How do you pay for your Celicas?

[06CivicSi]

What do you guys do for a living? How do you earn your money to make your Celica different and yours? Post pics of your rides or at your jobs. I'm curious and really enjoy the forums. You guys have been a great help and much friendlier than guys in other forums.

:D

[Bitter]

poor mechanic, but i saved and bought mine cash baby. now i'm alot poorer than before but happier when driving.

[06CivicSi]

That's cool ASE certified? I was looking to get an ASE certification as a back up.

[Bitter]

i havent gone for any of mine yet, i'm good, i'm sure i can pass the writtens, but just havent done it yet.

[06CivicSi]

That's cool. How are the ASE tests? Do the consist of an oral, written, and hands on? That's what the A&P consist of.

[marc]

I have a job.

[Salincer]

Basically babysitted my gradma for 450 hours.

[TRD01GT]

That's cool. How are the ASE tests? Do the consist of an oral, written, and hands on? That's what the A&P consist of.

ASE tests are either paper or computerized, I took mine on a computer.

[roaf85]

I do not have my Celica, but on my Fusion I pay it off by living with 2 other people in a 2 bed room.

Girlfriend and her brother. We only get basic cable/internet (I want to drop cable). So my billing structure goes like this:

2,300/2,400 after taxes
Minus
305 (garage and portion of rent per month)
40 (share a plan with my mother on cell phone)
~50 to 75 a month on food (split with girlfriend)
88 a month for renters/car insurance
100-150 for entertainment (I need to cut here)
~65 a month for cable/gas/electric

So I live on about 700-800 a month from 2,400 leaves me with around 1,600 a month to pay off a car payment. I am not sure how I could cut more than 100 out of my budget. If I stopped drinking and started dieting more instead going out to eat with the girlfriend I am sure I could cut 60-80 out of my budget.

[imp]

I pay for mine by having a job. Hell, I used to live on my own while making 9$ an hour...that will teach you creative budgeting.

[boothten]

I pay for it myself, I have a well paying job so...
:wiggle:

[Toyota_Junkie_1]

Paid cash up front for it... worked almost four summers at minimum wage and paid straight cold hard cash for it. But at least I don't have to make a car payment! :D

[Toonie]

Financed the car back in '04, paid it off '08, no car payments and free cash to use for whatever i want for the car :).. i work as an IT Specialist @ 3M

[JO_CELICA]

I don't know how i paid mine!

[Bitter]

That's cool. How are the ASE tests? Do the consist of an oral, written, and hands on? That's what the A&P consist of.

all written test and then you have to pay them money each year to stay certified. its a money making racket quite honestly. i know some people with ASE certs that couldn't diagnose a tail light circuit.

[Jesse IL]

Technically I paid for my Celica mostly as an engineer. My last payment was in June 2004. I paid the last six payments as a house painter as I was looking for my current job, which is a sales rep in the medical industry.

[joefx13]

Bought a Ford Focus for $500. Then Swapped out the Tranny for another $1000. So $1500 later i decided to trade my Focus for a 300zx 2+2. Sold that a couple month after for $3500. Then bought another 300zx for $3500. Blew the engine. Bought a new one for $1000. Swapped it in. Then Traded that for a 97 Eclipse GST. That car gave me too many problems, so i traded that for my celi. And here i am. lol

[Gas-n-Grease]

Well I saved up and bought a 2000 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS. Two months later, I did what idiots do with their Imprezas... I flipped it. With the money the insurance gave me, found this worthless piece of junk Toyota. Needed wheels asap and this was the one of the first thing that popped up.

[Carmaster]

Parents. :chuckles: I actually really wanted to earn the money myself by working over the summer, but this stupid recession means no one's hiring. And my school cut off its bus transportation in the middle of the school year so my parents had to find me a cheap car quick. I feel so spoiled driving it. :(

I was wondering the same thing as the OP. I see people's sigs that look like a parts catalog and wonder where the heck they get all the money to buy that stuff.

[Carmaster]

Basically babysitted my gradma for 450 hours.

I do that for free right now.

[Pool Playen Bob]

I was wondering the same thing as the OP. I see people's sigs that look like a parts catalog and wonder where the heck they get all the money to buy that stuff.

years of having the car.

i bought mine last year because i needed a reliable car for my kid that i had who just turned 2 on monday. so i always liked celica and it had a back seat so i was sold. first car i ever financed have more years to go.

im a diesel mechanic got my associates degree in diesel tech. did a year of auto tech and a semester of welding. backed up on student loans car payment insurance. insurance on the kid. (wanna talk about crock talk about health insurance:bang:)

and believe it or not i live at my parents with my child and my g/f sad yup. but thats life. making decent money but not decent enough to be paying for everything else on top of the daily life. and ive only been wrenching for a few years so the tool bill is also a big part of my money being taking from the check.
i work for a private shop but during the crap economy ya think anyones getting a raise? lol nada. work 6 days a week. just about ready to pack up and move to the mines and pull over twice what im making now but live in that **** hole of a town.
that or try to be a contract civilian mechanic through the military that was offered when i was in school. and were talking$$$$$ to be over seas working on a base for 6 months.
soo.... Don't have kids at a young age:wiggle: always wear a rain coat:wiggle:

[Salincer]

I do that for free right now.

Mine is loaded. She bought both my cousins (on other side of family) both they're cars...and their parent make 200,000$ a year. But on my side of family, she didnt give me/ brother CRAP. So i feel not guilty at ALL taking the money away.

@Pool Playen Bob
Raincoat FTW :D

[Carmaster]

Mine is loaded. She bought both my cousins (on other side of family) both they're cars...and their parent make 200,000$ a year. But on my side of family, she didnt give me/ brother CRAP. So i feel not guilty at ALL taking the money away.

@Pool Playen Bob
Raincoat FTW :D

:eek: :eek: Mine's the opposite. We bought her a car. And she has no license.

[06CivicSi]

That contract job with the military could be a very lucrative job. It's def. worth it if they put you at a large base in Iraq. If you were sent to a small outpost in Afganistan or Iraq then you have to worry about getting mortared and rocket fire which far less frequent now than it was when I first came to Iraq. Just weigh it all out.

I am a helicopter crew chief/mechanic in the Army and fix the OH-58D Helicopter. I used money from my first deployment to get the car brand new with only 4 miles on the odometer. So far I've put about $1,450 dollars into her and plan anywhere between $1200-$4000 more.

The Celica we get will have little performance mods and will be modded by the Mrs. I might throw in I/H/E.

http://fc06.deviantart.com/fs28/i/2008/131/5/0/dfbdfbdf_by_Crayoncrack.jpg

[roaf85]

Parents. :chuckles: I actually really wanted to earn the money myself by working over the summer, but this stupid recession means no one's hiring. And my school cut off its bus transportation in the middle of the school year so my parents had to find me a cheap car quick. I feel so spoiled driving it. :(

I was wondering the same thing as the OP. I see people's sigs that look like a parts catalog and wonder where the heck they get all the money to buy that stuff.

There is always going to be a number of part time positions even in a recession. Hell McDonalds is always hiring.

Really it is not that hard if you budget accordingly. You have to figure that 75 percent of college graduates probably make in the range of 30-45 thousand or more after graduating. If they live with roommates etc you could be pocketing close to 1500-2000 a month depending on how you live.

Now the smarter thing instead of buying parts for the Celica would be to open an IRA and contribute the max per year, but people are not smart like that at a young age including myself.

[Toyota_Junkie_1]

Now the smarter thing instead of buying parts for the Celica would be to open an IRA and contribute the max per year, but people are not smart like that at a young age including myself.


That is very true.... If any of us had any real sense we would be putting as much as we can into an IRA while we are younger and have money to waste, before we get tied down with our expenses with a wife and kids. But unfortunately almost no one at the age this website is (me to) is going to do that more than likely.

[03GTSTRD]

That is very true.... If any of us had any real sense we would be putting as much as we can into an IRA while we are younger and have money to waste, before we get tied down with our expenses with a wife and kids. But unfortunately almost no one at the age this website is (me to) is going to do that more than likely.

I put 20% of my salary into an IRA. I call it my Son's money because I plan to use it on his college.

I also pay an extra $50 to $100 on my car payment every month so I can hopefully pay the bast*rd off soon.

[marc]

That contract job with the military could be a very lucrative job. It's def. worth it if they put you at a large base in Iraq. If you were sent to a small outpost in Afganistan or Iraq then you have to worry about getting mortared and rocket fire which far less frequent now than it was when I first came to Iraq. Just weigh it all out.

I am a helicopter crew chief/mechanic in the Army and fix the OH-58D Helicopter. I used money from my first deployment to get the car brand new with only 4 miles on the odometer. So far I've put about $1,450 dollars into her and plan anywhere between $1200-$4000 more.

The Celica we get will have little performance mods and will be modded by the Mrs. I might throw in I/H/E.

http://fc06.deviantart.com/fs28/i/2008/131/5/0/dfbdfbdf_by_Crayoncrack.jpg

3" exhaust, 4-1 header, Flashpro - call it a day.

[Toyota_Junkie_1]

I put 20% of my salary into an IRA. I call it my Son's money because I plan to use it on his college.

I also pay an extra $50 to $100 on my car payment every month so I can hopefully pay the bast*rd off soon.


That is definitely a wise choice on your part... you are smarter than the majority of our nation just by doing that. :thumbup:

[03GTSTRD]

That is definitely a wise choice on your part... you are smarter than the majority of our nation just by doing that. :thumbup:

I just don't want my Son to suffer because of poor planning on my part. Before I became a father I didn't give 2 $hits about saving anything.

[2way]

Don't have kids at a young age Eh.... I'm glad I did.... mine are all grown, I have no tuition bills, and I'm single:)
I am a helicopter crew chief/mechanic in the Army and fix the OH-58D Helicopter. Be careful. Wear gloves. Have a HS friend that did that for the AF and he developed an allergy to/from the hydraulic fluids.
Technically I paid for my Celica mostly as an engineer. My last payment was in June 2004. I paid the last six payments as a house painter as I was looking for my current job, which is a sales rep in the medical industry. Sounds like a storied past.;)

Car's are paid off... & I'm biding my time @ work till retirement, when I can be a teenager again:D

[Pool Playen Bob]

Eh.... I'm glad I did.... mine are all grown, I have no tuition bills, and I'm single

tuition paid off and bills for tools with work would be a huge breather for me. and the single thing yup if i didn't have another half it'd be easy sailing.

i don't mind being a father at a young age its not the experience or the getting up and going to do what ever on a free whim and what not. its more being strapped for cash all the time. never too broke to barrow but always just end up pulling it off just enough. cant plan kids getting sick. accidents. so on and so forth. but when things are paid off it'll be an easier day. till then i got in house baby sitters :D



That contract job with the military could be a very lucrative job. It's def. worth it if they put you at a large base in Iraq. If you were sent to a small outpost in Afganistan or Iraq then you have to worry about getting mortared and rocket fire which far less frequent now than it was when I first came to Iraq. Just weigh it all out.


What was it paying? do you know? when i was in school it was 75k a year (6 months) and recently (last year) i hear it was upwards of 100k. and to be honest being on a base and all the nonsense that came with (bombs and attack) i don't see to much of a problem. yea theres always that risk of getting killed or hurt at my job too. some ass hole trucker doesn't see my legs under a trailer while im fixing an air line or something and off goes my legs. or a jack stand some how gets knocked out from the air ride adjusting. crushed there goes my skull.

so theres always that danger. but nothing deliberate. just curious. been thinking of other ways to pull a comfortable living and have things paid off faster.

oh my celica :D skunk 2 exhaust. skunk 2 sleeves. authentic jdm side markers. authentic trd action package. and soon a tmw short shifter.
http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr299/Pool_Playen_Bob/Celica/DSC01811.jpg

everything i got for my car has been a damn good deal. im a tight ass and only will buy if i feel like its a steal or a damn good reasonable deal. and most of it was brand spanking new.

[kaizer_soze]

Paid cash as all the cars I bought. I hate installmemts, I never buy something I dont have the money for. And here it was 36.000 euros in 03. Since then I practically dont spend extra money on car for mods, only some appearance mods. This summer I decided to spend some extra but in general I always keep costs for the car low.
I am an electrical engineer, so I can spend some money but I am very carefull, I have a little daughter now, she is 9 months old... I dont have loans and no rent.
My IRA goes automatically from my salary to the bank, I never see this money, its 10% and the company i work contributes an extra 3%.

[Carmaster]

There is always going to be a number of part time positions even in a recession. Hell McDonalds is always hiring.

Really it is not that hard if you budget accordingly. You have to figure that 75 percent of college graduates probably make in the range of 30-45 thousand or more after graduating. If they live with roommates etc you could be pocketing close to 1500-2000 a month depending on how you live.

Now the smarter thing instead of buying parts for the Celica would be to open an IRA and contribute the max per year, but people are not smart like that at a young age including myself.

:chuckles: I wish that was true. I spent the whole summer calling/applying to literally every business within 10 miles of where I live. I got the same answer every time. "We're not hiring right now, but we're accepting applications." :bang: I finally landed an interview at Six Flags, but my parents said it was too far away to I couldn't work there. It was just 25 miles away! :mad:

[hapa77]

i win at race wars:thumbup:


kidding: i got a low paying job at rubbermaid making ice cube trays

[sn1p3r845]

daddy bought it

[Aznboi812]

i work at a sweatshop :D

got my first celica (2000 gt) for 7 grand. oil consumption problems led me to trade her in for a 2000 gts which the price tag was 9 grand. i had the chance to trade in the gts for a s2000 and all i had to finance was 8 grand. i didn't trade it in since i'm almost done paying off the celica. the s2000 was nice though...and its a manual unlike my auto gts.

[06CivicSi]

3" exhaust, 4-1 header, Flashpro - call it a day.

Yeah that's the 1200 I was thinking about. I more than likely will stick with my smaller cat back because I don't want anything to loud. I had the DC header in mind.

[06CivicSi]

What was it paying? do you know? when i was in school it was 75k a year (6 months) and recently (last year) i hear it was upwards of 100k. and to be honest being on a base and all the nonsense that came with (bombs and attack) i don't see to much of a problem. yea theres always that risk of getting killed or hurt at my job too. some ass hole trucker doesn't see my legs under a trailer while im fixing an air line or something and off goes my legs. or a jack stand some how gets knocked out from the air ride adjusting. crushed there goes my skull.

so theres always that danger. but nothing deliberate. just curious. been thinking of other ways to pull a comfortable living and have things paid off faster.

100K was what I last heard but only in Afganistan. Iraq has calmed down greatly so contractors have taken a pay cut out here. The ones I talked to when I first got out here last year said they were taking a 30k pay cut down to about 80K a year for the guys who have been here awhile. They were doing yearly contracts. I haven't talked to anyone doing 6 month contracts yet.

Secondly, I love your Celica. I have yet to see one of the yellow Celicas for sell yet. I know they were made in limited numbers but still I can hope. Very clean.

[2way]

tuition paid off I was referring to my kid's not having tuition bills. Not my own. LOL. You've got a ways to that point.:)

[celi1990]

I work at a credit union...not the most fabulous job in the world but its easy. But I'm joining the Military in 2 months :D

[lamboceliGTS]

With cash.

[Pool Playen Bob]

Secondly, I love your Celica. I have yet to see one of the yellow Celicas for sell yet. I know they were made in limited numbers but still I can hope. Very clean.


theres one that was for sale recently. i think it was an 03 gts. its the only yellow one ive seen in person. at first i was like. wow.... yellow. but it grew on me and i became a yellow nerd.

Thanks for the comment. i got my door ding dent on the passenger side rear and a dent in the driver side upper pillar above the rear quarter window like someone punched it. some day i may try to pop em out but for now it'll be fine.

never heard of a yearly contract. only heard of 6 months ones. but like i said i haven't looked into em other then hearing about em when i was in school. doesn't seem like too bad of a deal anyways. we'll see what happens in due time.