I need a car...

[Sheryl]

Toyota. Then another Toyota.

My first car was a Chevy Vega. We won't talk about that, but I did drive it for 12 years.

Then I bought a Tercel Wagon in 1988. Drove it until 1997. Never a single repair other than mufflers. The friend I sold it to still drives it daily and has never had a repair. When I see him, I wonder why I sold it.

But I saw the new Rav4's when they first came out - in purple, of course - so I bought that in '97. Just turned over 100,000 last month and very few maintenance issues. One major engine repair, but that was sort of self-inflicted (long story - don't let your friends do your tune-ups).

Anyway, I think the Rav would probably last another 10 years, but I'm now lusting after a Highlander Hybrid if they ever come out. I try to keep the car-buying to every 10 years, and then it's a matter of getting bored, wanting new, rather than wearing out.

[MRGALT2U]

You know, I really like our Jeeps. I bought my first
in 1998 because I needed a 4X4. I had no plan to
buy one, it just happened. It already had 98000
miles. It now has 208000. Recently we acquired another one. I have no reporrts from other Jeep owners
but ours have been good. BTW, I have wanted a Jeep
Wrangler for at least 20 years. Never could find one
with the features I wanted at a price I would pay.
It appears that nice used Wranglers are in very high
demand.

JG

[yelnad]

I had heard that the most expensive parts were on Jeeps. Not true?

[laurence]

I have a Jeep Grand Cherokee, it's been solid as a rock (they don't offer a 100k bumper to bumper if they think they'll have to pay out). I just finished reading the millionaire next door and it stated the most popular SUV among frugal millionairs was the Jeep GC, since they buy their vehicles "by the pound". They have been building that 4 litre in line six engine forever, probably worked out the kinks by now.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I dont know how expensive jeep parts are, but if you want to say "WOW" at least 14 times in a row, look at the cost of body parts and major repairs on a BMW...

Besides high part costs, the engineering appears to have been done to maximize labor costs.

I had a bad fuel pump in my convertible, figured I'd swap it out in a few hours. The directions started off, condensed "remove the drive shaft. remove the exhaust system. drain and lower fuel tank'.

I ended up cutting a hole in the floor under the rear seat over the fuel pump, replacing it, and screwing a piece of sheet metal back over the hole.

[laurence]

Ai-yai-yai!!!! We have been frugal, we have been good, but we wanted to reward ourselves next year when we replace our vw.....with a used BMW convertible.....uh, oh.....

[cute fuzzy bunny]

If you didnt like the VW maintenance costs, you aint gonna like BMW's.

If you DO decide to get a convertible, I have a small piece of advice...

Under the rear seat theres a little red handle attached to a wire that runs into the sheet metal with a cheesy little sign attached to it that says "Do not pull".

There will be a strange and magical attraction to it. Dont pull it.

[laurence]

Now you can't leave me hanging! Ejector seat? Oil slick? Smoke screen?

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Disengages the convertible top motor from the top, so it can be put up and down manually in the event the motor breaks.

Nowhere in my manual did it say what it was or why you would use it.

So I pulled it.

The dealer said it would cost $500 to 'resync the motor with the top'. To which I responded with one of cut-throats favorite two-word sayings.

Six months later I discovered a thing on the 'net that said you push the motor coupling back in, and do something funny with the key like turn it off and on 3 times, waiting 2 seconds per on/off while holding the 'top up' button and that resyncs it.

Almost.

Fortunately I never drove it with the top up, and the guy I sold it to wanted to put a new top on it anyhow...so it became HIS problem

[MRGALT2U]

I was coming home from Texas in my big macho 1997 Dodge Ram pickup when I experienced some problems.
I limped home and called the local Dodge dealer. He looked it over and quoted me $1500+. I said
"No thanks". Took it to my "shade tree" mechanic
who fixed EVERYTHING for $150.00. Man, I love that
guy.

JG