On my way to the airport on Monday, clouds of smoke were coming out the tail pipe of my car. It was so bad that the people behind me had to wait for the smoke to clear before taking off. And I'm not exaggerating. So I took the car into the garage yesterday and it looks like it's an internal engine problem.
As a member of the Junky Car Club, I've always wanted to drive our 95 Ford Taurus into the ground. And twelve years isn't bad. But I was hoping we had a few more years left. Which brings me to the $64,000 question: what do you do when a car repair will cost more than the car is even worth?
As a member of the Junky Car Club, I've always wanted to drive our 95 Ford Taurus into the ground. And twelve years isn't bad. But I was hoping we had a few more years left. Which brings me to the $64,000 question: what do you do when a car repair will cost more than the car is even worth?
22 Comments:
As the proud drive of a 1999 Ford Expedition, I think a Junky Car Club member would use the repair money to buy another junker!
as club president of the Junky Car Club, we mourn your loss. but you have permission to buy another junker. let us know what you get. peace...mike.
www.JunkyCarClub.com
We could have a missions fund-raiser and collect donations in exchange for sledgehammer blows to the car.
Well, if the cost of repair is still less than a car payment would be, fix it. But, if it's past its prime, buy a new junky car with the money you've saved not making car payments! woohoo!
It does not matter what the car is worth that you are repairing. if the car was worth $10 and your repair $12 and a new used car cost you $1000? You would repair the car instead of buying another reasonable car that would not need to be repaired.
I just dealt with that. I have a 97 VW Golf with 187k miles w/ no AC and only 3 hubcaps. Well the Clutch went out and we debated whether to fix or replace for about 2 weeks before we made the decision to spend the $1000 to fix it. I just got it back and I think we made the right call.
I bought a 6 year old Toyota truck which was 13 yrs old when I sold it. Its now 16 years old and still being used for missions work in the countryside.
I got rid of an 01 mazda last year. loved the car, but it was in the shop every single month and stopped being reliable. traded it in for an 05 toyota which only stops for gas, car washes and oil changes. nice!
I need to join that club. When my 91 Nissan dies I hope to buy a car that I have saved for while I was not making payments. Then I can challange my people to last longer then the car.
Though I like David's idea.
It's time to get a new junker. That much engine damage will be hard to fix properly without replacing the entire engine. It will always be less reliable now.
Get a "new" junker.
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PRAY for a new car. My husband and I have seen God provide 4 cars for us over the past 20 years. Before moving to NYC in in 2006 we prayed for a Honda Van. A couple weeks before departure time God did it. This has been a great learning oppoortunity for our children to see God provide for us.
If only I had known last week! We just gave away our 165K 1994 Altima to a single mom. It had severe tornado damage to the exterior, only two hubcaps, and no paint on the driver's side door, but ohhhhh how that engine could purr!
Send the special teams squad on the field, Mark... I think its time to punt.
Get a newer car, brother...
Mark,
My reccomendation is find an old Diesel. I have a 21 year old Mercedes Benz Diesel. It has 236,000 miles on it. It just won't die. The body will die before the engine. They are known for longevity. Mine still classifies as a junker with all of the rust and other small issues. Oh, I forgot to mention that Diesel is a little more expensive but gets way better MPG. I get about 28/33 with a 6 cylinder diesel. It rides like a dream!!!
Just for the record, I hope you can get a new car, not a junker. As a matter of fact, like duanne said, I hope you are given a new car!
I just joined the club with my 1991 Toyota - yeah it's rusty and I can see the ground, but it's paid for and it runs! Join the Junky Car Revolution!
I would get a new(er) car. The Junky Car Club is awesome...but getting a more fuel efficient car would save you a lot more money in the long run, right?
Just a though,,,
I need to talk to you about this...hope to catch you and talk Monday for 5 minutes.
My husband and I ran into this last year. Our first big purchase as a married couple ended up being the car we bought to replace my VW Jetta, which would have been pretty costly to fix. God has blessed us with this car (but I still miss my Jetta!).
MArk,
Junky Cars are where its at. Time to bite the bullet and get a 70's or 80's Euro Wagon and really do it right! (Have you seen "Dan In Real Life?" - good example there...)
Seriously though, my rule of thumb is "my car is actually worth what the next one will cost me."
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