|
General » rec.autos.tech » Car repair advice needed
| Car repair advice needed [message #791422] |
Sat, 08 March 2008 09:36 |
|
Hello, I do not know much about cars and need advice.
I purchased a 1995 Chevy Lumina 3 years ago. I paid
$2500 for it. Since then, I have put about $3000 into
it for various repairs. In January, it would not start. I had
it towed to the garage. The mechanic said it is leaking oil
and transmission fluid. He said it also needed a new starter.
He charged me $550 to clean the fluid off the engine and to
put in a new starter. I went to pick it up in the evening, after
it had been sitting in the icy cold all day, and it would not
start. It was in the same condition as before I had paid the
$550! The next day, he told me that he would need to put
in some kind of new wires for $220. I paid for him to do that,
and the car now starts. However, it runs just as poorly as
before once it starts. Sometimes, I have to start it 5-10 times
to back it out of my driveway. For the first 10-20 minutes, it
will stall out when I idle at a red light, and the brakes to not
work properly. When I try to push on the break pedal it is
like there is an object in the way, and I have to push down
with quite a bit of force. Once the car has been running
10-20 minutes it runs fine (for now?!??!). .... Now, the
muffler is suddenly making a tremendous amount of noise.
It sounds like a lawn mower, or louder.
I never had the two leaks fixed that the mechanic told me about. He said
that it will cost about $600 to have the leaks fixed. Right now, according
to him, the car is leaking oil and transmission fluid and it is getting all
over the engine.
What I am wondering is this. At what point would a person who is
knowledgeable about cars decide that enough money has been put into a
vehicle and that another used car should be purchased? I presently
cannot afford to buy a new car. If I buy a car it will have to be another
car in the $2500 price range. This Chevy is now in need of the $600
repair for the leaks, the muffler needs to be fixed, and soon I will need
new tires and brakes. It is getting to the point where it will need so much
money in repairs that I could buy another used car. On the other hand,
if I buy another used car for $2500, won't that quickly need repairs too?
I am wondering if it will be a case where I will spend $2500 for a used car
and then it will need $3000 or more in repairs, like this Chevy has
needed? If that is the case, I might as well just keep the Chevy and
pay for all the repairs. Or, since this car is 13 years old already, would
I be better off spending $2500 to get a newer car? Would a newer
car generally need less repairs for awhile?
I know very little about cars and I am confused. I hope someone will
give me advice. I am a college student and I am in a financial disaster.
I almost can't afford the tuition payments for graduation, and now I am
having all this trouble with my car. The drive to school is an hour each
way. Every time I get in the car I wonder if it will make it. There is no
bus system in my area, and I have no one to drive me to school, even
for a short while. Please give me advice if you can. Should I keep
sinking money into this 1995 Chevy or should I start thinking about
getting a new car?
Thank you in advance for any advice you can give!
|
|
|
| Re: Car repair advice needed [message #791424 ] |
Sat, 08 March 2008 10:38 |
|
The following message looks like a major troll to me, but if anyone
wants to start addressing the extensive list of problems described,
go ahead and start the pile of posts If what the message says
is true, then QA2008 needs some life advice from a friendly uncle.
Sorry for the top post.
Rodan.
________________________________________________________
"QA2008" <qa2008 [at] att.net> wrote in message news:desAj.15365$Ej5.5238 [at] newssvr29.news.prodigy.net...
Hello, I do not know much about cars and need advice.
I purchased a 1995 Chevy Lumina 3 years ago. I paid
$2500 for it. Since then, I have put about $3000 into
it for various repairs. In January, it would not start. I had
it towed to the garage. The mechanic said it is leaking oil
and transmission fluid. He said it also needed a new starter.
He charged me $550 to clean the fluid off the engine and to
put in a new starter. I went to pick it up in the evening, after
it had been sitting in the icy cold all day, and it would not
start. It was in the same condition as before I had paid the
$550! The next day, he told me that he would need to put
in some kind of new wires for $220. I paid for him to do that,
and the car now starts. However, it runs just as poorly as
before once it starts. Sometimes, I have to start it 5-10 times
to back it out of my driveway. For the first 10-20 minutes, it
will stall out when I idle at a red light, and the brakes to not
work properly. When I try to push on the break pedal it is
like there is an object in the way, and I have to push down
with quite a bit of force. Once the car has been running
10-20 minutes it runs fine (for now?!??!). .... Now, the
muffler is suddenly making a tremendous amount of noise.
It sounds like a lawn mower, or louder.
I never had the two leaks fixed that the mechanic told me about. He said
that it will cost about $600 to have the leaks fixed. Right now, according
to him, the car is leaking oil and transmission fluid and it is getting all
over the engine.
What I am wondering is this. At what point would a person who is
knowledgeable about cars decide that enough money has been put into a
vehicle and that another used car should be purchased? I presently
cannot afford to buy a new car. If I buy a car it will have to be another
car in the $2500 price range. This Chevy is now in need of the $600
repair for the leaks, the muffler needs to be fixed, and soon I will need
new tires and brakes. It is getting to the point where it will need so much
money in repairs that I could buy another used car. On the other hand,
if I buy another used car for $2500, won't that quickly need repairs too?
I am wondering if it will be a case where I will spend $2500 for a used car
and then it will need $3000 or more in repairs, like this Chevy has
needed? If that is the case, I might as well just keep the Chevy and
pay for all the repairs. Or, since this car is 13 years old already, would
I be better off spending $2500 to get a newer car? Would a newer
car generally need less repairs for awhile?
I know very little about cars and I am confused. I hope someone will
give me advice. I am a college student and I am in a financial disaster.
I almost can't afford the tuition payments for graduation, and now I am
having all this trouble with my car. The drive to school is an hour each
way. Every time I get in the car I wonder if it will make it. There is no
bus system in my area, and I have no one to drive me to school, even
for a short while. Please give me advice if you can. Should I keep
sinking money into this 1995 Chevy or should I start thinking about
getting a new car?
Thank you in advance for any advice you can give!
|
|
|
| Re: Car repair advice needed [message #791426 ] |
Sat, 08 March 2008 11:17 |
|
I looked up the word "Troll" and found that you are saying
I am posting a fake message! You are not being very helpful.
You are right, that I need advice from a friendly uncle. I do
not have anyone to give me advice. Every time I ask anyone
for car advice, they tell me they do not know what to do.
I hoped that people who are interested in cars could give
me advice. I am trying to ask whether it is worth it to keep
pouring money into this Chevy. If I buy another used car,
it seems like I would have to pour money into that. It seems
that no matter what I do I am doomed with this car
situation. At this point, I would start taking the bus but
there is not a bus system in my city. I need real advice about
whether to keep sinking money into this car or to get another
used car and start sinking money into that. It seems to me
that if I get another used car I will be in the exact same boat
I am in now with this Chevy.
|
|
|
| Re: Car repair advice needed [message #791428 ] |
Sat, 08 March 2008 12:45 |
|
"QA2008" <qa2008 [at] att.net> wrote in message
news:desAj.15365$Ej5.5238 [at] newssvr29.news.prodigy.net...
> Hello, I do not know much about cars and need advice.
> I purchased a 1995 Chevy Lumina 3 years ago. I paid
> $2500 for it. Since then, I have put about $3000 into
> it for various repairs.
While the Lumina doesnt get rave reviews on quality or dependability,
it should have been better that what you experienced...
You bought a money pit. One would hope that with all those
repairs (which sound excessively expensive to me, by the way)
this thing would start developing a little reliability, but apparently
the car is addicted to frequent and expensive visits to the
garage.
We dont know what sort of engine and transmission is in that
car, nor the mileage involved, but I suspect that your problems
are not over. If your transmission fails, or your engine commits
suicide, you are looking at substantially more expensive repair
jobs or you will be left with a worthless hunk of metal.
- You could take a course in auto tuneup and repair at a local
community college, or suchlike, get yourself a manual, and start
doing some of your own work. That could save you a lot of
money, or...
- Get this thing running well enough to sell it and buy something
that is more reliable...This time, have a mechanic friend help
you choose more wisely. Dont buy somebody else's problems,
if you can avoid it.
|
|
|
| Re: Car repair advice needed [message #791434 ] |
Sat, 08 March 2008 14:54 |
|
"QA2008" <qa2008 [at] att.net> wrote in
news:desAj.15365$Ej5.5238 [at] newssvr29.news.prodigy.net:
<snip>
> Should I keep sinking money into this 1995 Chevy or should I
> start thinking about getting a new car?
>
> Thank you in advance for any advice you can give!
>
A car this old is going to be very much a product of the care it's received
in its life. 13 years is a long time for neglect, aftermarket parts and
inept servicing to do lots of damage. And it sounds like yours has
definitely not been looked after.
My general recommendation to any non-techie wanting car-buying advice from
me is to get the absolute newest car he can afford, just to minimize the
probability of buying a money pit.
Consider how much you would have to pay to get something newer and in
better shape. Now contrast that against how much you'd have to pay to
completely overhaul your current Lumina. That's how you decide whether to
keep or sell.
--
Tegger
|
|
|
| Re: Car repair advice needed [message #791435 ] |
Sat, 08 March 2008 15:08 |
|
|
Post removed (X-No-Archive: yes)
|
|
|
| Re: Car repair advice needed [message #791439 ] |
Sat, 08 March 2008 16:09 |
|
On Sat, 08 Mar 2008 08:36:25 GMT, "QA2008" <qa2008 [at] att.net> wrote:
>
>Thank you in advance for any advice you can give!
Not an easy situation.
With a car that age I normally say dump it when the monthly upkeep
starts costing more than payments on a new one or when a major
component fails like the trans or engine.
Not to be mean, but you probably aren't going to find a great
replacement car in the price range you are looking in. Best thing I
can tell you is to buy from the original owner, not a used car lot.
Check them out just as much as you check out the car. Nice house?
Well kept yard? May sound dumb but in the age/price range you are
shopping in how a car was cared for makes all the difference. If you
can buy a car from a cute little granny and granpa with the perfectly
maintained house and all the service records for the car since it was
new I'm picking that one over the one in the trailer park with used
appliances in the yard and the bubba that "changed the earl" once a
year. Once you pick the car you need to take the car and have it
checked out by a mechanic. People love to sell their problems which
is what it sounds like you bought last time. Don't let my cute granny
from above get you! You can not skip this step if you don't know a
whole lot about cars.
Can u lease a new car? Normally I don't care for that idea but
perhaps u could get the cheapest thing with four wheels for a hundred
and change a month on a lease.
For the current vehicle:
You need to start looking for somewhere else to take the vehicle for
service. A starter replacement on that car should have been half what
you paid. Ask friends and family who they use.... Normally I try to
find an honest small independent shop and stay away from the chains
like Goodyear and pep boys etc..
As far as the oil and trans leaking there normally isn't any reason
these have to be fixed quickly unless they are major leaks.. Just
keep a close eye on the fluid levels so you don't run low.
|
|
|
| Re: Car repair advice needed [message #791443 ] |
Sat, 08 March 2008 16:48 |
|
"Steve B." <none [at] none.com> wrote in message
news:f785t35tel35ka4jph3qr0fi69vl03t56n [at] 4ax.com...
> On Sat, 08 Mar 2008 08:36:25 GMT, "QA2008" <qa2008 [at] att.net> wrote:
>
>
>>
>>Thank you in advance for any advice you can give!
I have heard that the Geo Prizms of this era were extra reliable little
cars,
and you might be able to find one in the price range you are talking about.
I believe they were based on the Toyota Corolla, but I cant say for sure.
Owners I have talked to say that they last forever, BUT you can still buy
a POS if you arent careful. As previously mentioned, if you get one that
someone "dogged", and they didnt change oil or tranny fluid, etc, then
you wont be any better off..
Some GM models have problems that are known to everybody in the trade
and you might want to avoid those.. For example, the 3800 Series II engine
of the middle 90's to early 2000's have a plenum problem which almost always
fails, given enough time. It can cost enough ($350 to near $1000) to get it
fixed.
Some of the others with 3.1-3.4 engines have other problems having to do
with
intake manifold gasket failures.
If people have not maintained their auto transmissions, you might not get
much
more than 100,000 miles out of them, or less.
Some Ford models had engine problems and tranny problems, as did Chrysler.
Taurus is one model that has been a laughing stock in some groups. A lot of
people bought them, some loved them, but a lot fell to pieces in short
order.
|
|
|
| Re: Car repair advice needed [message #791447 ] |
Sat, 08 March 2008 17:25 |
|
QA2008 wrote:
> Hello, I do not know much about cars and need advice.
> I purchased a 1995 Chevy Lumina 3 years ago. I paid
> $2500 for it. Since then, I have put about $3000 into
> it for various repairs. In January, it would not start. I had
> it towed to the garage. The mechanic said it is leaking oil
> and transmission fluid. He said it also needed a new starter.
> He charged me $550 to clean the fluid off the engine and to
> put in a new starter. I went to pick it up in the evening, after
> it had been sitting in the icy cold all day, and it would not
> start. It was in the same condition as before I had paid the
> $550! The next day, he told me that he would need to put
> in some kind of new wires for $220. I paid for him to do that,
> and the car now starts. However, it runs just as poorly as
> before once it starts. Sometimes, I have to start it 5-10 times
> to back it out of my driveway. For the first 10-20 minutes, it
> will stall out when I idle at a red light, and the brakes to not
> work properly. When I try to push on the break pedal it is
> like there is an object in the way, and I have to push down
> with quite a bit of force. Once the car has been running
> 10-20 minutes it runs fine (for now?!??!). .... Now, the
> muffler is suddenly making a tremendous amount of noise.
> It sounds like a lawn mower, or louder.
>
> I never had the two leaks fixed that the mechanic told me about. He said
> that it will cost about $600 to have the leaks fixed. Right now, according
> to him, the car is leaking oil and transmission fluid and it is getting all
> over the engine.
>
> What I am wondering is this. At what point would a person who is
> knowledgeable about cars decide that enough money has been put into a
> vehicle and that another used car should be purchased? I presently
> cannot afford to buy a new car. If I buy a car it will have to be another
> car in the $2500 price range. This Chevy is now in need of the $600
> repair for the leaks, the muffler needs to be fixed, and soon I will need
> new tires and brakes. It is getting to the point where it will need so
> much
> money in repairs that I could buy another used car. On the other hand,
> if I buy another used car for $2500, won't that quickly need repairs too?
> I am wondering if it will be a case where I will spend $2500 for a used car
> and then it will need $3000 or more in repairs, like this Chevy has
> needed? If that is the case, I might as well just keep the Chevy and
> pay for all the repairs. Or, since this car is 13 years old already, would
> I be better off spending $2500 to get a newer car? Would a newer
> car generally need less repairs for awhile?
>
> I know very little about cars and I am confused. I hope someone will
> give me advice. I am a college student and I am in a financial disaster.
> I almost can't afford the tuition payments for graduation, and now I am
> having all this trouble with my car. The drive to school is an hour each
> way. Every time I get in the car I wonder if it will make it. There is no
> bus system in my area, and I have no one to drive me to school, even
> for a short while. Please give me advice if you can. Should I keep
> sinking money into this 1995 Chevy or should I start thinking about
> getting a new car?
>
> Thank you in advance for any advice you can give!
Well, First of find a better mechanic. From what you have posted this
one is REAL good at taking money and doing shoddy work. If he told you
to come and get it because it was ready and it didn't start, he didn't
repair the problem.
The LEAKS, could be simply gasket leaks.
From your description of the crappy running and the brakes it sounds
like you have a LARGE vacuum leak. That shouldn't be very hard for you
to track yourself. Open the hood and look at the brake booster (big
round thing bolted to the firewall with the master cylinder attached) It
has a large line that goes from it to the engines intake manifold. Look
for cracks or splits in the line and check that both ends are on tight.
Now look on the engine itself for any loose hoses that are just laying
there. Check ALL the hoses for leaks. To make it easier you could go to
a parts store and buy a can of WD40. Start the engine and let it idle,
now use the can to LIGHTLY spray each hose. Do them one at a time and
listen to the engine. When you hear the engine rev up (like you were
pushing the throttle) check the area you just sprayed for the leak.
Fix the leak and see if your brakes work.
--
Steve W.
Near Cooperstown, New York
|
|
|
| Re: Car repair advice needed [message #791448 ] |
Sat, 08 March 2008 17:33 |
|
QA2008 wrote:
> Hello, I do not know much about cars and need advice.
> I purchased a 1995 Chevy Lumina 3 years ago. I paid
> $2500 for it. Since then, I have put about $3000 into
> it for various repairs.
If you are looking for advice, then here is mine:
Dump the car. It prob has the 3.1 engine with the leaking intake manifold.
Buy a Toyota Corolla.
|
|
|
| Re: Car repair advice needed [message #791450 ] |
Sat, 08 March 2008 18:39 |
|
My rule of thumb is that when a cost of repair is greater than the value
of the car, I get rid of it. Guaranteed if car is wrecked you will only
get bluebook value.
|
|
|
| Re: Car repair advice needed [message #791457 ] |
Sun, 09 March 2008 15:36 |
|
buy a toyota! and buy a 3800.00 trans or failed head gasket done both in the
last month for customers
asian crap cars
and i did a nissan full size truck with 25 k that gets a new raditor nissan
would not cover under warranty at 2 different dealers per customer still under
3/36 his parting comment was i will never buy another one nothing but trouble
with truck since day 1
Paul wrote:
> QA2008 wrote:
> > Hello, I do not know much about cars and need advice.
> > I purchased a 1995 Chevy Lumina 3 years ago. I paid
> > $2500 for it. Since then, I have put about $3000 into
> > it for various repairs.
>
> If you are looking for advice, then here is mine:
> Dump the car. It prob has the 3.1 engine with the leaking intake manifold.
> Buy a Toyota Corolla.
|
|
|
| Re: Car repair advice needed [message #791461 ] |
Sun, 09 March 2008 19:07 |
|
mr.som ting wong wrote:
> buy a toyota! and buy a 3800.00 trans or failed head gasket done both in the
> last month for customers
> asian crap cars
> and i did a nissan full size truck with 25 k that gets a new raditor nissan
> would not cover under warranty at 2 different dealers per customer still under
> 3/36 his parting comment was i will never buy another one nothing but trouble
> with truck since day 1
That's good to know.
It is normal for those head gaskets to fail after a few years?
Do you replace a lot of them?
Same for the trans?
|
|
|
| Re: Car repair advice needed [message #791468 ] |
Sun, 09 March 2008 22:16 |
|
QA2008 wrote:
> I purchased a 1995 Chevy Lumina 3 years ago. I paid
> $2500 for it. Since then, I have put about $3000 into
> it for various repairs. In January, it would not start. I had
> it towed to the garage. The mechanic said it is leaking oil
> and transmission fluid. He said it also needed a new starter.
> He charged me $550 to clean the fluid off the engine and to
> put in a new starter. I went to pick it up in the evening, after
> it had been sitting in the icy cold all day, and it would not
> start. It was in the same condition as before I had paid the
> $550! The next day, he told me that he would need to put
> in some kind of new wires for $220. I paid for him to do that,
> and the car now starts. However, it runs just as poorly as
> before once it starts. Sometimes, I have to start it 5-10 times
> to back it out of my driveway. For the first 10-20 minutes, it
> will stall out when I idle at a red light, and the brakes to not
> work properly. When I try to push on the break pedal it is
> like there is an object in the way, and I have to push down
> with quite a bit of force. Once the car has been running
> 10-20 minutes it runs fine (for now?!??!). .... Now, the
> muffler is suddenly making a tremendous amount of noise.
> It sounds like a lawn mower, or louder.
>
> I never had the two leaks fixed that the mechanic told me about. He said
> that it will cost about $600 to have the leaks fixed. Right now, according
> to him, the car is leaking oil and transmission fluid and it is getting all
> over the engine.
I would demand a refund for all but 1 hour of labor because you paid
to get your car problems fixed, not merely have parts thrown randomly
at them. I hope you paid by credit card.
Take a course in basic auto maintenance and repair at a community
college, or at least read some introductory books about car repair,
preferrably not Chilton or Haynes manuals.
|
|
|
| Re: Car repair advice needed [message #791469 ] |
Sun, 09 March 2008 23:11 |
|
"Paul" <Paul [at] comcat.net> wrote in message
news:_7mdnQm-rMSmhUnanZ2dnUVZ_rfinZ2d [at] comcast.com...
> mr.som ting wong wrote:
>> buy a toyota! and buy a 3800.00 trans or failed head gasket done both in
>> the
>> last month for customers
>> asian crap cars
>> and i did a nissan full size truck with 25 k that gets a new raditor
>> nissan
>> would not cover under warranty at 2 different dealers per customer still
>> under
>> 3/36 his parting comment was i will never buy another one nothing but
>> trouble
>> with truck since day 1
>
> That's good to know.
> It is normal for those head gaskets to fail after a few years?
> Do you replace a lot of them?
> Same for the trans?
Over the years, many cars have had runs of defective or short lived
elements. Some are
worse than others.
A lot of Nissans and Toyotas will run nearly forever. There were some
problems on
some, JUST AS GM HAS HAD SEVERE PROBLEMS IN MANY VEHICLES>
Check before you buy.
|
|
|
| Re: Car repair advice needed [message #791477 ] |
Mon, 10 March 2008 01:29 |
|
QA2008 wrote:
> I purchased a 1995 Chevy Lumina 3 years ago. I paid
> $2500 for it. Since then, I have put about $3000 into
> it for various repairs. In January, it would not start. I had
> it towed to the garage. The mechanic said it is leaking oil
> and transmission fluid. He said it also needed a new starter.
> He charged me $550 to clean the fluid off the engine and to
> put in a new starter. I went to pick it up in the evening, after
> it had been sitting in the icy cold all day, and it would not
> start. It was in the same condition as before I had paid the
> $550! The next day, he told me that he would need to put
> in some kind of new wires for $220. I paid for him to do that,
> and the car now starts. However, it runs just as poorly as
> before once it starts. Sometimes, I have to start it 5-10 times
> to back it out of my driveway. For the first 10-20 minutes, it
> will stall out when I idle at a red light, and the brakes to not
> work properly. When I try to push on the break pedal it is
> like there is an object in the way, and I have to push down
> with quite a bit of force. Once the car has been running
> 10-20 minutes it runs fine (for now?!??!). .... Now, the
> muffler is suddenly making a tremendous amount of noise.
> It sounds like a lawn mower, or louder.
>
> I never had the two leaks fixed that the mechanic told me about. He said
> that it will cost about $600 to have the leaks fixed. Right now, according
> to him, the car is leaking oil and transmission fluid and it is getting all
> over the engine.
_________________________________________________________
Dear QA2008:
You do not have the mechanical experience to repair a car.
You do not have the language ability to describe car symptoms.
You do not have the financial knowledge to avoid being cheated by car repairmen.
You should not own a car.
Whether you keep your current car or replace it with another, you are doomed
to perpetual disaster because of your inexperience and gullibility.
If there is somewhere you have to be, and there is no public transportation,
one possible solution is to rent a car on a daily as-needed basis from a local
'Rent-A-Wreck' dealer. If that car quits, you are not responsible for repairs,
and the dealer will immediately provide another car so you can keep driving.
Or, if you are able, move closer to where you need to be so you can walk.
I am sorry you were so poorly treated by dishonest mechanics. Save your
money until you can afford a car with an added total repair warranty.
Good luck.
Rodan.
|
|
|
| Re: Car repair advice needed [message #791488 ] |
Mon, 10 March 2008 08:59 |
|
|
Post removed (X-No-Archive: yes)
|
|
|
| Re: Car repair advice needed [message #791497 ] |
Mon, 10 March 2008 15:20 |
|
QA2008 <qa2008 [at] att.net> wrote:
>Hello, I do not know much about cars and need advice.
>I purchased a 1995 Chevy Lumina 3 years ago. I paid
>$2500 for it. Since then, I have put about $3000 into
>it for various repairs. In January, it would not start. I had
>it towed to the garage. The mechanic said it is leaking oil
>and transmission fluid. He said it also needed a new starter.
>He charged me $550 to clean the fluid off the engine and to
>put in a new starter. I went to pick it up in the evening, after
>it had been sitting in the icy cold all day, and it would not
>start. It was in the same condition as before I had paid the
>$550! The next day, he told me that he would need to put
>in some kind of new wires for $220. I paid for him to do that,
>and the car now starts. However, it runs just as poorly as
>before once it starts. Sometimes, I have to start it 5-10 times
>to back it out of my driveway. For the first 10-20 minutes, it
>will stall out when I idle at a red light, and the brakes to not
>work properly. When I try to push on the break pedal it is
>like there is an object in the way, and I have to push down
>with quite a bit of force. Once the car has been running
>10-20 minutes it runs fine (for now?!??!). .... Now, the
>muffler is suddenly making a tremendous amount of noise.
>It sounds like a lawn mower, or louder.
Find a competent mechanic and have him go over it. Not the guy that you
have been having look over the car, but someone who will spend some time
and find _everything_ that is wrong with the car.
Once you know this, then you can make a good decision.
>I never had the two leaks fixed that the mechanic told me about. He said
>that it will cost about $600 to have the leaks fixed. Right now, according
>to him, the car is leaking oil and transmission fluid and it is getting all
>over the engine.
As long as you keep them topped off, engine and transmission fluid leaks
may not be a problem at all. I'd worry about your bad muffler and about
the fact that it doesn't run well a whole lot more.
>What I am wondering is this. At what point would a person who is
>knowledgeable about cars decide that enough money has been put into a
>vehicle and that another used car should be purchased? I presently
>cannot afford to buy a new car. If I buy a car it will have to be another
>car in the $2500 price range. This Chevy is now in need of the $600
>repair for the leaks, the muffler needs to be fixed, and soon I will need
>new tires and brakes. It is getting to the point where it will need so much
>money in repairs that I could buy another used car. On the other hand,
>if I buy another used car for $2500, won't that quickly need repairs too?
>I am wondering if it will be a case where I will spend $2500 for a used car
>and then it will need $3000 or more in repairs, like this Chevy has
>needed? If that is the case, I might as well just keep the Chevy and
>pay for all the repairs. Or, since this car is 13 years old already, would
>I be better off spending $2500 to get a newer car? Would a newer
>car generally need less repairs for awhile?
Basically, the way a car is treated in the first six months determines a lot
about how well it will last for the rest of its life. If you buy a used
car, you are basically at the mercy of the first car's owner.
This means you COULD buy a car and find it's less reliable. Or also you
could buy a car and find it pays for itself in a short amount of time with
fewer repairs.
>I know very little about cars and I am confused. I hope someone will
>give me advice. I am a college student and I am in a financial disaster.
>I almost can't afford the tuition payments for graduation, and now I am
>having all this trouble with my car. The drive to school is an hour each
>way. Every time I get in the car I wonder if it will make it. There is no
>bus system in my area, and I have no one to drive me to school, even
>for a short while. Please give me advice if you can. Should I keep
>sinking money into this 1995 Chevy or should I start thinking about
>getting a new car?
Find another student who DOES know something about cars, and ask him or
her to go over your car and see what they can find wrong. Odds are you
have a lot of things wrong, and some of them you can ignore forever, some
of them you can ignore only for a while, and some of them you cannot ignore
at all. You need to know these things and which category they are in before
you can make an informed decision.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
|
|
|
| Re: Car repair advice needed [message #791499 ] |
Mon, 10 March 2008 15:42 |
|
"Scott Dorsey" <kludge [at] panix.com> wrote in message
> Find another student who DOES know something about cars, and ask him or
> her to go over your car and see what they can find wrong. Odds are you
> have a lot of things wrong, and some of them you can ignore forever, some
> of them you can ignore only for a while, and some of them you cannot
> ignore
> at all. You need to know these things and which category they are in
> before
> you can make an informed decision.
> --scott
It is a damned shame that all high schools do not have a required course in
automotive sciences (including driving).
Here in Texas, almost all schools used to have drivers education courses,
but
that is not necessarily the case any more. I guess you learn from your
parents
now, and that is pretty poor schooling. We have some of the worst drivers I
have ever seen.
Girls and boys both should have to know some basics about automobile
mechanical
systems, other than just the key, the accelerator, the gear shift, and the
gas cap.
|
|
|
| Re: Car repair advice needed [message #791503 ] |
Mon, 10 March 2008 16:05 |
|
HLS <nospam [at] nospam.nix> wrote:
>"Scott Dorsey" <kludge [at] panix.com> wrote in message
>> Find another student who DOES know something about cars, and ask him or
>> her to go over your car and see what they can find wrong. Odds are you
>> have a lot of things wrong, and some of them you can ignore forever, some
>> of them you can ignore only for a while, and some of them you cannot
>> ignore
>> at all. You need to know these things and which category they are in
>> before
>> you can make an informed decision.
>
>It is a damned shame that all high schools do not have a required course in
>automotive sciences (including driving).
In high school, I was told that auto shop was only for the stupid kids
and that I wasn't allowed to take it. I was horrified. I still am.
It would have helped me a whole lot when I went to engineering school.
If you put only the stupid kids in the auto shop class, you wind up with
stupid mechanics, and that is very, very bad. Especially given the
increasing complexity of cars today.
>Girls and boys both should have to know some basics about automobile
>mechanical
>systems, other than just the key, the accelerator, the gear shift, and the
>gas cap.
I think some basic knowledge ought to be required before you can get your
license. At the very least you should be tested on changing a tire and
checking your oil.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
|
|
|
| Re: Car repair advice needed [message #791523 ] |
Tue, 11 March 2008 00:16 |
|
HLS <nospam [at] nospam.nix> wrote:
>
>I have heard that the Geo Prizms of this era were extra reliable little
>cars,
>and you might be able to find one in the price range you are talking about.
I hate to say it, but the Metro is the same way. They are like the K-Cars
of the 21st century. The interior is cheap plastic and feels like crap,
the handling and acceleration are doubful at best, but they just keep running
and running even when badly abused. The whole drive train is really quite
solid.
>Owners I have talked to say that they last forever, BUT you can still buy
>a POS if you arent careful. As previously mentioned, if you get one that
>someone "dogged", and they didnt change oil or tranny fluid, etc, then
>you wont be any better off..
With any used car you are at the mercy of whoever had it before you.
If at all possible, get a car with a maintenance log. That doesn't mean
all that much, but it does mean the owner has at least taken the time to
keep a log.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
|
|
|
| Re: Car repair advice needed [message #791582 ] |
Wed, 12 March 2008 03:39 |
|
lots of trans missions headgaskets are usually a result of neglect form overheat
Paul wrote:
> mr.som ting wong wrote:
> > buy a toyota! and buy a 3800.00 trans or failed head gasket done both in the
> > last month for customers
> > asian crap cars
> > and i did a nissan full size truck with 25 k that gets a new raditor nissan
> > would not cover under warranty at 2 different dealers per customer still under
> > 3/36 his parting comment was i will never buy another one nothing but trouble
> > with truck since day 1
>
> That's good to know.
> It is normal for those head gaskets to fail after a few years?
> Do you replace a lot of them?
> Same for the trans?
|
|
|
| Re: Car repair advice needed [message #791583 ] |
Wed, 12 March 2008 03:40 |
|
you are correct and i would like to add asain cars cost far more to repair than
gm
HLS wrote:
> "Paul" <Paul [at] comcat.net> wrote in message
> news:_7mdnQm-rMSmhUnanZ2dnUVZ_rfinZ2d [at] comcast.com...
> > mr.som ting wong wrote:
> >> buy a toyota! and buy a 3800.00 trans or failed head gasket done both in
> >> the
> >> last month for customers
> >> asian crap cars
> >> and i did a nissan full size truck with 25 k that gets a new raditor
> >> nissan
> >> would not cover under warranty at 2 different dealers per customer still
> >> under
> >> 3/36 his parting comment was i will never buy another one nothing but
> >> trouble
> >> with truck since day 1
> >
> > That's good to know.
> > It is normal for those head gaskets to fail after a few years?
> > Do you replace a lot of them?
> > Same for the trans?
>
> Over the years, many cars have had runs of defective or short lived
> elements. Some are
> worse than others.
>
> A lot of Nissans and Toyotas will run nearly forever. There were some
> problems on
> some, JUST AS GM HAS HAD SEVERE PROBLEMS IN MANY VEHICLES>
>
> Check before you buy.
|
|
|
| Re: Car repair advice needed [message #791632 ] |
Thu, 13 March 2008 17:17 |
|
You have a crappy mechanic. Go find a good one, or better yet, do it
yourself (and use good parts, not crap from Autozone/Advance Auto/Pep
Boys/Kraken, etc.).
|
|
|
| Re: Car repair advice needed [message #791645 ] |
Thu, 13 March 2008 23:17 |
|
On Mar 13, 8:17=A0am, scott21... [at] gmail.com wrote:
> You have a crappy mechanic. =A0Go find a good one, or better yet, do it
> yourself (and use good parts, not crap from Autozone/Advance Auto/Pep
> Boys/Kraken, etc.).
driving a car is never free. either you spend more at the beginning
and then spend less for repairs, or you spend less first and then pay
much more in repairs, but either way you have to spend money on your
car:) personally I don't think it's worth to keep an old car unless
you can repair it by yourself. (I've been there... every time I went
to the mechanic I spent a few hundreds $$$, every time... , I sold it
finally, it wasn't worth it). and if your mechanic is really crappy go
to http://www.autonoto.com , search by your zip, and then by positive
reviews. maybe you will find a better one. but you can't win with them
anyway..
|
|
|
Gehe zu:
aktuelle Zeit: Sat Nov 22 10:04:30 CET 2008
Insgesamt benötigte Zeit, um die Seite zu erzeugen: 0.24020 Sekunden |
