sell/buy car

**kita** · 11-16-2009, 06:39 PM

So, I am currently living in NJ, living on unemployment and stretching it out with a part-time job. I have decided to move to Oregon where my family is since it seems like I am just beating my head against the wall as far as jobs go and I might as well beat my head against the wall there where the cost of living is much cheaper.
I have a 99 Chevy Metro, worth about 2400 in a private sale. I am wondering if I should sell my car and then buy a 1000 beater in Oregon. The thing is I have never sold a car privately (either had someone help or ran the car into the ground) and am wondering if I should sell and take the train ($200 for the ticket) or drive the car out and keep it. It has only 82000 cars on it and for the most part I trust it. On the other hand the extra thousand would be nice.
FYI, in NJ I am meeting my budget with unemployment, but in Oregon I would be doing much better. Also, my part-time job here would be easy to replace at $2 an hour more..at a level I could live on.

Do I sell the car or drive it out....

**AnW819** · 11-16-2009, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by kita

So, I am currently living in NJ, living on unemployment and stretching it out with a part-time job. I have decided to move to Oregon where my family is since it seems like I am just beating my head against the wall as far as jobs go and I might as well beat my head against the wall there where the cost of living is much cheaper.
I have a 99 Chevy Metro, worth about 2400 in a private sale. I am wondering if I should sell my car and then buy a 1000 beater in Oregon. The thing is I have never sold a car privately (either had someone help or ran the car into the ground) and am wondering if I should sell and take the train ($200 for the ticket) or drive the car out and keep it. It has only 82000 cars on it and for the most part I trust it. On the other hand the extra thousand would be nice.
FYI, in NJ I am meeting my budget with unemployment, but in Oregon I would be doing much better. Also, my part-time job here would be easy to replace at $2 an hour more..at a level I could live on.

Do I sell the car or drive it out....

Drive it out is my opinion. The extra $1000 would be nice but what would you be using it for? The car still has a decent amount of miles on it imo...

**Lora88** · 11-16-2009, 06:58 PM

I would drive it out and use it in Oregon good luck with the move I live in Nj also and it is very expensive to live here

**AnW819** · 11-16-2009, 07:01 PM

Originally Posted by Lora88

I would drive it out and use it in Oregon good luck with the move I live in Nj also and it is very expensive to live here

Yeah it is..I think no matter where you live though its gonna be tough. Its expensive here in NJ but we have cheap gas! I think some things are more expensive/cheaper in different states. I think it evens out.

**kita** · 11-16-2009, 08:40 PM

True we have cheap gas...but I can get an apartment for about 300 less a month...which is a lot of gas.
And I know that I can get a job for more money. Not quite as much as my unemployment, but I can afford to live on my own and not on unemployment.

**AnW819** · 11-16-2009, 08:51 PM

Originally Posted by kita

True we have cheap gas...but I can get an apartment for about 300 less a month...which is a lot of gas.
And I know that I can get a job for more money. Not quite as much as my unemployment, but I can afford to live on my own and not on unemployment.

That is awesome!!! You should definitely move them! It looks like it will benefit you a lot!

**Nishu** · 11-21-2009, 03:22 AM

I would SELL IT. In a heart beat. NO QUESTIONS.

We drove from Groton CT to Seattle. Never again. Never. Ever. evereverever.

NJ to OR
2751 @ 35 MPG => 80 gallons, $3 a gallon.. $240 gas.

It's a 36 hour trip. Minimum of two hotel rooms, and they're probably going to run about 100 each.

Food is going to be quite a bit, too.

-Mountain passes are often closed during the winter.

-It's not nearly as safe as riding in a train.

-It's exhausting.

-Your family will be worried sick while you make the trip.

-If your car breaks down, you're screwed.

Good luck with your trip no matter how you plan on going.

**frugalfranny** · 11-21-2009, 03:52 AM

Originally Posted by kita

I have a 99 Chevy Metro, worth about 2400 in a private sale. I am wondering if I should sell my car and then buy a 1000 beater in Oregon. The thing is I have never sold a car privately (either had someone help or ran the car into the ground) and am wondering if I should sell and take the train ($200 for the ticket) or drive the car out and keep it. It has only 82000 cars on it and for the most part I trust it. On the other hand the extra thousand would be nice.

Do I sell the car or drive it out....

If you are planning on driving THAT car out here (I'm in Wash.) NOW....you are crazy! SELL IT! Or....hope you don't mind driving in snow!

If you are sure you can get $2400 for it. Selling a car privately isn't hard.........they will try to 'bargain' is the worst part. Sell car- get money (cash!) in hand - sign over title - have person sign slip that they understand they are buying the car 'as is'..........and away you go!

I drove a Chevy Sprint (sister car to Metro) for YEARS......and believe me........IT WAS NO SNOW CAR! It is winter!! If you can wait until spring then I would say drive; if car is in shape to make it.

If you get here and need to buy a car.....You will be paying the extra fees for the car 'purchase'.......so that $1000 car will be more than that - license fees aren't 'real cheap' in Oregon - though don't know how they compare to NJ. Though no sales tax........their income tax more than makes up for that......but that comes later - when working.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do!!

**kita** · 11-22-2009, 06:33 PM

Well things have changed and they are still a'changin.
I was going to have a friend come out with me, share a house etc. But now she has a job interview and all bets are off if she gets a job.
Except...if she gets a job, she will buy my car (which she needs) for a downpayment so she has a way to work, and take me to the train station. She is in NC so that is a big concession.
That is my biggest concern if I sell the car first. I don't have a tone of friends here (some of moved others just drifted) so I was worried about the time between selling the car and gettting to the train. If she gets a job all of that will be taken care of.
If she doesn't, I am thinking about selling the car anyway. I may just have to rent a car for a few days. Depending on the cost of tickets, it may be about the same for all of us to go on the train. Up until a few minutes ago I thought I would have a place to stay in MI (that is okay) and in Bismark on the way out. Now we are looking at at least one probably two hotels.
And now my mother is willing to let me use her "extra truck" for a month or two for the cost of her car payment and insurance so I will time to look around for a decent car. And in the "my friend gets a job scenerio" she will be making the last payment with her tax money in mid-Feb.
So I am really looking at selling it now. I think it just makes me feel insecure to be without transportation until I get to OR. (Okay yes the big train is transport, but you know what I mean)

**Russ** · 11-22-2009, 07:13 PM

two things...

1. Are you sure you would get the same amount of unemployment in Oregon?

2. It scares me to know "a friend" will be sooo far away that owes you money. You should get that all in writing.

**kita** · 11-23-2009, 07:29 PM

I will double check on the unemployment tomorrow although I am 99% sure that it doesn't change.
Yes, the being owed money bothers me a bit, but officially if she got the job and with the down payment she will give me, I don't need the money to buy another used car. Although I will probably use my mom's truck for a max of three months to build up some extra cash to add to what I have. ( I am cashing out a one-year contribution to a NJ pension fund) The cost of the payment and mom's insurance when split with my brother (who wants to use it on weekends) will be slightly less than the cost of my insurance in Portland. It isn't a great solution, and not a premenent one, but it will work for a while.
As far as the snow goes, before NJ I lived in OR and MI and drove Hondas and Datsuns so while I don't LIKE driving in snow, I can do it.
I took the car to the shop today and mentioned to the owner that I might drive it out to Oregon or I might try to sell it. He said "Why not drive it? It has a lot of miles on it still."
Waiting to hear about my friend's job.

**kita** · 11-24-2009, 03:59 PM

She has the job! We didn't think we would know officially until next week. But now I can plan. So I will be out of NJ on Dec 21, we drive to MI so she can Christmas with her family and she will drop me at the train in Chicago (two hours trip for her...$75 cheaper for me) on the 22nd. Home in Eastern Oregon early early Christmas Eve, mom and I drive to Portland on Christmas eve to Portland. I feel SO much better now that this has been decided. I even bought my ticket. NOw I have to sort and toss and pack. Not so exciting. Oh, well.

**MaryCarney** · 11-24-2009, 04:19 PM

Drove last year from Seattle to Indianapolis this time of year - blech!!! Mountains in a Metro would not be fun - and you are many miles from civilization most of the time - and usually out of cell range as well.

(DD#1 and I drove the 2405.8 miles in three and a half days!! It got to the point where we drank root beer so we could have belching contests - that's how bored we were!!! We were also forced to eat a PBJ purchased at a gas station in Idaho because there was NOTHING else for hours in either direction)

**NikoSan999** · 11-24-2009, 07:36 PM

I don't have an idea of which to do but just wanted to say I wish you all the best in your upcoming change. Holiday with your family a definite plus!!! May all you wish for out of this come true and hoping for you all the best that the coming New Year will have to bring....health, happiness and love.
Hugs coming to you long distance

**Preston** · 12-03-2009, 12:47 AM

I used to travel 2000 miles a week and I can tell you you don't need to get hotel rooms if you drive it. I get the impression you don't have kids to worry about. Just pull over into a rest stop and catch a few hours of sleep and then get back on the road. That way you can keep going. If you really need a shower, there are plenty of truck stops that for like $9 will let you get a nice HOT shower which feels wonderful after days on the road -- and then you can get back on the road and get the trip overwith.

But it looks like you will be taking the train. Is there any possibility you can go car free once you get the Oregon? I don't know exactly what part you are moving to but I've read that Portland has a decent public transportation and bike system set up. Never been there, but it's worth considering if money is tight.