Fix your car or sell it....

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by mmbackpacker, Mar 8, 2017.

  1. mmbackpacker

    mmbackpacker Member

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    Neither my wife or I are big car people, nothing fancy- we just want reliable transportation.

    That said, in addition to being in graduate school with no earned income, we find ourselves looking at a $2500 car repair bill with another $1200 care repair bill that is "optional." The car in question is our 2006 Subaru Tribeca, which has been a steadfast, rock solid car for us, but it has 170,000 miles. We were hoping to drive it a few months- a year after graduation, but with the repair bills, and a KBB value of ~$5500 thats a hard pill to swallow.

    Rumor is that the Tribecas can fetch a good deal more than the blue book value, even if ours has high-ish miles for the year, so selling it on Craigslist or something could net us ~$7000.

    So the question is, sell it, find something a bit newer and bite the bullet with some monthly payments for a year before my job starts? Fix it and commit to driving it for a couple more years?

    I HATE spending money on car repairs. Its like going to the Post Office. You walk in, give them money and walk out with no visceral, tangible items. BUT, I am of the opinion that we fix it and drive it. My wife wants to sell and buy, which is backwards from our usual stance on finances, as I am the spender and she is the saver.
     
  2. anrkst6973

    anrkst6973 Member

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    That depends on what it needs, more info is needed. FYI, Spent near 30 years under hoods in multiple shops. Even was a shop super a time or two.
     
  3. ArguableLobster

    ArguableLobster Member

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    If you're expecting to sell a 5500 dollar car that needs a 2500 dollar repair I cant imagine you'll get much. Not enough for a more reliable car. If you just want to sell it and bus, thats an option. Best talking to a mechanic about it, if the rest of the car is in good shape and will last it's worth fixing.
     
  4. VolGrad

    VolGrad Member

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    I can't see myself putting that kind of money into a car with 170k on it and known issues that will probably mean more issues soon. I'd sell and take what you make from it and then think about the $2500 you just saved and since that into a used Civic or something. You could also look into something like a Kia or Hyundai. Those seems to be really inexpensive even new and have decent warranties from what the TV tells me.
     
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  5. mmbackpacker

    mmbackpacker Member

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    I guess I should have specified what the repairs were. Initially it was just thought to be the struts, but the dealership is saying the lower control arms and steering gear are needed as well... other than the clunking occasionally, there doesn't seem to be any tangible issues, i.e., steering, braking, alignment, tire wear all seem to be great.

    Part of the problem I think too, is that this is my wife's car which I drive once or twice a week, and she is the one who has taken it in- are they doing to cliche overselling the woman or are these bonafide needed repairs?
     
  6. IW17

    IW17 Member

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    I can't see how lower control arms, struts and a steering gearbox is $2500. That seems ridiculously high. Are there anymore fixes that you didn't mention?

    As far as whether or not you fix, would depend on one thing. Is this a fix it and you're good to go? Or are you just putting a bandaid on it to keep it drivable?
     
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  7. erik

    erik Member

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    go to a different mechanic and get a second opinion.
    do you have the $2500?
    do you currently have a payment?
    if you make this repair how much longer will the car last you?
    if that's enough to get a couple more years out of it, you're ahead of the game compared to $5k a year in payments for something new (i.e. ~$400/month payments)
    or
    will that $2500 increase your chances of selling the car for $6-7k as opposed to selling it for $3-5k as is.
     
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  8. anrkst6973

    anrkst6973 Member

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    MMB, use the Internet man, look those parts up. The quote seems a bit much to me, I don't know what the dealers "rate per hour" is but I can guarantee you Pep Boys or Firestone or an independent can beat it. The fact is you could pay for the repair and crater the engine a week later. There's no telling when an engine or tranny will take a dump, the mileage is getting on up there. Just my opinion.
     
  9. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

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    ROCK AUTO is your friend.

    I'd personally just fix it and keep it. Case in point.....my 1990 Mazda B2200 BushTruck......27 years old, 365,600 KM's on it. Owes me nothing. Basic yearly maintenance , a few parts here and there....not worth selling....engine still has factory compression ratio. Needs a tranny soon, $100 bucks at the auto recycle rs.
     
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  10. AddictedToSteel

    AddictedToSteel Member

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    I have a running, driving 2005 Chevy Impala with 278,000 miles on it. I bought it in 2008 when it came in off lease with about 29,000 miles on it. Engine is the 6-cyl 3800. There is some rust, a few light bumps and bruises, needs tires, tranny could have that rev-slam thing if I wasn't gentle with it. The shocks and struts are original.

    When I have the money, it is my intention to put a new suspension in it; new tires; tune-up with new plugs and wires (did I mention those are still original?); and then drive it till it dies. I think i can stay with the tranny as long as i continue to be gentle, which i plan to do. If I can get that done for under $3000 and put another 75,000 to 100,000 miles on it, I will be more than satisfied. The primary reason I would get something new is if I needed something more like a truck or SUV rather than a sedan.

    I know this car. Of the quarter million miles that have been put on it since I picked it up at the dealer, I have been behind the wheel for all but maybe 300 miles, and probably less. There is something to be said for having a car where you know all the idiosyncrasies and what you can expect out of it in most situations. Picking up someone else's vehicle who is selling it because they don't want to spend the money to fix it can get you some real gems and some real turds.
     
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  11. evilunclegrimace

    evilunclegrimace Member

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    Keep it, fix it, drive it until the wheels fall off. You will be money ahead. Vehicles are the biggest waste of money that a person buys. Even if your new car payment is say $300.00 a month you will spend an equal amount of money to drive a new car that will also have thousands of dollars in depreciation the minute that you drive it off the dealers lot. And who knows how much time it is going to spend in the shop having warranty work done which means that now you will be making payments on a car that is in the shop being repaired.

    If you must buy something buy a factory reps demo, they get all of the bugs worked out,are maintained to factory specs, usually have low miles, and you get the factory warranty. On top of all of that they are thousands of dollars less than a vehicle than is one model year newer.
     
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  12. Mannlicher

    Mannlicher Member

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    my daily driver is a 1988 Toyota 4Runner. 22RE, automatic. It goes anywhere I need, or want to go, it's totally reliable, gives m e 22 mpg on the road. I can buy a replacement any day, but choose to drive this one. I like it.
    I put about $2k a year into parts, service, repairs. I figure a replacement would run me about $6K a year in payments and I would still have parts and maintenance to add in. Figures say I am saving about $4 K a year, and driving the vehicle I want.
     
  13. mmbackpacker

    mmbackpacker Member

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    The update, fir thise who are curious... we took it to an independent mechanic, who has a very solid review of being honest. He does not think it is the struts, but a linkage that is much cheaper. He thinks the car is in great shape and easily should get us to the three plus more years of driving we'd like to get from it. It is in the repair shop as I write this, the bill should be about a fifth of the dealership eatimate (with subaru parts mind you)...
     
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  14. erik

    erik Member

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    sweet!
    good to hear.
     
  15. Theo

    Theo Member

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    Good news! A trustworthy mechanic is a great find.
     
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  16. C99c

    C99c Member

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    That's great to read. I'm a fan of keeping them running as long as you possibly can.
    Exactly. I couldn't have said it better.

    Also, F_ck dealerships.
     
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  17. Ausher

    Ausher Member

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    I fix my own vehicles. I drive and fix them till they no longer able. It's hard for me to sell a vehicle if it still gets me from point a to point b.

    I'm glad you found a different mechanic. $2500 seemed way high. I could buy another vehicle for that.
     

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