Paying for a hatemobile, what should I do?

[lxskllr]

The garage I take it to is actually quite good. The manager there has actually recommended I get rid of the car on several occasions, even though it has made them a ton of money. But they aren't cheap (labor is typically $70 an hour around here), and they wouldn't be willing to do an "inspection" if the car wasn't really passable.

Either way cheap mechanic or not this car has had a LOT of problems. Seems unusual even for a 10 year old car.

Dude, $170 to buy and install spark plugs?!?! We call that an ass raping around here. It's one of the most brain dead activities you can do on a car. It's the equivalent of installing a gfx card on a computer.

 

[dpodblood]

Dude, $170 to buy and install spark plugs?!?! We call that an ass raping around here. It's one of the most brain dead activities you can do on a car. It's the equivalent of installing a gfx card on a computer.

I know it sounds insane, but look up the procedure for this specific car. It's a huge pain in the ass because of the way that the V6 is crammed in the engine bay sideways.

EDIT: Here's why it's so expensive

http://www.greghome.com/Greg%27s Garage/2002MaxSE/SparkPlugReplacement.htm

 

[DougK62]

Dude, $170 to buy and install spark plugs?!?! We call that an ass raping around here. It's one of the most brain dead activities you can do on a car. It's the equivalent of installing a gfx card on a computer.

Have you ever worked on a car before? Replacing the spark plugs on an OHC V6 that's shoehorned sideways into an engine bay is no trivial job. That $170 could very well be a good deal.

 

[dpodblood]

Have you ever worked on a car before? Replacing the spark plugs on an OHC V6 that's shoehorned sideways into an engine bay is no trivial job. That $170 could very well be a good deal.

Exactly! And the $170 for the plugs is the least of my concerns with this car.

 

[lxskllr]

Have you ever worked on a car before? Replacing the spark plugs on an OHC V6 that's shoehorned sideways into an engine bay is no trivial job. That $170 could very well be a good deal.

I've worked on plenty of cars before, and some that were a mild PITA to get to the plugs. I just looked up this specific car, and it isn't that difficult. I will revise my computer comparison though. It's more like installing an aftermarket cpu cooler. Harder than a gfx card, but still easy enough.

Edit:
http://www.vqpower.com/v2/articles.php?article_id=45

30 minute estimated time. We'll double that due to the inexperience of the OP, so he's still getting paid $100 per hour to do that himself. Also the plug price they charged was outrageous. Bosch Platinum +2 plugs are about $6 each, and that saves you the hassle of having to gap them.

 

[Squisher]

When I read lists of car repairs like that I just shake my head. I realize not everybody is a mechanic, but $800 for rear brakes.

 

[dpodblood]

When I read lists of car repairs like that I just shake my head. I realize not everybody is a mechanic, but $800 for rear brakes.

One of the calipers was totally seized. I also replaced both of the rear rotors at the same time.

 

[soulcougher73]

Cut the guy some slack. Everyone has made mistakes on car purchases. I know i have in the past. At least he is being responsible and trying to deal with the situation instead of walking away from his commitment via bankruptcy or something like that.

Sorry OP i dont really have any good advice. That is a tough spot to be in and i dont see an easy way out. The best idea might be to go buy a new cheaper car that is reliable like a Civic or Corolla and have the remanded of your loan rolled into it. Your payments will likely go up but at least its reliable and under manufacture warrenty for awhile.

 

[Squisher]

One of the calipers was totally seized. I also replaced both of the rear rotors at the same time.

I'll bet without looking the calipers and rotors are ~$30US each, and all four pads the same. I could get a wisdom tooth pulled on the way to the auto parts store and come in at less that $800. My guess would be the parts cost $120-$150US. I can't imagine spending more than two hours doing it.

I'm not ragging on you. I know plenty of people pay this.

 

[CraigRT]

lol @ parts breakdown... i can't believe they charged that much for some of those repairs.

Also, you do not have to replace the compressor. If it makes noise, bypass it, or just leave it noisy and not use it.

It's not meant to be a jab at you, but those repairs would have cost next to nothing compared to what you've paid if you did them yourself. You can actually buy the rad support for very little, and they're not even hard to change. (couple hundred $)

 

[Whisper]

I've heard of gap insurance, but I don't know too much about it. Is it actually a separate policy from your liability and collision coverage, or is it just a rider on top of the collision insurance?

e: Also, gap insurance is, to me, another reason to stay away from new cars. Insurance is already expensive enough without having to put more insurance on top of it.

When I bought my car, the gap insurance was offered by the financing agency (my credit union). It was a one-time charge of something like $300, so technically there's no monthly fee (although they generally tack it on top of the loan, so I suppose you're paying a bit of it off each month with your auto payments).

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

I'll bet without looking the calipers and rotors are ~$30US each, and all four pads the same. I could get a wisdom tooth pulled on the way to the auto parts store and come in at less that $800. My guess would be the parts cost $120-$150US. I can't imagine spending more than two hours doing it.

I'm not ragging on you. I know plenty of people pay this.

According to partsgeek, rear calipers are $77/ea, after $75 core return. Rear rotors are $57/ea, pads ~ $50/set.

 

[Juddog]

OP has probably made the mistake of getting the car repaired through the dealership that screwed him over. I used to take my car to the dealership and tire shops etc. and kept getting repeating problems with my old car, until I finally found a local mechanic that works out of his back yard.

It ended up being when I brought the car to this older guy and he fixed it, it stayed fixed. A lot of the Goodyear / Firestone type repair shops will rip you off and do a shoddy job of fixing the car where you get into this cycle of continuously repairing more and more crap.

 

[Slapstick]

You could take a hint from the lady in this post as what to do with the car!

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2080060

 

[Numenorean]

First what you can do is get a gun and shoot yourself in the head. It would fix several problems, and probably raise the global IQ somewhat.

How do you buy a $6000 car and end up with $320/month payments and 18 months left? Even if you purchased it at the end of 2008 you would have paid $320/month for 18 months already and have 18 left. That's $11,520 in payments for a $6000 car. Way to go genius. Obviously that warranty was worthless if you put $7000 into the car. So basically you will end up paying $18,520 for a $6,000 car. Dude the dealership must have saw you coming a mile away.

I bet you didn't even need what was offered.

$800 for rear brakes? Are you kidding me? That's a simple DIY job and maybe $200 in parts max.

$570 for CV boots and sway bar links? LOL!

You needed a new control arm? What did you do, get in a wreck?

They have taken advantage of you big time. No way that stuff costs that much.

 

[dpodblood]

First what you can do is get a gun and shoot yourself in the head. It would fix several problems, and probably raise the global IQ somewhat.

How do you buy a $6000 car and end up with $320/month payments and 18 months left? Even if you purchased it at the end of 2008 you would have paid $320/month for 18 months already and have 18 left. That's $11,520 in payments for a $6000 car. Way to go genius. Obviously that warranty was worthless if you put $7000 into the car. So basically you will end up paying $18,520 for a $6,000 car. Dude the dealership must have saw you coming a mile away.

I bet you didn't even need what was offered.

$800 for rear brakes? Are you kidding me? That's a simple DIY job and maybe $200 in parts max.

$570 for CV boots and sway bar links? LOL!

You needed a new control arm? What did you do, get in a wreck?

They have taken advantage of you big time. No way that stuff costs that much.

Thanks again for the wonderful advice... As has been stated several time's this has been a big learning experience for me as it's my first car. Since I'm not a mechanical guy I have to go by what my mechanics have told me as far as repairs are concerned. Thanks for being a dickhole though, it really helps.

 

[Numenorean]

Thanks again for the wonderful advice... As has been stated several time's this has been a big learning experience for me as it's my first car. Since I'm not a mechanical guy I have to go by what my mechanics have told me as far as repairs are concerned. Thanks for being a dickhole though, it really helps.

I doubt anything would help you at this point, but anyway.

I mean, you can't even look under a car and see a shit ton of rust? Is that too difficult? I don't even think you should own a car if you can't change your own oil and do some basic maintenance.

If there wasn't any rust, and you live in an area which can cause a lot of rust, then you should have had an undercoating put on the car to prevent it.

Hell the first car that I purchased was $9000 and I only paid $260 a month for it.

 

[lxskllr]

Thanks again for the wonderful advice... As has been stated several time's this has been a big learning experience for me as it's my first car. Since I'm not a mechanical guy I have to go by what my mechanics have told me as far as repairs are concerned. Thanks for being a dickhole though, it really helps.

How far do you routinely have to travel? You could buy a scooter for local stuff, and you'd have backup transportation for you to learn doing your own car work. If you did everything twice, breaking the parts you bought the first time, you'd still end up ahead. I'd have a hard time sinking more money into that car. Buying parts may be worth it, but not paying someone else to put them in.

 

[Blackjack200]

How far do you routinely have to travel? You could buy a scooter for local stuff, and you'd have backup transportation for you to learn doing your own car work. If you did everything twice, breaking the parts you bought the first time, you'd still end up ahead. I'd have a hard time sinking more money into that car. Buying parts may be worth it, but not paying someone else to put them in.

He commutes 3 hours a day.

 

[lxskllr]

He commutes 3 hours a day.

Ah, I overlooked that. I'd drive the current car as long as possible, and not put another cent into it, other than gas, tires, oil... The usual consumables. Then when something goes seriously wrong, buy another car any way you can.

 

[CraigRT]

First what you can do is get a gun and shoot yourself in the head. It would fix several problems, and probably raise the global IQ somewhat.

How do you buy a $6000 car and end up with $320/month payments and 18 months left? Even if you purchased it at the end of 2008 you would have paid $320/month for 18 months already and have 18 left. That's $11,520 in payments for a $6000 car. Way to go genius. Obviously that warranty was worthless if you put $7000 into the car. So basically you will end up paying $18,520 for a $6,000 car. Dude the dealership must have saw you coming a mile away.

I bet you didn't even need what was offered.

$800 for rear brakes? Are you kidding me? That's a simple DIY job and maybe $200 in parts max.

$570 for CV boots and sway bar links? LOL!

You needed a new control arm? What did you do, get in a wreck?

They have taken advantage of you big time. No way that stuff costs that much.

In his defense. He needed new rear calipers... I had to replace them on my 2002 Maxima as well. Including consumables (pads, rotors) the entire job even to DIY is around $500 (Cdn) probably more like $400US.

As for the axles, they are not an easy job on the Nissan, My dad had a CV boot replaced on his 2K and labour was high.

Some people just choose to replace the control arms isntead of pounding out/in a new ball joint. On some cars you have to replace the entire LCA (My Saturn) to replace a ball joint.
On the Nissan, you can just replace the ball joint. Unless the LCA was bent, that was a bit excessive I do agree.

 

[Paratus]

So what lovely little stealership sold this car and financed it to you?

 

[xanis]

Holy sweet fuck. I'm no car or finance expert, but even I can tell that the OP is taking it in the ass on this one. I truly feel bad for him. Situations like these are why I got a cheap, no-frills car and paid cash for it and researched the shit out of the place I bought it from. I also had help from my mom and uncle, which the OP didn't seem to have.

As for your current situation, OP, you pretty much have a new car at this point like someone else said. If I were you I'd just pay off the car as quickly as possible and then keep the thing for as long as possible so as to get your money's worth. The thought of dumping that POS is really appealing right now, I'm sure, but just stick it out. Good things come to those who wait.

 

[Numenorean]

In his defense. He needed new rear calipers... I had to replace them on my 2002 Maxima as well. Including consumables (pads, rotors) the entire job even to DIY is around $500 (Cdn) probably more like $400US.

As for the axles, they are not an easy job on the Nissan, My dad had a CV boot replaced on his 2K and labour was high.

Some people just choose to replace the control arms isntead of pounding out/in a new ball joint. On some cars you have to replace the entire LCA (My Saturn) to replace a ball joint.
On the Nissan, you can just replace the ball joint. Unless the LCA was bent, that was a bit excessive I do agree.

Why would you have to replace calipers? That doesn't make sense.

CV's are not that hard...at least they weren't on my Maxima. They pop out of the final drive, you put a new boot on, clamp it down, put it back in. Really it isn't that bad.

And I know on the Nissans the LBJ's can be put in. Even on the ones that they "can't" you can use a press and do it yourself.

If you can't DIY, those are still crazy prices.

 

[jlee]

Why would you have to replace calipers? That doesn't make sense.

If they're seized, replace or rebuild..