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04-10-07, 10:50 PM
No, I'm not going car-free. I'm just trading one fuel-efficient vehicle for an even more efficient vehicle that I'll enjoy using even more.
This kind of started this past weekend, when I found out that I'd pretty much need to get rid of a car since we're going to be moving. I Chronicled a bit of my adventure on my blog and in the Commuting forum but I figured I'd post here to get the Foosters in the loop too.
After putting a "Trade car for a road bike" ad up on Craigslist and getting a bunch of really lame trade offers, I decided to revise my posting and ask for cash or trade. These offers were insulting... stationary exercycles, bike-shaped toys from Target (Schwinn prelude?! Come on...), old mountain bikes, etc.
Today, I started hunting around the LBS used stuff and found a Trek 1000 in my size. Not only that, it's an '06 that got sold back to the store because the buyer didn't really want a road bike. I've seen brand new bikes with test miles that have more wear than this 1000. Supposedly it's got about 50 miles on it, but I couldn't tell it's not brand new. The bike shop owner will give me the "new bike" warranty from the shop too, which includes lifetime tune-ups and free labor. Basically I only pay for parts.
When I mentioned that his asking price was about what I am going to get if my car sells, he seemed interested in initiating a trade. I'll get my car spiffed up a bit tomorrow and take it out there Thursday unless someone makes a cash offer before then (I could be about $200 ahead if I get what I'm asking for my car). Otherwise, the prospects are pretty good that I'm going to actually trade my car for a bike.
:)
By the way, I'll still have an SUV and a fuel-efficient car. I just don't need 3 motor vehicles right now, but I do need a light, fast bike for the upcoming nice-weather commuting, group rides, and the like.
This kind of started this past weekend, when I found out that I'd pretty much need to get rid of a car since we're going to be moving. I Chronicled a bit of my adventure on my blog and in the Commuting forum but I figured I'd post here to get the Foosters in the loop too.
After putting a "Trade car for a road bike" ad up on Craigslist and getting a bunch of really lame trade offers, I decided to revise my posting and ask for cash or trade. These offers were insulting... stationary exercycles, bike-shaped toys from Target (Schwinn prelude?! Come on...), old mountain bikes, etc.
Today, I started hunting around the LBS used stuff and found a Trek 1000 in my size. Not only that, it's an '06 that got sold back to the store because the buyer didn't really want a road bike. I've seen brand new bikes with test miles that have more wear than this 1000. Supposedly it's got about 50 miles on it, but I couldn't tell it's not brand new. The bike shop owner will give me the "new bike" warranty from the shop too, which includes lifetime tune-ups and free labor. Basically I only pay for parts.
When I mentioned that his asking price was about what I am going to get if my car sells, he seemed interested in initiating a trade. I'll get my car spiffed up a bit tomorrow and take it out there Thursday unless someone makes a cash offer before then (I could be about $200 ahead if I get what I'm asking for my car). Otherwise, the prospects are pretty good that I'm going to actually trade my car for a bike.
:)
By the way, I'll still have an SUV and a fuel-efficient car. I just don't need 3 motor vehicles right now, but I do need a light, fast bike for the upcoming nice-weather commuting, group rides, and the like.