Car luck. Well, that sucks...

[NeverMore]

So this is a story about me xD. I purchased a 94 ford escort friday of last week. The car died monday morning this week. The seller was nice. I payed $1100 for it. He told us everything about it, had a list of things he'd done to the car, when he serviced it. He was completely honest about all the problems and nothing really occurred that wasn't something he hadn't already listed. Come Monday morning on my drive home from work... The car died... loud rattling noise. Car could only pitter patter (I had to get it out of the intersection where it died) and is now, completely out of commission. We've been looking at it, and finally the expert car friend(runs his own shop, 30 years of experience, family friend for several years) we have drops on by and gives us the low down on it. He says it has a "spun rod bearing" which essentially means, I need to replace the crank shaft, which means I have to take apart the engine to fix it and I haven't an idea of how to do that and my mom doesn't know how to work this new of a car. The price of a job like that would go for about 900.... it also appears that the filter is on it's last legs... now if you recall I mentioned I purchased the car for 1100... I essentially just flushed all that money down the toilet.

 

[Falx]

I guess I haven't learned anything in my 10 year career on this subject.

 

[tr1age]

I dont know if you guys know this, but my entire adult life I have sold cars. Thats 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, With only a few days off (thanksgiving day, christmas day). Not to mention, becuase of my sales skills, and my overall love/knowledge of cars, I was promoted to the Nissan service advisor position starting this week.

If there is one thing I have learned in all this time, it is that you get what you pay for. When you buy a 1k car, just expect it to die any time. There are a few reasons behind this. One, cash for clunkers took out 700 THOUSAND of the cheapest cars on the market a few years back. Because of that, the lower end of the market increased in price dramatically. What is an 1100 car today, is a 300 car in 2001. Would you expect a 300 dollar car to last? Nope. And 1100 ones wont either. In fact, you could bring me a non running pile of crap with no paint, windows doors etc, and I would still pay 500 for it and then make money at the auction.

My point is. 1100 dollar cars suck ass, and will die. Only very rarely will you find a diamond in the rough that you can buy around that 2k mark and drive for a while. Its not luck, its the economics behind the industry (which includes private sellers).

Dont fix it. Sell it for 500 and buy a 200k mile civic~

I bought a ford probe GT when I was a kid for 3k It ran me up until I sold it for 4k yup I made more

It had about 120k miles on it.

LOVED THAT CAR.

 

[NeverMore]

Spoiler

I dont know if you guys know this, but my entire adult life I have sold cars. Thats 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, With only a few days off (thanksgiving day, christmas day). Not to mention, becuase of my sales skills, and my overall love/knowledge of cars, I was promoted to the Nissan service advisor position starting this week.

If there is one thing I have learned in all this time, it is that you get what you pay for. When you buy a 1k car, just expect it to die any time. There are a few reasons behind this. One, cash for clunkers took out 700 THOUSAND of the cheapest cars on the market a few years back. Because of that, the lower end of the market increased in price dramatically. What is an 1100 car today, is a 300 car in 2001. Would you expect a 300 dollar car to last? Nope. And 1100 ones wont either. In fact, you could bring me a non running pile of crap with no paint, windows doors etc, and I would still pay 500 for it and then make money at the auction.

My point is. 1100 dollar cars suck ass, and will die. Only very rarely will you find a diamond in the rough that you can buy around that 2k mark and drive for a while. Its not luck, its the economics behind the industry (which includes private sellers).

Dont fix it. Sell it for 500 and buy a 200k mile civic~

Now that's BS, my family has gotten plenty of good cars that lasted years from private dealers. And I've seen cars from dealerships that went for 8000 that didn't last much longer than this car. As for what we're doing I already planned on selling the car, but for more than what you've quoted, as a parts car. I can get at least 700 out of it, because the majority of the car is good. It'd just cost me too much to fix it.

There is some luck and knowledge involved behind the trading and selling of cars. Not paying some bullshit rigged up price for another piece of shit car. You've got a pessimistic viewpoint. The fact is that most cars for this price have a minor problem that is relatively easily fixable and not a $1000 dollar problem. You don't know the miles on the car or the situation of the original owner.


A perfect example of a good car for a 10th of the price of my car. My mom had a car, a 69 pontiac, that she purchased it for(Purchased it in the 87) $150 with 300k miles, and it lasted 8 YEARS without any major problems AND was still running when she sold it! And at that time that price was Dirt cheap, cheaper than my car by a good portion were it sold this year even! And we have load more examples of this exact thing in my family. Just because you've never been successful with it, or haven't seen it be successful does not mean that it can't be.

Enjoy your overpriced trash my friend.


~End absolute rage. Because my family isn't full of a bunch of fucking ignorant people and I'm 1 failure out of several successes~

Sorry for wanting to strangle people with this thought process, but it just sickens me. Going to go get my zen on.

 

[tr1age]

Spoiler

Now that's BS, my family has gotten plenty of good cars that lasted years from private dealers. And I've seen cars from dealerships that went for 8000 that didn't last much longer than this car. As for what we're doing I already planned on selling the car, but for more than what you've quoted, as a parts car. I can get at least 700 out of it, because the majority of the car is good. It'd just cost me too much to fix it.

There is some luck and knowledge involved behind the trading and selling of cars. Not paying some bullshit rigged up price for another piece of shit car. You've got a pessimistic viewpoint. The fact is that most cars for this price have a minor problem that is relatively easily fixable and not a $1000 dollar problem. You don't know the miles on the car or the situation of the original owner.


A perfect example of a good car for a 10th of the price of my car. My mom had a car, a 69 pontiac, that she purchased it for(Purchased it in the 87) $150 with 300k miles, and it lasted 8 YEARS without any major problems AND was still running when she sold it! And at that time that price was Dirt cheap, cheaper than my car by a good portion were it sold this year even! And we have load more examples of this exact thing in my family. Just because you've never been successful with it, or haven't seen it be successful does not mean that it can't be.

Enjoy your overpriced trash my friend.


~End absolute rage. Because my family isn't full of a bunch of fucking ignorant people and I'm 1 failure out of several successes~

Sorry for wanting to strangle people with this thought process, but it just sickens me. Going to go get my zen on.

Curious is it some sort of tradition to buy used in your family and not get a new car? Not that it matters either way but it seems you guys have a serious system for how to buy a car Intrigues me.

Also everyone take a breath in and out CARS are just as much if not more of a touchy subject than Jesus and Homosexuals

 

[REDACTED]

That sucks Mod . When I relocated to Florida in 2011 I was broke and needed a used car. My dad loaned me the cash, and I ended up paying 4800 for an old Saturn. Well, less than 10 months later, and several incidental repairs averaging $100/ea. it completely died on me. I was so aggravated because I was about to start a new job and needed reliable transportation. I ended up getting a new Hyundai, and while I didn't want a car payment, they were nice enough to take my junker which was totally undriveable and apply it as my down payment.

Long story short... I am sorry you're out that cash and I hope you find a replacement vehicle soon. I feel bad for ya hon! *hugs*

 

[NeverMore]

Curious is it some sort of tradition to buy used in your family and not get a new car? Not that it matters either way but it seems you guys have a serious system for how to buy a car Intrigues me.

Also everyone take a breath in and out CARS are just as much if not more of a touchy subject than Jesus and Homosexuals

Lol, no but we're all penny grabbers just about. So the best deal possible, always. And that homosexual line made me chuckle xD. I'll show you homosexual! *wink wink nudge nudge, drinks some coffee*

That sucks Mod . When I relocated to Florida in 2011 I was broke and needed a used car. My dad loaned me the cash, and I ended up paying 4800 for an old Saturn. Well, less than 10 months later, and several incidental repairs averaging $100/ea. it completely died on me. I was so aggravated because I was about to start a new job and needed reliable transportation. I ended up getting a new Hyundai, and while I didn't want a car payment, they were nice enough to take my junker which was totally undriveable and apply it as my down payment.

Long story short... I am sorry you're out that cash and I hope you find a replacement vehicle soon. I feel bad for ya hon! *hugs*

Well at least ya got some time out it I suppose! I'll live for now in my case though... The guy who sold it to us actually was really shocked about that and offered to send us half of the cash back because of how it immediately trashed itself. So, I should make my money back!

 

[NeverMore]

Totally digging this thread up to gloat.

For the past 4 1/2 months I've been the proud owner of a 1989 ford mustang LX convertible 4cylinder 5Speed with 60k miles. I've put 20k on it without a single problem, and guess what it cost me. $800.

My more honest and uncensored feelings below.

Spoiler

BLOW ME MOTHA FUCKAS. Well that felt damn good.

I might also add that I've purchased a 1969 dodge dart slant6 engine 3onthetree for 600 fixed it for another 100 dollars and have resold it for 2500 after driving it from eugene oregon to tacoma Wa state.

Fuck all of you doubters! And even some people who arent here anymore!

2 cars in 5 months bitches.

\

Edit: Decided to be that guy for once.

 

[Zevrix]

Totally digging this thread up to gloat.

Spoiler

For the past 4 1/2 months I've been the proud owner of a 1989 ford mustang LX convertible 4cylinder 5Speed with 60k miles. I've put 20k on it without a single problem, and guess what it cost me. $800.

My more honest and uncensored feelings below.

Spoiler

BLOW ME MOTHA FUCKAS. Well that felt damn good.

I might also add that I've purchased a 1969 dodge dart slant6 engine 3onthetree for 600 fixed it for another 100 dollars and have resold it for 2500 after driving it from eugene oregon to tacoma Wa state.

Fuck all of you doubters! And even some people who arent here anymore!

2 cars in 5 months bitches.

\

Edit: Decided to be that guy for once.

 

[TIG]

I have paid cash for every vehicle I have ever owned except one. That one I financed and it got ran into and totaled sitting in front of my house while I was sleeping. Luckily I had paid down the principal enough to get cash back with which I bought my first motorcycle.

Right now I am rocking a 1995 green chevy silverado extended cab. almost 300k miles on it and it runs like a champ.