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In Reply to: RE: Well it finally happened. Mrs. Ghost got a new car. posted by ghost of olddude55 on May 17, 2022 at 10:23:37
" It passed inspection, but needs about $5000 worth of work if it's going to pass next year's inspection."
Hmmm. So, your mechanic/inspection place says everything is fine, but can see into the future? Cool. I've never met a mechanic who can say what will be an issue in the next 12 months, other than belts, hoses and spark plugs.
But, anyway... Did she get a new Nissan Pathfinder Armada, or, did she opt for the Cadillac Escalade?
****
We are inclusive and diverse. But dissent will not be tolerated.
Follow Ups:
"I've never met a mechanic who can say what will be an issue in the next 12 months..."
Must have been a shit mechanic. My independent BMW mechanic predicted that my water pump was on its way out in a few months and the transmission within a year. I am confident that he was correct based on other owners of BMW with the same drive train.
Traded the BMW on a new Honda 3 years ago.
...and how well you know them and how "respected" they are. If YOU don't know the difference between an ignition coil/module and an ignition switch, the greater the chance that you will be ripped-off. If there are two car-seats in the back seat--you're gonna need brakes/tires/shocks/struts to keep the kiddos "safe". You're always gonna need wiper blades and a cabin air filter too.
The mechanics that I know?--if they tell you to "dump-it" before it becomes a money-pit, I believe them. They'll fix it or "stretch it", but tell me the "real-deal".
"So I talk to the night, I head for the light, try and hold it on the road. Thank God for the man who put
the white lines on the highway"--a very dear friend for decades Michael Stanley (Gee)--RIP
Fuel lines, brake lines, fuel filler neck are all so badly rusted that I could probably put holes in them with a pressure washer. In fact, it would probably be a good idea to pick up a fuel line repair kit now just to have it on hand. GM didn't use stainless steel for the fuel and brake lines on the Cobalt, Chevy HHR, or Pontiac G5, so this is a known issue. Some consumer groups have been trying to get GM to issue a recall, but hey, it's GM.
The front subframe has a rust hole in it which should have been enough to fail the car, but the mechanic thinks it's in a place that isn't critical and he knows us well, my wife's been taking her cars there for a couple of decades, so he let it slide.
Both rocker panels need replaced.
There's a rust hole in the right rear quarter around the wheel opening.
He put the car up on a lift so I could see it all for myself, and I spotted an area of rust around the mounting point for the left rear trailing arm that's fatal. Mechanic didn't even show me that.
The timing chain rattles like Marley's ghost on cold start up. The chain isn't likely to break but at some point it's going to get loose enough to jump. Even if valves and pistons don't meet in a catastrophic way, the car won't run right.
Really can't bitch, we got 17 years out of the car and if the timing chain doesn't jump between now and June of 2023, it'll be 18 years.
The mechanic didn't give me any estimates, I did the research on repair costs myself.
She got herself a Bulgemobile Fireflash.
The problem is not that there is evil in the world, the problem is that there is good. Because otherwise, who would care?
Edits: 05/17/22
I repaired one brake line but three more were close behind. Easy to know if when the frame rot is terminal.She couldn't afford the Buldgemobile so she settled on a Kia Forte
...and clean used subframes are only about $200 shipped. But I can't install it, I don't have the tools. The subframe also acts as the engine cradle, and pulling the engine on a Cobalt and reinstalling it again is about 8 hours of labor. Getting the clutch replaced is $1200, and only $150 of that is parts.
The timing chain is also $800-$1000, fuel lines $600, brake lines $300, rocker panels $2-3000 depending on how well the job is done.
That would still leave the rust on the rear quarter, the fuel filler neck, any other rust on the main body structure.
If we were gonna replace the subframe, then mysul replace the control arms, too. They've got a lot of surface rust on them.
The problem is not that there is evil in the world, the problem is that there is good. Because otherwise, who would care?
...been through that with many "winter beaters". Knowing all of the existing or pending "issues", is it worth trying to keep it one more winter? If there's even the least bit of hesitation--probably not. And it's amazing (even more so now) how fast those "nickel and dime" things can add-up to or exceed a new-car payment.
"So I talk to the night, I head for the light, try and hold it on the road. Thank God for the man who put
the white lines on the highway"--a very dear friend for decades Michael Stanley (Gee)--RIP
The Bulgemobile Fireflash is a wonderful piece of goods. Should last AT LEAST until the ashtrays are full. The 4.17 V-5 IS sort of a problem and the Oil Bath Brakes CAN be an issue, but I think all that's been worked out.....I'd LOVE a car like the 'flash, where the driver sits dead center......
Get the OPTIONAL Parachute Emergency Brake.....you won't regret it!
Too much is never enough
Whoa, dude!
A Buldgemobile? Seriously? These days, I only see them in the grocery store wearing spandex pants.
So, she didn't get the Nissan Armada? Oh well.
;)
****
We are inclusive and diverse. But dissent will not be tolerated.
I've lived in apartments that were smaller than an Escalade.Here's the brochure for the Bulgemobile. If you don't remember the car, don't worry. It only existed in the fertile mind of Bruce McCall.
The problem is not that there is evil in the world, the problem is that there is good. Because otherwise, who would care?
Edits: 05/17/22 05/17/22
...and now I live in OH, where "all bets are off".
Someone just stole a couple thousand dollars worth of inspection stickers from a Ford dealership, just outside of Pittsburgh--Monroeville Ford. "Lick it and stick it".
"So I talk to the night, I head for the light, try and hold it on the road. Thank God for the man who put
the white lines on the highway"--a very dear friend for decades Michael Stanley (Gee)--RIP
Amateur Hour in Pitts.....
HERE where crime DOES pay? Catalytic Converter theft is a wonderful cottage industry. Mine's been liberated TWICE and I know other people who are on a first name basis with the parts store.
And I live next door to a house so brightly lit you need SUNGLASSES to drive by at night....
Too much is never enough
...it's been happening around here too. They've even gotten ballsy enough to hit-up some dealerships for brand-new ones. And they're getting "good"--based on security camera footage, they figure about 3 min per vehicle hit.
The inspection sticker thing is a big deal. I don't know the exact cost anymore, but right around $50/each is "face value"--so the $3400 worth of inspection stickers stolen = ~68 stickers which can be illegally applied (at a premium) of ~$150-200 apiece. And cops in PA don't "run" your inspection sticker number--they just look at the month/year to make sure that they're current. That stolen book of stickers could easily fetch $10-12K, and finding them would be like looking for $10K in counterfeit $20 bills scattered across the entire Pittsburgh area.
As for the "neighborhood" thing--I've had two vehicles stolen over the years--both from my own driveway in a "nice" neighborhood--a conversion van and a motorcycle. The cops basically told me that it was not surprising--the thieves go to "nice" neighborhoods to get what they want. I guess they were right--not much to take in a "bad" neighborhood.
"So I talk to the night, I head for the light, try and hold it on the road. Thank God for the man who put
the white lines on the highway"--a very dear friend for decades Michael Stanley (Gee)--RIP
First? You ACTUALLY spoke with a cop?
Here, we can't actually talk to the victim of such a minor crime. FILE A REPORT and we'll get back to you sometime around hte turn of the century. The 23rd.
Stickers either get whole saled to the sales staff.....Or? I would not want to contact or talk to 50 people ONE of whom could be undercover or an informant. Much easier to steal Cats than drop the whole bunch at an uncaring metal reclaim guy.
Too much is never enough
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