AAA Warns of Danger of Rising Costs of Automobile Ownership
By Mike Chalmers
The News Journal
For the past four months, Margaret McCormick's 2001 Toyota Celica has been sitting in the parking lot of her condo complex, with one flat tire and a broken transmission.
"To fix it, I need $1,000, but I just don't have it," said McCormick, who has been out of work for two years.
The New Castle woman is not alone. Job loss, furloughs, cutbacks and gas at just under $4 a gallon are taking huge bites out of Americans' wallets, and their cars are among their most expensive necessities, a new AAA survey shows.
"Many Americans rely on their cars for their livelihood and losing access to them could be financially devastating during an already troubling economic time," said Jim Lardear, director of public and government affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic.
Read entire article HERE.
The best way to prevent massive repair costs worth thousands of dollars is to take your car to the mechanic at the slightest hint of trouble; if you hear a strange noise or if your car is behaving differently. Procrastinating will just make it worse and worse until one day the engine needs an overhaul or the transmission etc.
ReplyDeleteOwning a car can be expensive. Some advice I can offer is to make sure you have safety cushion set aside for emergencies but I know it's easier said than done. Car pooling is another option; the less you drive the less vehicle wear and tear.
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