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Time to retire?
ifkristen
Member Posts: 7
I'm strongly in the new market for a new car for my business (tax write off) but I'd like some opinions on the timing:
I drive a 1995 Mitsubishi Galant that just crawled over 100K. Aside from other non mechanical problems, the car has started to run more and more ratty. A few days ago it added a deep rumbling noise to its assortment of squeaks and rattles. The engine has become much more sluggish (it feels like there is a cantelope under the gas petal) Today I was flooring it trying to get on the highway, and usually, it drops a gear and shoots forward. The engine revved, but not much performance. This has continued. Sometimes it shifts VERY hard with a "CLUNK" noise. This is happening more and more frequently as well- definatly all getting worse day by day. I've checked fluids, and they're fine.
In addition to all of this, the AC blower fan doesn't work (drive 70 and you're good), the moonroof is burned out, dash board lights flicker occasionaly, it burns out headlamp bulbs frequently, the weather stripping on the trunk is gone (LEAKS!) and an assortment of other uninteresting but obnoxious problems I've learned to live with.
I've been offered between $500-$1000 trade in value for the car at various dealerships. Should I ditch it now, before it actually requires a tow and $200+ of repairs just to get it running to a dealership? Or worse, its transmission falls out?
I drive a 1995 Mitsubishi Galant that just crawled over 100K. Aside from other non mechanical problems, the car has started to run more and more ratty. A few days ago it added a deep rumbling noise to its assortment of squeaks and rattles. The engine has become much more sluggish (it feels like there is a cantelope under the gas petal) Today I was flooring it trying to get on the highway, and usually, it drops a gear and shoots forward. The engine revved, but not much performance. This has continued. Sometimes it shifts VERY hard with a "CLUNK" noise. This is happening more and more frequently as well- definatly all getting worse day by day. I've checked fluids, and they're fine.
In addition to all of this, the AC blower fan doesn't work (drive 70 and you're good), the moonroof is burned out, dash board lights flicker occasionaly, it burns out headlamp bulbs frequently, the weather stripping on the trunk is gone (LEAKS!) and an assortment of other uninteresting but obnoxious problems I've learned to live with.
I've been offered between $500-$1000 trade in value for the car at various dealerships. Should I ditch it now, before it actually requires a tow and $200+ of repairs just to get it running to a dealership? Or worse, its transmission falls out?
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Comments
I agree it might be time to call it quits.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
It is likely to soon be a resident of a wrecking yard, giving its parts to buyers with similar cars. Be happy. Get a new ride! (:o]
Today I was at the [forgiving] dealership, with my ultra-classy ride. Did I mention that someone ahem...relieved themselves on the car several months ago and now there is some mysterious gray MOLD growing IN the WHITE paint of my rear spoiler and surronding areas affected by "dribble".
Because it was so humid, the car was especially unsavory (leaky trunk+hot sun+no airflow= YUCK!) The car runs EVEN WORSE in humid/wet weather. It sounds like an ancient spring-bed with 5 kids jumping on it. It was just in its finest form.
It shimmied its way around the parking lot with all the class of a first-rate belly dancer, complete with an orchestra of squeaks, rattles and rumbles to compliment every move. No clunking, though. Small favors, eh? It saved that for the drive home.
The salesguy looked at my car, and said, with (suprising) geunine pity, I could take one of the cars off the lot instead of driving it home. The car I MIGHT take is being driven in from 90 miles away tonight, so they'll know I'll be back. (this dealership does not do the 'drive it for a few days' gimic)
I'm very suprised they didn't try and high-ball me seeing the state of my ride. But I did make sure I negotiated the price BEFORE they went over the Mitsu!
I called the dealership and asked if my car (a '03 Nissan Altima) had arrived yet. Nope. Of course not. In fact, it's not going to arrive because it was sold. I almost took the silver one on the lot, but couldn't bring myself to pay $25 extra a month for a zillion obnoxious buttons on my steering wheel and power seats. Phhht. Convience packadge. More like a $1600 crap-you-don't-need-but-have-to-buy-just-to-get-ABS-and-curtain-a ir-bags-packadge-which-is-an-additional-$700.
So I told them I'd commit to buying a suitable base model, gave them 5 exterior color choices and 2 interior choices. I included a check for $1500 to grease things. I get the sneaking idea that they never really TRIED to get the other car because they wanted to waggle me into getting the silver one on their lot. Thankfully, I blamed it on my accountant and my bottom line.
But now that I've turned that one flat-handed down, given them a check and plenty of options, I'm hopeful that one may magically appear sooner rather then later....
All told, I am now housebound (I work at home though) I refuse to drive my current car for fear it will REALLY die! The next time I drive it, it better be 7 miles to the dealership.....
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I've also heard that a Mopar smallblock will fit right in!
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I traded it for $1000 to the VW dealer on a 2003 Passat (which I verified does not have the defective coils- they got titchy when I demanded to check for myself!)
The Nissan dealer just couldn't seem to get me the car on time- even though it was the most unpopular color (pewter) with the most unpopular drive train (manual) with the most unpopular options (none!) and there were scads avaliable in the state, they all seemed to get sold before they could negotiate a deal. Yeah, right. They just wanted to twist me into the optioned out ones on the lot.
(I'm so CRITICAL today. Must be the caffeine).