Cars.. they burn a hole in your pocketbook

[Darkwing_Duck]

my 2007 Ford Taurus, 85k miles, and already needs new struts, and ball joints. boy either my luck`s terrible, or I just got a cheap crappy car XD
Then again, I`ve always had bad luck with cars, new/used. Ford/GM or whatever. once they get past the 75k mile mark. POOF! things start breaking.
pay off my credit card only to have to charge another 600 bucks to fix my car. there goes my tax return :P
Anyone else have bad luck with cars? O.o

[Frith-Rae]

well there's your problem - the whole Ford/GM thing...lol.
No seriously, you're car's at 85K - you're going to start having problems probably no matter what you get.

But trying to say this as nice a possible - yes a Ford Taurus is a bit of a crap car. And I can say that having honestly had one in our family. But I would also say that once you get around 100K most cars have problems or one type or another - ranging from a few hundred bucks to a few thousand (my Mitsuibishi just cost me 2K last year and its around 105K miles, for a stupid sensor...).

Unless you're buying trucks and SUVs honestly I'd go with Honda, Nissan, Toyota (yes still them) or any foreign car manufacturer.

But that's me lol.

But yes, once you own a car from 100+ you are going to sink money into it - its why most people trade out and get a new car from that point if they can afford it.

[Reverse]

yep, my Ford 1997 windstar's paint job wasn't ever done properly and the manufacturers won't fix it under warranty (a while back of course), I've gotten the brake pads fixed, the tabs holding my exhaust pipe have deteriorated before, had a few engine things fixed, and now currently the check engine light is on and i dont have the money to get it diagnosed! yay! My poor van is hanging on to life as hard as i can push it, and it's at 150k so far. lol


;.;

My next car I plan to get a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee like my dad. :3

[Hellenia]

well i know how the $$ can add up whne it comes to keeping a car moving :P but ill only say part of what i'v been thorw asfar as mony wiht cars .
the older cars are the batter ones as far as i can tell. i have a 1994 "the make and name i cant spell soo i wont put it down ." i'v put over 6oo in it all rady and it need more work . :P braks umm 125 $ and the driver door is brok. cant open it the out side >_< soooo not Fun on freezing and ....wet days ... and a hood clah that dosent work ..well .

"" whant to blow up her car .. in to Little parts and melt in down and blow it up agin ... """

[Dragonboy]

My experience with cars is that when you treat them well they last long.
I know many people who have used their cars for 300k including the standard maintenance of course.
Cars always cost cash. If it is not fuel it is brakes, any of the fluids... Cars are mechanical and its parts are prone to age and as such replacements.

Treat the car with care and it will be your friend for a long time (of course the only cars I have experience with are regular small cars, not the muscle cars or jeeps)…

[Malaquion]

Yeah, older cars are often sturdier from what I've seen. They start collecting problems like crazy, but at least the problems might be more minor...

We've got a couple of Subaru station wagons, one about a decade old and one a little more so... both have more issues than a comic book store, but one of them's only 'dead' as of a couple months ago (discovered it needed a new catalytic converter -- it won't pass smog; gotta take it off the road until we get that replaced). Both of'em have minor oil leaks, one (the one that is road-legal) needs new brake pads eventually (they're starting to squeak), Catalytic Converter Car also needs the head gasket replaced as well as one of the knock sensors... However, nothing life-threatening or preventing them from actually starting up and running (yet).

Then again, Catalytic Converter Car has kinda become a project of mine... not personally replacing the thing, though; you need a welder for that. Do not has!

[Frith-Rae]

Oh older models of stuff always last longer, washing machines, friges, microwave ovens, VHS players, etc.

I thikn its because they have less and less (further back you go) COMPUTER technology in them and more just basic metal mechanic stuff.

The basic metal mechanic stuff lasts forever. The more and more neato new computer tech stuff that gets in there, the more and more stuff breaks faster. Same goes for cars.

Its why I sigh when I see these here new fangled computer-ed up washing machines. I laugh and laugh. Because those things will be breaking like crazy while my mother's 30 year old washing machine will be chugging along.

Because sometimes, when the job is simple, you really do'nt need to add on more and more bells and whistles to make it overly complicated (equals more breaking). The washign machine works - when it washes - it really doesn't need to tell my cell phone there's a problem. LOL

But yea same goes for cars too. But that also can depend on brand and model. You're not seeing 30 year old YUGOs on the road, you DO see 30 year old Mercedes, BMWs, and such - because at a certain point, depending on how long you do want to keep your car, you are going to get what you pay for.

I'd expect to have problems with any car that is new, costs below 23-25K, at or about 100K even with steady maintence upkeep and care. Not major problems of course, but small tweaks here and there. Major exception here is Honda which has a tride and true track record of awesomeness for years and years and has the highest resale value on used models of ANY car for a reason.

Wheras if you spend 30+ on a car, such as a Mercedes or Lexus - yea you're gonna be able to have that car longer than that Ford Taurus because it quite simply is made better. Heck Mercedes offers you a brand new car if you get to 1 million miles with theirs (and people have traded those in...).


But yea around 100 expect to have costs. But you still shoudln't be replacing things like the Transmission unless something goes horribly wrong lol.

[Darkwing_Duck]

hehe yeah my one friend`s Dad`s got a 1998 Ford just rolled over 450K miles O.o and still running XD mine`s an 2007 so it`s built like a tonka toy
Well at least the engine`s a good one, runs nicely. lol I get the engine will outlast the body. especialy in Wisconsin. Rust central XD

[Reverse]

ugh yeah my van, just most recently got piston #5 repaired (aka the wires re-wired), as it'd stopped functioning and was basically dumping fuel into my catalytic converter. x.x