Used car: What to do with it

[The_Animus]

I wasn't sure where to post this, but since it involves money and a business deal I thought this might be the best place for it. If not feel free to move it wherever.

I currently own a 95 Ford Escort LX Sedan 4DR with 108,000 miles. As far as I know it needs a couple repairs. It has a cracked head gasket. It has a leak in the gas tank above a certain level. Which means I can have probably 4 or 5 gallons of gas in my car at most or it will start leaking onto the ground. Any other issues with my car are minor. For instance every few months I might have to add a little coolant. After many months one of my tires will start to get low and I'll have to put air in it. But these things are trivial. I still drive it because I only have to drive a mile or two to work and the engine doesn't have time to overheat when driving such small distances. For any errands I have I use my girlfriends car.

A rough estimate of the cost to repair these problems at a shop would run somewhere around the $1000 range simply because of labor. The parts cost next to nothing. The kbb value of my car assuming I fixed these issues would be around $1,400 to $1,700. Tomorrow I have an appointment to check out a used car from a dealer in my town. Do you think they would give me anything for trade-in? Or should I pay a shop to make the repairs and then try to sell my car? Or should I say screw a new used car and just make the repairs and keep the one I have? Or should I just see what I can get from a junk car buyer? What about donating it to charity?

The car I'm going to look at is a 96 Saturn SL1 with 163,000 miles for $1,950. As you can tell by my choice of cars I don't have much spare money, which is why having to deal with expensive car repairs or buying a used car is a rather important deal to me.

I would continue to save money and drive my crappy car just to work and back but it's starting to get very cold here and it makes me nervous to have an unreliable car.

Any suggestions, advice, or anything helpful would be wonderful.

[coalesce]

Donating it may be your best option. At least you'll be able to get some sort of write-off for it.

If not, you can always buy a crash helmet, some duct tape, and some chewin' tobacco and be the stuntman you always wanted to be.

Michael

[Jeff Corey]

I drove an old rustbucket with no heater just by layering my down vest back in the day.
But that was on Long Island and never got below 0 F that year.

[ShowerComic]

I had an old car that was in a serious accident, then repaired before I bought my current car. I donated it to a charity I felt good about. The important thing about donating it to a charity apart from the tax deduction is they will sell it to make money for the charity. -- It's not like you're dooming the charity to risk driving in the dangerous car.

Also from the damages you describe on your car, and the simple fact that the dealer will always give you something below the KBB value I wouldn't want to give it, or try to sell it privately.

[NobbyNobbs]

Craigslist.

That's where I went to buy my current car, a 1994 Ford Escort wagon.

I can't be the only sucker out there.

[Zep]

I'd get it fixed to a more roadworthy and reliable standard, provided you can afford to do that (you seem to have that sussed out at low $$$). Whatever happens next, having it in that condition can only enhance its value significantly. Otherwise it's a junker, and will be valued accordingly.

Personally, I'd trade it in. Any problems go away immediately you leave it at the dealership. You may get less than, say, a private sale, but you probably would have spent more than the difference and then some to make a private sale go ahead anyway. (I.e. private sales are only viable and profitable if the car is in good to excellent condition with no further repair expense required.) You would be better spending any more money on paying off the new Saturn rather than keeping this one running, or trying to fix it up for sale.

[Skibum]

I would go out and buy a haynes or chiltons book and the tools needed to fix the car and do the repairs myself rather than trade it in on a car with more miles on it that may be an even bigger POS than the one I already have.

[thrombus29]

I would go out and buy a haynes or chiltons book and the tools needed to fix the car and do the repairs myself rather than trade it in on a car with more miles on it that may be an even bigger POS than the one I already have.

A head gasket isn't really something you can do yourself.



As for the original question, if it is an escort with over 100,000 miles on it, you are probabily due another major repair soon anyway (timing belt?)

You were only quoted $1000 for the head gasket and gas tank? That seems low. (For long island)

I would get the best price you could for the saturn, then tell the guy you will throw in the ford and see what he can do.

[The_Animus]

Well I didn't buy the Saturn and I have no intention of buying any car from that dealer. He didn't have records of any work he did on the car since he acquired it. When asked if there were any major or minor issues with the car he said none that he knew of. Though he sounded like he didn't even really check it out very well.

When we went out to look at it and take it for a test drive the key wouldn't turn in the keyhole. Almost as if that wasn't the right key. Eventually it turned and the car started but then he couldn't shift it out of park.

In other words that place was a complete bust.

Since I've owned the escort I've already replaced the timing belt, the tires, all four struts and shocks, and a couple other minor things.

Ultimately I am very frustrated with the entire car industry. It pisses me off to no end that the manufacturers cost to make most of these cars is around $2,000 but it costs $15,000 to buy it new from a dealer. Most used cars that are ten years old and have over 100,000 miles on them cost more to buy than it costs a manufacturer to make a new '07 model.

Well enough ranting. I'll just have to keep looking and hope to find another car that is decent.

[Skibum]

A head gasket isn't really something you can do yourself.


Since when?

If a person can follow simple step by step directions (haynes/chilton book) there isn't much that can't be done DIY.
the only things I haven't or cannot do are suspension alignment and wheel balancing due to the cost prohibition of buying the equipment versus any future savings.

[Rob Lister]

A junkyard will pay pretty good green for some cars, but a 95 escort will likely only get you 2 or 3 hundred at most, depending on the condition of the salable parts. I mean, a Ford with more than 100K miles isn't really worth repairing. It will spend 3/4 of the rest of its life in a repair shop.

Hey! Donate it to mythbusters!

[JoeEllison]

I'm lucky enough to live where it is warm enough to ride a motorcycle almost all year round, and those can be had relatively cheaply. I'm in a similar situation to yours, and I have much further to drive every day, so the bike was my option. I wonder if a bike or scooter still wouldn't work for you, since you have such a short commute.

[The_Animus]

I don't think a bike would be an option. I live in Wisconsin and it shouldn't be long before we have plenty of snow and ice.

[littlehulkster]

I wasn't sure where to post this, but since it involves money and a business deal I thought this might be the best place for it. If not feel free to move it wherever.

I currently own a 95 Ford Escort LX Sedan 4DR with 108,000 miles. As far as I know it needs a couple repairs. It has a cracked head gasket. It has a leak in the gas tank above a certain level. Which means I can have probably 4 or 5 gallons of gas in my car at most or it will start leaking onto the ground. Any other issues with my car are minor. For instance every few months I might have to add a little coolant. After many months one of my tires will start to get low and I'll have to put air in it. But these things are trivial. I still drive it because I only have to drive a mile or two to work and the engine doesn't have time to overheat when driving such small distances. For any errands I have I use my girlfriends car.

A rough estimate of the cost to repair these problems at a shop would run somewhere around the $1000 range simply because of labor. The parts cost next to nothing. The kbb value of my car assuming I fixed these issues would be around $1,400 to $1,700. Tomorrow I have an appointment to check out a used car from a dealer in my town. Do you think they would give me anything for trade-in? Or should I pay a shop to make the repairs and then try to sell my car? Or should I say screw a new used car and just make the repairs and keep the one I have? Or should I just see what I can get from a junk car buyer? What about donating it to charity?

The car I'm going to look at is a 96 Saturn SL1 with 163,000 miles for $1,950. As you can tell by my choice of cars I don't have much spare money, which is why having to deal with expensive car repairs or buying a used car is a rather important deal to me.

I would continue to save money and drive my crappy car just to work and back but it's starting to get very cold here and it makes me nervous to have an unreliable car.

Any suggestions, advice, or anything helpful would be wonderful.

Scrap the Ford. You'd be lucky to find any mechanic who would work on the gas tank, as even when drained they're extremely hazardous. A junkyard will probably give you $250 or so, and that's really the only safe way to deal with it.

As far as the Saturn is concerned, be careful. That particular model likes to eat headgaskets, too, and also burns through gobs of oil. The twincam (SL2, SC2 and SW2) Saturn is much better if you can find one.

Animus, post your ZIP code and I'll help you find a decent ride.

[thrombus29]

Since when?

If a person can follow simple step by step directions (haynes/chilton book) there isn't much that can't be done DIY.
the only things I haven't or cannot do are suspension alignment and wheel balancing due to the cost prohibition of buying the equipment versus any future savings.

I should have said that the head gasket isn't something that he wants to do himself.

In the OP he said that it already overheats, which means it is probably more than a little blown, which means that there is a chance that the head is warped.

I doubt he going to be able to re-mill the head with a dremel on his kitchen table.

I do a good chunk of my own work on my car, but there is a formula for how much of my time something is going to take vs how much it is going to cost to have someone else do it.

[Geek Goddess]

I am all for donating cars to charity, if you are able to do so.

However, the monetary value of a donation, to you, depends on your tax situation. If you are financially strapped enough that you have trouble finding a suitable car, I will assume that you probably don't either make enough or have enough deductions to itemize on your tax return. In that case, you wouldn't be able to write off the donation. To determine the value of the donation, you have to determine what a willing buyer would pay for the car. If you could get but $200-$300, that's all you can legitimately use as a value to a deduction, anyway. It sounds like you might be better off to sell it to a junk yard rather than donate it.

Good luck in finding something!

[Skibum]

I should have said that the head gasket isn't something that he wants to do himself.


I was just trying to offer a solution which would be much cheaper than buying a different car or forking out more than a grand in labor costs.



In the OP he said that it already overheats, which means it is probably more than a little blown, which means that there is a chance that the head is warped.

I doubt he going to be able to re-mill the head with a dremel on his kitchen table.

True his head could be warped, if thats the case he could do exactly what a shop would do, have it sent to a machine shop to be milled or get a used one from a boneyard or buy a remanufactured one.



I do a good chunk of my own work on my car, but there is a formula for how much of my time something is going to take vs how much it is going to cost to have someone else do it.

Thats a reasonable approach, when money isn't an issue.

[The_Animus]

Thanks for all the advice. My skill level and knowledge of car mechanics is quite poor. I don't even change my own oil. I'll probably sell it to a junk yard.

[WildCat]

I don't think a bike would be an option. I live in Wisconsin and it shouldn't be long before we have plenty of snow and ice.
Today as a matter of fact. :(

[WildCat]

At any rate, what to do with it has a very simple answer!

jx6dxA20-QE

[bruto]

It may depend on what you have for working facilities - garage, permanence, etc. If you have a garage, and are mechanically reasonably apt, there's no reason you couldn't do a head gasket yourself. It requires some investment in tools, but it's almost certain that the tools and parts will cost less than it would to have someone else do the job, and you get to keep the tools when you're done. I still have some really nice tools that I bought back in 1972 when I first discovered that I could do a complete engine rebuild on my Jeep, including the purchase of things like a ridge reamer and piston ring compressor, etc. for about 50 bucks less than it would cost to have it done. I don't have the Jeep any more, but the operation was both educational and successful.

Of course, if you're really not interested in doing mechanics, and have absolutely no experience or aptitude, this is a poor option. But if you're motivated and take care to learn the ropes, there's no reason you can't take on the job yourself.

If you really do have a blown head gasket, I do advise you so one thing or anaother soon. It won't get any better, and you really don't want to be stranded.

[CriticalThanking]

If you want to donate the car and play Mythbusters but can't get them to take it, consider donating it to your local fire department. They sometimes look for cars they can burn for training purposes. It can be fun and satisfying to watch them set your car on fire. And it contributes to global warming, which will help you be able to ride a cheap motorcycle even in Wisconsin winters. :D

CT

[hgc]

An Escort with over 100,000 miles?!? See if the Smithsonian is interested.

If you donate for charity, make sure the title transfer is executed. You won't want to be the owner of record under subsequent circumstances involving liability.

[sts60]

A junkyard will pay pretty good green for some cars, but a 95 escort will likely only get you 2 or 3 hundred at most, depending on the condition of the salable parts. I mean, a Ford with more than 100K miles isn't really worth repairing. It will spend 3/4 of the rest of its life in a repair shop.

Hey! Donate it to mythbusters!
Rrrrr... My '90 Ranger had >280k miles on it when I finally sold it, and it was still running reliably, thank you very much.

Anyway, I'm biased, but if you're going to donate a car to charity, contact your local fire department. They're generally always happy to have a car to chop to pieces for extrication drills, and it's tax-deductible.

[littlehulkster]

If you want to donate the car and play Mythbusters but can't get them to take it, consider donating it to your local fire department. They sometimes look for cars they can burn for training purposes. It can be fun and satisfying to watch them set your car on fire. And it contributes to global warming, which will help you be able to ride a cheap motorcycle even in Wisconsin winters. :D

CT

They also look for cars they can hack to pieces to practice vehicle extrication.