Keep or replace?

[daves87rs]

As I was reading about the death of the Park Ave, it got me to wonder what to do with my beater.

Its been a good car.

The engine and trans run strong (really shows on its good days)

It just seems to have fuel issues.

It has no pickup, idles quite rough, pretty bad milage(which could be fixed)

Parts looking to be replaced:

Fuel leak-tiny-right between back tires. Looks like a gas tank replacement....

As above, looks like a new EGR....

And a new hose connect to the rad......

She's rusty, but not too bad (bottom of doors, rocker panels, bottom of hatch)

13 midwesterm winters will do that to a car...

If I do it, I can get help to cut the labor costs down...and I would be ok with spending 500 bucks or so to make it very road worthy...

What do you guys think? I want to keep it, but it is a tough call....

[XP715]

Just to refresh our memories, what kinda car is this again?

[Sixty8panther]

XP: Cadaver... uh, I mean Cavalier.

My Advice?

A great car that has served well and been a good bang for the buck always deserves a second chance, sometimes a third.

Edited March 23, 2006 by Sixty8panther

[daves87rs]

XP: Cadaver... uh, I mean Cavalier.

My Advice?

A great car that has served well and been a good bang for the buck always deserves a second chance, sometimes a third.

Yep, a Cavalier (run!)

A 93 with the 3.1 (great engine) with 135k on it...

It suffered though a nasty winter...

Though you do make a good point...

It seems I've done quite a bit of updating too...map sensor, fuel pump, tires, plugs, wires, trans service, fuel filter to name a few...

[Intrepidation]

I say give it another chance, especially if you have a fondness for the car. It's kinda funny, some of the things your car needs mine does/has needed.

My tank leaked, it was rotting...cost 280 to have it replaced with a new one. (the day i got it back from teh shop some idiot hit it...)

My upper radiator hose needs to be replaced soon (pretty easy to do-it-yourself..just been too cold this winter to do it yet)

Driver's door is pretty rusty...prear door on that side is a bit rusty too.

Anyway, some stuff you'll deffintely want new (like the hose and tank) but other stuff you can get for cheap at a junk yard...when I get a replacement door, that's where I'm heading

Edited March 23, 2006 by Dodgefan

[Dsuupr]

It could be about math. What would it cost to fix and continue to use vs getting something new. A 1993 Cavalier wagon won't appreciate, but it also shouldn't depreciate.

Does it present the image you want to protray to the rest of the world? Some might find this comment crazy, but maybe your career path requires that the car you drive fits a certain image.

I guess in the end the main piece, can you afford something better?

[PurdueGuy]

someone once shared this piece of wisdom with me:

"usually, the cheapest car to own is the one you already have."

You have to consider that if you buy a new-to-you used car, there is the cost of getting it up to date on maintenance. Also, if it's new enough (or you buy a brand new car), you'll need full insurance coverage, where I'm sure you're not bothering with that on the Cavi. Depending on what the "new" car is, insurance might be more anyway (sporty cars, etc). Plus there's the cost of buying, plating, etc. Not meaning to discourage you, but just a list of some things that people sometimes overlook when they get the "new car bug".

There are certainly good reasons to get something "new". When the tranny locked up on my last car (a '90 Mercury Grand Marquis), I started looking at getting something different. My parents decided to fix the Grand Marquis, even if it was to sell it. I found my Saturn, and calculated that it could potentially pay for itself in fuel savings in 5-6 years. (15 mpg vs. 30-40 mpg). Plus it's more reliable.

[daves87rs]

someone once shared this piece of wisdom with me:

"usually, the cheapest car to own is the one you already have."

You have to consider that if you buy a new-to-you used car, there is the cost of getting it up to date on maintenance.  Also, if it's new enough (or you buy a brand new car), you'll need full insurance coverage, where I'm sure you're not bothering with that on the Cavi.  Depending on what the "new" car is, insurance might be more anyway (sporty cars, etc).  Plus there's the cost of buying, plating, etc.  Not meaning to discourage you, but just a list of some things that people sometimes overlook when they get the "new car bug".

There are certainly good reasons to get something "new".  When the tranny locked up on my last car (a '90 Mercury Grand Marquis), I started looking at getting something different.  My parents decided to fix the Grand Marquis, even if it was to sell it.  I found my Saturn, and calculated that it could potentially pay for itself in fuel savings in 5-6 years. (15 mpg vs. 30-40 mpg).  Plus it's more reliable.

Hmmm..good point.

Most of the cars I've been loking at fall in about the 4-5 grand range...

(focus, Neon, Prism, etc..)

Maybe a few hundred bucks would be cheaper....

Hoping to by a house in the near future...

I thinking the wagon may just have to get some work done....

[daves87rs]

I say give it another chance, especially if you have a fondness for the car. It's kinda funny, some of the things your car needs mine does/has needed.

My tank leaked, it was rotting...cost 280 to have it replaced with a new one. (the day i got it back from teh shop some idiot hit it...)

My upper radiator hose needs to be replaced soon (pretty easy to do-it-yourself..just been too cold this winter to do it yet)

Driver's door is pretty rusty...prear door on that side is a bit rusty too.

Anyway, some stuff you'll deffintely want new (like the hose and tank) but other stuff you can get for cheap at a junk yard...when I get a replacement door, that's where I'm heading

Reading that makes me feel better about fixing my car....

[knightfan26917]

someone once shared this piece of wisdom with me:

"usually, the cheapest car to own is the one you already have."

*nods*

Very true.

Yet, isn't it ironic how, at least in the "mainstream" sectors, people feel that buying a new car is cheaper?

*shrugs*

All I know is I've noticed a lot FEWER payments/bills since my 2000 mc LS was totaled 3 years ago ... and I'm driving a 1987 MC LS as my daily driver....

Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker

MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/

Models.HO = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/trainroom.html

"I ain't ready for the junkyard yet" ... George Jones ... 'I Don't Need Your Rocking Chair'

[daves87rs]

*nods*

Very true.

Yet, isn't it ironic how, at least in the "mainstream" sectors, people feel that buying a new car is cheaper?

*shrugs*

All I know is I've noticed a lot FEWER payments/bills since my 2000 mc LS was totaled 3 years ago ... and I'm driving a 1987 MC LS as my daily driver....

Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker

MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/

Models.HO = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/trainroom.html

"I ain't ready for the junkyard yet" ... George Jones ... 'I Don't Need Your Rocking Chair'

So very true...

[GMTruckGuy74]

I had a '92 Cavalier Z24 from May of '94 until August '00. Of course it had to be traded in as a down payment on the new car at the time. However, I wish I had the money to keep it - it had a bulletproof engine & transmission, was still in great shape for being an eight year old car, and even though I was owner #2 (wife was owner #3), it was first owned by my cousin who only put 7,000 miles on it in the 20 months she owned it. It wassn't the greatest car, but I sure do have fond memories of the 6 years I owned it (including the wife's two years of ownership).

So I say keep the car, put the $$$ into it to make it last, buy that house and then get yourself a new car. I know before we bought our first place together I was told this advice many times, even if I didn't want to listen to it. But now that I'm a little wiser and older, I can say that advice is true. If it's a good car, keep it and buy that house. Your credit will be better when you go for that new car aferwards anyway!

[daves87rs]

I had a '92 Cavalier Z24 from May of '94 until August '00.  Of course it had to be traded in as a down payment on the new car at the time.  However, I wish I had the money to keep it - it had a bulletproof engine & transmission, was still in great shape for being an eight year old car, and even though I was owner #2 (wife was owner #3), it was first owned by my cousin who only put 7,000 miles on it in the 20 months she owned it.  It wassn't the greatest car, but I sure do have fond memories of the 6 years I owned it (including the wife's two years of ownership).

So I say keep the car, put the $$$ into it to make it last, buy that house and then get yourself a new car.  I know before we bought our first place together I was told this advice many times, even if I didn't want to listen to it.  But now that I'm a little wiser and older, I can say that advice is true.  If it's a good car, keep it and buy that house.  Your credit will be better when you go for that new car aferwards anyway!

Very cool... How many miles do you put on it when you had it? I know a few people who had them when I was in school, even when this one guy abused the heck out of his (wanted a new car), but he couldn't kill it off...

I think I'm just afraid it will die on me, but as in today's nasty weather (snow),

it ran pretty good for the parts it needs....

I still see quite a few 91-94 Cavs out there, still going....

[GMTruckGuy74]

I bought it off my cousin with a tad over 7k on the odometer... if I'm remembering correctly, it had about 80k when I got rid of it in August of 2000. It handled mostly local driving, so that's why the lower mileage (I wish I still had that luxury today). The 3100 V6 was a bulletproof engine in that car, and I had the auto trans fluid changed and fliter screen cleaned every year, so I never had an issue with the trans. Issues were with the alternator (once), battery (once), driver side power window motor & regulator (3 times), brakes (twice), tires (changed once)... so nothing major really. It was truly a great vehicle - only let me down once (when the battery died!). I do miss it, and sometimes I'm tempted to pay for a CARFAX search to see where it's at today

[Sixty8panther]

I know I've mentioned it before but in 2003 I almost traded in a 1986? Cavalier sedan in gold metallic with the four banger. The car looked like most any used car, in very respectable shape... except for he fact that it had 288K miles on the odometer.

[Intrepidation]

I spent just 35 bucks on my car this week, and with some help from my Dad, we fixed the motor mount, heater controls (I have heat and A/C again!!!) and fixed the dome light. This would have cost 365 dollars to have someone do, so I'm glad I took the cheap and more fun way out and did it myself. So now all that's left is to reconnect the radio wire to the fusebox (forgot to today) and replace the chime box. I'm gonna go steal a headliner out of the junkyard for 20 and a have a new ceiling

The point is, especially with older cars, is that they can be very cheap to fix, especially if you can get someone to help you fix them yourself. I'm thrilled that most of the stuff on my car is fixed now...although I must admit I felt a bit envious when I saw in the junkyard a 94 Shadow ES with a turbo, ground effects kit, and nearly all the options in great shape (at least as far as the interior and exterior go..no rust or anything). I was almost tempted to ask if it ran and if so...how much?

Edited March 27, 2006 by Dodgefan

[daves87rs]

I spent just 35 bucks on my car this week, and with some help from my Dad, we fixed the motor mount, heater controls (I have heat and A/C again!!!) and fixed the dome light. This would have cost 365 dollars to have someone do, so I'm glad I took the cheap and more fun way out and did it myself. So now all that's left is to reconnect the radio wire to the fusebox (forgot to today) and replace the chime box. I'm gonna go steal a headliner out of the junkyard for 20 and a have a new ceiling

The point is, especially with older cars, is that they can be very cheap to fix, especially if you can get someone to help you fix them yourself. I'm thrilled that most of the stuff on my car is fixed now...although I must admit I felt a bit envious when I saw in the junkyard a 94 Shadow ES with a turbo, ground effects kit, and nearly all the options in great shape (at least as far as the interior and exterior go..no rust or anything). I was almost tempted to ask if it ran and if so...how much? 

Cool...

Yep, that is quite true. I bet it is very nice to have heat and A/C...

I have heat, though I'm going to have to retro fit my R12 to 134A to get some

A/C...

I usually don't see a lot of older cavaliers in the junkyard...either they

are still out there kicking, or they are the first to be crushed

because there is usually not enough left of the car to salvage...

I haven't seem to many shadows lately, but I know that they are fun to drive...