ARGHH.. New vehicle or keep what I have.

[Jal]

Decisions.. Decisions..

My car is 8 years old, runs great, but recently costing a couple of $$.

Can't decide to keep what I have and spend the $$$, or just get a new car, and spend those $$$. Either way I have to spend $$

Recently spent $$ on
Tune up $350
Brakes $400
1 Fuel Injector $250

Dealership says, I should replace the other injectors, but I won't (yet) $750
Tires coming up $800

Can't win. Sheshhhh

 

[iam4u2nv]

Actually I look for reasons to buy a new car because I get bored to tears with my car. I just got a new one, made one payment and already long for a new car. I wish I could be happy with a car for a while. I am such a child.
By the way I just got the Saturn SL300 with V6 and it kicks butt.
I got every option Saturn had and my payment is still under 340 per month.
I like that.

 

[SpongeBob]

My philosophy on vehicle purchases is this: Only buy a car if you plan to keep it for the majority of it's life-cycle. Only lease if you plan on leasing a new car every year or two.

 

[Jal]

I heard the Sat V6ers were nice.. Some complain of rattling plastic parts in the dash.

I guess I am looking for an excuse for a new car.. Work puts a lot of milage on my car, so I can not lease.

I was looking at a GrandPrix or a Seabring. I would love to keep what I have, but I don't think my other self likes that idea.

 

[iam4u2nv]

I love my saturn and yes I did already get a ticket in it... errrr darn radar
One thing though, the traction control system sucks A$$ so do not get it, I turn it off every time I start the car. It is actually very dangerous because it cuts the throttle if you lose traction. Once I pulled out onto a road in front of a truck, probably should have waited, well anyhow the car just stopped accelerating for a second and I nearly got whacked. It sucks, don't get it, just don't.

 

[Namuna]

New Car.

Get what you can for the old one now, before you have to dump MORE dough on it.

Help yourself decide on the New car with these reasons...
- It's NEW, nothing to fix for a while
- Warranty
- A new Grandprix or Seabring sure would look NICE!
- It's a new year, you DESERVE a new car!

Go get em cowboy!

 

[StageLeft]

What is your car? That would make a difference.

 

[Modeps]

350 bucks for a tuneup? where did you go? thats a ripoff...

I am at a similar dielmna, but i think i am going to fix fix fix...
I currently drive a 1985 Crown Victoria LTD. the Engine was replaced 5k miles before i bought it, currently it has 175k miles on the rest of the car... transmission im sure is going to go soon (just waiting for that day) but after that, all i really do is fill er' up every week... a rebuilt tranny is like 1k installed, and thats less than a downpayment on a new car... so im keeping my woman for a bit.

 

[StageLeft]

Some cars go through bad times. A friend of mine has an old sunbird and was going to buy a new car cause for a few months in a row he was spending as much on repairs, but then those parts are new...since then he's done ok. Normally its worth keeping a car and handling the repairs. Easier said than done though. I bought an '89 accord last year and over the 6 months ontop of the price I spent $2k in repairs. I finally got rid of it because I could not even stand to look at the goddamn thing anymore. Anyway I'd done so many major repairs that in all honesty it would probabaly have kept going for a while so I'm sure the guy who bought it from me is doing ok with it. I couldn't bear to drive it anymore though.

 

[Jal]

Currently have a 93 Altima.

Ya $350 for a tune up. CDN $$ and parts are not cheap.

Who ever gets this car will have a nice one. No collisions, No major problems, 1 owner, lots of milage, mostly highway. Just have to pay up for all the little annoying things as mentioned before.

 

[PG]

Stop having the dealer do the work on your car. You are getting raped. Even in Canadian dollars, tires should not cost $800. I just got a set at Sam's Club for my minivan and it cost only $250 total, and this included everythig: free rotation in the future, road hazzard, and tax.

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

PG beat me too it. Those repairs sound a little steep...especially the tires. Maybe you going with high performance tires though. I think you ought to keep the car since you like it, just find a cheaper mechanic. The maintenance you mentioned is still much cheaper than a car payment. Myabe consider driving it 1-2 more years and then buy a new one. Your current car won't depreciate much more over the next 18 months so you will only be paying for whatever maintenance comes up.

 

[yakko]

The repairs do not sound to steep but $800 dollars for tires is a fsck job.

 

[ArkAoss]

i drive an 89 olds, it had been sitting unused for a few years by the previous owner. I've had to put in a new battery, alternator, some other electric part(a computer $500bux), the fuel filter($200bux for that visit), and now the radio is dead, the power door locks are dead, and the cigerette lighter is dead. not sure what else is out.. but it's frustrating.

 

[Jal]

A dead Olds, and now Olds is dead too.. Can't win there.

Ya, Im stuck with high price tires, cause I have to use the soft H type tires.. They are nice and quiet, but they burn out much faster since they are softer. My next car, now or later, will not have H tires on them.

 

[Ornery]

Can't win, huh? Sh!t, I've been driving since the early seventies and never had a car payment in my life! Never paid anywhere near what you do for repairs either. You guys could own a house or rental property for what you put into transportation! You can win if you get your priorities straight. Sheshhhh...

 

[thebestMAX]

$300 canadian is like, what, $1.50?

Still really high though. Sounds like from what you said about driving a lot of miles your Altima is not going bad but that you are just replacing parts that normally wear.

Why do you have to stick to H tires? Do you drive that way?

 

[iamwiz82]

ark, $200 for a fuel filter?? They cost like $20 at autozone, and all you have to do is relieve pressure to the fuel system, unplug the old, and plug in the new.

 

[PG]

ark, $200 for a fuel filter?? They cost like $20 at autozone, and all you have to do is relieve pressure to the fuel system, unplug the old, and plug in the new.

Good point, and this is true for most cars, but not always. The filters in the gas tank are probably a pain for most do it yourself types. Dropping the gas tank could be a real chore.


Jal, do you really need the "H" tires? As long as they are the right size they should be OK. Just get some all season tires unless you really need snow tires or something like that.

 

[StageLeft]

Jal I want to buy an altima new! Other than these are you really putting much into the car though? $350 Canadian isn't even a payment on a new one, so picture paying $400-450 every single month. Suddenly your repairs ain't so bad?

As for repairs my experience is go to the dealer and get it done right for certain "quirky" problems. For instance a mechanic at Canadian Tire failed to diagnose my smell of gas as a transmission fluid leak. That cost me $1k. A dealer mechanic may not have screwed on this. Also, go to the dealer with electrical problems. For something simple like tires, brakes, exhaust system, etc. I'd probabaly go to a regular joe mechanic like at canadian tire.

 

[Jal]

Buy the Altima.. It is a great machine!

I always get my car serviced at a Nissan Dealer.. I am not impressed with the Nissan service centers in Toronto.. Not many around, so choice is limited. If the service centers here were good, I would buy another Altima in a heartbeat.. You will love your new one.

P.S. One service center here has these HUGE microphones on the desks of the service reps.. They want you to speak into the Fsck thing.. Get real.. Fix my damn car, and stay outta Hollywood

As for the H tires... When I go to CanadianTire, Costco or the dealer, they only offer one set available, I can select the brand. So if I can dump the H tires, is news to me. But you could be right

 

[StageLeft]

its either a barebones altima, loaded civic, or golf TDI. Still unsure...i'll take the altima out for a drive and if its fast and nice inside I'd like it. I really loved my father's old Maxima...this isn't as fast, but still.

 

[Jal]

No power in a TDI, and Diesel is more expensive than Gas right now..

Never owned a Honda, not sure if good or bad.

 

[wyvrn]

350 is not that high for a tuneup. I paid $350 for my Honda (the big tune up at 60K and the 75K) and $650 for the Infinit (big 60K tuneup). Imports are a bit more expensive on the tuneups I notice.