$6.00 (small bottle)
Posted on 01/26/2003 12:09:55 PM PST by ChemistCat
What's the smartest way to ensure having two good running cars?
I have a mid-90s Buick and a late-80s Jeep and one more '77 station wagon. The Buick gives me an intermittant SERVICE ENGINE SOON light that cannot be tracked down. It's probably the EGR valve and might simply be a well-hidden loose wire. It has almost a hundred grand on the clock and we know it has lost compression and has a minor coolant leak somewhere, a broken drink holder, a few bad scratches in the paint, perhaps a bad shock absorber, etc etc. It's big enough for my family; we couldn't manage with a little Toyota or something.
The Jeep needs a transmission but we're getting by for now on the goop you can pour in. The station wagon gets about 8 miles per gallon and is our car of last resort. It needs to be turned into scrap, but we've been very grateful to still have it several times here lately. The question of the day--does it make more sense economically to keep fixing older cars you are comfortable with, or to buy other not-quite-so-old cars?
I don't WANT a new car *or* a new-car-payment. My husband can do most repairs himself, time permitting, and we do have AAA. I'm kind of paralyzed by indecision as I hate change. :-) But change looks a lot better from the side of the road waiting for a tow truck, eh?
Own at least four cars.
You have to male and 25 years old before a drivers license?
FMCDH
If you drive a lot of miles and can get a good used vehicle with better MPG, it might pay for itself quickly.
As far as recommendations, I highly recommend a Buick Park Avenue, used, with the 3.8 liter a/k/a 3800 engine. These can do 150,000 miles before rebuilds quite easily, in fact the body will go before the engine does in most cases. The LeSabre is similar but the Park Ave. has a better ride and road feel (LeSabre is too floaty over 55mph).
this is also a question i would like hear some discussion on. any personal finance experts want to weigh in?
Another student of the "Magic Potion School of Car Repair". I do it too.
My brother-in-law swears by Carmax - he's bought his last 2 or 3 vehicles there & next time we're in the market, that's where we'll go.
A few years ago, my wife and I both had car payments totalling $600 a month. When our cars were paid off, we opened a savings account (at a bank other than the one we normally use) and started putting $600 a month into it. The reason we use a separate bank than the one we normally use is so that we are not tempted to dip into it for other things.
We use that money to pay for any major car repairs that we have. (Simple things like oil changes and brake pads we use the checking account for.)
Obviously we don't pay $600 a month for car repair. It's actually around $2,000 a year. So that leaves us about a $5,200 surplus annually. We use this money to buy reliable used cars - cash.
And the best thing about this is...no interest payments for car loans. You are using your own money. And it feels good.
Disconnect the light and you'll find it drives the exact same.
Buy a used Nissan Maxima from 91-94. They are indestructible and inexpensive. I drove one 147K before the first repair...find one with less than 100K and you'll be fine. Should be around $2500-3000.
Change is healthy.
But... but... but....
but what about the economy???
''If we all join hands together and buy a new SUV, everything will be OK,''
First of all a 'check engine light' means exactly NOTHING. They can sometimes come on when the engine reaches a certain mileage target and can also come on when a sensor is malfunctioning. If doesn't really mean anything is wrong. Go to your local AutoZone or other auto parts store and they can give you a 'key' to read the error codes put out by your on-board computer. Of course you can go to a mechanic and he can check this out also.
Its good that you own a GM car. My advice if you are to own to cars is ALWAYS own the same manufacturer of car and make sure it is a model that has A - been around for a while - to insure that the defects were worked out on the newer models and hopefully have been fixed by the time your year model was produced, and B - is a high volume seller, to insure that replacement and repair parts are available and inexpensive.
Try to buy models that share the same engines, transmissions etc, such as a Buick/Pontiac/Chevy/Olds mid size cars for instance (Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable with 3.8 liter engines are bulletproof also) with a common engine - the 3.1 liter engine is a great one. This will make you familiar with common components and make you a better judge of what needs to be done if something goes wrong.
You will also be able to do light mechanical work yourself as easily on one as the other - things like oil changes, brake pad replacement, belt replacement, alternator, water pumps, things like that. Even if you have someone else do it, you will be better informed.
Go American, not just because I assume you are one. The parts are more easily available and cheaper as long as you get a high production model.
If your cars are rusted out or just plain rusty, or badly dented, or were involved in anything more than minor fender benders, and if even the seats are shot, dump'em. A modern car that's been hit hard is apt to be unsafe. If your cars look and feel good, fix'em.
Do not buy any used car without a carfax report. You're other advisors are correct, too. With $3500 in your pocket, you can buy one hell of a great car anywhere in America, if you know what you're doing ... and have a bit of luck.
$6.00 (small bottle)
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