|
|
03-25-2012, 08:07 PM
|
#1
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 12,880
|
Car Fix/Replace Decision
DD's (Jenny) car has a somewhat buckled frame part that makes it dangerous to drive. This is something that had been there, but wasn't detected when she had the car evaluated three years ago. The cost to repair is $3,000. The body shop says it will be fine after the repair.
The blue book value of the car is about $3,300. It has about 115,000 miles on it. Jenny figures she'd get $800 if she sold it to a salvage yard.
The two options are (1) scrap it and buy a used new-to-her car for $6,000, or (2) fix it. She's leaning towards the former. She can definitely afford to buy a new car.
What do you think?
|
|
|
|
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
03-25-2012, 08:09 PM
|
#2
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 5,308
|
I would replace it.
|
|
|
03-25-2012, 08:14 PM
|
#3
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Texas: No Country for Old Men
Posts: 50,021
|
+1
I wouldn't spend $3k on a car worth only $3k for basic mechanical repairs, much less a frame straightening job. Use the money to help pay for a replacement.
__________________
Numbers is hard
|
|
|
03-25-2012, 08:16 PM
|
#4
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 12,901
|
I would replace it too.
|
|
|
03-25-2012, 08:18 PM
|
#5
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New Orleans
Posts: 47,500
|
Replace it! And get that $800 from the salvage yard if you can.
__________________
Already we are boldly launched upon the deep; but soon we shall be lost in its unshored, harbourless immensities. - - H. Melville, 1851.
Happily retired since 2009, at age 61. Best years of my life by far!
|
|
|
03-25-2012, 08:19 PM
|
#6
|
Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 702
|
+3 Replace it.
|
|
|
03-25-2012, 08:49 PM
|
#7
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 17,239
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by FreeAtLast
+3 Replace it.
|
+4
|
|
|
03-25-2012, 08:58 PM
|
#8
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,608
|
+5 Replace it ,especially since she is financially able to do so.
|
|
|
03-25-2012, 09:15 PM
|
#9
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 13,143
|
I take the 5th because I own an old car that I keep on fixing instead of replacing.
__________________
Have you ever seen a headstone with these words
"If only I had spent more time at work" ... from "Busy Man" sung by Billy Ray Cyrus
|
|
|
03-25-2012, 09:22 PM
|
#10
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: LaLa Land
Posts: 4,698
|
I'd replace it and I think you sould buy her something brand new.
__________________
Work is something you do to get enough $ so you don't have to....Me.
|
|
|
03-25-2012, 09:31 PM
|
#11
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 17,774
|
BMW?
__________________
“Would you like an adventure now, or would you like to have your tea first?” J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
|
|
|
03-25-2012, 10:06 PM
|
#12
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Oahu
Posts: 26,860
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by TromboneAl
The two options are (1) scrap it and buy a used new-to-her car for $6,000, or (2) fix it. She's leaning towards the former. She can definitely afford to buy a new car.
What do you think?
|
I'm wondering what could possibly make someone even consider (2).
But then my father-in-law would be crawling around under the car right now with a crowbar and a hammer, muttering to himself about the bahstids trying to steal his three grand to fix a little bent metal.
__________________
*
Co-author (with my daughter) of “Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence.”
Author of the book written on E-R.org: "The Military Guide to Financial Independence and Retirement."
I don't spend much time here— please send a PM.
|
|
|
03-25-2012, 10:21 PM
|
#13
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2008
Location: No fixed abode
Posts: 8,765
|
I had a car with a bent frame once (due to no fault of my own, the light was green and she turned right in front of me, I swear!). The body shop also promised me it would be fine after they fixed it. But I had to replace my front tires every year after that. A little shimmy that they couldn't get rid of. In other words, option 1.
__________________
"Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement." - Anonymous (not Will Rogers or Sam Clemens)
DW and I - FIREd at 50 (7/06), living off assets
|
|
|
03-25-2012, 10:57 PM
|
#14
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,395
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by TromboneAl
DD's (Jenny) car has a somewhat buckled frame part that makes it dangerous to drive. This is something that had been there, but wasn't detected when she had the car evaluated three years ago. The cost to repair is $3,000. The body shop says it will be fine after the repair.
|
Too nebulous to comprehend. A "somewhat buckled frame part that makes it dangerous to drive"? What part? The last cars sold in the US that had frames were the Mercury Grand Marquis and the Lincoln Town Car. Unless she's driving an old Crown Vic cop car
So I have to assume that this was spoken of very generically... very. So what happened three years ago? And what happened now, that this was discovered? A roving band of gypsy body repairers crawling under cars in the grocery store lot (hey lady, I'll fix yer car for ya if ya gimme 3 grand, it's really bad, it'll kill ya the way it is!)
Without more detail, I don't see how one could evaluate anything about it. Or avoid a scam.
__________________
-- Telly, the D-I-Y guy --
Two fools dancing on the hands of time
|
|
|
03-25-2012, 11:39 PM
|
#15
|
Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 927
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Telly
Too nebulous to comprehend. A "somewhat buckled frame part that makes it dangerous to drive"? What part? The last cars sold in the US that had frames were the Mercury Grand Marquis and the Lincoln Town Car. Unless she's driving an old Crown Vic cop car
So I have to assume that this was spoken of very generically... very. So what happened three years ago? And what happened now, that this was discovered? A roving band of gypsy body repairers crawling under cars in the grocery store lot (hey lady, I'll fix yer car for ya if ya gimme 3 grand, it's really bad, it'll kill ya the way it is!)
Without more detail, I don't see how one could evaluate anything about it. Or avoid a scam.
|
Good information but you probably forgot that the Corvette and the Lotus Elise both have frames. Both use hydroforming techniques building their frames so they do not look much like the old ladder frames. I believe there are several other currently available sports cars that also have frames.
__________________
CW4, USA-(ret)
RN, BSN-(ret)
|
|
|
03-26-2012, 05:33 AM
|
#16
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 11,327
|
Holy frame fraud batman! I had no idea cars don't have frames anymore. I assumed that after an accident you needed to check whether the frame was bent - happened to me in 67. What do they call the frame now or is that what "unibody" construction means?
__________________
Idleness is fatal only to the mediocre -- Albert Camus
|
|
|
03-26-2012, 05:37 AM
|
#17
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: dubuque
Posts: 1,174
|
I would also get some other opinions. just because one mechanic says its so doesn't mean it is. exactly what part is needed?
|
|
|
03-26-2012, 06:08 AM
|
#18
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,328
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by donheff
Holy frame fraud batman! I had no idea cars don't have frames anymore.........
|
It's worse than that. They got the carburetors, ignition points and even the distributors.
|
|
|
03-26-2012, 06:19 AM
|
#19
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 11,327
|
Yeah, that I knew about but frames?
__________________
Idleness is fatal only to the mediocre -- Albert Camus
|
|
|
03-26-2012, 06:48 AM
|
#20
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,328
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by donheff
Yeah, that I knew about but frames?
|
Rest easy, good old pickup trucks still have 'em. At least real pickups.
But then frames are over rated. Ever see this video?
|
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Threads
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
» Quick Links
|
|
|