EFFORTPOST "It would have been more financially reasonable for me to develop a hard drug addiction than to get into cars"

Alex, 22, San Antonio

Personal Life:

• Had 4 vehicles at one point, since sold a car and a motorcycle

• At 18 got a $3700 GTI timestamp

  • Spent more than that on parts to modify it

  • Engine blew

• Other car mentioned

  • Engine blew

• "Cycle of buying cars"

• Has 2 dogs

Career:

• Facility Technician

  • "I work in critical environments"

  • 105'000/yr

  • "HVAC mechanical/electrical"

  • Got a job because he fixed some guy's AC while he was buying his motorcycle off Facebook marketplace

  • Got the job August of last year

Financials:

• "I have a budget, I just don't stick to it"

• Navy Federal #1 (16'000): timestamp

  • 18%

  • Bought it at 17'500

  • Minimum payment $431

  • 2008 Corvette

    • Beautiful car

    • Allegedly worth 17'000 or more now (about 8kish at the moment, needs repairs)

  • Blew up this one's engine too "I like to add power to cars"

  • "Where are you driving these" timestamp

    • "Mexico"

    • "There's no speed limits on the highways in Mexico"

      • Caleb is a speedcuck

      • This gigachad is driving around at 3-4am so he can go as fast as he wants

  • "How often are you doing this?" timestamp

    • "Well not any more because the engine blew up"

  • Car explanation timestamp

    • "A lot of nitrous and a lot of boost from turbos"

    • "300 shot of nitrous, it was doing a 200 okay didn't like the three at much"

    • "Starting to blow up a little less as time goes on"

• Navy Federal #2 (1'577): timestamp

  • 17.75%

  • First car, Volkswagen GTI, bought in 2020

    • "Not running and not worth fixing"

    • 220'000 miles

  • Planning to pay this off next paycheck

  • 457 minimum monthly

• Navy Federal #3: (4'309): timestamp

  • 12%

  • 141 minimum payment

  • Suburu WRX

  • "Person who sold it to me said they rebuilt the engine and within 3 months of owning it it blew a head gasket"

• Audi (24'088) timestamp

  • $505, 67 payments remain

  • 13% interest

  • "Low miles, for what it is the price isn't bad"

    • 37'000 miles

  • Bought it for 25'500

  • Was spending 600 a month on gas driving the 2008 corvette

  • Thinks it's worth 23'000

  • This one is operable

  • Plug-in hybrid so he will get a 4'000 tax credit

• Jared Card ($5'185) timestamp:

  • $185 minimum payment

  • 30% interest

  • "Ummmm.... I bought previous girlfriend a lot of jewelry"

    • Together for 2 years, broke up last Sunday?

  • "They do 12 months no interest, I was like I'll pay it off... I didn't pay it off"

• Personal Loan ($5'000): timestamp

  • When he moved, didn't have cash on hand for security deposit and first month's rent

  • thinks they charged the interest up front and it's not accruing?

  • Originally for 3'000?

  • Thinks it's in the 20s in interest

  • $120 minimum payment

• Navy Federal Card (4967 => 5003. timestamp

  • $122 minimum payment

  • Purchased $85 and accrued $73 interest

    • It was 3 UberEats purchases

  • 5'000 credit limit

  • "Whenever I see that card go over the limit I pay it down"

• Checking Account Transactions: timestamp

  • Mostly food market, vending machine

  • Road tolls timestamp

    • "I sold a car and left the license plates on.... the car never got re-registered"

• 401k Loan timestamp

  • Needed a trailer hitch because he thinks he is getting hired in and moving to Virginia

  • $2'000 and 9% interest

• Paid off a few other cards already in the last few months

The fat man rambles for a bit then Alex blows him out of the water - timestamp