[DystruktoBoi1]

So I have a 2008 TrailBlazer on my own insurance and such, my girlfriend is going to be getting another job (we used to work in the same place) and is going to be making a few hundred more per month. She is convinced that a multiple car discount will lower the entire insurance bill and we will pay less for insurance then we do right now, I was under the impression that a second car costs significantly less to insure but it still raises the total premium per year.

Besides that she is totally overlooking the fact that the other car will need oil changes, gas, tires, brakes, rotors and other maintenance and if anything breaks it won't be covered by an extended warranty like the car we have right now is. The entire point of this new job was because she wanted to put money away and start a savings account so in the near future we can buy a house, and within a years time I will be looking for a better paying job as well to help (right now at my job they are offering free management courses through a nationally accredited teaching program for free and I want to finish the courses before I leave.)

Every time I mention that she will need gas, oil, tires blah blah and nothing is under warranty she always just says "Well what if it's not that much?" Like everything is just gonna pay for itself. Am I being overly critical here or not? I think a second "off the street" car (cuz we cant afford another from a dealer) is going to eat all her extra money and possibly prevent her from paying more important bills, resulting in a hunk or metal left in our driveway that we will have to eventually tow away. She seems to think I am way overestimating the cost of owning a second vehicle and gets all pissy when I flat out tell her I don't think we can afford it. In your opinions, am I overestimating or is she just unaware of all the costs? (she has never owned a car yet)

Also, can anyone explain to me how multi car discount works? I have 1 car right now that is on a bank loan and will be for the next 5 years, the second car I get would be flat out owned with minimum coverage on it. Will my rates go UP, but just by a small amount or will the entire premium actually go DOWN?


If you need more info I'm not really shy about posting what I make on here for better advice, discussing wages never bothered me.

 

[DystruktoBoi1]

There are some factors that apply to the insurance such as who the car is registered to - their age and driving record and what kind of car it is....
All that aside, I don't think insurance is a big deal when you are discussing whether or not you need a second vehicle. If you are working at seperate places won't you just flat out need two cars? If so teh question then becomes - do you take out another huge car loan (the answer is no) or buy a car you can pay cash for.

If you buy a car that is dependable then the cost of maintenance is zero beyond gas, oil and tires. Those depend largely on the mileage the car is used for. The whole cost vs value argument changes if you are talking about $1,000 car, a $10,000 car or a $50,000 car. A car that needs constant repair vs a car that cost more but will not break down is something that is a delecate balance. It is easy to over pay and easy to buy something that needs work. Find someone you trust who knows cars to look at the car for sale for you before you buy. Most local garages will do this for free if you can "test drive" it in for them to look at - just be sure to tell the seller before you take the car for an hour!

I will personally never buy a factory new car from a dealer again. I certainly wouldn't barrow money to do it. I would much rather buy a car a few years old with a few thousand miles on it for half the price of a new car whether that is from a dealer or through a private sale.

It sounds like you and she need more information before making a decision. Sounds like both of you are guessing at what the costs will be.
First figure out whether you need a car to get the two of you to work and back. If the answer is yes then you have to figure out the best way to do it. If the answer is no then thr 2nd car is a nice to have but ot needed thing. In that case its still ok to get one but you need to make some calls and figure out what it is actually going to cost you and then decide if it is worth it. A lot will depend on which car you are looking to buy.

The car I got wasn't new either, I always prefer to buy them with 25-50K miles on them, brand new I'm betting my car would have cost 40K or so easy.

She doesn't NEED a second car but she wants one, and I can understand why she does, using mine gets old and I think she just really wants her own car so she can say she owns one. As for type, I would be looking for a smaller 4WD SUV or Truck type vehicle, similar to what I own now but of course older, I was thinking along the lines of a Blazer or those smaller S10s from back in the day, they keep kicking long after 150K miles if you treat them right, I very much prefer Chevy or Dodge but brand really doesn't matter too much.

 

[DystruktoBoi1]

Hm, well that is what I figured, without buying a real junker its just going to eat the extra money she makes right up, and a real junker isn't going to make it over any hills in the winter time, I'm not sure how else to explain it to her, she gets very pissed off when she asks if we can afford a second car and I say no, and with the new job a possibility she starts a fight over it like once a week, I'm not really sure how to explain it to her any other way and it doesn't seem like she's listening anyway >_>

I'm tempted to just help her find a car and let her buy it so she can find out the hard way but I'm not sure if she would flip her lid even more on me for that or finally just accept that sometimes I DO know what I'm talking about.

 

[DystruktoBoi1]

Well so far once I told her some real numbers she seems content that I am right, we will see how long it lasts.