I just got a callback from the mechanic and in order to get it back on the road it’s going to be 850 for a new axle and wheel bearing. This is on top of whatever it’s gonna be when the state tells me what to do about my out-ofproduction catalytic converter that’s making me fail smog checks on my expired registration.
So I dunno. This could probably get as high as 1.5k. The car’s from 2003
It all depends. How much do you like the car? How available are parts? Do you have the ability to save up for a new car?
There’s nothing on the market like my Baja so I’m going to run it until I can’t anymore.
You have a Baja I’m so jealous
I love it. Literally my dream car. I bought it right after an engine swap so I’m going to run it until it rusts out.
Not to feed into stereotypes but the only time I’ve been stopped to talk about it was by a lesbian couple in the grocery co-op parking lot lmao.
Depends on the car and how much a replacement would cost
When it becomes a reliability concern. Repeated issues with the drivetrain basically.
And also depending on the shape. If the car is in good shape the 850 is worth it bc it’s still way cheaper than a new car.
I had a mid 90s Toyota I was driving with 150k miles on it back in like 2010. Cosmetically it looked like shit but the drivetrain was sound.
It needed new struts that cost 800 bucks, I paid it and drove the thing for another two years. Yeah it’s expensive but it beats having a car payment. I sold it when it needed a new head gasket. The person I sold it to probably put another 100 on it.
This is why it’s good to establish a relationship with a mechanic you trust. They’ll be able to tell you whether or not it’s worth it.
double check your state doesn’t sunset exhaust rules on older cars, for example, I have a ~2000 and they just make sure it’s not a death trap (brakes, tires, rust, signals, airbag, safety belts, etc). like it can’t be belching smoke or whatever, but they don’t hold it to the same standards of the newest models.
If you have a mechanic you trust saying x amount fixes everything wrong with it and the value of the car is greater than x, it’s better to keep it, imo.
If you live in the rust belt you also have to consider how long you have before the rust consumes it. It doesn’t make sense to put an expensive repair into something that will be eaten alive by rust soon.
Sorry this is off topic, but does rust belt mean things rust faster there ? I thought it was called that because most things were abandoned and rusted over
I might be misusing the term, but I meant anywhere they salt the roads. Usually that’s places with snow, but sometimes they salt dirt roads for some reason I can’t remember.
Salt is a destroyer of vehicles. In my area a lot of vehicles end up in the scrapyard from rust long before they give out mechanically.
They rust faster, when it snows the roads get salted and when that slush hits the bottom of your car it gets hard to control
Is the car drivable other than what it is visiting the mechanic for? You aren’t going to find something for less than the cost of this repair. Is it road worthy? Is it still safe to pilot on the road? Things to bear in mind. Even 1.5k, you’re still not gonna find a car for less than that.
As far as catalytic converters go, there’s ways to deal with that. O2 sensor spacer, possible aftermarket cat replacements etc.
Assuming you feel safe and the car is meeting your needs:
When the car is no longer able to reliably function and it’s negatively impacting your daily life. Think about that person you know who’s got to pour oil or water into her old jalopy to go from home to work and back again.
When the annual, average cost of repairs and maintenance becomes more than the cost of the payment plus expected maintenance of a replacement. If this frequently happens to you then someone else should be choosing your car.
