to pick it up, cash in hand, within a few days.
This being said, I actually didn’t want a car as old as mine. I was looking for a post-2000 Subaru, called on a CL ad about a Subaru, and found out that the guy had already sold it. “But I have another car, and I’m flexible on price since I’m moving to FL next week…” OK, so I was in the area, so I took a ride down there! Saw that the car was basically in beautiful condition, and offered a bit over half his ask, thinking he’d never take it. Surprisingly he did, and at that point I couldn’t exactly refuse.
