PERSONAL help for a fellow geek

[SL4P]

Please help one of our own.
A fellow nerd down on his luck.
http://www.gofundme.com/en2nxs

[grumpydoc]

AUS $10k to fix a head gasket 

[Wilksey]

He certainly is down on his luck if someone quoted him $10K to fix a head gasket! Also, getting ripped off.

Some FREE advice...get another quote!

[GEuser]

Imo , one is a embarrassment to M  SL4P .

M , welcome the club , and grow some gonads .

[GeoffS]

I'm over 60, have diabetes and a limited retirement income. My vehicle also needs new brakes and tyres.

Please send money, I promise not to spend it on wine, women and song - I can't sing.

I accept that my situation is my own fault, poor lifestyle and badly planned financial strategy. I can't see the point whining that someone else should fix it.

[grumpydoc]

He certainly is down on his luck if someone quoted him $10K to fix a head gasket! Also, getting ripped off.

Some FREE advice...get another quote!

Hmmm, a post seems to have been deleted - apparently it was only $3200 for the gasket.

That's still a sizeable quote for a head gasket - this is because (he's been told) the engine needs to be removed.

Now that probably is the official line from Subaru but googling around suggests it might not be necessary . It still looks to be a bitch of a job but probably do-able in a day by a competant mechanic so I'd expect that you could do a lot better than $3200 for the job.

I don't want to be unsympathetic - I was out of work myself for 18 months not long ago - but

At $3200 it's not economic when (perusing some Aus 2nd hand car websites) the car is worth $1600 - $2k at best. Even if he had the money he'd be better off scrapping the car anyway. As it is an economic price for repair might be at most $800-$1k (OK, I know there's no practical difference between $800 and $3200 when you don't even have $100).

As Wilksey asks - has he explored all avenues to getting the car fixed (cheaper mechanics, mechanics who will do it without taking the engine out, friends with a good toolkit)?

Why is he being taxed on $400/mo income? - Aussie income tax rates are 0% for the first $18200 of income.

And, ..... why not be more honest in the funding campaign about what the money will be used for?

[vk6zgo]

Even though many people moan & whinge in Australia about Centrelink,(the Social Service people),I have always found them very helpful.
At worst,he can get "New Start allowance" which is a lot better than $400 a month.

If older people are plainly incapable of searching for work,or working full time in a paid job,they are often offered the option of Voluntary work ,while still getting the "dole".
When my wife lost her job,as she was in her 60s,& had problems with her joints,Centrelink gave her this option.

This isn't cleaning road verges,but working part time for a registered charity.

NewStart will be reduced by the $400 a month,but he won't be any worse off than someone who doesn't have,or can't access any Superannuation.
He might be able to get a "Disability Allowance",but they have tightened up on that.

Most superannuation funds have ways of accessing the whole amount,(which is probably considerably greater than $10,000) if you can prove extreme hardship,so that's another possibility.