OT Gettting a used car checked by a mechanic before buying it

[clare]

I'vr bought many that needed absolutely nothing - and several that needed virtually no repairs for years. My (wife's) is a 2002 Ford Taurus we bought 2 years ago with 58000 km on it. I replaced the tires this spring, as well as the headlights (yellow and crazed) It has 86000km on it now. The heater control had hiccuped twice in the last 2 months so I popped out the mix door servo and re-lubricated it.

My pickup had 308000km on it and I knew it needed a clutch slave cyl when , plus a windsheild.. That was 3 years ago. Only problems since were "U" joints and a cracked hood in the evap system. - has 326,000km on it now - 17 years old next month.

Youngest daughter's old Neon - bought with almost 200,000km on it and in the first 2 years just needed a rad andt brakes. Nothing in the first year.

Wife's '88 Chrysler, bought with 100,000km at 6 years of age - first required repairs were 3 years later when the cat converter plugged - ended up needing cyl heads replaced. 3 years later front suspension work, and when it was 15 years old, the transmission went bad (actually the differential - but inside the transaxle). Sold it in good running condition at 18 years of age - had to put in a steering rack to certify it for sale,240,000km.

The 85 LeBaron before that was the rainy night special - had more rust than I thought and the engine was totally shot - not repairable. Had to put an engine in it. $1000 car, $1000 engine - went 4 years before the body got too rusty to put on the hoist to fix a brake line.

Then there was the $500 Pontiac TransSport - bought with a blown engine. rebuilt engine for $2800. A year later the transmission cost me another $1000.. All kinds of stupid little things on that van - but it WAS a GM. I got what I bought - a pile of headaches - for $500. I think I drove it 7 or 8 years and put $100,000km on it before the rebuilt engine let go.

Years before I bought a 1980 Tercel with 300,000km on it. Mechanically it needed nothing. Several years later I put a new timing belt and clutch in before a long road trip. The clutch was still in good shape, but since I had it out I put in a new disc and bearing.. 6 years or so without any mechanical failures. Just fiberglassed the back fenders. The car was well maintained by myself for the original owner.

[Percival P. Cassidy]

My late father used to say that when you buy a used car you buy somebody else's troubles. Of course, he was assuming that people don't sell cars that have nothing wrong with them; he wasn't reckoning with the "must have the latest" advertisers and their victims.

Perce

[Ed Pawlowski]

I had a neighbor like that. The dealer would have the trade in sold before it was even at the dealership. John got a new Olds the first day the new models came out.

Last couple of cars I traded were in general good condition, but soon would need brakes, tires, normal wear stuff. I figured I'd spend about $1500 if I kept it but instead got a new car and new warranty.

[clare]

I've only had a warranty on one vehicle I've ever owned - and it had more work done under warranty in the first 3 months than I've ever had to doin the first year of any used car I've owned except the 2 junkers. That 1976 RamCharger cost me more to own than ANY used car I've owned on a per year basis. With the full equipment package I added, it was a $10,000 vehicle. In a year and a half I traded it for $3500 and an AMC Pacer nobody wanted. (and that Pacer was 100% trouble free except for a steerinng rack bushing.) Even with 0% financing I have a hard time imagining a scenario where I would buy another brand new car, unless I win the lottery - and win it BIG.

[gfretwell]

Nobody ever wants to buy a car from me. I "run them until the wheels fall off" and that really means there is far more wrong than I am ready to fix. People always assume that since I am very good at keeping a car going that I would have a good car to buy but when I sell a car, it is done. In that regard, I prefer to trade them. Those guys are pros and they are supposed to know what they are buying. I still want a low mileage used car, not a new one.

[gfretwell]

I had a 71 Gremlin that someone gave me because it needed a clutch and she owed me money (I guess that really meant it cost me $1000 but I had written that off as lost money)

I put in the new clutch, threw a set of tires I had in the garage at it and put 50,000 miles on it with nothing but that #5 plug those

232ci engines fouled regularly. I wasn't even a fanatic about oil changes. After a while I was just cleaning them, throwing them in the glove box and swapping them out. I could do one at a long light ;-)

The tires were mounted on Cragar SS mag wheels off of a GT mustang when I got them so I had a pretty funny looking gremlin

[Ed Pawlowski]

Never owned a Chrysler product. Every car I've owned until recently needed something under warranty. GM pissed me off the last time when they suggested I buy a new car instead of fixing the one I had. So, I took them up on it and bought a Hyundai Sona ta. I've had three of them now and they are the most reliable cars I've ever owned. None have needed anything aside from tires, one got brake pads on one axle.

Meantime, the Buick was falling apart in the driveway. I ended up giving it away.

[Vic Smith]

I've driven Chevy, Pontiac, Buick and Olds for 50 years. With Ford truck, VW Bug and Squareback thrown in. Not a one ever stranded me, but I take care of them. And some "luck" is involved there. I've probably spent less for a lifetime of cars than the cost of one new Sonata. It's how I retired early. But I like "tinkering" with cars. My current cars are a 2003 Impala, and a 1993 Grand Am. The Impala looks and runs like new. The Grand Am runs well, but I have to replace the windshield trim. I'll have a windshield guy come over and do it. $200 if he has to replace the glass. The Impala is by far the most I've ever paid for a car, $8k a year and a half ago. No maintenance so far except oil changes. I don't listen to car salesmen. GM puts out many flawed vehicles. You have to know which to avoid, and which can be fixed. You just didn't want to fix your Buick. So you went for Hyundai. Could do the same with Toyota, Honda. If you're buying new cars probably better value. I don't know how that holds up post-2003. GM used cars have been very, very good to me.

[Stormin Mormon]

Years ago, someone commented to me that every Chrysler or Dodge or Plymouth owner has to have at least a couple spare ballast resistors for the vehicle. I repeated that comment to the guy next door, who does none of his own repair. He replied "do you mean these?" and then got two or three ballast resistors out of the glove box of his auto.

[Percival P. Cassidy]

Don't know what you mean by "ballast resistor," but I've never had anything by that name replaced in our '02 Chrysler 300M or in the '96 Dodge Stratus before that.

Perce

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, I did not have to buy cars new or old during my working days. Drove company car all those years replacing it every 3 years. At 3 year mark, I often bought the car at book value and passed it to friend and family member. So I always took care of the car I drove very well.

[Stormin Mormon]

In 1974 when electronic ignition came out, they had a porcelean thing with a wire wound resistor, screwed to the firewall in front of the passenger seat. This limited power to the ignition coil, so it would not oveheat if the ignition was on, but car not running.

I don't know if they are still used, or which was the last year.

. Christopher A. Young Learn about Jesus

.

[Ralph Mowery]

I don't know when they quit using them or if they may still use them in some cars. It is a resistor that goes right before the high voltage coil in the

12 volt wiring. Often it is shorted out by the switch while cranking the engine to give a hotter spark while the starting motor is draging down the battery voltage.

Many that I have seen are about 1/2 of an inch square and about 3 or 4 inchs long.

[Stormin Mormon]

My thanks to gmiller001

4 BBL ''Hyper-Pak''

Joined: 11 May 2010 Posts: 45 Location: Foristell, MO

who posted a picture of the electronic ignition module. I probably have a couple spares of these, though I've not driven Chrysler in years. Also probably have single and dual filament resistors. I do have some Chrysler parts around, just found a couple 8 cylinder cap and rotor new in package. Email me, to make offer.

. Christopher A. Young Learn about Jesus

.

[Pico Rico]

they were used before electronic ignition, when the change was made from 6v to 12v.

[Stormin Mormon]

One day I stopped after work, guy I worked with had the hood up on his chrysler. His girl friend was giving him grief about what brand of gasoline he bought,the vehicle would sputter out and die at random moment. I noticed that his ignition module was hanging by a bit of rust. I suggested to clean it up, and use my cordless drill and mount it on new metal. Ran a lot better after that. The ignition modules were case ground, and a bit of rust and road salt would leave you stranded.

Did leave me stranded, many times.

. Christopher A. Young Learn about Jesus

.

[Ralph Mowery]

I had a 1972 Dodge Demon with the 340 CI motor and electronic ignition. It never left me stranded,but for some reason several times it would not start at my house. I bought the car new and they never did get it to start correctly. As it had a 4 speed and I lived on a hill, I pushed it off several times after the battery was almost dead. Got rid of that POS with less than 20,000 miles on it. Bought a 1974 Ventura and it left me stranded

2 times because they used a fiber gear in the timming chain area and about every 40,000 it would wear out. First time I was going down the road about 45 mph and the second time ws when I went to start it and it would not start.

Switched to a Datsun in 1981 and then to Toyota in 1991 and stayed with them. Sofar so good with those. Just the standard repair stuff for them except for a mass air sensor at 130,000 miles on the 1991.

[Ashton Crusher]

Good point! I was looking for a $20 electronic gadget and there are so many available it was really hard to decide where to spend my $20. Life would have been easier if I only had 2 or 3 to choose from and realistically, they are all going to do the same simple thing. (Bluetooth transmitter).

[Ashton Crusher]

If you don't "know cars" you should have a mechanic check them. Most "car guys" can tell if a car is basically good or not. To me there are three kinds of cars to buy.

1) Brand new - buy exactly what you want with plans to keep it at least 15 years. Only do this if 2) won't work... 2) Buy a 2 to 4 year old car from a private party that still has at least several thousand miles/ several months of the factory warranty on it. You'll save a ton of money and will still be buying a nearly new car. If the car doesn't look nearly new you shouldn't be considering it. 3) Buy a $1500 to $2500 used car that's very clearly been well maintained. These are out there but you have to watch the ads/craigslist hourly and swoop in on them. You may have to spend $500 on it for new tires or small repairs. Don't obsess over high mileage, pay more attention to what's been repaired and what condition the car is in. A 200K miles car that's been well maintained and cared for can be a better car then a 120K car that's been abused or never properly maintained.

There is a 4) that I don't bother with but I know some people do, and that is the $500 car that's a POS but still good enough to be drivable. That may suit your needs but personally I don't like driving a POS, I've always been able to find 3) type cars and it's worth it to me to have a car that's all one color, not crashed, without foam falling out of the seats, and with working AC than to save the $1000.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Here if you have insurance for the car, you drive if you have a proof plate is applied for.