Buying an Old Car

Quote: Face

Maybe AZD can help with this part - assuming ~$3k bill (reckon I can get a new 602 for ~$2k plus labor) how long should the truck as a whole last to get the value out of the investment? I know that's a wide and varied answer, but... I'm looking for anything lol.

As you say, hard to answer as the ROI is a personal thing. I always try to keep it under $150-175 a month of expected life. I had my older Santa Fe in the garage and paid a few hundred dollar invoice. Got to talking about driving junk. He told me of some guy dropped $1200 every inspection, but said why not as that is $100 a month to keep her on the road, average new car payment is nearing $500 now.

For $3,000 I would want 2+ years. Think on it this way, I just dropped $16K on a very nice 2015. You are lets round and say 20% of my expense. I can run this thing 6-7 years easy, unless I sell earlier. Getting that far out I am really looking at 2-3 cars left in this life so may keep buying nicer.

Quote: AZDuffman

He told me of some guy dropped $1200 every inspection, but said why not as that is $100 a month to keep her on the road, average new car payment is nearing $500 now.

This is why I like to talk. Sometimes you need the simple shoved in your face to "get it".

Quote: AZD

For $3,000 I would want 2+ years.

I think our frugality matches, so I'll just roll with this as my own. And after the first comment, it's hard to see where I'd get more value out of a new ride, assuming of course this thing doesn't fall into cascading failures that just pile up. Seeing as that I've already nailed a number of big money maintenance needs, 2yrs should be cake. A rusty, rattley cake, but a cake with no payments =)

Quote: Face

This is why I like to talk. Sometimes you need the simple shoved in your face to "get it".

It can be a hard thing to face, everyone else sees a shot car, you see one that has lasted you.

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I think our frugality matches, so I'll just roll with this as my own. And after the first comment, it's hard to see where I'd get more value out of a new ride, assuming of course this thing doesn't fall into cascading failures that just pile up. Seeing as that I've already nailed a number of big money maintenance needs, 2yrs should be cake. A rusty, rattley cake, but a cake with no payments =)

That is why I bought the new ride this year not next. A/C was shot and the check engine came on every few months. When I do OG work I cannot be without a car because it is in the shop. Sometimes I can work from home (like as I write this) but usually no. Counties away the bus is not an option. 1099 means no PTO so add $250-300+ to the bill in lost revenue.

I would say just give her a good look and decide if everything else is good. Solid bones, solid engine, and are little things adding up. Eventually you have to decide if you want to drop the cash as repairs or depreciation.

Face, the smoking on start up sounds like valve guide seals. Not a big repair. I think it can be done without taking the heads off, but I've never done that job.

Quote: Face

I'm very proud. My previous record of my miles on a car was 40k. I've tripled it plus some, and I'm still going =D
Cosmetically she's a wreck, as while my paint job is Good Enough, I didn't do near enough prep and it's all rot back through.

Nothing a roll of masking tape, a roller and a gallon of bedliner won't cure. If you need to sturdy her up a bit, spray a few cans of low expansion foam in between the inner and outer wall of the bed. Quiets 'em right down.

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Bang the side? Don't f#$%ing care.

Some buy them for show, and some get them to use. Next time, how about a flat bed with a davit arm?

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I'd be MORE THAN HAPPY to carry on with her.

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I'd have no problem burning on a mount for shocks, motor, tranny, or anything else that breaks off it in the future. And really, she's been so good and is solid enough that I don't fear frame issues in the near OR distant future.

That's another thing. You know this rig. Something starts clunking, usually by the time it has come to a complete stop you have a pretty good idea what it is. These things get a personality, sometimes that carry's through to the next re power. You bring home somebody else's discard and you have to relearn it all over till you build trust. Takes time. I think you will be chasing plastic doo-dahs pretty often, in a newer model.

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System wise is where most of my fear lies. I've no worries for the non-critical stuff; most of that flew the coop some time ago. My missing lights in the dash, my missing resistors for climate control settings, ABS, all that can stay gone and I'll remain happy as a clam. It's the bigger, critical, and expensive stuff I fear.

I'd rather replace the power plant in that, than a 3 year old Silverado.

Ok, another lil story. My wrench says, Toyota tests it's rigs for 6 years before they put them on the road. In America, we are the test track for the big 3. I too fear having to buy another vehicle, if that helps.

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Let's see... the pumpkin cover rotted and was just replaced this year, so I know my rear end is good so we can strike that out.

Third members don't crater, do they? Are you saying rotted through, or leaked around the edges? Them punkins are mostly indestructible afaik.

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I just had a new (60k - 80k) tranny put in, so that's good. Full / complete brakes on back, and either new or refurb complete brakes on front. Four new skins for the wheels. And that exhaust must be made of f#$%ing invincibilium, because it is also 170k miles old and doesn't even have a pinhole in it.

I thought there was something wrong with this rig? Now it is sounding like just a top end? If the shock hangars are fine, and the frame didn't go all Swiss cheese like on you, If it were me, I believe I would run it. Also look at the brake lines where they are metal, if there is any scaling going on down there. If you don't have any pin holes in your muffler, it probably isn't connected to the exhaust,lol. The truck you have now also has a new fuel pump, IIRC. That's worth something right there. Hundreds of dollars if you have to pay someone else to do it.

If you aren't x-countrying and have a cell phone, where's the fear coming from? Did you check google about the valve guide seals like Jim said? Is it an old re-call? New head, big deal. If you start tallying up what this takes to keep her on the road, you can't add in wear items like wipers and disc's once in a while. Who here doesn't have to pay for some kind of maintenance? A hundred per month, [which I bet it isn't costing you] versus a 5 clam payment until our star burns out, that isn't even a choice.

You got a new tranny, skins and brakes? Baby this thing, and keep your eyes open while you are on your route and save your money. Wait till somebody's grampa goes to the old folks home and buy his Toyota with less than 70k. I talk to people regularly that get 400k out of them. All those catalytics hanging below it? I don't know what they do down there, but my wife has a Tacoma with 80k, and it hasn't even needed plugs yet. I think I told you I took it to brake masters and dropped it off, figuring it was time at around 60k. They called me up and told me to come get it, it didn't need brakes. Apparently it comes with ceramic brakes and they were 90/60, no need to change them. I would fix something if it needed fixing. I had the hoses and belts and fluids changed, just because of this stupid desert going to 120 once in a while. Had the ac checked, nothing wrong there either. We seem to be having a run of good luck as far as metal goes lately.

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Absolutely staggered about that. I know I'm forgetting a few expensive concerns (maybe you can remind me), but for the most part, the engine is the only thing "wrong".

What do you estimate interest, depreciation and increased taxes/licensing would be for a year on this theoretical new vehicle? About half of what Mr. goodwrench will charge you for a newer top end, I'm thinking. You also will have to have full boat insurance in a rig that your making payments on, not so on one you have the title on, am I right? So how much does the insurance go up? I'm thinking for the money you are going to save, you could take me out for an 8-ball and some whores, j/k.

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it's was low on / out of oil. Topped her off yesterday.... and it ain't smoked since.

Now there's something that needs fixing. You know this is using oil and don't check your oil, [and other fluids] regularly, where I'm from, that's grounds for dismissal. That is also why I prefer gauges to idiot lights. You would have noticed the oil pressure creeping down with a gauge, just sayin.

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how long should the truck as a whole last to get the value out of the investment? I know that's a wide and varied answer, but... I'm looking for anything lol.

Hell, you are still on the first motor, who knows at this point?

Quote: JimRockford

Face, the smoking on start up sounds like valve guide seals. Not a big repair. I think it can be done without taking the heads off, but I've never done that job.

Good call, JR. It's a bad call because I know what you're talking about and, if the 3 miles I've put on my race car are any indication, that's a job I know how to do and will probably make an attempt, but good call otherwise ;)

Quote: petroglyph

Nothing a roll of masking tape, a roller and a gallon of bedliner won't cure. If you need to sturdy her up a bit, spray a few cans of low expansion foam in between the inner and outer wall of the bed. Quiets 'em right down. Some buy them for show, and some get them to use. Next time, how about a flat bed with a davit arm?

You and your goddamn tape and rollers! I will NEVER do it! YOU HEAR ME?! lol

Honestly, it ain't terrible. I see plenty of trucks daily that are in worse kit than my old girl, and many with far fewer years on 'em. If I'm gonna do anything to address it (and I likely will), I'd do it legit if only for the experience. The metal work I did on the rotten racer came out beautiful, except for the whole wasn't-the-right-quarter-and-needed-to-be-hammered-into-shape thing. The welds and blending can't be seen from 2', and I'm not entirely sure I could find them if I got real close. I'd like to carry on with that so I know how to do it when I get a ride I care about, so save your tape, I'd rather go Mad Max with it. And no freaking cranes, I ain't too crippled yet to hump a hockey bag into the back =p

Quote: petro

If you aren't x-countrying and have a cell phone, where's the fear coming from?

It's that gods be damned Dodge! I ain't been right since. Not sure if I ever told the FULL story, so...

With no exaggeration at all, I'm telling you that sumbitch had 70,012mi on it when it exploded. I had been thinking all month of getting rid of it, and with the approaching warranty, had made plans to do just that. I was two days away from that day and just 12mi over the warranty and POW! Started shaking like I was on a rumble strip and at the next stop sign, it just died. I managed to get it fired by turning the key with the throttle pinned, and oh! the sounds it made. It was just enough to get off the sign and I coasted out of the way, dead in the water. Know what I was doing at the time it disintegrated? Coasting at 19mph. Ram Tough my f#$%ing ass.

I had it towed and shopped. Took a look, had no idea the problem. Took another look, still no idea. Third day, third look, still no idea. Only way to go further was a pull and disassembly. I ain't had the money for that, so I started making calls to trade it in. Got a guy at a huge dealership here that would try. I tell him EVERYTHING. The problem, what I was doing, and the condition of all the rest. He says he'll take it, just like that. I repeat all of the many things that were wrong with it and what I still owed on it. He still says he'll take it. I tell him it's a several hundred dollar tow fee to get it that far, I can't go off a "word" thrown so easily. He says he'll talk to his manager to assuage my fears, goes and talks, comes back and says bring it in.

I have that f#$%ing thing towed some 80mi and that f#$%ing weasel backs out. "Well, it's got this, that, and the other wrong" and I remind him of 12 other things he forgot because I ALREADY F#$%ING TOLD HIM ALL THAT S#$%. He just kept talking over me and getting down to the sale, not realizing I was negative seconds away from sending him and his chair through the f#$%ing storefront window, express. I STILL remember that motherf#$%er's face, and I still want to kick it in.

So, several hundred more to tow it back and I got another dealer willing to work with me. He's got a V8 Dakota stick, just like Pop's, and I was real keen on it. I tell him what I'll do and tell him he's got one shot. This is my salary, my debt, my info, go and try. If that call doesn't get me out of here, I'm moving on. Well, that call didn't get me out of there. That call didn't result in my financing. Move on, right? Nope, dude ran my credit THIRTY TWO MORE TIMES trying to get me financed. THIRTY F#$%ING TWO! To this day, I'd take that slimy salesman from the tow and beat the s#$% out of him with the OTHER salesman. Grab him right by his heels and start swinging. If I hadn't been a new father running on fumes, I'd have killed the whole store. That was, what? 8 years ago? And I'm still hot about it lol.

It had been over three weeks by then, so in desperation I did the same as I just did with my Chevy - get a recycle and swap it. That took a week and when I got it back it started out as s@#$. All sorts of new and exciting CEL's popping in and out, EFI, some s#$% that only gave me 2nd and 3rd gear and made it dance between them the whole way home, just a mess. I barely made it to the dealer to trade it, and upon leaving and then returning with the title, it died in the road and I coasted it into the shop. Ended up $3k underwater on the note and probably another 3 on repairs, just a complete screw job.

And that's been my only failure experience. All the rest of my rides I either sent through the trees or put on their roofs, so I guess when motors start smoking, all I see is a five figure bill because that's all I know.

Quote: petro

Now there's something that needs fixing. You know this is using oil and don't check your oil, [and other fluids] regularly, where I'm from, that's grounds for dismissal. That is also why I prefer gauges to idiot lights. You would have noticed the oil pressure creeping down with a gauge, just sayin.

Not so fast, hoss. "Out of" is just generally speaking. Yes, I have a gauge, and yes, it does work. Not even a blip or burp in 'er. It's just what you said earlier - you get used to your ride. When "ticka-ticka" turns into "tacka-tacka", I know she's getting low. Ain't even need the stick; "Tacka-tacka" is three and a half pints =) Now, if you're saying simply the failure to check regularly is the problem... all I can say is f#$% your dismissal, you shoulda known better than to even hire me =D

Where's Mosca? I've paid work for him here ;)

I have now begun "borrowed time". My ol' girl's hurtin' and the time has come to part her out. And though this is, by my count, the fourth time I've come for help, I seem to have picked up none of what anyone's told me lol.

I tried searching online for auctions, preferably utility's vehicles. Nat'l Grid, Nat'l Fuel, all these 4x4 I see parked in fields around tanks. Resigned police issue, drug confiscation, some sort of ride that just goes, no haggling, find it and buy it. And I've had no luck. Seems there's some states (CA) where they're just purging thousands at a time, and many others (NY) where there's not a single one to be found. 10min in and I'm already pissed.

I hopped over to regular old dealer. Do you know these new trucks with a bit of fancy on them go for SEVENTY F#$%ING THOUSAND DOLLARS!!!!1!???1 Used to be you could get a Ram with a GD Viper engine in it for $50k. I was more shocked than worried, as I wasn't touching nothing without several years on it. It was about the time I reached the group of 100k'ers and found their price to be twenty goddamn thousand dollars that I just about s#$% a chicken. $22,795 for 112kmi? Do these things come with fellatio options on the steering column?!?!

Suppose I'll just be proactive and get the lube ready now.

All that searching and I've only found one that suits both my needs and my abilities. And, damn the luck, it's simply too pretty for a NY winter...



God, I hate car shopping ><

Quote: Face

God, I hate car shopping ><

I go to car auctions and wait for
something with a stick and manual
windows and low miles to go cheap.
Never fails.

Quote: Face

God, I hate car shopping ><

Check the place I used in FL. Easy as can be.

Quote: Face

All that searching and I've only found one that suits both my needs and my abilities.

Ok, I'll bite. Just what are those needs and ability's? Is that a half ton? Your not planning on towing anything with it are ya? Hope it comes with a spare tranny. I can see from here how stout the rear bumper is already.

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And, damn the luck, it's simply too pretty for a NY winter...

Prolly have better luck with that white car in the corner.

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God, I hate car shopping ><

It's one of my two greatest fears.