STORM2K

A week and a half ago our 1999 dodge caravan sport bit the big one. The last straw: tranny trouble.
It had 180,000+ on the odometer so I'd say we got our money's worth. I was facing $1900 to repair that, $250 for tires, probably several hundered for exhaust work, and I think it needed brakes. Up until this point I hardly put any money into it and even learned to put the serpentine belt back on when it decided to fly off. These vans were notorious for bad trannys and the belt problem. Rather than put that kind of money into it, I sold it for $125.

I'm now working overtime and scraping together enough cash to buy a cheap car sort of fast. I figure I'll get something, quick and then start working on getting another, better vehicle ASAP after, then give the clunker to the kids.

I could almost do without a car, been riding the bus to work and everywhere else. My wife and kids "can't live like that" though. (If she decides to leave me over this, at least she won't get the car) I enjoy the challenge and the simplicity. It's amazing how complicated your life gets with a car.

At age 19, I still don't have a car. I know eventually I'll have to get a car, but it can wait. Cars are a lot more expensive than most people realize. First you have to pay off the car (which takes forever), then you have to pay for insurance, plates, your license, gas, and repairs. Its a huge expense I don't pay for. I ride the bus back and forth to school most days, and I carpool to anywhere I cannot get to by bus. It may be inconvenient, but I think paying the bills is more inconvenient. My parents help when there happens to be horrible weather or if it doesn't fit the bus schedule. The bus system here, although I complain a lot about its semi-reliability, can get me anywhere around the county, and even to Tampa if I needed to. I would recommend it.

Did you remember to cancel your auto insurance, or, put it on hold? If that is your only vehicle, I can see how it can get complicated. My wife and I would love to get rid of one of our cars. But, that is impossible with the jobs, kids activities and where we live. I spent 2 years without a car. That was before I had the responsibility of a family, so that is not really a fair comparison. But, I did love it. I biked everywhere, and bummed rides everywhere else. I always had some gas money because I wasn't paying for a car. It was fun to ask women out too. "Ummmm, I don't own a car. Do you own a bike?" Sometimes they just walked away, but usually the response was positive.

I hope you manage to find a good vehicle at a low price, Ed. Sometimes one happens up on
someone who isn't going to drive anymore, and accepts a lower price just to be rid of all of
the expenses - I wish you that kind of luck.

Would you believe I'm still driving the '92 "Luminator"? LOL, I'm knocking on wood for
luck as I type this! I do have my mom's newer Malibu for back-up, just in case, as she only
drives it to church and doctor appointments, so I have to "blow the soot out of it",
sometimes...!

Good luck, and I hope you find one soon.

Thanks for the well wishes, Annete. I think I got what you wished for me.

After two weeks of shopping hard, I settled on a 1998 Ford Windstar. My wife wanted another van to carry the whole family. Saw this on a dealers internet site listed for $2900. I ran a carfax which came back very good. 130k miles, from California, no major problems, and an extensive service record. The previous owners had it serviced frequently and did all the right things. The dealer had it since June.

I called the dealer yesterday, and he indicated that they were very eager to sell it and offered to mark it down to $1900, but in order to pass inspection it needed tie rod ends. He said that he'd get a price to do that.

He called me this morning and said that if I didn't get it today, they were going to take it to auction. He said that the tie rod ends would be about $150 and he'd throw that into the deal.

I went and looked at the van. Not a speck of rust, not even underneath. No fluid leaks. All the body panels lined up, and there were no irregular places indicating body work. A couple of minor scratches on the paint, which put my wife off at first. Also a small tear on the drivers seat, but the upholstry was otherwise good. I sniffed the exhaust - no blue smoke, no buring oil smell. I opened the oil filler cover, and the inside of the valve cover was very clean -no sludge accumulation. I pulled the transmission dipstick and the fluid was clear and didn't smell burnt. Started it up and put it in gear. It engaged smoothly and quickly. Went for a test drive and everything seemed to be in order. Also: premium aftermarked sound system with a SIRUS receiver, new tires, new serpentine belt.

For $1900 I think I got a real good deal. While there are a few doccumented cases of transmission problems with this vehicle, I'll take my chances. If it only lasts a year, I will have got my moneys worth. The best part of all: No car payment!

I had a budget of $4000, so I might just get a little junker of a car for a spare.

Ed, it sounds like you made one heck of a deal!! If you hadn't done all the things you said you did I would have been very suspicious of the dealers hurry to get rid of it once you showed interest.

Sounds like a great deal to me too Ed! Best of luck with your "new" car!

Congrats, Ed! You turn old computers into functioning machines for your family. You get an older van and it sounds better than a lot of later model vehicles that I've seen.

What can you do with worn out men? Can you restore them as well?

southerngale wrote:Congrats, Ed! You turn old computers into functioning machines for your family. You get an older van and it sounds better than a lot of later model vehicles that I've seen.

What can you do with worn out men? Can you restore them as well?

Oh, I CAN'T WAIT for this answer!

Sounds like you got a good deal. With used cars, one has to take their chances, and it's
like you said - if it lasts a year, you've got your money's worth. I hope it lasts you much longer!

Car = expenses....My monthly expenses increase by more than 50% whenever I use my car..........I kinda have no choice since my work is an hour and 30 minutes of commute....It only take me an hour tops when I drive to work....

southerngale wrote:Congrats, Ed! You turn old computers into functioning machines for your family. You get an older van and it sounds better than a lot of later model vehicles that I've seen.

What can you do with worn out men? Can you restore them as well?

I AM a worn out man. Just ask my wife.

I think this is something you can work on yourself, Kelly. First dress up like a nurse........

Let me just say, as a nurse, that most fellows our age ARE looking for a private-duty
nurse, these days...

...Do you mean real, make believe, either, or both?

coriolis wrote:

southerngale wrote:Congrats, Ed! You turn old computers into functioning machines for your family. You get an older van and it sounds better than a lot of later model vehicles that I've seen.

What can you do with worn out men? Can you restore them as well?

I AM a worn out man. Just ask my wife.

I think this is something you can work on yourself, Kelly. First dress up like a nurse........

Yep - you never let me down Ed!

coriolis wrote:...Do you mean real, make believe, either, or both?

Mostly for real...as for make-believe, well - I wouldn't know...

I need to find a car, too; the one my older brother sold my sister for $800 turned out to need $2100 worth of work, and thus has been sitting in the driveway since September.

Being on Social Security doesn't give me much of a window of opportunity to find one I can afford...