NationStates Jolt Archive

Sent my car ('95 Cavalier (don't buy one))to the mechanic's today because the heater core had gone. Turned out the heater core was still good, but it was just the termistat got stuck open. So the visit cost $100 instead of $700. But as it turns out, the head gasket has gone on it. While it could be a simple job to have fixed, it is more likely to be complex and labor intensive costing $1200. That is more than the car is actually worth. So now I have to buy a new (to me) car this summer. I should have a good deal of money, but will also have UBC/SFU tuition to deal with. So it is pretty unlikely that I will be able to coast on the stash of money I build this summer (which really makes me hope that hell freezes over and SFU allows a transfer student--so I don't get stuck with 8 hour shifts every Saturday and Sunday). It also means I have to go easy on my car until this summer. Which is going to be bloody hard, as being 18 and all, I tend to drive like an 18 year old would. On the lighter side of things, I did not waste a bunch of effort trying to setup the new stereo my dad got me for it.

In an effort to make this thread more interactive, which car do you think I should get at the end of the summer? I am likely to have around $5000 CANADIAN. Also, it will need something with cheap insurance (ie no 4x4s or two seaters) as people my age pay pretty much double what most people pay.:( EDIT: Another thing: standard is a must. AWD would be nice, not critical, but nice.

Something Asian; Nissan, Honda, or a Toyota. Particularly a Toyota.

The last American car I owned cost me $38,000 in repair costs in a span of two years. Don't ask. :headbang:

Something Asian; Nissan, Honda, or a Toyota. Particularly a Toyota.

The last American car I owned cost me $38,000 in repair costs in a span of two years. Don't ask. :headbang:

WTF?

I have to ask, what were you driving. A packard?

WTF?

I have to ask, what were you driving. A packard?'95 GMC.

Tip: Don't ever buy a '95 GMC... it'll hurt your wallet like nothing! The brakes on the damn thing had to be replaced twice a year at like $1,200 each time. I should've known it would be trouble when the guy offered me $800 for it. The carfax history report wasn't even suspicious. >_>

I had a Cavalier once. Fuck those things. Take a bus. Walk. Hitch. Rollerskate. The only thing that car was good for was for being a semi-movable cigarette lighter.

I had a Cavalier once. Fuck those things. Take a bus. Walk. Hitch. Rollerskate. The only thing that car was good for was for being a semi-movable cigarette lighter.

True that. It has decent balls for its price range, but that is the only thing it has going for it.

True that. It has decent balls for its price range, but that is the only thing it has going for it.

Mine was a worse model than yours. I think it was an '88 or '89... or something stupid...

'95 GMC.

Tip: Don't ever buy a '95 GMC... it'll hurt your wallet like nothing! The brakes on the damn thing had to be replaced twice a year at like $1,200 each time. I should've known it would be trouble when the guy offered me $800 for it. The carfax history report wasn't even suspicious. >_>

I've heard of cadillacs from the same era with the same problem.

Mine was a worse model than yours. I think it was an '88 or '89... or something stupid...

Can you believe Chevy is going broke?

Can you believe Chevy is going broke?

YES.

YES.

:D

I'm going to be in debt paying for the damn repairs of a car I don't own anymore until I'm 21. Ugh... O.o

I learned my lesson and went for a brand spanking new BMW this time around, and have had no problems whatsoever. I wish it weren't a lease, because I love it and will seriously have a hard time come this September getting rid of it.

I think I may go for a Mazda this time around.

Can you believe Chevy is going broke?

Well if your business model is to sell every unit at a loss and hope you make it up on the financing, but then you keep on offering cheap financing to boost sales because no-one wants your crappy trucks, then yes.

But if you'd asked me two years ago, I would have told you GM was in the shitter. It was never really a secret.

I have a '05 Mitsubishi Lancer, now. Terrific car.

Well if your business model is to sell every unit at a loss and hope you make it up on the financing, but then you keep on offering cheap financing to boost sales because no-one wants your crappy trucks, then yes.

But if you'd asked me two years ago, I would have told you GM was in the shitter. It was never really a secret.

:( I hope another Company at least buys them out and keeps the Detroit plants, or better yet they come around, but I just don't see that happening.

Usually I'd say VW but the VW you'd get for $5000 would be from the period of time that their reliability record is craptacular. Though a Golf is still not that bad a choice.

If you live in a area that gets some crappy weather a Subaru might be a good choice.

This is hard...making sensible recommendations instead of fun ones sucks.

:( I hope another Company at least buys them out and keeps the Detroit plants, or better yet they come around, but I just don't see that happening.

The management of GM is in fucking Lala land. They are honestly not fit to run a whelk stall, never mind a huge car company: not least because they are totally disconnected from reality while at the same time being convinced of their own genius. (I mean, your entire company is circling the bowl and you are all proud of yourself because you host a big party to announce your new car color: Jayzee Blue!!!! :headbang: :headbang: ).

And just recently, GMs management fought off an attempt to form a strategic alliance with renault/nissan. Mostly because it would subject them to the scrutiny of competent people, and stop all the fun. (At least as far as I can make out). This caused billionaire Kirk Kervorkian to dump the stock he acquired last year and abandon his plans to turn the company around.

I can see the quality divisions, like SAAB, being an attractive purchase for an outsider buyer - provided they can be disentangled from the rest of the mess - but the core of GM US is pretty much DOA as far as I am concerned.

That said: I absolutely expect that the new congress will bail them out. And provided the dollar falls in value enough that might let them limp through until conditions maybe change for them (how I don't know). I also expect Toyota to pass GM as the number one car maker in the world and I don't expect GM to ever regain its position absent something spectacular happening.

The sad part is people will no doubt blame the unions for all this, when it isn't really anything to do with them. They just slap together what they are told. (And given that the intial quality of US constructed vehicles is higher than european equivalents, its really nothing anything they were doing wrong). It's really the fault of the white collar workforce more than anything.

Sent my car ('95 Cavalier (don't buy one))to the mechanic's today because the heater core had gone. Turned out the heater core was still good, but it was just the termistat got stuck open. So the visit cost $100 instead of $700. But as it turns out, the head gasket has gone on it. While it could be a simple job to have fixed, it is more likely to be complex and labor intensive costing $1200. That is more than the car is actually worth. So now I have to buy a new (to me) car this summer. I should have a good deal of money, but will also have UBC/SFU tuition to deal with. So it is pretty unlikely that I will be able to coast on the stash of money I build this summer (which really makes me hope that hell freezes over and SFU allows a transfer student--so I don't get stuck with 8 hour shifts every Saturday and Sunday). It also means I have to go easy on my car until this summer. Which is going to be bloody hard, as being 18 and all, I tend to drive like an 18 year old would. On the lighter side of things, I did not waste a bunch of effort trying to setup the new stereo my dad got me for it.

In an effort to make this thread more interactive, which car do you think I should get at the end of the summer? I am likely to have around $5000 CANADIAN. Also, it will need something with cheap insurance (ie no 4x4s or two seaters) as people my age pay pretty much double what most people pay.:( EDIT: Another thing: standard is a must.
Get a Chevy Cavalier, those things are sweet.

I thought this was a thread on Chevy Chase. Then again, who could hate Chevy Chase? He's awesome. :)

Get a Chevy Cavalier, those things are sweet.

Unless you like things like braking. I like that, myself. Sometimes its nice to stop and not because I've run out of gas.

Unless you like things like braking. I like that, myself. Sometimes its nice to stop and not because I've run out of gas.

Pussy! Dodging cars, people, pets, and police officer will not only sharpen your driving skills, but put hair on your chest! COMON BE A MAN!

:( I hope another Company at least buys them out and keeps the Detroit plants, or better yet they come around, but I just don't see that happening.

Sadly, I don't see it either. I wouldn't care about any of the Big 3 floundering if they weren't dragging our state down the shitter with them.

Pussy! Dodging cars, people, pets, and police officer will not only sharpen your driving skills, but put hair on your chest! COMON BE A MAN!
Street racing is bad, kay? Keep all your racing to Need For Speed games, please. Don't need real people being hurt in real incidents.

Usually I'd say VW but the VW you'd get for $5000 would be from the period of time that their reliability record is craptacular. Though a Golf is still not that bad a choice.

If you live in a area that gets some crappy weather a Subaru might be a good choice.
When is this no reliability era. IIRC, $5000 can get you into the late 90's for a GTi/Golf/Whateverelsetheyarecallingthehatchback.

We do get pretty lousy weather. Getting allot of snow this year. It was also been very stormy this winter.

I was thinking of maybe an Eagle Talon. I know they are fun, but I have heard little of their reliability.

Honda or Toyota. Stay away from Fords.

Street racing is bad, kay? Keep all your racing to Need For Speed games, please. Don't need real people being hurt in real incidents.

Look up humor.

I thought this was a thread on Chevy Chase. Then again, who could hate Chevy Chase? He's awesome. :)
Thats actually what i thought too.
I thought 'Posi you must be off your rocker, to not like Chevy.'

Whoa, for a sec, i thought there was gonna be a rant about that Chevy Chase actor...

So did I!

Unless you like things like braking. I like that, myself. Sometimes its nice to stop and not because I've run out of gas.
You are smarter than you look.

So did I!

Same here :D And you can't blame us because you referred to Chevy like you would with a person

Posi, make sure you get one or more of these installed. ;) http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l3/mudflapsmartini/motivator08-1.jpg

Honda or Toyota. Stay away from Fords.

Of course, those Fuckers Only Roll Downhill. *nods*

Of course, those Fuckers Only Roll Downhill. *nods*
Actually I've had two Fords that I ran hard and they both did well for their age and conditions.

I recomment either Toyota or Mitsubishi. I've had pretty good luck with both of them so far.

Of course, those Fuckers Only Roll Downhill. *nods*
I was just about to mention Fords...
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l3/mudflapsmartini/haulass.jpg
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l3/mudflapsmartini/fordrepairkit.jpg

I was just about to mention Fords...
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l3/mudflapsmartini/haulass.jpg

Gross dude!!

I was just about to mention Fords...
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l3/mudflapsmartini/haulass.jpg


MY EYES!!!! AHHHHH MY EYES!!!!! *runs away screaming*

Gross dude!!
I apologise for posting a pic of a Ford.:(

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l3/mudflapsmartini/z7916743.jpg

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l3/mudflapsmartini/z7916743.jpg

LOL! That's funny.

Hey now, don't knock Fords. Then again, the only Ford I own is a '64 1/2 Mustang (Pre-production, wootacaust).

My '02 Chevy isn't too bad either, she's been running without a problem for 170,000 miles. My Buick's over 200,000.

But my Buick runs shitty, so I don't know why I mentioned that.

Here's my track record:

Several American cars owned from 1970 to 2001 all ran like crap and required frequent visits to the dealership, which in itself was usually a hellish experience.

One ten year old German car owned from 1980 to 1984 rattled like crazy but hung in there OK until it got totalled on the freeway.

Several Japanese cars owned from 1980 to present ran almost flawlessly and required only standard maintenance at the dealership, where I was treated courteously.

I was raised near Motown so it wasn't an easy decision to start buying foreign. My one (brief) try at another American car in 2000 convinced me to never make that mistake again.

I think the invisible hand of the marketplace has tapped Detroit on the shoulder, slapped them upside the head and is now winding up for the KO punch.

My recommendation is to avoid American cars. In a cold climate, German cars might have a slight edge on Japanese models.

Hey now, don't knock Fords. Then again, the only Ford I own is a '64 1/2 Mustang (Pre-production, wootacaust).

My '02 Chevy isn't too bad either, she's been running without a problem for 170,000 miles. My Buick's over 200,000.

But my Buick runs shitty, so I don't know why I mentioned that.
Mustangs aren't Ford's though, they are way too cool.

My poor pile of shit just barley made it through the snow today....

I think I will edit the OP to add AWD as a want.

Sent my car ('95 Cavalier (don't buy one))to the mechanic's today because the heater core had gone. Turned out the heater core was still good, but it was just the termistat got stuck open. So the visit cost $100 instead of $700. But as it turns out, the head gasket has gone on it. While it could be a simple job to have fixed, it is more likely to be complex and labor intensive costing $1200. That is more than the car is actually worth. So now I have to buy a new (to me) car this summer. I should have a good deal of money, but will also have UBC/SFU tuition to deal with. So it is pretty unlikely that I will be able to coast on the stash of money I build this summer (which really makes me hope that hell freezes over and SFU allows a transfer student--so I don't get stuck with 8 hour shifts every Saturday and Sunday). It also means I have to go easy on my car until this summer. Which is going to be bloody hard, as being 18 and all, I tend to drive like an 18 year old would. On the lighter side of things, I did not waste a bunch of effort trying to setup the new stereo my dad got me for it.

In an effort to make this thread more interactive, which car do you think I should get at the end of the summer? I am likely to have around $5000 CANADIAN. Also, it will need something with cheap insurance (ie no 4x4s or two seaters) as people my age pay pretty much double what most people pay.:( EDIT: Another thing: standard is a must. AWD would be nice, not critical, but nice.
Dude.

1. Don't buy cheap Korean econoboxes.
2. LEARN MECHANICAL SKILLS.

a 95 is rather old, and you really shouldn't drive it if the head gaskets out, it's going to die somewhere and it won't be pretty.

Chevy's suck a big one though, I agree, I used to have an 89 Corsica and there wasn't a week that went by that it didn't have something new break, although it was about 10 years old at the time so it may have just been a really really old car.

I am buying hubby a BMW this weekend so that he will quit driving my Jeep, which I plan to sell soon. If you weren't in Canada I would sell it to you cheap......it's mostly re-done, reliable, and a nearly new paint job.

I drive a 98 chevy silverado (1800), never had a moment's trouble with it. Starts when I turn the key every single time.

Now it's been in the shop a couple times, but that was due to my brother borrowing and wrecking it, and a tree landing on it.

Factory tires lasted 6 years and about 60,000 miles, battery made it 8 years (it was probably still good but last time it came out of a shop it was dead so I just replaced it). I've got about 70,000 miles on my truck now, which is pretty damn good for a near 10 year old pickup. Still looks good too. I've babied it.

i have no great love for the petrolium fuled, internal combustion powered, private passinger automobile on general terms.

i do have a certain fondness in my heart for the old 235 ohc inline six they used to put in pickups and panel trucks from sometime arround 1947 to sometime arround, i'm not sure when they stopped supporting it, sometime in the late 60s or perhapse well into the 70s.

the private passinger motor vehicule is an extreme waiste of resources as the primary means of transportation. i suppose something that doesn't run on a guideway may be neccessary for those who actualy live where population densities are too low to support the existence of more public modes. this is, however, a much smaller percentage of the human population then is generaly credited, or would be if the most effecient and modest of form factor alternative systems were taken into consideration.

at any rate, you never really know a place, untill you have seen it both by rail and on foot. if they only way you've ever seen someplace is from the seat, driver's or passinger's, of a car, you really don't KNOW that place AT ALL, even if you've lived there all of your life.

and if you don't like what you see on foot, and quicly scuttle back to the illusory security of your car, maybe just maybe, you, and everyone, needs to take a long hard look at how we are treating our surroundings and the factors that motivate our doing so.

=^^=
.../\...

Sent my car ('95 Cavalier (don't buy one))to the mechanic's today because the heater core had gone. Turned out the heater core was still good, but it was just the termistat got stuck open. So the visit cost $100 instead of $700. But as it turns out, the head gasket has gone on it. While it could be a simple job to have fixed, it is more likely to be complex and labor intensive costing $1200. That is more than the car is actually worth. So now I have to buy a new (to me) car this summer. I should have a good deal of money, but will also have UBC/SFU tuition to deal with. So it is pretty unlikely that I will be able to coast on the stash of money I build this summer (which really makes me hope that hell freezes over and SFU allows a transfer student--so I don't get stuck with 8 hour shifts every Saturday and Sunday). It also means I have to go easy on my car until this summer. Which is going to be bloody hard, as being 18 and all, I tend to drive like an 18 year old would. On the lighter side of things, I did not waste a bunch of effort trying to setup the new stereo my dad got me for it.

In an effort to make this thread more interactive, which car do you think I should get at the end of the summer? I am likely to have around $5000 CANADIAN. Also, it will need something with cheap insurance (ie no 4x4s or two seaters) as people my age pay pretty much double what most people pay.:( EDIT: Another thing: standard is a must. AWD would be nice, not critical, but nice.
1200 wow ... take it somewhere else

I had a radiator shop find my head gasket out when I was having overheating issues, they quoted me about the same I laughed at them and had it done by a private mechanic for 600 lol and he threw in new exhaust manifolds (when the old ones were pulled off they were heat warped ... fairly common)

Though that was before I did my own work

Sent my car ('95 Cavalier (don't buy one))to the mechanic's today because the heater core had gone. Turned out the heater core was still good, but it was just the termistat got stuck open. So the visit cost $100 instead of $700. But as it turns out, the head gasket has gone on it. While it could be a simple job to have fixed, it is more likely to be complex and labor intensive costing $1200. That is more than the car is actually worth. So now I have to buy a new (to me) car this summer. I should have a good deal of money, but will also have UBC/SFU tuition to deal with. So it is pretty unlikely that I will be able to coast on the stash of money I build this summer (which really makes me hope that hell freezes over and SFU allows a transfer student--so I don't get stuck with 8 hour shifts every Saturday and Sunday). It also means I have to go easy on my car until this summer. Which is going to be bloody hard, as being 18 and all, I tend to drive like an 18 year old would. On the lighter side of things, I did not waste a bunch of effort trying to setup the new stereo my dad got me for it.

In an effort to make this thread more interactive, which car do you think I should get at the end of the summer? I am likely to have around $5000 CANADIAN. Also, it will need something with cheap insurance (ie no 4x4s or two seaters) as people my age pay pretty much double what most people pay.:( EDIT: Another thing: standard is a must. AWD would be nice, not critical, but nice.

1st choice-Toyota Corolla or Camry, Toyota's run forever with minor maintenance, 2nd choice Honda Civic.

1200 wow ... take it somewhere else

I had a radiator shop find my head gasket out when I was having overheating issues, they quoted me about the same I laughed at them and had it done by a private mechanic for 600 lol and he threw in new exhaust manifolds (when the old ones were pulled off they were heat warped ... fairly common)

Though that was before I did my own work

yeah, you know I don't know about Canada, but where I live the local auto parts store will loan you the book and the tools to fix your car if you buy the parts there.

I am a girl and I fix my own Jeep, surely you can fix your Chevy, it shouldn't take more than a weekend to fix it well enough to drive.

Of course when I started doing major repairs I bought my own book and tools.

a 95 is rather old, and you really shouldn't drive it if the head gaskets out, it's going to die somewhere and it won't be pretty.

Chevy's suck a big one though, I agree, I used to have an 89 Corsica and there wasn't a week that went by that it didn't have something new break, although it was about 10 years old at the time so it may have just been a really really old car.

I am buying hubby a BMW this weekend so that he will quit driving my Jeep, which I plan to sell soon. If you weren't in Canada I would sell it to you cheap......it's mostly re-done, reliable, and a nearly new paint job.
Without dropping out of uni (with no refund on the tuition), I really can't stop driving the thing. I do not have the money to buy something else. So, I basically have to baby the thing and hope it can go till April.

And although I appreciate the offer, the insurance on a Jeep is 50% higher than a regular car, so I'd have to pass on it.

1200 wow ... take it somewhere else

I had a radiator shop find my head gasket out when I was having overheating issues, they quoted me about the same I laughed at them and had it done by a private mechanic for 600 lol and he threw in new exhaust manifolds (when the old ones were pulled off they were heat warped ... fairly common)

Though that was before I did my own work
It costs more elsewhere, the place we go to charges about $30 less per hour for labour than most other places.

Never had a problem with my peugeot 206

It costs more elsewhere, the place we go to charges about $30 less per hour for labour than most other places.

If the repairs cost more than the value of the car don't repair it, advertise it as is disclosing the problem and sell it to the best offer, home mechanics like these deals, don't waste time and money fixing it yourself. If you don't mind an eyesore in the driveway sell it for parts, when it's mostly parted out sell the remainder to a auto wrecker for 50$. If you can get $500-600 take it.

Replacement cars, I'd stay away from AWD's, higher insurance costs and repair costs and just more parts to break. A good front wheel drive car with winter radials is nearly as good as AWD in all but the worst road conditions. My front wheel drive Toyota has never let me down no matter what the conditions.

Well if your business model is to sell every unit at a loss and hope you make it up on the financing, but then you keep on offering cheap financing to boost sales because no-one wants your crappy trucks, then yes.

But if you'd asked me two years ago, I would have told you GM was in the shitter. It was never really a secret.

I could've told you that in 1997.

The US automakers need to go through a 10 year drought. That will give them a kick in the balls and force them to improve.

It worked for Boeing when Airbust passed them up.

BTW, my Saab is a GM vehicle and I have nothing but good things to say about it. That car will hold up to 250,000 easily.

If the repairs cost more than the value of the car don't repair it, advertise it as is disclosing the problem and sell it to the best offer, home mechanics like these deals, don't waste time and money fixing it yourself. If you don't mind an eyesore in the driveway sell it for parts, when it's mostly parted out sell the remainder to a auto wrecker for 50$. If you can get $500-600 take it.

Replacement cars, I'd stay away from AWD's, higher insurance costs and repair costs and just more parts to break. A good front wheel drive car with winter radials is nearly as good as AWD in all but the worst road conditions. My front wheel drive Toyota has never let me down no matter what the conditions.
If I was smart, I would have taken a picture of the hill I had to get my car up yesterday. It was steep, windy, and had yet to be salted/sanded/plowed. Most people ended up getting at least temperately stuck.

EDIT: I'd have to sell it to a dealer for parts. I do not have a driveway, only insured cars can be parked on the street, and there is no way I want to try to drive this to Fort McMurry.

yeah, you know I don't know about Canada, but where I live the local auto parts store will loan you the book and the tools to fix your car if you buy the parts there.

I am a girl and I fix my own Jeep, surely you can fix your Chevy, it shouldn't take more than a weekend to fix it well enough to drive.

Of course when I started doing major repairs I bought my own book and tools.

I was going to say that I'm not an auto mechanic, but I've changed head gaskets before - it's a bit of work, and you need the tools, but it's just not that difficult.

I think he was pretty funny in "Spies Like Us", and Three Amigos should be required viewing in all Mexican schools.