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is this car worth fixing?

mooncancook

mooncancook

Platinum Member
It's a 92 Tempo GLX i think. The car drives like crap IMO. A/C and font power windows no longer work. Breaks squeal like heck. At least it runs.

Recently it's got a problem with strust or axle or something, and it's no longer safe to drive. The estimated cost of repair is $800+, which is more than the car's worth according to KBB. My dad wants to fix it coz the engine is still good and he thinks it can run a few more years, but I disagree because i'm afraid this old car is going to become a money pit.

What do you think? Have you heard of any good things or bad things about the 92 Tempo?

Cliff note:
92 Tempo w/ broken A/C and Power windows
strut/axle issues makes it unsafe to drive and will cost $800+ to fix
KBB value is less than the repair cost
Dad wants to fix it, but I think it's better to get a cheap Kia or Hyundai for commute
 
Fixing the car is a waste of money. A tempo is a box of problems that will keep manifesting themselves, my brother had one of the same year.

Scrap it, seriously.
 
I'd say no. That was my first car (actually I think that it was a '90 Tempo GL), and it was a piece of crap - and a money pit, like you said. The thing died on me in the middle of nowhere...run away while you still can. 😛
 
Topic Title: is this car worth fixing?
Topic Summary: dad's 92 Ford Tempo
Click to expand...
No.

If you want to spend 800 bucks to fix something, come get my friend's 1991 Corolla SR5. I think he's giving it away..needs struts, tie rods & a steering rack. 😛
 
Originally posted by: mooncancook
Thanks for the confirmations.
My dad knows little about cars and I'm trying to convince him to get rid of it.
Click to expand...


Sorry to wet the others answers but, as a auto tech, you can;t answer your question without knowing what REALLY needs to be fixed.

A bad strut or cv joint would not make it unsafe unless it was hanging from teh car as you drove.

If you want to try and fix it and then beat it around another 6 months then yea, but to PAY someone to fix it and only last a month or 2 then probable no.

My daily beater is a 87 Buick LeSabre and it has some problems but I keep beating it around on the days and drive the Vette on the weekend. Had trans problems over a year now but still going. 🙂

 
Throw it up on craigslist for like $200. Someone will buy it, as long as it runs. The "important" repairs - brake pads and a CV axle - are cheap (probably less than $100 total) - the real repair cost is in the labor. Someone could probably fix the important stuff really cheap and drive it till it dies. Or, use it for parts to fix a similar car with a blown motor, etc.

Bottom line, if you can't fix it yourself, get rid of it - paying labor on that car would NOT be worth it.
 
Originally posted by: Marlin1975
Originally posted by: mooncancook
Thanks for the confirmations.
My dad knows little about cars and I'm trying to convince him to get rid of it.
Click to expand...


Sorry to wet the others answers but, as a auto tech, you can;t answer your question without knowing what REALLY needs to be fixed.

A bad strut or cv joint would not make it unsafe unless it was hanging from teh car as you drove.

If you want to try and fix it and then beat it around another 6 months then yea, but to PAY someone to fix it and only last a month or 2 then probable no.

My daily beater is a 87 Buick LeSabre and it has some problems but I keep beating it around on the days and drive the Vette on the weekend. Had trans problems over a year now but still going. 🙂
Click to expand...

It started with alignment problem coz the tires wore iregularly. It's killing the tires so my dad took it to pepboys for diagnostic. They said it's unsafe to drive, but of course my dad still drives it until one day it starts making funny noises. I test-drove it and it sounds like the axle or something at the front is bent and making scary noises. no one wants to take the risk to drive it out and I don't have the skill and tools to try to fix it myself.
I think this car is junk, it drives like crap, has horrible breaks, and the A/C and front windows don't work so in summer it's like a oven inside.
 
I've heard government will pay seniors a small amount to remove their old cars from the street or something like that. anybody knows anything about that? i want to find out if such program exists and whether my dad and the tempo will qualify.
 
I have a friend with a '92 Tempo. He SWEARS by it. It runs great, as long as you're gentle to it. But no, at that cost, don't fix the damn thing.
 
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