Old Cars--When to call it quits

13

Comments

  • billybreathesbillybreathes Member Posts: 14
    My 1989 honda prelude just died with 161,000 miles. The car ran great, burned 1/2 quart of oil every 5000 miles. Then a pulley seized, the timing belt skipped a few teeth, and every rocker arm in the engine cracked. This was after investing $2000 in brakes, CV joints, power steering hoses, and new tires all around.

    So a word to the wise- before investing big bucks in a high-mileage car, make sure you know exactly what you own.
  • toyotaowner2toyotaowner2 Member Posts: 5
    I have a 95 4-Runner with 61,000 miles (bought it
    with 40,000 miles) and have not had any problems.
    I read in a post that Toyota recalled these SUVs to replace the head gaskets. Since I am not having any problems - would it be best to leave it alone or go ahead and get the head gasket changed? I don't want them to open it up and in the long run, create problems I don't have.
  • lokkilokki Member Posts: 1,200
    The short road life of cars in Japan has nothing to do with the quality of the cars themselves. It all has to to with taxation. After 2 years on the road, cars have to have a ridiculous safety inspection that includes, among other things disassembling the brake master cylinder and measuring the wear with calipers.(Ever hear of a master cylinder failure? Pretty rare.)It is very very expensive. At four years the inspection must be done again, and it's every year after that. Therefore it's economically advantageous to get rid of the car and get a new one. As for milage, the number of miles driven is low compared to the engine run time. You can't drive fast and therefore don't go far. The usual speed limit is 40 K (25 mph) on expressways it's 80K (50 mph). Cars are more of a luxury than a necessity in Japan. Hope this long post answers the question
  • hprickettxhprickettx Member Posts: 23
    A number of years ago, some Japanese workers came over here for help with a project. According to them, body repair is mandatory in Japan. The owner is required to restore any dent, scrape, ding or crumple to original condition. It was very expensive to own and maintain a car there.
  • lanablanab Member Posts: 1
    This is an intermittent problem. The car starts right up even on the coldest morning, but if I drive it just a short distance, say 4 miles to the store, then it won't start again unless I wait 20-40 minutes. The radio and lights come on just fine so it's not the battery. This only happens right after the first time I drive it after it has been sitting all night. Someone said it was vapor lock, whatever that is. And whenever I ask a mechanic about it no one seems to have a clue as to what the problem is. I have put up with this for 3 years now, and I am about at the limit of my patience. I almost missed a plane because of this. I keep a book in the car to read while I am waiting for the car to start up. Either I get it fixed or I dump the car and get something else. Especially now that the air conditioning pooped out. Has anyone had this experience with the Cressida, or any other vehicle? Is it worth trying to fix or just cut my losses and move on?
  • tandem401tandem401 Member Posts: 1
    I believe that I can help you. At least you will have several things to try. My 1986 Cressida does this:

    It starts perfectly in hot or normal weather and starts perfectly in cold weather. In Chicago that means down to -20F. A car that will start the first time, every time, in frigid weather, is a wonderful thing to have.

    But the car had a peculiarity. When the temperature was between 40F and 50F it would not start. The situation is further described by pointing out that the engine turned over without hesitation, the lights worked, everything was ok but there was no sound of firing! Or, better to say, there was only the occasional sound of firing. Once started the engine could be run and restarted without difficulty. This last fact differs from your situation but so far this sounds very much like your problem.

    I resolved that this starting problem was related to temperature and that pointed to the cold start injector. This device is designed to give an extra dose of gas when the engine is cold. Without it a car will not start in cold weather. The injector is triggered by a temperature sensor that is connected to it via a wire harness. The harness is also temperature sensitive. All of these must work correctly or your engine will not start.

    Solution one: I jiggled the wire harness. The engine then started in cool weather but the solution was not permanent. I found that I had to do it again every few days. A new harness is not available for purchase and would be costly to install.
    Solution two: I started the car with several repeated, short applications of the starter. This means turning the key and holding it for about 1 1/2 seconds then repeating the action immediately. Three or four of these will always start my car.
    I should point out that for the last two years the problem has gone away.

    Solution three: I would like to add another possibility. A hot engine that is turned off for several minutes, like while you were in the store, can percolate gas from the injectors to the cylinders. When you return the engine may be flooded, that is, too much gas in the cylinder. This condition would work itself out by waiting for the gas to evaporate. But I must say that this would not be related to the first trip of the day. Instead, it would get worse as the engine got warmer so I don't think this is your problem. The solution to this would be to change your sparkplugs and distributor if they are old (60,000 miles)and to learn the flood starting procedures in the owners manual.

    Let me know if this works!
  • ckhsocalckhsocal Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1989 Volvo 740 turbo w/120,000 mi. It has always been a great car, reliable, problem free and fun to drive. The clutch was replaced at 80,000 by a highly recommended mechanic (friend took it in while I was out of town), however he seemed questionable when I picked it up.

    Recently I've had problems shifting into 1st and 2nd gear also reverse. Also, overdrive doesnt always work when I push button - it sometimes goes in by itself.

    I took it to Volvo dealer they said its my synchros in 1st and 2nd gear and I should replace entire transmission ($2200). I took it to a friend at a Honda dealership who checked it, added fluid, etc and said just have the synchros replaced. Took it to AAMCO Transmission and 1st time around mechanic couldnt find a transmission problem but asked me to leave car overnight for them to drive some more. Instead, I took the car back 2 days later and drove w/the mechanic. He said it wasn't a trans problem but probably a clutch problem. After returning to shop he checked internal fluids, etc then said the problem is clutch hydraulics repair for $511.

    Do I believe AAMCO guy and have the clutch hydraulic work done?
    How is AAMCO's reputation?
    Or should I just get rid of the car?
  • pat455pat455 Member Posts: 603
    Welcome to Town Hall!

    You may want to take a look at this topic:

    Clutch Questions (Topic #170)

    You might find some helpful information in the posts there. Good luck.

    Pat
    Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference
  • bnormannbnormann Member Posts: 335
    Is this an automatic or manual transmission? Autos don't have "synchros" and I don't remember any manuals that had a push-button "overdrive"

    Bruce
  • arjay1arjay1 Member Posts: 172
    I have had my share of high mile autos that have run for many years. They did, of course, start to require a fair amount of repair in the late years of their lives. However, I am a firm believer in the adage that "it is cheaper to repair than replace."
    At this point my highest mileage vehicle is a '96 Chrysler Town & Country minivan with only 70,000 miles. This vehicle is paid for and has required a fair amount of repair work in the last year (I blame that on the fact that it is a Chrylser product). I have no thoughts of getting rid of the vehicle for a long time.
    As an old German mechanic that worked on my high mileage Mercedes used to say, "cars don't vear oot, parts vear oot!" I have kept that thought in mind many times as I have been tempted to give up a vehicle when facing a repair estimate.
    Obviously, if you lose confidence in a vehicle and fear being stranded, it is time to give it up.
    Following is a system my father used for deciding when it was time to get rid of a vehicle. He would always repair a vehicle until his total repair costs equaled half of the purchase price of the vehicle. Once he hit that magic number, he would literally have the car towed to a salvage yard when the next thing went wrong.
    I have used this same formula for both new and used cars myself. Let me say that with the cost of cars today you can do a lot of repair work before it adds up to half the purchase price.
    Sorry for the long post, I blame it on a mind with a jumble of random thoughts!
  • stevepakestevepake Member Posts: 21
    My parents graciously handed me down a 90 Toyota Camry DX 5-spd a few years ago. The total mileage on it is now 203,000 miles and it's been a great car that's had only 2 major problems in its lifetime.

    Problem 1 - 99k: bad synchronizers in the manual transmission...covered under extended warranty by 1k miles...phweew!

    Problem 2 - 201k: bad primary ignition coil, replaced valve stem seals while we were at it because of oil burning on startup

    So aside from normal wear and tear stuff, those have been the only problems.

    I'm graduating from college this December, and they want me to buy a new car ASAP, but I'd like to hold off on buying one for as long as possible because it's still a good car.

    So what's everyone else's thoughts? This car has a track record of having one major problem every 100k miles, so theoretically it should be good for another 100k miles (I know that's optimistic! ;-) It has way more sqeaks and jitters than it used to (obviously), and it has a little bit of rust around one wheel well, but the engine and drivetrain is still strong and solid as a rock, and most of its miles are highway.

    Will it hold together for another 50-100k or so, or will it start to become a money pit ???
  • rberusrberus Member Posts: 25
    Has 157k miles. It's done quite well for its poor reliability ratings I've seen: besides normal maintence, it's only needed a valve cover, and now needs a water pump. It leaks slowly, about a gallon every 500 miles, but I only drive 10 a day.

    Looses 1 - 1.5 quarts of oil every oil change (3k mi.)

    Transmission is still going well, though the fluid had never been changed when i bought the car, and i never had it changed. :)
  • lokkilokki Member Posts: 1,200
    The answer is, of course, who knows? The basic drive train is likely to stay alive... and you don't sound like you have too much rust, but tomorrow is promised to no car. The answer is to keep driving it until it dies, but start saving for the new car now. When the inevitable happens and something goes wrong you can decide to fix it or dump it. Your car has essentially now value now so you lose nothing by waiting till it dies.

    I would doubt another 50 K miles. At some point you will need CV joints,shocks, brakes, and tires - not all at the same time,within 50K miles - even if nothing major goes wrong. Those components together add up to more than the value of your car..... which won't be worth a penny more because you did any or all of them.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,062
    I killed our family's longest-running car, a 1986 Monte Carlo 305 that my mom had given me in March 1998. She bought it new when I had started driving, giving me her old Malibu. The Monte had about 180K miles on it when she gave it to me, and I used it to deliver pizzas. It was still running strong 3 months later at 192K miles when a Ford Tempo t-boned it in the parking lot and got the fender, door, and rear quarter panel. It was totaled, but I got a pretty nice settlement. Kind of a shame, though, because that car was still running fine and had no problems other than faded paint and a broken power antenna. My mom was curious to see just how far that car would go...sad that it had to die an unnatural death.

    I've had 2 cars that were higher mileage...a 1968 Dart I bought at 253K miles that I still have, and a 1979 Chrysler Newport that I bought at 230K miles and quit driving when I got the Monte Carlo...got rid of it at around 249K miles. Neither one was as trouble-free as that Monte, though!
  • diamonddave2diamonddave2 Member Posts: 12
    My ex-barber in Hackensack NJ had a Dodge Dart bought new in the late '60s, and last time I saw him (at least 5 years ago), he had over 750,000 miles on the car. He uses it every day, it looks like new, and the only major repair he's ever had to do was a little trans work.
    I see quite a few Darts on the road considering how old they are, and most are used as daily drivers.
  • spectre3spectre3 Member Posts: 67
    right.....
  • arjay1arjay1 Member Posts: 172
    I believe that over 750,000 miles on the original engine would qualify as a world record. I don't think that anyone has documented that kind of mileage on a gas engine without any major engine work.
  • diamonddave2diamonddave2 Member Posts: 12
    Go check it out. His shop is in the basement of the old Packard building in downtown Hackensack.
    Last time I was there the upstairs part was an Asian food store.
    He has pics of the car plus letters from Chrysler complimenting him on his extended mileage.
    If you live in the area you may have seen him in the Star Ledger. His informal election poll makes it to the local section every four years.
  • timberguytimberguy Member Posts: 7
    My mom bought a '73 dart "swinger" new when i was in high school. My brother took it over after 10 years, then i had it the last year before i sold it in '89.. It cost $2800 new; i sold it for $450 and got numerous inquiries on my newspaper ad. It was a tank.. the slant six never misbehaved; we ran it up to 118K... I was broadsided on 1-80 in the pocono mountains by a deer and managed to stay on the road and get it home with only a $28 repair to the gearshift linkage needed..(the deer didn't make it)... Of course, it handled really badly and had an uncomfortable driving position..but a fantastic value.. Chrysler really loused up when they stopped making the dart/valiant and turned to those aspen/volare models, which were lemons from the start..
  • psc2psc2 Member Posts: 7
    My 95 t-bird has been a joy to own and drive except for a problem transmission fixed under warranty with a factory-approved rebuilt replacement. My dilemma now is whether to sell it due to oil usage at highway speed of 1qt per 1000 mi. I've done all maintenance required under severe duty schedule, even though my usage is gentle with 15 mile commute in light traffic each way. What does this oil usage mean. It began being noticeable at 60k and has progressed to current level but now seem to have leveled off.
  • kkollwitzkkollwitz Member Posts: 274
    I would call 1 qt./1000 miles normal, and no big deal at all. If you drive 15k a year, and oil is a buck a quart, that's $15 a year...practically nothing. As an example, my 1988 Mustang was well-maintained, and used 1 qt./800 miles when I sold it with about 80k miles on it. Or consider our 1992 Crown Vic, which was using 1 qt./250 miles when I sold it with 150k miles. Until you feel a power loss or start belching clouds of smoke, increased oil consumption is just part of life with an old friend.
  • wheelleswheelles Member Posts: 4
    I own a 1992 Toyota Celica ST that I purchased new
    and drove for a couple of years. It currently has
    17000 miles on it as it's been in storage for
    nearly six years. All fluids were replaced when it
    entered the garage in 1994, as well as fuel
    stabilizer the following year. It gets started
    about every other month but hasn't been on the
    street in over five years. What maintenance
    problems can I anticipate next Spring when I plan
    on putting it back on the street as my primary
    transportation vehicle?
  • srayersrayer Member Posts: 11
    Car has 175k miles on it. Other than a strange
    clunking sound from the passenger side whenever
    I make slow left turns, there is nothing wrong
    with the car. My mechanic has no idea what's
    causing the clunking sound, but he assures me the
    car is otherwise fine. After many years in the
    Arizona sun, the clear coat is peeling and theres
    a lot of scratches and dings. Interior is fine.
    I have been debating whether to keep the car or
    get a new one (probably 2000/01 Accord). I'm not
    sure what to do, and to be honest the car has a
    lot of sentimental value to me. We have 3 cars
    in our family and the thought of buying a new
    car and keeping this one would not make economic
    sense. So, I would appreciate hearing your
    thoughts on what I should do:

    a. Keep the '88 Accord
    b. Buy a 2000/2001 Accord
  • lokkilokki Member Posts: 1,200
    I would replace all the belts and hoses before going anywhere. They rot with age more than from use....I'd also completely flush the cooling system while I was at it. You'll want to flush out any sediment that has formed before it gets too swirled around in your radiator. Additionally, if there's a way to drain your gas tank to get the sediment out of the bottom, I'd do that too.If not practical, just fill the tank up completely before driving so that the pump won't be sucking up trash from the bottom of the tank. Wait a week and then change the fuel filter. Brake fluid is probably OK, but some of the older fluids can asborb water. You can also expect that your tires have flat spotted from sitting so long in one position, but they may be OK after driving for a while, or you may find that the belts will separate from the treads ala' firestone. I'd wait a while to do any high speed driving. Just as a routine thing, I'd put some armour all or something on all the plastic surfaces to put some oil back into them, and test each of the light/radio switches. They may have built some oxidation that will keep them from working, but turning the switches on and off quite a few times should remove the oxidation.

    Good luck and have fun!
  • joshkjoshk Member Posts: 1
    1987 Toyota pickup with 170k+ miles on it. Only repair I have ever done since I bought it (I bought it when I was 16 with 110k miles on it) is a new radiator $79.99 and free install at local Radiator shop.

    Its still running perfect and has never given me one minute of trouble! Theres no way that im taking the 600 bucks the dealer offered for it. It still has another 50k miles or more left in it! This one is being retired to dad as a backup truck.
  • spokanespokane Member Posts: 514
    I fully agree with lokki; his advice is excellent. I expect very few people would think to exercise the electrical switches as lokki describes but this suggestion is also very good. Your Celica should be a very good car. Good luck.
  • lucky20lucky20 Member Posts: 35
    You will probably not be offered much $ as a trade in, & may not be able to sell it out right for very much. May make a good extra car if desired. If you plan to fix it up, be careful about investing more $ in it then it is worth on the market. In the case of an insured loss you could lose some of your repair investment. Good luck
  • srayersrayer Member Posts: 11
    Thanks for your response. You're absolutely
    right about the car's value. I don't think
    I would try to trade or sell the car. If I
    did end up buying a new Accord, I was thinking
    of donating the car to a good charity. Maybe I
    would get more $ in tax savings than trying to
    sell/trade car? What do you think? I tell you
    the more I think about it, the harder it is for
    me to part ways with this old beater. What can
    I say? The car has a great deal of sentimental
    value to me. I guess I can keep the thing until
    the wheels fall off! Thanks again for your input.
  • jevin111jevin111 Member Posts: 4
    I gave away an old friend yesterday! I have been driving my 92 Nissan Sentra XE 4dr since it was new (college graduation present), and managed to put 256,640 miles on it! It is an absolute tank! It never had ANY problems or breakdowns until I passed 220k this past winter. Since then, I lost the fuel pump, the water pump, and the starter in a 4 month period of time. The head gasket was wearing out, and I was losing a fair amount of oil. ALL interior systems still worked perfectly though, and the body still looked great. I traded it in for a 98 Dodge Neon Sport with 26k miles, hoping never again to make a car last as long as my Sentra did.
  • arjay1arjay1 Member Posts: 172
    You are part of an elite few that have broken the 250,000 mile mark with a car. I am sure you where excited to get your new Neon but was there a feeling of loss about retiring your trusted friend?
    I am curious, how much did the dealer offer you on your trade? Cash is always important, but I wonder if you would come out ahead in this situation donating a car like that to a charity and writing off a higher value on your taxes?
    Great job! Let us know when you hit 300,000 with your Neon!!!
  • nh2000nh2000 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1992 Honda Prelude Si with 165,000 miles. Just had the clutch replaced with a new one, had the rotors replaced, and usual stuff.

    We had a mechanic working on the car when we got it at 86,000 miles, unfortunatly, at 97,000 miles the timing belt snapped and cracked the head and bent 12 valves. We had a recon head and new valves and never used that mechanic again, who was supposed to be checking the timing belt on each 3,000 miles service.

    We now take the car to a local Honda dealership every 3,000 miles for oil changes and regular check-ups. The car runs great !!! I mean, its like a new car, very little wear on the leather driving seat, thats it ! (even with my fat [non-permissible content removed])

    I my wife drives the car 120 miles a day and is has not let us down since the timing belt.

    I reckon we are well on the way for 250k, but I don't want to curse myself too much :-)

    Well done Honda !!
  • jevin111jevin111 Member Posts: 4
    I was given $750 dollars for it in trade...which was VERY appreciated since I had nothing to put down in cash for my Neon. And yes, it was a little hard to give my Super-Sentra away after so many, many miles...but it was really time. I know that I wouldn't have made it through the winter without 2k or so in repairs and a few unfortunate breakdowns!

    I promise you, however, that I will NOT EVER hit 300k, or 200k, or even 100k on my Neon!! I don't ever plan to keep a car as long as I kept that Sentra again...and I have serious doubt that any Chrysler product could do it anyway!!! For me, the Sentra's record will never be challenged.

    ~Jevin111
  • cirquecirque Member Posts: 5
    I have an '83 Datsun Nissan Stanza 146,000 with a couple exterior blemishes and I am unable to sell it. It still runs. Finding the donation process complicated with title transfer. So take it to a salvage yard or give to local garage? What happens with transfer of title then in NJ? I'm finding no one wants to sign it as buyer and Motor Vehicle telling me not to have the title open ended w/o buyer signature. Will a used car dealer buy it for a couple hundred? And sign the title? Any info is gratefully appreciated! I'm new to this process! Thank you!
  • pat455pat455 Member Posts: 603
    I think you will find better assistance with these questions in our Smart Shopper Conference. Take a look at the topic list, I'm pretty sure you will see one or more topics that may be able to help you out.

    Good luck.

    Pat
    Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference
  • cirquecirque Member Posts: 5
    thanks for info.
  • niteryderniteryder Member Posts: 1
    If anyone has a repair manual for this make and model, I need some help. If you can help me please e-mail me at niteryder17@aol.com. Thanks.
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,569
    Received an E-mail from a friend that answers the age old question: when the junk under the seat is worth more than the car itself.

    The grand Am expired this morning. Since June/July its been running rough
    when cold (a chronic problem the last few years. I'd had my fathers friend
    fix it a few times - the injector and plug on one of the cylinders keeps
    fouling, etc.). When it started happening again, and since the car was in
    the late 130's in mileage, i said screw it, no more money goes into it, and
    planned on getting rid of it in April of '01 cause the
    registration/inspection expires in March and the camry 3 yr loan is paid off
    in April also, and I figured when the daycare center is closed due to snow
    and one of us goes to work in the snowstorm they'd use the xxxxbox in the
    snow for one last winter.

    So its running rough and coughing all summer. I go to get the oil changed
    in early summer and the plug screw threads are disintegrating and the drive
    thru place refused to do it. So' since it burns a little oil, and the
    headgasket is leaking, I've been topping off. So as of today its been
    11,000 miles since an oil and filter (real sludge at the bottom of the
    dipstick) - but again, since the car is history inb March/April, and it is
    not a primary car that Bob willl not enter, I have not cared.

    About two weeks ago, the fan for the radiator began to not turn off when the
    car was turned off, even when the engine was cold. What i would do is drive
    it around the block for a few minutes, then it would turn off when i then
    shut the car off (obviously a switch is shot, it does not run off the fuses,
    i checked). About a week ago the exhaust pipes started hanging lower.

    Mary toook it to work yestersay (I was home with Bob with the Camry and
    car seat). On the way there, she made a turn and the engine got real loud,
    but the mufflers were hanging no lower than before. For the second time
    that day the fan would not turn off when she got to work. She goes in does
    her work, comes out and luckily the car starts. She goes to the supermarket
    and for a third time that day, the fan will not turn off. She gets home,
    the engine is loud, BUT, the fan shuts off in the driveway. At this point I
    cansee the life support devices about to be turned off.

    This morning I go out and get the papers and hear how loud a car came be
    without the muffler connected. At the paper place the fan is off. On the
    way back, the entire exhayst system drops to the road from the midpipe and
    is being dragged behind me. I pull into the driveway, shut off the engine
    and the fan stayed on forever more. I discussed it with Mary and we
    decided its new car time. So while I could still start it before the fan
    kills the battery, i moved it diagonally in the top of the driveway so it'll
    be easier for the flatbed to come get it tomorrow without blocking the
    street with the truck. At this writing the ever running cooling system fan
    as fully drained the battery.

    I've emptied it of 11 years of junk and found some interesting stuff ( a
    small purse Mary forgot she had, among other junk), $2.79 in coins, $3.50
    in Parkway tokens (all under the drivers seat, except for a dime). About
    145,000 miles. And of couse the fuel level is well more then 3/4 full.

    Thinking about Toyota Sienna, or Subaru Legacy.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • bnormannbnormann Member Posts: 335
    Great story, Stickguy...!

    Your host, Bruce
  • emptyempty Member Posts: 14
    76 Buick Skyhawk; suspension was tearing away from the unibody. One of the cases where it's possible to drive a car until the wheels literally fall off.

    \
  • dweezildweezil Member Posts: 271
    I guess I get emotionally involved with cars, so I don't see the sense in spending 15,000 for a new one to "save" spending $2000.00 on the old one.I read a lot of posts about perfectly good cars with high mileage that needed some repairs but because the repairs were more than the alleged "book" value of a car those repairs were somehow looked on as "costing" money.The "value of your current vehicle is what it would cost you to replace it with something similar.It's an arbitrary amount fixed by a dealership.
    For example:I owned an 86 Olds Calais that I bought with 21,000 miles on the odometer when the car was EIGHT years old from the same dealer who sold it new. I drove it another 34,000 miles in 6 years and was offered $500.00 for it I kept records of EVERY receipt for every oil change, drop of gas,and repair that it ever needed.[and the oil was changed every 3 months regardless of mileage!]Another dealer offered me the same amount at 41,000 miles 2 years before that and never even DROVE it!AND had had an identical model on their lot 2 weeks before with TWICE the mileage and sort of ratty offered at $4995.00!
    I wound up giving it to my Mother for money I borrowed and it is STILL running as well at 65,000 as it did when I owned it.I did that because I had never owned a new car in my life and felt that at 43 it was time before I got pulled off the road for being too old to drive.I got a modern equivalent of the Calais in size and equipment-a 99 Cavalier for which I paid $11,808 in June of 99. I also have a 63 Valiant that I have owned for 20 years. I paid more for the rebuilt engine than I did for the car.It's value to ME is greater than what I could sell it for.What's it worth? Doesn't matter.That repair amount to "value" yardstick is a myth.You cannot spend repairing or refurbishing an old one[if it's been cared for and if it's showing 200,000 miles it has been]than you would pay in purchase price, higher registration and insurance fees taxes and interest charges over 3 to 5 years time.If you want a new car buy one, but don't use high mileage or repairs as an excuse. Just repeat:$2000.00 or $20,000? Which one sounds better? For me I would deeply regret letting either of my cars go: I am a car nut and these are my kids. The only thing that eased my transition from the Cavalier to the Calais, was knowing the Olds was still in my family-probably the first car my Mother has ever enjoyed driving!Check back in 20 years I'll still have the Cavalier.I won't spend more money than that on a new one period. It's obscene. Enjoyed all the posts people.Thanks for letting me add my 2c. Dave
  • pat455pat455 Member Posts: 603
    A '63 Valiant? That's great, Dave!

    I enjoyed your post, thanks.

    Pat
    Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference
  • ralphfurralphfur Member Posts: 4
    Great post Dave. A couple of comments to make though on the mileage issue. I have owned several cars that I put over 200,000 miles on. The last one I had was a VW Jetta that I put 350,000 mile on before it was totaled. Some vehicles are well made and engineered for longivity. Others are engineered for 50,000 miles and fall apart rapidly after that.
    So, the real question with mileage gets down to how many more things can you expect to go wrong given the mileage on the car besides the current cost of the contemplated repair.
    In my opinion, the Ford Taurus is a perfect example of this question. They have a propensity for going through transmissions about every 45,000. So, do you replace the trans at 90,000 or do you buy a new car? If this was a Jetta, I would tell you hands down to replace the transmission and expect good service after wards. However, Ford Taurus will not give you that. Shortly after replacing that trans, you can expect to replace the engine, steering pump, brake master cylinder, airconditioning pump, computer and a whole host of other things. In case you are wondering, my Taurus has 186,000 miles on it and I have replace all of the afore mentioned items and two more transmissions.
    As a second comparision, my Subaru Outback with 90,000 miles has not had a singe repair done to it and only normal maintenance.
    Thus, I think it gets back to not the cost of the current repair and the cars resale value, like you mention, but as to whether you can expect reliable service after that repair or just more repairs.
    Later, :-)
  • dweezildweezil Member Posts: 271
    And I am CERTAIN that plenty of people would question my choice of a Cavalier as my first new car! LOL. I have read both extremes on this car.Some of my reasons were the cost of repairs,and plenty of parts availability down the road. It's my theory I'll be able to get 200,000 miles out of it...[now stop all that laughing out there!]...if I follow the standards of meticulous maintenance and timely repair of small things.
    I hate car payments and I have a cheap streak as wide as a Lincoln Navigator. You are sooo correct re:Taurus and RE-repairs,but as I said I am so blinded by an emotional loyalty to my cars, I keep hoping that next repair will be the one that "fixes" everything. I wish I could be like my Dad and look at them as A to B transportation, but have been a car fiend since a small kid so a lot of logic goes out the window.
    Great post. You gave it a much broader and more rational sense of proportion. I guess you need to start out with a solid vehicle in the first place,one that is worthy of the passion and it's faults are balanced against the joy of driving it or if you're going the fix it all the time find an old one to refurbish that isn't a critical part of your transportation plans.Thanks for the insight.
  • tayatmtayatm Member Posts: 4
    Just wrecked my $3000 dollar 89 Accord ( only 70,000 miles) Bent Fenders, Hood, Radiator, Radiator Support, Headlights, and some unibody. Do I bang the car back together with mult-colored salvage parts and drive for the next 5 years or sell as is to a junk yard, and replace?

    Any idea what a wrecked 89 accord with this damage is worth to salvage yard with everything perfect except the above mentioned parts.
  • pat455pat455 Member Posts: 603
    If I were you, I'd go to our Honda Accord Problems (Topic #1398) to ask that question.

    I think that is where you will get the best responses.

    Good luck.

    Pat
    Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference
  • ralphfurralphfur Member Posts: 4
    Just a quick suggestion, find a good autobody repair shop that has a certified Unibody repair facility. Have them look at the frame and tell you if it is repairable or not. All of the body parts in the world will not help if you cannot straighten out the frame. Besides the safety issue, a bent or warped frame will cause excessive tire wear, poor cornering and a drastic change in handling during emergency manuvers.

    Best of Luck! :-)
  • billybreathesbillybreathes Member Posts: 14
    I firmly believe that the 2.0 engine in the 87-91 Honda Prelude is the best engine ever made. A number of mechanics have second this also. These engines are built to last (hell the car was $18,000 new in 1989!). On one, the original timing belt broke at 161k, car was dead. We have another one with 317k on the original engine and auto tranny, timing belt changed 3 times. We only use synthetics in both the tranny and engine from day one. Change the oil every 8k. Some things have been replaced- water pump, alternator, ps pump, etc. But the engine still keeps pulling, strong as new, and full compression. Paint and interior look like hell, though, what can you expect.
  • crm2crm2 Member Posts: 1
    Help! First problem: My car is a 1994 Mercury Cougar with 150,000 miles on it. I've had it since it was brand new. Two months ago, I replaced the transmission for $2,000. In the past 6 months, I have spent $4,000 on it (including transmission) and guess what! It's in the shop again now and I am driving around in a rental car. This car seems to also be burning oil and breaks down constantly. The expense involved in keeping this car around terrifies me. Now for the second problem: My husband and I purchased a 1990 Pontiac Sun bird in June for my now-17 year old stepdaughter for $2800. We knew it wasn't in perfect shape but didn't realize we would have to spend so much on it. Unfortunately, the radiator sprang a leak and she drove it hot, which cracked the block. Now our so-called mechanic (whom we paid $700 to fix the block last week) says that it needs a whole new engine. This situation really sucks. First and foremost, I need a car to get back and forth to work (so that I can pay for the repairs to my step daughter's car, I guess). Any suggestions? I know there are options, but I'm hoping for the most economical. The expenses are making me sick! Thanks!
  • rabbitrun3rabbitrun3 Member Posts: 23
    BIG dent in driver's door, BIG break in right tail light... otherwise, well, no so bad.
    Problems with keeping:
    1) Door dent requires new (or salvaged) door.
    2) Tail light was the big old one-piece Century-Star-Trek-Lander light which costs about 600 bucks.
    3) No collision insurance, so it'd all be O-O-P.
    Needs new brakes, tranny starting to feel lurchy, and to be honest I have no pride of ownership in it any more.
    I think it needs to be retired from my life, but do I just drive it to a salvage yard and take their 75 bucks, or is there a better way to go? If a dealer took it in trade, would he actually give me anything for it, or just work it into the "price"? Or, per the title of this conversation, are there really charities which would like to have it?

    Thanks and regards,
    Scott
  • adc100adc100 Member Posts: 1,521
    Keep the cougar- you are committed financially. Keep the oil up to the top mark, if it burns oil maybe mix in and top off with 10W-40 or (10W-50 syn only). Keep step daughter away-she might run it out of oil.

    Make step daughter (she let it cook) and fake mechanic (sounds like he botched the job) responsible for the 'bird. Get a "good" mechanic to evaluate the condition of the sunbird- that one is tough to call.

    Later, Al
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