Automobiles: The Agony and the... more Agony

Bah! 
Humbug!
Drat cars and everything to do with them!!  

Would you lot believe that I'm still searching for a vehicle? I still can't decide between a Ford Ranger or a (this is new at least) 2008 Honda Fit. The Fit is cheaper, and only has 35,000 miles, but everytime that I think I've made up my mind it flips over on me. I am paralyzed by indecision!  

And in the meantime the good ones keep getting snatched off of the market. I think I'll flip a coin.
Heads for the truck, tails for the hatchback. 
...
OK done. It came up tails. 

I'm going to go email the person now, even if they are in Sacramento which is THREE HOURS AWAY!!!!11$$#!!@!@!@!^$%#^^*$^%@^!%!!#!$#!@!

the best thing to do is ask yourself 'does this feel right'? when you sit in it do you like it? does it make you want to drive it? if the answer is yes, its probably the right decision, if you don't like the thought of spending time in it, don't buy it. use The Force Obi Wan. or your gut instinct. whatevs.

I'd go with the hatchback unless you think you'll need the truck for work or intense hobbies, but that's just me.

On a more general automobile agony note, I just had to drop almost $500 on my 2005 Ford Focus because the left front wheel bearing had almost fallen off, which is apparently a common issue with Focuses based on the knowing nods I've been getting when mentioning this IRL.

A 2008 vehicle with only 35000 miles?

Gosh darn Eldo ya fool! Everyone knows you have to pre-emptively replace the front left wheel bearing before 5 years of its manufacture date on them there Focuses!
Get yer head out of the sand boy!



As for the low mileage, yeah, I know. 
But that's just the way it is, so if the car has been kept up I'm not going to worry about it.

Once you have a real repair to make, $500 will feel like chump change. I know it doesn't feel like it now (especially for a %$@!! wheel bearing) but it's only a matter of time.

halfwise wrote:Once you have a real repair to make, $500 will feel like chump change.  I know it doesn't feel like it now (especially for a %$@!! wheel bearing) but it's only a matter of time.

Do you deal exclusively in expensive European sport vehicles? 
Otherwise if a car has a repair that will make $500 feel like chump change, then you should just go get a new car!

Did you replace the right front wheel bearing at the same time, Eldo? If not, just be prepared....

(Incidentally, replacing wheel bearings isn't rocket science.  The only trick is packing the grease, and I'm sure there are videos that show exactly how. Alternatively, you can probably find a shade-tree mechanic who will do it for parts + beer money. )

I would get a Toyota Hilux.

They have Toyota Tacomas over here instead Figgs. The problem with them is that they hold their value so well that I would need to go back many years to find one in my price range...that and my brother-in-law drives one. I refuse to be like my brother-in-law in this respect!

Forest Shepherd wrote:

halfwise wrote:Once you have a real repair to make, $500 will feel like chump change.  I know it doesn't feel like it now (especially for a %$@!! wheel bearing) but it's only a matter of time.

Do you deal exclusively in expensive European sport vehicles? 
Otherwise if a car has a repair that will make $500 feel like chump change, then you should just go get a new car!

Nationally the average cost to replace a clutch is currently $1100, and that's normal wear and tear. If you have to replace an automatic transmission or do a head job, you are looking well upwards of $2000.

I have a standard transmission and have to drive it in and out of city traffic whenever I leave for the weekend. Gone through 2 clutches in 7 years, which may be as much a comment on my clutch skills as it is on the costs of owning standard transmission in a place like NYC. Have a friend in the country who volunteered to do a head job for the cost of parts alone (and some shop work). He has the keys to my apartment ...

David H wrote:Did you replace the right front wheel bearing at the same time, Eldo? If not, just be prepared....

No ... I'll keep that in mind though.

halfwise wrote:Nationally the average cost to replace a clutch is currently $1100, and that's normal wear and tear.  If you have to replace an automatic transmission or do a head job, you are looking well upwards of $2000.

I have a standard transmission and have to drive it in and out of city traffic whenever I leave for the weekend.  Gone through 2 clutches in 7 years,  which may be as much a comment on my clutch skills as it is on the costs of owning standard transmission in a place like NYC.  Have a friend in the country who volunteered to do a head job for the cost of parts alone (and some shop work).  He has the keys to my apartment ...

Ah. Yeah I was thinking of transmission replacement. I wouldn't call $500 chump change in comparison, so this is really more a matter of vocabulary!

The car I emailed about was sold by the way... 

what about a Hyundai Sante Fe or Tucson, or Honda CR-V?

Forest Shepherd wrote: I wouldn't call $500 chump change in comparison, so this is really more a matter of vocabulary!

If you expected to pay $20-25 for dinner, and end up paying only $5, you hand it over pretty flippantly.

But if the fee for using the ski lift for the day was 50 dollars, you wouldn't think nothing of it just because hiring someone to carry you up the mountain cost $400!

Actually, I think you would. People tend to think of good deals in terms of percentages, rather than actual dollars.

But if something cost them, say, a week's wages. It would still cost a week's wages, no matter if something else were to cost a month's wages.

If someone were to say that you only had to chop off one finger, instead of all five, you'd jump at the opportunity for keeping four fingers, but you wouldn't think it was no big deal!

But that's what credit cards are for....to make you think it's no big deal.

I've yet to find a car. But I might lose my job if I can't get one soon, so I've decided to blow off any objections or complaints, and go look at a 2009 Honda Fit (sport, not base model). It's from a dealership, so they're asking $8,999.

that's a nice looking car. and its got good reviews. result.

The extra couple thousand you pay to a dealership is usually made up by the repairs they made beforehand, rather than letting you discover and pay for it out of your own pocket if you buy from someone else. Often a fair trade.

Yeah, my dad works for a dealership, so I'm kind of biased, but I think I'd be pretty wary about buying a car anywhere else. There's the plus of financing right there so you don't have to go to the bank, and you can purchase an after-market warranty if you want to.

dealerships are a safer bet

Thanks guys, that makes me feel better about spending nearly $10,000 when all is said and done.