Used car prices: UP

[harry]

The cars they make nowadays are a lot harder to fix. Though they don't rust.

[Ed Pawlowski]

They are harder to fix, but they need fixing a lot less. Used to be, you cleaned the spark plugs every 5000 miles and replaced them at

10,000. Now, mot people will never have to change plugs more than one time in the life of the car. They go 3X longer between oil changes, 4X longer for tires, many times longer for mufflers, etc.

[harry]

Belts last longer too.

[notbob]

I got one of those. A '60 Rambler American w/ new rebuilt engine, flathead straight six, in '73. One of the best cars I ever owned. Still ran to beat the band when I sold it 4 yrs later, but the front end needed a total rebuild and I didn't know spit about front ends, then. I shoulda learned. Ugly as spit, but great rolling stock. Sucker would cruise effortlessly at 75 all day long.

I'm one of those weirdos. I see a car as merely a tool, not a personal statement. I'll buy an ugly heap in a heartbeat. Some of my faves were the 66' Plym Satellite for $400. Drove it 60 mi day for four years. A Rusty ol' VW Rabbit diesel, also $400, which I drove 70 mi per day, for 5 yrs, getting 40mpg! Most comfortable car seats ever invented. Later, a '76 Plym Sat for $600. One of those classic 70s

4-doors they trashed a million of on TV cops shows. This one in mint condition. A great family car. Five years, 70 mi per day.

You can keep yer $20K-$40K new cars. I can buy a house fer that.

nb

[Vic Smith]

I don't know why you confuse a U-body mini-van with a W-body sedan. But you do. Nobody mentioned Lumina APV or mini-van. And "sedan" was specified above. I suspect you and Clare are the same type of "mechanic."

[Ed Pawlowski]

What do you think those bodies are sitting on? What do you think the drivetrain and the like are? Stylist go to great lengths to fool people into thinking car makers offer a big line of cars, not just a few. Worked for you.

Ever compare a Ford Contour and Jaguar? In the case of older Jags, ever check the Chevy tranny in them?

[Vic Smith]

WTF? Now you say a Jag is a Chevy. When will it end? BTW, the sheet metal you mentioned above? The mini-vans had plastic body panels. Next you'll be saying an F-150 is the same as a Taurus. Get real. And quit digging with a teaspoon in competition with somebody operating a backhoe. What is you drive, Hyudai? Stick to what you know.

[notbob]

"In May 1977, it was announced that automatic transmission version of the twelve-cylinder cars would be fitted with a General Motors three-speed THM 400 transmission in place of the British built Borg-Warner units used hitherto."

Go piss up a rope, dolt.

nb

[Vic Smith]

Wow. Another one saying a Jaguar is really a Chevy - because he reads in Wiki that Jag used a GM trans. Never expected to such stupid shit. So it looks like it will never end. But it's all good. Dopes are always part of the mix.

[clare]

It was a high mileage vehicle with a brand new crate engine in it. Damn thing never did run what I would call well. The 17 foot travel trailer we towed across north america behind a 3 liter Ford Aerostar with no issues gave the 3.8 Pontiac fits. Put 3 O2 sensors in it -and finally kept the CEL from coming on under normal driving - but still could not tow the trailer. Sold the trailer. Trip to Lakeland Florida from Ontario Canada the engine threw a code and went into limp mode several times. Kept saying it was going lean. Never gave an O2 sensor code. Third O2 sensor solved it. OEM parts. The wiper motor went. Twice in 100,00km. The heater motor went bad. The AC sprung leaks 3 times. Go over a bit of yough road surface at under 1/4 tank and the engine would quit - drawing air because the tank vibrated, aerating the gasoline. Had to bleed the fuel rail from the schrader valve to get it going again. - so never let it get below

1/4 tank.

At 196000km on the AC DELCO crate engine it came apart on the highway and I said good riddance.

That was the 3.8 -Generally known to be a pretty good engine: the 3.1 engines were known to be a lot worse.

The TransSport was Pontiac's version of the Chevy Lumina APV - which was basically a Lumina station wagon. Same power train, and a lot of other functional parts were also common to the sedan - including the troublesome wiper motor and heater motor, and A/C parts.

I'll take a Ford or a Chrysler over ANY GM.

I generally buy my cars at 100,00km (60,000 miles) and about 10 years old - for about $5000 to $6000 and drive them another10 years. Bough my 2 aerostars a bit newer and paid a lot more for them, but the last couple of Chryslers and the last 2 Ford cars have been to that formula. Both Aerostars went over 240,000km. The 88 New Yorker went over 240,000, and I sold it as a good looking and good running car. The Mystique was 16 years old with low mileage and a lot of rust when I scrapped it this summer. Only the second car I've ever owned that went to scrap when I was finished with it - and it was still running GREAT.

My step-mother had one - and my kid brother still has one.

You know YOUR Lumina. Yes, they are cheap to buy used, and there are good ones - but they were NEVER known as a fantastic car. Granted the '95 and newer (second generation) were a LOT better than the first generation (90 to 94) disaster-mobiles. Parts fell off all over (the interior was really crappy) and the ride and handling were awfull, even by American manufacturer's standards. The 3.1 engine was anemic - After 1995 the 3.8 had the long-standing intake problems, and the 3.4 was a time-bomb, but they were definitely a much better car

Talking about the interior, the seats were AWFULL.

So are new car prices, up untill the crash.

[clare]

As badly or as quickly. They DO still rust.

[clare]

And no ball joints - all pins and trunions - NOT a nice front end to work on. Tough car though!!

I've owned over 26 cars and 5 motorcycles - only bought ONE new. From $60 to $15000 for the used ones. Last 6 or so less than $6500

[clare]

Or in the case of the MPV/TransSprt - PLASTIC.

[clare]

Some Jags were Lincolns, some were Contours, and some (pre ford days) WERE Jags. The "platforms" used today are used by many models from the same manufacturer - which can cross not only models but brands.

Same with engines. The "world" 2.4 is used by hyundai, mitsubishi Chrysler,and Kia. A few yeara ago the V6 used by Peugot, Renault, Citreon, DeLorean, and Volvo was all the same engine (Douvrin).

The Cadillac Caterra was an Opel - as is the current Malibu and some of the last saturns. Also known as a Vauxhaul or Holden, depending where you are.

The malibu Epsilon platform was used on the Opel Vectra and Signum, the Pontiac G6, the Saturn Aura, etc.

Most of the smaller GMs share DNA with either Suzuki or Daewoo.

[clare]

Rolls used the Hydramatic too - doesn't make it a Chevy. BUT that does not negate the fact that many "platforms" are shared between "manufacturers"

[The Daring Dufas]

Na, now they're VW or BMW or is it the other way around? O_o

TDD

[gregz]

Fully depreciated at 12 years ? My cavalier just got totaled. They gave me $4450 which had my deducible already subtracted. Was a 2001 .

Just bought a 1998 olds 88 74k miles at $3k and 1999 outback for $5k 100k miles, it was very clean, and had timing belt replacement already done. Should be good for another 70k.

I don't think private sell vehicles will jump price much here. There was a lot of good buys lately, over last summer. They must be buying new vehicles, or downsizing.

Greg

[gregz]

Before I bought 1998 olds, was fixing a 1995 olds with the 1.5 obd. It's not my car, but unfortunately I could not for see all the problems, including upper and lower head gaskets, brake lines, other stuff spending $2 k and it's still a POS. Now the power steering leaking and transmission lines. 177k miles. If it had new shocks, it would ride nice. Learning experience.

Greg

[Ed Pawlowski]

I've not tracked down the origins, but I'm sure my 2.0 Turbo is shared by others too. Mitsubishi, Audi, and a few others have the same size.

[Ed Pawlowski]

No, you are making things up. I said the Jag used Chevy transmissions. That was before they ware bought by Ford.

Yes, a 2013 Sonata with the turbo engine. Nice car, and fast too.

You may want to check out the Sonata/Santa Fe and Elantra/Tucson underpinnings. Pretty much the same idea as the Lumina/TranSport family