when to replace the jalopy

[haha]

I don't believe in driving really old cars. I've had 2 not-at-fault accidents in 8 years, the most recent one last week when some nut-job blew through a stop sign and hit me mid-ships at full tilt, stolen car and all.

The cop said "you took a real hit", and I said you should have seen it the last time. Both times the body shop said 10 years ago not many would have walked away from this impact, but cars are much better now. The cars get totaled, but you go on living, often with relatively minor injuries.

I am not impoverished, so since I respect myself and whoever may be riding with me, I feel I should invest in safety. Luckily there was no one with me this time, as the impact was passenger side.

Additionally, air bag technology has become so much better. Even a small car like mine was, today will have frontal, side, side curtain, rear seat, etc. bags. Side curtain bags can spare you a head injury that might really make your life suck.

The first time I had a 4 year old Integra, this last time a 6 1/2 year old Subaru. And these cars or their replacement models are better still now.

I guess a really big old cadillac might work as well, but I could never park them or get them into my parking space.

Ha

 

[Walt34]

I guess a really big old cadillac might work as well, but I could never park them or get them into my parking space.

Ha

You could get one of these: F650 SuperTruck

Funny thing though, I didn't see any mention of fuel mileage. I guess people who buy those don't care.

 

[ejman]

I've got a 2008 Dakota with one of those lifetime warranty's also.
Sure hope they mean it, I sense a transmission job in my future.

My warranty book says it "should" be covered. An important note is that the lifetime warranty requires an inspection every 5 years to remain in effect.

 

[Jay_Gatsby]

I'm actually of a slightly different school these days. Previously, I drove an old Honda Accord until repairing it was more than the car was worth. Bought another Honda Accord that is approaching 100k miles. However, in the intervening time, my current Honda has accumulated more than its fair share of door dings, scratches and the like - none of which were caused by me. People just simply don't care about other people's cars. As a result, my Honda is slowly beginning to look like a ding/scratch-mobile, rather than a nice car. It still has a good 20k-40k miles left before major repairs start to make it less attractive to keep, but the aesthetics are becoming a problem with the professional circles in which I run. Most folks I know drive Acuras, BMWs, Infinitis, Mercedes, etc.... While it would be nice to own one of those, I have two very small children who like to trash car interiors with their shoes, food, candy, and other detritus. Likewise, people will again ding the sides of the car, making it painful to see a $35k luxury car slowly take on the appearance of my old ding/scratch-mobile.

 

[Midpack]

Repairing a car will almost always be cheaper than buying a new car, especially if you have already paid off your car loan.

Will the repairs cost more than the market value of the car? If your car is only worth $1000, it may not make sense to spend $2000 in repairs. To find the market value of your car, go to Kelley Blue Book's or similar website.

Most modern cars will be trouble free for at least 100K miles and cost effective to repair to 200K. Most people succumb to the emotional aspect of owning a car with questionable reliability (being left by the side of the road) before the financial reality prompts them to sell.

I'd use mileage as an indicator of years before actual years owned. That said, except in my very early (young & stupid) years, I've kept every car I've bought for a minimum of 7 years and two I kept out to 10 years with 130K & 164K miles. I am positive both the latter cars would have done fine if I'd kept them for a few more years.

Buying late model used cars (3 yrs ±) is also an excellent way to reduce total cost of ownership as you undoubtedly know.

 

[rbmrtn]

Buying late model used cars (3 yrs ±) is also an excellent way to reduce total cost of ownership as you undoubtedly know.

I went this route for my last car two years ago. Got a low mileage ( 26K ) '07, saved about $12K over the cost of new equivalent. It should last long time as I only do about 4k miles/yr now.

It does depend on the vehicles. You can get a used Caddy that way at about 50% of a new one. For the econobox types, you can buy new sometimes cheaper than 1-2 yr used one.

 

[Texas Proud]

You could get one of these: F650 SuperTruck

Funny thing though, I didn't see any mention of fuel mileage. I guess people who buy those don't care.

Also interesting on how much fuel you can have onboard... looks like 6 tanks with an option of having one between the rails....


BTW, who wants a truck with your fuel tanks hanging along the side (unless of course these are fake....)

 

[Andre1969]

Also interesting on how much fuel you can have onboard... looks like 6 tanks with an option of having one between the rails....


BTW, who wants a truck with your fuel tanks hanging along the side (unless of course these are fake....)

More than likely, those trucks have Diesel engines. And Diesel fuel doesn't explode like gasoline will.

As for fuel economy, the EPA doesn't rate anything with a GVWR of greater than 8500 lb. So essentially, any pickup or SUV that's a 3/4-ton or greater doesn't get rated. At one time, Ford somehow managed to get the extended-length version of the Expedition exempted from fuel economy testing, but I think it's subject to it nowadays.

 

[Finance Dave]

Normal maintenance and wear-n-tear items discounted, I will drive a car until it has a major component failure.
I'm facing this situation right now. My 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee (96000 miles) has a cylinder misfire and sometimes will not start. It runs like hell when it does start.
I've owned the Jeep since 2004. I recently had to spend $500 on sensors to get the check engine light off to get it inspected. The check engine light is back on again.
The antifreeze reservoir is emptying at a faster rate than normal, even though the radiator, themostat and hoses are intact.
The mechanic (a trusted friend) thinks it might be more than just a tuneup problem after checking a few key things. The tuneup parts would cost $100 alone.
He estimated it would cost a minimum of $1500, mostly in labor hours, if it needs a head gasket repair, and possibly a water pump on top of that. There is no way of knowing until he opens the patient.
So I am contemplating putting it on Craigslist as a parts car or a real deal for a home mechanic, as is, and getting a used Ford Escape as a replacement. We definitely need a 4WD for the wintertime.
No decisions have been made yet. We still have 2 vehicles to use, so there is no immediate requirement to buy.
My thinking is I would rather use the cost (the total of which is unknown) of fixing the Jeep as a down payment on a newer used vehicle.
Mr B is looking online at used vehicles. He and I will split the cost 50-50.

Usually, if a head gasket is the issue, you will have some white smoke coming out of the tailpipes...although often that won't show until the car warms up.

The antifreeze gets into the combustion chamber and "gums up" the combustion process...and the white smoke is essentially steam from that reaction. The worse the leak, the more "cumulous" the smoke.

Head gaskets are expensive to replace on most cars, and definitely not something you'd want to try at home unless you are a competent mechanic.

 

[Finance Dave]

Also interesting on how much fuel you can have onboard... looks like 6 tanks with an option of having one between the rails....


BTW, who wants a truck with your fuel tanks hanging along the side (unless of course these are fake....)

Definitely not fake.

And I know a lot about the engine in that thing.

And I mean A LOT.

 

[Finance Dave]

A bit off topic, but I have spent quite a bit of time working on my car this year. As a key note, I used to be an auto mechanic...so I have the tools and knowledge to do most things myself.

It's a 2002 Honda CRV, with 75,000 miles (yes, living in a small town is great). I am very "tuned into" my vehicles...I hear problems before most people would even notice them.

This spring, I heard some light valve clatter coming from the engine, so I did a valve adjustment. Surprisingly, the intakes were only off .002-.003", and the exhausts just about .001" more than that. Not significant by any means...most people would have just kept driving...but now that I've adjusted them, I can't believe how much more quiet it is (my wife says she never heard anything in the first place). This will prevent valve beat-in and other issues down the road.

I also had a squeak in the engine, and determined it was a glazed belt, so I replaced that. $35, 1 hour labor, and the squeak is gone. Most people wait until the belt breaks, then they spend $80 on the tow truck alone, not to mention any engine damage.

Then I had a popping noise on low-speed turns. I knew right away what this was...the strut bearing plates were worn. While I had the struts out, I went ahead and put new ones in...although I could have re-used the old ones and delayed spending $100...I didn't want to do the 3 hours of labor again next year when the struts started leaking oil.

Then about a month ago, I heard a serious buzzing/rattling noise under the car. Turns out there is a 'dual layer' heat sheild around the catalytic converter, and one of the spot welds had broken. Most people would simply remove it (the rest of it was really rusty...it needed replaced). It serves two purposes.. 1) To allow the converter to heat up more quickly, thus lowering emissions at startup 2) Prevent a fire when driving/parking in tall dry grass. I paid $110 to Honda for a new shield and installed it.

Yes, I've spent a few hundred dollars and about 3 Saturdays on the car. And if I had to take it to a shop, it would probably be $1,500. But, the car now runs as good as new, and I feel very proud to drive a vehicle that looks and runs better than most 3-year-old cars, even though mine is nearly 11 years old now.

I plan to keep it another 2-3 years. I'm saving $600/month, and have been now for 2 years...so I can pay cash for the next car.

Maybe I should start a thread on simple things you can do to maintain your car or make it last longer.

 

[Sarah in SC]

Finance Dave...here I thought MY DH was a good diagnostician! My goodness!
I like the idea of your thread on car maintenance items, though, as we are huge fans of the "figure out how to do it yourself" club! Our current POS fleet is a 1990-something Oldmobile Cutlass, a 2001 Buick LeSabre, a 1984 Chevy pickup and a 1991 pickup, all of which are running pretty well, though the trucks don't go but to the store and the dump.

We'll never own new ones, but we like finding older good deals (under $5k) and keeping them running. Our last pair of 1990-era Saturns had over 300k miles when we quit. And to answer the OP, we wait until they just don't make sense to keep running anymore, either in aggravation, time, or expense of repairs. Then we sell them to the scrapyard.

And jalopy is a great word, far more dignified than POS, which is what my mom nicknamed our cars and we took as a badge of pride some years ago.

 

[Finance Dave]

Finance Dave...here I thought MY DH was a good diagnostician! My goodness!
I like the idea of your thread on car maintenance items, though, as we are huge fans of the "figure out how to do it yourself" club! Our current POS fleet is a 1990-something Oldmobile Cutlass, a 2001 Buick LeSabre, a 1984 Chevy pickup and a 1991 pickup, all of which are running pretty well, though the trucks don't go but to the store and the dump.

We'll never own new ones, but we like finding older good deals (under $5k) and keeping them running. Our last pair of 1990-era Saturns had over 300k miles when we quit. And to answer the OP, we wait until they just don't make sense to keep running anymore, either in aggravation, time, or expense of repairs. Then we sell them to the scrapyard.

And jalopy is a great word, far more dignified than POS, which is what my mom nicknamed our cars and we took as a badge of pride some years ago.

lol, thanks.

Ok, I'll start a new thread on car care so to speak...but with a different twist to it. Shall I do that in FIRE? since it relates to saving money? Or in one of the "other" areas?

 

[Steevo]

My daily driver is a 1998 Nissan Maxima that we bought new in 1999. My wife drove it for 13 years and 140k miles, then when I bought her a new Subaru in 2012, I inherited the Maxima and sold my 1993 Saturn SL2, which had 180k miles on it. We maintain our vehicles on time and properly, keep them in the garage and they last quite well. My 2004 Dodge Ram 2500 has 104k miles on it, but it's a Cummins diesel, so probably good for 350k-400k with careful maintenance. Given that now I drive the truck about 5000 miles a year, that's about 55 years to go! Hell, I'd be 112 years old then! The Nissan gets about 2000 miles a year on it now, so will likely last another 20 years.

 

[Throwdownmyaceinthehole]

Can I hijack this thread? In June 2013 we will be returning to the US and have to buy two vehicles - this will also be the start of FIRE!!!. We are 58/59 and are trying to decide if we need two NEW cars or buy used. If we buy new - will it last us the 20 years until we can't drive anymore, or buy 2 used that will last 10 years, then go down to just one car. We don't expect to put many miles on - after all, I won't be commuting any more! Any thoughts?? I know I could look at it as $200 bucks a month, but would like to hear others experiences. I have always bought new.

 

[Finance Dave]

Can I hijack this thread? In June 2013 we will be returning to the US and have to buy two vehicles - this will also be the start of FIRE!!!. We are 58/59 and are trying to decide if we need two NEW cars or buy used. If we buy new - will it last us the 20 years until we can't drive anymore, or buy 2 used that will last 10 years, then go down to just one car. We don't expect to put many miles on - after all, I won't be commuting any more! Any thoughts?? I know I could look at it as $200 bucks a month, but would like to hear others experiences. I have always bought new.

Depends on your financial situation....but...

Maybe buy one new car that you use when you go places together...your "main" car (call it "car A"). Then buy a 5-6 year old car (we'll call it "car B") for those times when you both need your own car...take turns using it. Then in about 5 years, Buy another "new" car to replace car B, and you'll again have one really nice car, and one that's "so so".

If this would stretch your finances, then instead of buying brand new, make car A a 2-year-old car.

 

[FinanceDude]

Maybe I should start a thread on simple things you can do to maintain your car or make it last longer.

For sure, and get the mods to "sticky" it..........

I have some knowledge, but not a mechanic by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[Mulligan]

As my car approaches its 11 th birthday with 180k, I have began to think more about this. I am beginning to think I got lucky and have one of those cars that just isn't prone to breaking down. Even though it may cost as much as the value of the car, I'm thinking about just overhauling tranny and engine at some point and just keep rolling with it. Liability insurance only and low property taxes reinforce this in my mind. It is very liberating knowing that some idiot who dents your car in a parking lot will create no anger since it already has several. My car is the one now who brings fear into the hearts of other car owners.
The only question I weigh on is possible inconvenience and stress of a highway break down. I enjoy being frugal in my car expenses, but don't want to be cheap in relation to dealing with constant vehicle problems, since I do have the money for a new one.

 

[Finance Dave]

For sure, and get the mods to "sticky" it..........

I have some knowledge, but not a mechanic by any stretch of the imagination.

SHould I just post within that thread to have a mod sticky it?

 

[MasterBlaster]

What do you think ? Can I get a few more miles out of this ?

The operating cost (other than gasoline) is very low.

 

[Mulligan]

What do you think ? Can I get a few more miles out of this ?

The operating cost (other than gasoline) is very low.

Now if that thing has any life to it at all, it would bring sheer terror to any car owner that is parked in a public parking lot.

 

[Sarah in SC]

My car is the one now who brings fear into the hearts of other car owners.

I love being this person/car. And our old beaters have the benefit of being old lady cars, so all the better.

And we hedge our bets by keeping the AAA current (gotta have it for the crown jewel of the POS fleet, the 1976 Airstream motorhome) so they can get us back to the house if we break down "out there".

But I'll tell you, knock wood, I've only had one single solitary time that a car broke down out-of-town, and it was a couple hours away from home in one of the Saturns. Guy towed us back to town and we wound up having to get a weld job on the engine block.

So once in maybe 20 some-odd years of driving beaters isn't too bad of a record. We've had in-town tows by AAA more than a few times, but maybe we just don't do that much highway and out-of-town driving, or maybe lucky. The AAA is a lot cheaper than a new car, is what I figure, and it covers the whole POS fleet.

 

[Andre1969]

What do you think ? Can I get a few more miles out of this ?

The operating cost (other than gasoline) is very low.

Eh, you can strip those old GM cars down further than that, and they'll keep running!

 

[Mulligan]

I love being this person/car. And our old beaters have the benefit of being old lady cars, so all the better.

And we hedge our bets by keeping the AAA current (gotta have it for the crown jewel of the POS fleet, the 1976 Airstream motorhome) so they can get us back to the house if we break down "out there".

But I'll tell you, knock wood, I've only had one single solitary time that a car broke down out-of-town, and it was a couple hours away from home in one of the Saturns. Guy towed us back to town and we wound up having to get a weld job on the engine block.

So once in maybe 20 some-odd years of driving beaters isn't too bad of a record. We've had in-town tows by AAA more than a few times, but maybe we just don't do that much highway and out-of-town driving, or maybe lucky. The AAA is a lot cheaper than a new car, is what I figure, and it covers the whole POS fleet.

Thats funny you wrote that, because that is exactly why I signed up for AAA. It also has saved me a few bucks on hotels, too.

 

[RunningBum]

I'm in the camp of replacing a car when it gets unreliable. The mountains are pretty tough on cars and a lot of my driving it outside of cell service, so AAA isn't a total solution. Plus if a car totally craps out, I'd have to buy a new (or newer) one with more urgency, and probably won't be able to work as good of a deal.

That said, my cars are 15 and 8 years old, with no signs of becoming unreliable. I've thought about new cars, but the replacements I have in mind aren't considerably better than what I'm driving now. Plus, it's liberating to have a car that a dent or ding doesn't really matter so much. I won't drive these cars into the ground, but they'll be tasting the dust.

Safety is a factor, but I haven't seen enough new things to get me to go newer, and I'm not ready to pay the 1000s on top of upscale cars that have collision avoidance and things like that.

My one breakdown post-college was lucky in that I broke down on the Washington Beltway, about a mile from the Saab dealer. It was Sunday so we had to stay overnight, but there was a motel right down the street.