So, chances are the noisy neighbor isn’t going to be interested in a new muffler, because the one that’s in place is working as it should.
Kerriann and any other affected neighbors are limited to the simple, direct approach: ask the driver to wait a block or two before cranking the thing up in the early morning hours (throw in a reference to noise level enforcement, implying that continued high decibels could lead to a call to the police). If the owner claims that the muffler really is defective and that replacement is being hindered by cost, she/they can make an informed decision about whether to offer to chip in or not.

Not everyone lives in areas where the weather (or presence of sidewalks) allows for such hikes. Nor is everyone in sufficiently good health (arthritis, asthma + poor air quality area, etc.) to blithely take such a hike. Nor does everyone have the time to spend 15 minutes/mile around other life obligations.

Jesus, you need the damn exercise if you think it’s a big deal.

What I said was that I thought it was rude to go up to someone and straight up tell them that they should purchase a new muffler (or whatever).

Yes, people shouldn’t have noisy cars. But as others have mentioned, it’s likely that the person isn’t getting their car fixed because they can’t afford it, not because they’re being jerks. So if someone is going to be jerk about it while pretending that they’re being “helpful” by pointing out obvious things, then maybe this helpful person could start a collection and help get the car fixed.

You’re right; you didn’t say that “it’s always a good investment to repair an old car”. What you actually said was “I’ve never understood why people assume it’s a bad/stupid thing to spend more than a car is “worth” (in resale value) to keep it operating.

So if you really think my numbers are bullsh!t, then please come up with a plausible scenario where it makes sense to pay more than $1000 to repair a car that is worth $1000. In my scenario repair costs were only $500 which is half the value of the car.

And since it’s definitely NOT obvious to you, I used those numbers to make the math simple and easily understood, amortizing the repair cost over how long the repair is likely to last.

Ultimately what really matters is the ratio between repair costs and market value. If $1000 car bothers you, feel free to change it to $10,000 car instead. Or $100,000 car if it sounds better. The repair costs and insurance rise proportionately.

So, yeah I think my condescension is warranted given the stupidity your argument.

No, really please go on and explain to an idiot like me why it’s a great idea to spend money on piece of junk that may crap out at any time and worse, cause an accident and personal injury.

Because seriously, I would love to see the scenario where what you explained is remotely plausible or a good idea.

It’s worth pointing out that the middle of summer takes up six months of the year, here. This is relevant because our buses consistently break down in the heat, and leave you waiting at the stop in 115+ degrees for at least 20 minutes (the time it takes for the next scheduled bus). And most of the big retailers (read: the places that tend to employ the majority of bus-riding people) close at 9pm. Got a closing shift? Tough shit. Can’t work nights because of the bus? Sorry, we need to hire someone with an open availability.

I recently moved 15 miles away from my workplace, through no choice of my own. My family HAD to buy me a cheap car, or force me to find a new job, because the bus system simply didn’t run any further west than the previous place we’d lived. If I’d been forced to find a new job, I’d be walking AT LEAST a mile, more likely 2 or 3, and that’s assuming I was able to find a job in the nearest cluster of businesses. Lemme tell ya, nothing is quite as fun as arriving at work drenched in sweat ’cause it’s triple digits outside and you had to walk.

Some people really need to pull their heads out of their asses and be grateful they HAVE access to cheap transportation, and spend less time assuming the rest of us are so lucky.

Husband has to drive about 10 miles to catch any form of bus that will get him downtown before 8 or 8:30….and we only live about 20 miles outside of downtown!

Part of the social contract in most places is that if you have a car (or any vehicle), it is your responsibility to keep it reasonably maintained.

There are the relatively new CarShare and Bike-Share systems, but for most of the millions of vehicle owners, it just does not Take a Village.

I suspect in your mass transit adventurings you have been approached by people asking for help getting together the necessary funds to get on board whatever vehicle you are about to embark on. Some of them are probably poor and will use what you may give them to pay a fare and some are probably addicts who would use what you probably will not give them to pay a dealer. But giving or not is your prerogative – neither you nor all the neighbors have a civic obligation to give.

BTW the typical used car lot will give you a 30-day warranty.
If they have a big heart and a low-cost & high efficiency mechanic on site, they may offer 90 days. But to get 1000 days, you need to be in the “certified” section of a new/used dealer’s lot, and you can’t motor out of that zone for under $5k.