Mandatory UMBI

As part of our auto policy, Oregon requires us to purchase insurance to cover ourselves if someone without insurance hits us. But why? If it’s the law, every car on the street should have insurance. “I’m paying for what someone else should buy? That doesn’t seem fair.”

Electric v. Hybrid

I had fun researching this one. Honestly, I knew nothing about electric or hybrid cars until recently, when my daughter bought a Tesla. She still hasn’t taken me for a ride in it yet. I got to sit in it for a minute. She showed me all the cool features. Still, I didn’t know how it worked.

It's Just Math

It’s simple math. The more seats, the greater the potential for passenger injuries. It doesn’t mean every seat gets filled, but a family of seven, with a working parent and one who stays home to run the household, might have six of the seven seats occupied while doing errands. Long family trips mean everyone gets to go.

This debate has raged for years. It depends on the part. If it’s critical to your safety, such as an airbag, I’d recommend using factory (OEM) parts only. If it’s a fender you're after, the biggest concern would be whether it fits. If an after-market fender attaches to your car the same way an original one does, and it holds a paint job, why not save a few bucks? An aftermarket fender will not provide any more or less protection than the original. But if the insurance company will pay for the OEM, then why not? You won’t have the potential hassle of it not fitting your car. If you are paying for parts out of your pocket, money might be the deciding factor.