Is it time to retire my truck?

[Peanut]

I thought I was maintaining my vehicles!! I guess the car I had that made it to 200,000+ just started needing bigger repairs (clutch, timing belt, etc) and there really was no way I could do it myself. So when the mechanic bills start coming back at $1000, $2000, etc., everytime I brought it in for an oil change, for me it gets to a point of "why am I putting this much $$ into a 10 year old vehicle?".

But again, this could just be coming back to the clueless woman at the mechanic problem.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Peanut

I thought I was maintaining my vehicles!! I guess the car I had that made it to 200,000+ just started needing bigger repairs (clutch, timing belt, etc) and there really was no way I could do it myself. So when the mechanic bills start coming back at $1000, $2000, etc., everytime I brought it in for an oil change, for me it gets to a point of "why am I putting this much $$ into a 10 year old vehicle?".

But again, this could just be coming back to the clueless woman at the mechanic problem.

I wouldn't blame your gender. From my experience 200K is the ceiling if you want a relatively trouble-free, nice-looking vehicle. There are always going to be exceptions, but as a general rule it works.

[Peanut]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I wouldn't blame your gender. From my experience 200K is the ceiling if you want a relatively trouble-free, nice-looking vehicle. There are always going to be exceptions, but as a general rule it works.

Well, I started to wonder when everytime I go into the mechanic for a routine thing, I inevitably get the call "Ohhhh... we need to fix this and this" and then the bill comes back $1500 or more! Do that 3 or 4 times and you could've bought yourself a whole other used car already.

Oh well, we have a leased vehicle now so any problems are covered under the warranty.

[Red_Baron]

Brakes will maybe take 3 hours out of your life max. If it has the rear discs, it is really easy to do and can be done with basic wrenches and a socket set. Heck, I could probably pull it off with a crescent wrench if I had to.
If losing 3 hours out of a week is way too important to you (maybe skip some posting time on CP), you probably should retire it.
Personally, with the winter season coming up, I'd keep it for the winter at least.
I'm a car guy and I park my nice car for the winter and I'm willing to drive anything with a heater and a set of winter tires during the winter-besides it's hard to keep a car clean in the winter, rock chips, windshield cracks, and bad drivers (and conditions) deter me from wanting to drive a nice car in the winter.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Peanut

Well, I started to wonder when everytime I go into the mechanic for a routine thing, I inevitably get the call "Ohhhh... we need to fix this and this" and then the bill comes back $1500 or more! Do that 3 or 4 times and you could've bought yourself a whole other used car already.

Oh well, we have a leased vehicle now so any problems are covered under the warranty.

Ahhh, you gotta love warranty.

(nice avatar, BTW. that's my kid in my avatar as well, but she's 3.5 now )

[alltherage]

Originally Posted by Red_Baron

Brakes will maybe take 3 hours out of your life max. If it has the rear discs, it is really easy to do and can be done with basic wrenches and a socket set. Heck, I could probably pull it off with a crescent wrench if I had to.
If losing 3 hours out of a week is way too important to you (maybe skip some posting time on CP), you probably should retire it.
Personally, with the winter season coming up, I'd keep it for the winter at least.
I'm a car guy and I park my nice car for the winter and I'm willing to drive anything with a heater and a set of winter tires during the winter-besides it's hard to keep a car clean in the winter, rock chips, windshield cracks, and bad drivers (and conditions) deter me from wanting to drive a nice car in the winter.

I feared it was going to be a really big expensive job, but for now actually I found that they are rear disc, which is weird... but we're going to replace the pads. My father in law has a garage and tools, which I unfortunately do not have (living in a condo) so it sounds like I may have a solution here.

I didn't want to throw more than $400-500 into it, but it's worth trying out some cheap pads to see if that's the issue. $55, done deal.

[BuzzardsWife]

Originally Posted by alltherage

Why do you feel the need to call me a wimp because I'm not mechanically inclined? Not everyone knows how to fix vehicles, hence the whole mechanic industry.

Sounds like to the auction she goes.

i think he was joking! and he offered you cheap parts too...doesn't it mean you're gay if you don't know how to fix a truck?? or a girl???

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by thesmugger

I think that 200,000KM cut off is garbage. I've had a few cars in my family go over 200,000 and because they were maintained properly can treated with care they still ran great and had little to no rust..

Some people have a preference not to keep cars that long, not that they don't last that long.

For myself I have never driven a car over 100K before I get a new one because it isn't always about the cost of repairs but how about the time the vehicles can be in the shop if it is a bigger problem.

There are many other reasons why people have cut offs.

[Traditional_Ale]

^ I wish I could afford that. But because I can't, I learned/am learning to wrench. Its very rewarding, finishing a job well done. Not to mention the $120/hr you can keep in your own pocket!

alltherage: I say try and if it doesn't work out then sell it.

[alltherage]

Originally Posted by BuzzardsWife

i think he was joking! and he offered you cheap parts too...doesn't it mean you're gay if you don't know how to fix a truck?? or a girl???

I thought we addressed this on the first page?

I realise you were "tongue in cheek" in your post, but really, you're not contributing anything constructive to the conversation.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

^ I wish I could afford that. But because I can't, I learned/am learning to wrench. Its very rewarding, finishing a job well done. Not to mention the $120/hr you can keep in your own pocket!

alltherage: I say try and if it doesn't work out then sell it.

Oh I'm not saying it is ideal. I have buddies who get a new car every year, it's ridiculous! But they lease so I guess it makes it easier, personally I like to own.

I was just pointing out everyone has their own preference or reason why they get rid of cars at their own cut off point. I also don't drive my vehicle as much as the average person so getting to 96K like my last car took me almost 7 years.

[Dynamic]

Originally Posted by Peanut

200,000km to me is the cut-off point. I've seen two cars (of friends) in my life get to 300,000km - a subaru and a honda. They both were reeeeeally rusted out by the end of it. And the owner's were doing the bulk of the repair/maintenance work on their own.

My 05 Civic is already at 280 000. Car still runs like the day I bought it. I'm planning on keeping it for another 5 years, at which point I will buy another civic.

[Jedi Ninja]

One of our vehicles is a total beater, but I can't bring myself to dropping 30 large on a newer one. That $30K translates into almost $2K in interest and $3K in depreciation in the first year. The $1200 we spent on repairs last year doesn't seem so bad by comparison.

[missdpuck]

I am continually amazed by the number of old Ford trucks I see on the road. "Old" meaning 90 and older.

[BuzzardsWife]

Originally Posted by alltherage

I thought we addressed this on the first page?

I realise you were "tongue in cheek" in your post, but really, you're not contributing anything constructive to the conversation.

wasn't trying to