The Economics of a Used Car (Vanity)

[ChemistCat]

What's the smartest way to ensure having two good running cars?

[gogeo]

Great thread! I have four vehicles. My 1989 Honda Accord has 175K miles and uses no oil, has had synthetic oil since new. My wife bought this car new and I've maintained it since; it's perfect. My 1991 Prelude has 178K miles, just rebuilt the motor and transmission, now has synthetic oil.



Two other vehicles I bought from friends; 1992 Explorer, 151K miles, just rebuilt the motor. I put synthetic oil in the motor today at oil change. It's perfect.


1999 E-320, bought from a lady I work with. She is anal about car care and buys a new car every 3 years. I paid $10K less than retail. This car is perfect.


If you're going to drive used cars (IMO) you have to be willing to fix them yourself. Drive them until the wheels fall off, and always be in the market for your next car. Have a spare or two, so that if one breaks it can be fixed when convenient.

[The Other Harry]

One more thing...

I really appreciate the responses on this thread and will be sharing them with the mechanic and money man.

Stay away from both of those.

[The Other Harry]

First of all, where I live in TX, if you buy and sell fewer than 5 cars per year, you dont attract attention...

I don't think I should comment here.

[steve86]

How many miles have you put on it since then? Is the repair fairly long term?

I meant the steering box, really. Haven't put that many miles on it at all, but I believe use is actually good for it, as it seems to be lack of exercise that leads to the shrunken seals problem.

All the mechanics I talked to said the steering box definitely had to be replaced, because they thought the steering shaft was corroded, but rusted or not, it no longer leaks and the steering goes to the extreme right and left now without making noise.

The LUCAS fluid is noticeably more viscous than ordinary fluid and apparently reacts with air to form a seal.

[ChemistCat]

I meant the husband.

Though his breath at the moment (it was onion ring night.....).....

[ChemistCat]

Where do you live? :-) :-) :-)

[The Other Harry]

I meant the husband.

Well then, the above advice applies in spades. He is obviously neither a good money man nor a good mechanic. There is the root problem, methinks. Keep the Buick and get rid of him.

[Axenolith]

RE: Consumer Reports.

I'd caveat one part of that, if you're looking for a vehicle outside of those just for getting to and from work, CR is not as reliable because they count as detrimental some characteristics that you'd actually be looking for.

i.e. performance auto's get dinged for having a "hard ride"
(Well, Duh!)

[Axenolith]

1997 Saturn SL1 (324,000+ Miles, 10 oil changes with Amsoil 0W-30, 40 MPG) If you want a thrifty car to own get a 1997 or 1998 Saturn.

Wow! You got me beat, 218K on a 92' SL2. The worst thing mechanical on it was running over a sheeps foot shackle that punched a hole in the tranny casing but I had a 96 transmission with 60K put in and it was fine. Someone lucky will get mine for probably less than 1000 bucks from the Salvation Army :)

We really like em though, we're on #4 (a VUE)

[Axenolith]

AH! Das Kubelwagon! Auf der Ostfrontseite! :)

[Darnright]

"I really appreciate the responses on this thread and will be sharing them with the mechanic and money man. I will probably be selling this Buick...but selling a car with an unknown problem when you're honest is an incredibly stressful proposition."

Just a thought. You might want to check with your accountant about donating the car to a charitable organization and getting a write-off on your taxes. This way you don't have to wait and wait for a buyer, and you aren't in the position of feeling guilty about its condition. In our area, the Salvation Army takes donated vehicles, and I believe there's a women's shelter that takes them. Check around.

[Old Student]

FYI, the '77 Volare Station Wagon has cost a grand total of about $3500, inclusive of purchase price and the engine and tranny, in the past 6 years, not counting insurance and fuel. That is about $50 a month. Show me a car lot where I can beat that, and I'm there. Besides, it has its own charm, being in the top-ten worst cars in america list... And there is only one time it hasn't gotten me home before it crapped out. That was a battery problem, and I won't blame it on Baby Blue.

The Jeep has cost us, so far, $700, not counting what I'm spending on ebay for parts and manuals, about another $150. With 185K+ miles, its book value is $3600. Lucas tranny fix is GOOD stuff. My tranny shop owner is an honest man, and has told me to keep driving it as long as it keeps running well, and bring it back to him when it finally really does flake out, which could be years. About $95/month, so far.

The Buick is a Buick. What can you say? We've put over 50K miles on it since Christmas '99. Cost is about $250/month for the time we've owned it, not counting gas and insurance.

[ChemistCat]

Ah. Your post explains why his response above is so exasperated. I was bewildered why this thread had annoyed him, as he would generally have found this topic interesting even if it wasn't applicable to us at the present time. Old Student is my husband, and he's done miracles with the cars, considering that he works 2 jobs, goes to school full time, and does a lot of my work since I am frequently too ill to do it myself. Neither of us is omniscient, of course, and I was just seeking input that might clarify a course of action for us.

The money situation will get better when his university finally quits putting new hoops in front of him and lets him graduate. You'd think that someone who spent 24 years in the Air Force and can get 90% or better of the questions in Trivial Pursuit would be qualified to start teaching social studies in high school, but no....

[The Other Harry]

(I may not be much of a mechanic, and I may not be much of a money man, but I'm all we got, Lady ;))

You do keep track of the numbers, I'll give you that. If you're not currently studying accounting, you might want to think about that. (Either that or teaching it.)

Harry ;)

[The Other Harry]

You'd think that someone who spent 24 years in the Air Force...

Well, see, there ya go. You should have married a Marine.

Harry ;)

[speekinout]

Oh, man - it broke my heart to sell that car. Thanks for the pic, even if it did make the tears come again.

[speekinout]

Change those fluids twice as often as you might think, that's the secret.

That reminds me of a conversation I had with the mechanic taking care of my first car. He wanted to change fluids more often than my car manufacturer said was necessary. I protested, then he said, OK, I'm trying to sell you more oil, but they're trying to sell you a new car. I got the point. I replace fluids a lot, and cars seldom.

[WhirlwindAttack]

1st rule of used cars- Don't fall in love with the old sheet metal.
IE don't spend more money for a repair than the old ride is worth.
There is always another vehicle out there that you can buy for a couple grand.

I tend to look at uncleaned trade in's at a local car lot or at local military bases. There are almost always good cars for sale.
Buy them cheap, drive them hard,put them away dead.

[tacticalogic]

I'm warning you. It will almost certainly cost more to make that light go off than you will ever get for the Buick.

I've always found drilling a hole in them to be quite economical. Use a really small bit.

[WhirlwindAttack]

Lucas oil extender Rocks! Had a 87 Voyager that was a mosquito fogger. 1 bottle every oil change and we ran her to over 300K before she needed to go bye bye.