POLL: YACT: 1991 Cavalier, needs min $500 repairs to be "safe driving" condition. Plus it needs other repairs as well.

dxkj

Lifer
Feb 17, 2001
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The other thread was about these guys trying to rip me off. This thread is about how much it will cost to do basic basic repairs.

1991 Chevy Cavalier 76k miles , very minor surface rust on vehicle.

The brakes need repaired. In this area the best quote I've been able to get is ~ $500 to do the basics that need done. To repair everything with the brakes that probably should be done, would be another $250 or so. (rusted lines, cracked hoses, leaking cylinders, etc)

To replace the muffler, and catalytic converter, probably another $300.

To fix the seals in the car so it doesnt leak. Who knows?!

To fix every other problem with the car (no clue if there is anythign else wrong, not sure).



Basically the decision right now is should I put ~ $500 in it to get it basically fixed until the next thing breaks?


PS 8 mile round trip to work currently.
 

dxkj

Lifer
Feb 17, 2001
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Called a third place. $400 for the front and probably $200 for what needs done in the back. Another $100-150 if I want to replace the rusting lines.(apparently they would charge me 50 a line plus labor)

Thats about 700-750 as well, but less for the front.
 

Armitage

Banned
Feb 23, 2001
8,086
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Bail out now ... get what you can for it. Ride the bike or bum rides till you can save enough for something better.
 

Vette73

Lifer
Jul 5, 2000
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How did the car get this bad to begin with????? Don't get another car if this is how YOU take care of them, as another car will be just another set of priblems.


Brakes are wear items they have to be keep up, mufflers rust(esp. if you live in a snow/salt area), and what is leaking do you know? Of course the leaks may be because of the owner NOT doing proper maintaince, like oil changes, etc...


I don't care if you have the most reliable car listed by jd powers. consumer reports, etc... After 50K if all someone does it beat on a car and not take care of it, it will have problems.
 

dxkj

Lifer
Feb 17, 2001
11,772
2
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Originally posted by: Marlin1975
How did the car get this bad to begin with????? Don't get another car if this is how YOU take care of them, as another car will be just another set of priblems.


Brakes are wear items they have to be keep up, mufflers rust(esp. if you live in a snow/salt area), and what is leaking do you know? Of course the leaks may be because of the owner NOT doing proper maintaince, like oil changes, etc...


I don't care if you have the most reliable car listed by jd powers. consumer reports, etc... After 50K if all someone does it beat on a car and not take care of it, it will have problems.

I bought this car from my mother for $1k because my grandmother gave her a newer car. The car leaked from the start. A few months after driving it one of the brake lines blew out while I was braking and i lost all brakes. I got that repaired. Next I did some repairs on the coolant tank, replaced a burned out light, etc. I get my oil changed frequently, but the last time I took the car in to get the heater repaired, they didnt check the brakes. I knew about the muffler problem for a long time, but I wasnt going to put more money into that until I knew there were no other problems. At the time it wasn't hurting anything.

I have driven the car maybe 10k miles since I received it. I know that I could have nipped this in the bud by getting everything inspected and repaired right away, but when your in college you cant always do that. The above listed repairs were about as much as i could do. Oh, and I also got new tires recently.



 

Vette73

Lifer
Jul 5, 2000
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If the car is in good running order and all it needs is what you listed then get it fixed. If you buy another used car it will have its OWN list of things it needs.


Try and find a good independent shop and ask your freinds if they know some good places that are fair and honest. Either that or do some of the work yourself. MOST brake work is not that hard, just take your time and get a freind to help.
 

dxkj

Lifer
Feb 17, 2001
11,772
2
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Originally posted by: Marlin1975


and what is leaking do you know? Of course the leaks may be because of the owner NOT doing proper maintaince, like oil changes, etc...


The leaking is the windshield, or another window leaking water into the car. The car itself doesnt leak.

This was attempted to be repaired once, and it didnt work. (before I owned the car). So it has to be something else. (besides windshield)
 

prvteye2003

Diamond Member
Jun 19, 2003
3,876
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ha. '91 cavalier was my very first NEW car. I was driving a 1968 chevy pickup when I bought it. I miss that truck.:(
 

dxkj

Lifer
Feb 17, 2001
11,772
2
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Originally posted by: Marlin1975
If the car is in good running order and all it needs is what you listed then get it fixed. If you buy another used car it will have its OWN list of things it needs.


Try and find a good independent shop and ask your freinds if they know some good places that are fair and honest. Either that or do some of the work yourself. MOST brake work is not that hard, just take your time and get a freind to help.

1) I have no inside connections. I know a few good places, and those are the ones who quoted me $500 or so. The crappy place quoted me $1k (but they are the only ones who have had a look at it)
2) If I do the basic repairs, that won't guarantee me much. I would still need to get the muffler and back brakes fixed, as well as the catalytic converter. Thats another $500
3) I cant do the work myself. I have no tools, and I have no place to work on the car, plus, I dont trust the life of my wife in my hands on a brake job that I have done, let alone others on the road.
4) I'm guessing if I get a used car and eventually it has a list of things that need to be repaired, the cost of the repair will not be > value of the vehicle, let alone 2x the value.

 

radioouman

Diamond Member
Nov 4, 2002
8,632
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I'd get a Haynes manual and start replacing this stuff my self. Wheel cylinders are easy, brake hoses and some brake lines are easy. If you have to run a new brake line from the back of the car all the way to the front, that can be a big PITA though.

I replaced a leaking wheel cylinder in the back of my Dakota and along with that replaced the 2 feet of brake line up to the ABS sensor on the rear axle. Even with buying a cheap tube bender and a bottle of brake fluid, I had less than $20 in that repair. (Wheel cylinder, brake line, tube bender, brake fluid)

EDIT: OK, so you don't want to do this stuff yourself, but remember that this stuff is easy to do. Pads are relatively cheap, rotors/drums are pretty cheap, wheel cylinders are cheap (drum brakes) and calipers aren't too expensive (disc brakes). Brake line is very cheap with fittings on the ends, and brake hoses aren't all that expensive either. If you do it yourself, be prepared to have to twist off existing fittings due to rust and just replace them.
 

dxkj

Lifer
Feb 17, 2001
11,772
2
81
Originally posted by: radioouman
I'd get a Haynes manual and start replacing this stuff my self. Wheel cylinders are easy, brake hoses and some brake lines are easy. If you have to run a new brake line from the back of the car all the way to the front, that can be a big PITA though.

I replaced a leaking wheel cylinder in the back of my Dakota and along with that replaced the 2 feet of brake line up to the ABS sensor on the rear axle. Even with buying a cheap tube bender and a bottle of brake fluid, I had less than $20 in that repair. (Wheel cylinder, brake line, tube bender, brake fluid)

EDIT: OK, so you don't want to do this stuff yourself, but remember that this stuff is easy to do. Pads are relatively cheap, rotors/drums are pretty cheap, wheel cylinders are cheap (drum brakes) and calipers aren't too expensive (disc brakes). Brake line is very cheap with fittings on the ends, and brake hoses aren't all that expensive either. If you do it yourself, be prepared to have to twist off existing fittings due to rust and just replace them.

I would have to run a new brake line from the back of the car all the way to the front.

I would definitely consider doing this myself if I knew what tools I would need, and could find somewhere to work on it.
 

Quixfire

Diamond Member
Jul 31, 2001
6,892
0
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I would cut your losses and get another car. Even if you fixed everything that is currently wrong with it, if it has that much corrosion damage in 75K miles who would knows what could break next.
 

RU482

Lifer
Apr 9, 2000
12,689
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Please add this option to the poll:

Turn the Cav into a remote control car and take it to the desert for some automotive hyjinx