a bloody brilliant idea
Right now I am contemplating how much to spend on a car. I need one because I need to take two classes in Lansing this summer, but that's really the only reason that I need one. Twenty-four sixty mile round trips and that's it...3000 miles in total...and that's only if I can't find someone to commute with. I could easily end up only having to drive 8 times if I had two people to go with for both classes (though one of them I'm probably stuck with). To do so, I'm going to need to buy something that's semi-reliable, something that can run at highway speeds for an hour or so without overheating or blowing up. I'm going to have to spend $1000 almost, just to get something that runs but looks like crap. It seems like bullshit.
But then I was watching ABC News last night and they had a story about car sharing. In Seattle, the company profiled was Flex Car -- they have a bunch of cars, placed in convenient places all over town, and if you need to take a car someplace you just register and reserve your ride. The cost for my purposes is kind of steep though, you basically rent by the hour -- for $9 -- but that includes gas, maintainence, and insurance. They also have a plan that costs $200 a month that includes 25 hours and 750 included miles of driving for $200 a month...with extra costs to go longer. Basically, it would cost me $325 a month for each of the three months of school...or $975, but that cover the $100+ a month or so it would cost me to gas it, oil it, tire it, and keep insurance. I'd save a few hundred...a few hundred I could use to drop down to a lower plan that costs $85 and includes 10 hours and 300 miles a month. Considering PLPD insurance costs me $35 a month and $2/gallon gas can easily add on another $20 on top of that it seems like a cool thing indeed.
But alas, no such program seems to exist here in Grand Rapids. It'd be nice. For sure, I am plenty okay with taking the bus or biking where I need or want to go, but there are just those times where having a car would be a really nice thing, you know?
Then again, maybe there are some people out there in Grand Rapids that only need to have one-sixth of a car or something. Maybe I just need to find them, pool resources together, and come up with a schedule. I know my brother has flirted with the idea of buying a car...but can't justify the cost for what he needs it for.
But then I was watching ABC News last night and they had a story about car sharing. In Seattle, the company profiled was Flex Car -- they have a bunch of cars, placed in convenient places all over town, and if you need to take a car someplace you just register and reserve your ride. The cost for my purposes is kind of steep though, you basically rent by the hour -- for $9 -- but that includes gas, maintainence, and insurance. They also have a plan that costs $200 a month that includes 25 hours and 750 included miles of driving for $200 a month...with extra costs to go longer. Basically, it would cost me $325 a month for each of the three months of school...or $975, but that cover the $100+ a month or so it would cost me to gas it, oil it, tire it, and keep insurance. I'd save a few hundred...a few hundred I could use to drop down to a lower plan that costs $85 and includes 10 hours and 300 miles a month. Considering PLPD insurance costs me $35 a month and $2/gallon gas can easily add on another $20 on top of that it seems like a cool thing indeed.
But alas, no such program seems to exist here in Grand Rapids. It'd be nice. For sure, I am plenty okay with taking the bus or biking where I need or want to go, but there are just those times where having a car would be a really nice thing, you know?
Then again, maybe there are some people out there in Grand Rapids that only need to have one-sixth of a car or something. Maybe I just need to find them, pool resources together, and come up with a schedule. I know my brother has flirted with the idea of buying a car...but can't justify the cost for what he needs it for.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home