Hello Everyone,
My name is Mike and I live here in Central California. Lately I’ve had this crazy idea to get a used GEM car with the hard cover doors on it (Found a 2002 GEM in my area 2 seater with hard doors for $2900) to use to go to and from work. I currently lease a 2011 GMC Quad cab pickup. There is 4 of us that ride in my vehicle. My wife also leases her vehicle which is a small buick regal. I’ve done some reading over the past couple days and I’ve been thinking the following. I’m not sure if it’s the right decision so I’m looking to this new community to help me out to help me rationalize my decisions. The wife is currently on board with the below:
1.) Lease end March 25, 2014 on my Truck. Wife’s lease ends in Sept. 2014. I would not renew my lease and turn in my truck. Looking to cut costs just because and not worry about oil changes, gas, insurance, car payment …etc…etc…Yes a junker car has crossed my mind but I don’t want to deal with it breaking down or insuring it or oil changes, gas etc…
2.) When wife’s lease ends, we would get a nice SUV that carries 6 or 7 and lease that with 15k or even 18k miles per year. (We like to lease so that cars are always running well, covered under bumper to bumper, safety upgrades, more efficient cars, safer etc…)
3.) I live 2.8 miles from work from driveway to work parking lot. With a 1/2 mile of that being on work grounds and off public roads.
4.) I’m looking at not getting another leased vehicle for myself and just getting a GEM car and modifying it with 7.5hp motors, 14" wheels, Computer reprogram and gear change out to get to 40mph or faster.
5.) The speeds limits to work are 25mph in my residential area, 45mph for about 400 yards to some stop lights. Then 45 mph again with some cars doing 55 mph or so but at 5:45am there’s not to many cars and it’s a 1 lane road until the final 400 yards going over a bridge that’s there to go over a train track and then into works internal roadway.
6.) The wife works 4.8 miles from where I work, with the max road speed limit being 45 or 50 mph on about a 2 mile stretch the rest is 35mph or less. Our 5 year old goes to school just about half way between the both of us. I was thinking if there is an emergency for her that I would drive the GEM to my wife’s work leave keys with her and take her car to go get her. Not to many parents around here can do that as they all work in the Bay Area/Silicon valley so we are fortunate that we are close. The other choice is to see if my parents are available and they can pick her up as they live close by as well.
Sooooooooooooo with all this information…what do you guys think???Smart/Dumb…concerns/questions…HELP!!!
Thanks!
Mike