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Driving a car until it "dies"

juggerbotjuggerbot NebraskaRegistered User regular
edited December 2011 in Help / Advice Forum
I currently have a 2003 Chevy Trailblazer with ~165k miles on it. It's in pretty good mechanical shape, but a few of the non-essential things have begun to fail. I would guess that it has at least a few years left, but I've decided that running it until it costs more to fix than I want to pay is the preferable option. I graduate from college in the spring, and even if I can have a job lined up soon after, it will likely be around a year after that before I'm financially stable enough to be able to buy a newer car. It's only worth about $5,500 at this point, and even less by the time I'll be thinking about upgrading, so I don't really see any benefit in trading or selling it.

However, it will be fairly unpredictable as to when it will die, and if it has a sudden catastrophic breakdown, I don't want to be forced into a position in which I will have to find and purchase a different car with urgency. Whenever I have shopped for cars, I have never been pressed for time, and so I could spend all the time I wanted waiting for that "perfect" car listing to show up. So is there a way to alleviate the pressing need to find a car quickly if I do end up driving my car till it dies?

juggerbot on

Posts

  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    Don't drive it till it dies? Go without a car until you can find another?

  • VarinnVarinn Vancouver, BCRegistered User regular
    Why not just maintain the thing, and not cost yourself $5000+?

  • JebusUDJebusUD Adventure! Candy IslandRegistered User regular
    Your car shouldn't be that badly in disrepair, especially if it is still worth 5 grand. I drive a car 10 years older than that, though with about the same mileage.

    I write you a story
    But it loses its thread
  • zepherinzepherin Russian warship, go fuck yourself Registered User regular
    Minimally fix it can extend the life quite a bit. A few cheap maintenance things will keep it going, but eventually if you are not going to have anything fixed your electrical or your transmission will drop out. Maybe your brakes go if you don't replace your brake pads. You can try to borrow a car, but really I hate the idea of going out to my car and not knowing if it will start in the morning.

  • juggerbotjuggerbot NebraskaRegistered User regular
    zepherin wrote:
    Minimally fix it can extend the life quite a bit. A few cheap maintenance things will keep it going, but eventually if you are not going to have anything fixed your electrical or your transmission will drop out. Maybe your brakes go if you don't replace your brake pads. You can try to borrow a car, but really I hate the idea of going out to my car and not knowing if it will start in the morning.

    That is my biggest concern. My grandparents bought it new, and then I got it a few years ago. We both used Lucas oil additive and I usually fill it with synthetic oil and such, so I consider it to be well maintained. However, it's from an era when Detroit was not known for putting out particularly well-made vehicles. No amount of maintenance will head off a transmission failure forever, or anything else which wears out. Is the best course to simply search for and buy a new car when I can afford it, and to hell with however much life the Blazer has left at that point? Find and buy a new car and let it sit until the Blazer dies?
    JebusUD wrote:
    Your car shouldn't be that badly in disrepair, especially if it is still worth 5 grand. I drive a car 10 years older than that, though with about the same mileage.

    I know it likely has a while left, I'm just hoping someone with experience in driving a car to death can weigh in.

  • EshEsh Tending bar. FFXIV. Motorcycles. Portland, ORRegistered User regular
    edited December 2011
    juggerbot wrote:
    JebusUD wrote:
    Your car shouldn't be that badly in disrepair, especially if it is still worth 5 grand. I drive a car 10 years older than that, though with about the same mileage.

    I know it likely has a while left, I'm just hoping someone with experience in driving a car to death can weigh in.

    I really don't have any idea what you're asking. How do you prevent needing to find a car quickly after the one you have dies? It doesn't make any sense. How is someone with experience in "driving a car to death" going to help you? Are you asking "How do I find the perfect car quickly and easily?".

    The chances of that car going to shit on you before you're in a financial position to buy another are pretty slim. Just keep driving it, then when you're ready, look for another.

    Esh on
  • DjeetDjeet Registered User regular
    edited December 2011
    If you're concerned about the transmission call around for quotes on getting a rebuilt one installed. Unless it's some funky low-production run transmission I'd think you could get a rebuilt and have it installed for $1K or less. And so long as you're doing the research you can find out how long it takes to source parts and to do the install.

    Edit: Also, I assume you're doing basic maintenance on the transmission. @9 years and 165K miles I'd think you'd have had at least 2-3 fluid flush and filter changes.

    Djeet on
  • Dark_SideDark_Side Registered User regular
    edited December 2011
    juggerbot wrote:
    zepherin wrote:
    Minimally fix it can extend the life quite a bit. A few cheap maintenance things will keep it going, but eventually if you are not going to have anything fixed your electrical or your transmission will drop out. Maybe your brakes go if you don't replace your brake pads. You can try to borrow a car, but really I hate the idea of going out to my car and not knowing if it will start in the morning.

    That is my biggest concern. My grandparents bought it new, and then I got it a few years ago. We both used Lucas oil additive and I usually fill it with synthetic oil and such, so I consider it to be well maintained. However, it's from an era when Detroit was not known for putting out particularly well-made vehicles. No amount of maintenance will head off a transmission failure forever, or anything else which wears out. Is the best course to simply search for and buy a new car when I can afford it, and to hell with however much life the Blazer has left at that point? Find and buy a new car and let it sit until the Blazer dies?
    JebusUD wrote:
    Your car shouldn't be that badly in disrepair, especially if it is still worth 5 grand. I drive a car 10 years older than that, though with about the same mileage.

    I know it likely has a while left, I'm just hoping someone with experience in driving a car to death can weigh in.

    "Drive it till it dies" was my dad's philosophy (and as a consequence mine as well) for years. The gist of it is, you either keep other barely running beaters around so you can swap to another when your main car dies, or you have to go out and buy another car when it does. And they never ever die on a Saturday morning in your driveway where you have plenty of time and options to figure out new or temporary wheels. Oh no, they die in the middle of nowhere, on a cold icy road, the closest help miles away.

    You're basically giving up the security of dependability to save money in the short term. Now if a car isn't an integral part of your life that you depend on for employment and other responsibilities that's fine. Keep a savings account for when the car does finally go and you'll have a nice chunk of cash for your next car. But if you're gainfully employed in a career and need a reliable commuter vehicle, well, I'd start looking now while you have the luxury of time.

    Edit: Also, the whole drive it until the wheels fall off is more akin to driving your car when it uses a quart of oil a week, it's developed a noticeable knock in the valvetrain, and you've lost 2nd gear out of the transmission, so shifting has become very interesting.

    Dark_Side on
  • zepherinzepherin Russian warship, go fuck yourself Registered User regular
    Yeah there are usually signs.

  • MidshipmanMidshipman Registered User regular
    Djeet wrote:
    Unless it's some funky low-production run transmission I'd think you could get a rebuilt and have it installed for $1K or less.

    Absolutely not true for automatic transmissions. Even for a rebuilt one you are usually looking at $2k+.

    midshipman.jpg
  • DevoutlyApatheticDevoutlyApathetic Registered User regular
    Some of this depends on what "short notice" means to you. I essentially just did this last march. I rented a car for a week for a couple hundred dollars and did my shopping in that week. It gave me time to test drive a few cars that interested me and spend a day or two negotiating after I had one chosen.

    Now the big things here are that I had ready cash for a down payment and a rental. You're going to need the down payment regardless of what you do, so your costs are going to be that rental fee and whatever it takes to recover from the unexpected failure.

    Not exactly sure what advice you're really looking for beyond that. I guess make sure you're the kind of person that can stick to the required preparations and make a decision in a relatively quick timeline.

    Nod. Get treat. PSN: Quippish
  • DjeetDjeet Registered User regular
    edited December 2011
    Midshipman wrote:
    Djeet wrote:
    Unless it's some funky low-production run transmission I'd think you could get a rebuilt and have it installed for $1K or less.

    Absolutely not true for automatic transmissions. Even for a rebuilt one you are usually looking at $2k+.


    I suppose there are a lot of factors involved, but I got my '05 '04 subie done for $800. Seeing online availability for rebuilt '03 trailblazers for under $700, not sure if that is net of a core trade-in. Also if you find the right shop and can go carless for a week you can get off-hour labor rates.

    Djeet on
  • bowenbowen How you doin'? Registered User regular
    Average transmission repair/replacement costs are between $1000-3000 depending on make and model. One of the most expensive parts of a car to replace, aside from a new engine.

    not a doctor, not a lawyer, examples I use may not be fully researched so don't take out of context plz, don't @ me
  • illigillig Registered User regular
    i'm not sure exactly what automotive tragedy you're expecting, but cars very rarely have a 'sudden catastrophic breakdown'

    The few that i can think of involve bottom end failures (a rod peaking out of your block for example) or cooling/sealing failures (overheat and engine seizing due to complete loss of coolant or extreme coolant/oil loss/mixing due to bad gasket) and even most of these can be prevented or at least delayed for years if you just maintain your vehicle - regular oil changes, transmission fluid changes, hoses, belts, etc.

    The vast majority of other car issues will warn you well before they become critical. A transmission will begin slipping and whining long before it dies. A temperature gauge will warn you when something's wrong with your cooling system. Brakes will squeal to high hell or vibrate when past due for replacement, etc. etc.

    Just pay attention to your car and you'll be fine.

  • wonderpugwonderpug Registered User regular
    It can easily seem like getting a new car that runs great will be way smarter than "dumping money down the drain" constantly repairing an old car, I mean, it really does suck to hand over giant wads of cash to a mechanic. The thing is, handing over giant wads of cash to a mechanic is way way better than having to have a monthly car payment. If you write out the numbers, you have to start paying some serious repair bills each year before it becomes more costworthy to buy new.

    The trick is to just accept that repair bills are a part of having an old car, and earmark a big chunk of money for that purpose each year.

  • SilverEternitySilverEternity Registered User regular
    I concur with others that your car probably has a long way to go. My husband's car is a '96 with ~220k miles, his solution to the possibility of his car dying unexpectedly was to buy a $1500 truck (also, he just wanted a truck).

    My car died right as I was finishing college, but it was a slow death with lots of problems over time that eventually became about as expensive as the car itself. I was worried because it was around the time I was interviewing for jobs, etc. However, this slow death gave me a couple months or so to shop around for a car I liked and I just kept back up plans (a.k.a people who could give me a ride to an interview in a pinch). Point is, I wouldn't stress about it too much.

  • EgoEgo Registered User regular
    illig wrote:
    i'm not sure exactly what automotive tragedy you're expecting, but cars very rarely have a 'sudden catastrophic breakdown'

    The few that i can think of involve bottom end failures (a rod peaking out of your block for example) or cooling/sealing failures (overheat and engine seizing due to complete loss of coolant or extreme coolant/oil loss/mixing due to bad gasket) and even most of these can be prevented or at least delayed for years if you just maintain your vehicle - regular oil changes, transmission fluid changes, hoses, belts, etc.

    The vast majority of other car issues will warn you well before they become critical. A transmission will begin slipping and whining long before it dies. A temperature gauge will warn you when something's wrong with your cooling system. Brakes will squeal to high hell or vibrate when past due for replacement, etc. etc.

    Just pay attention to your car and you'll be fine.

    This, and everything everyone else has said about how your vehicle isn't just going to explode out of the blue on you one day. Change oil, maintain fluids, change brake pads as required. Take reasonable care of the vehicle, and it'll be fine.

    Erik
  • GrimmGrimm Registered User regular
    Midshipman wrote:
    Djeet wrote:
    Unless it's some funky low-production run transmission I'd think you could get a rebuilt and have it installed for $1K or less.

    Absolutely not true for automatic transmissions. Even for a rebuilt one you are usually looking at $2k+.

    Absolutely true. I had my 2001 chevy silverado transmission rebuilt for closer to $1000

  • PelPel Registered User regular
    That does seem outlandishly cheap for parts+labor. That's probably a middle-end price for a used, non-rebuilt transmission for that kind of vehicle. The Silverado might be cheaper, since GM has been loading the same v8/ transmission combos into it's trucks for decades and the things are very familiar with many many parts suppliers, but it still seems cheap.

    As for "drive it til it dies", I wouldn't recommend it for that particular vehicle. The steering and suspension components on those trucks are typically the first thing to catastrophically fail, IIRC: ball joints, steering linkages, and steering arms, and doubly so if it's 4wd. This means that as the car ages, it will become harder and harder to accurately control, eventually not leaving you stranded but rather leaving you inextricably linked with a bridge embankment or another car. Best case scenario is an unalignable front end that will cost you a fortune in tires alone.

    There are many people saying that your transmission will fail: they are right. The milage on your car isn't so high that it's something you need to worry about, though, unless you see the signs already. Your truck was sent from the factory with a pretty good transmission: I have a slightly older blazer still going strong at 240k. The transmission is probably the one thing in the car whose life you can personally do the most to extend through your driving habits. Gentle, gentle, gentle! Every time you accelerate, your transmission has to, through various mechanical means, impel several tons of metal from a dead stop. The faster you accelerate, the more heat and friction you generate. Conservative driving habits are your transmissions friend.

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