How much money to maintain an older car?

[sciphi]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Originally Posted By: sciphi
It was about $400 a month for my old Buick right when I traded it. My payment was more since it was a short-term/low-interest loan, but the gas savings going from a 27 mpg average car to a 44 mpg average car when driving a lot made it about even.
How many months @ $400 per month? I am having hard time believing that you would have spent $4x12x400 = $19,200 for the last four years! So obviously, you must be only talking about last few (counted on one hand) months. Isn't that pretty unfair way of characterizing running cost?


It was about $400 a month for 6 months before I traded it. The car also had rust penetration through the rear subframe, and the rear wheel wells were getting ready to rust through, again. My commute was about to get a lot longer. Between the expenses, the longer commute, and the rust, it was time for a different car.

 

[Virtuoso]

Originally Posted By: hatt
I don't think working on a 10-15 year old car is much different than a brand new one. Not hard at all. Scan tool + google + forum and someone with decent mechanical ability can fix anything. You have to go back to the 60s to find cars "easy" to work on.


Living in Florida it's probably a non-issue, but up north, rust can make a car go from easy to work on, to total PITA.

But I totally agree on the DIY stuff. Being able to do your own labor, and not paying shop prices for parts can make all the difference.

 

[armos]

In the first 2 years of ownership I remember Quicken saying I had spent about $1200 on parts for an 86 Fiero. After that my Quicken expired so I'm not sure.
So that's $600/year. I think I had a surge shortly after that, but I've spent very little on it since, so probably still the same average.
This doesn't include gas, but it does include tires.

This amount is somewhat dictated by how much I was willing to spend. It isn't merely to keep it running - the car's condition has improved significantly since I bought it.
If I was just keeping it alive I could have spent less. If I wanted to spend more, I also could have.

Stuff I can remember:
radiator
a motor mount
2 alternators
water pump
brake pads
some sensors
some rubber hoses
misc broken electrical connectors
misc maintenance stuff, coolant, oil, plugs etc
2 tires
catalytic converter
muffler - expensive due to uniqueness. Won't need to be replaced again.
replacement of injectors and some gaskets - fixed an oil leak.

 

[Anduril]

My car (from 40k to 122k) has needed:
Brakes once, strut mounts, rear shocks, fuel pump (only thing I couldn't do myself), and a tiny little turn signal relay. Oh, and a radiator hose.

Wife's car (from 100k to 180k) has needed:
Engine mount, thermostat, a/c compressor, a/c condenser. Probably brakes I'm forgetting.

Definitely less than $100 a month. $0 most months. A big part of that is there is no rust in southern CA.

 

[Anduril]

It would seem I'm unable to edit my post...

Power window motors on my car also failed shortly after purchase. Replaced with crank windows from junkyard and haven't had an ounce of trouble since. Wife also had her window broken and radio stolen (not really a maintenance cost). Also needed a pair of sun visors each (sun damage; got one pair from junkyard and another pair from eBay). Wife needed dash trim piece (from radio theft) and I needed a lid to my center console (broke due to my own stupidity).

Wife's car cost $2,000 in 2006 with 100k miles on it. Assuming the total cost of repairs to be about that much, that's $4,000 in 7 years, or about $50/month (including purchase price).

My car cost $4k in 2007 with 40k miles on it. It's probably needed $1500 worth of repairs and parts, or about $75/month, including purchase price.

All work except fuel pump, thermostat, radiator hose, and a/c system were done myself. I could have probably done all but the a/c myself had I lived in a house and not an apartment when they happened.

Both cars get changes with dino oil every 4-5k miles for about $15 each. Both have had their transmissions serviced exactly once (I added an aftermarket drain plug to each pan to make future services easier and less messy) and are probably due for it again.

 

[GreeCguy]

Originally Posted By: expat

Honestly I am shocked by the expenses people are showing here.
I once calculated my running expenses (other than License, Gas, Insurance)
at just under $1 per day, when I was running 300 miles a week day. In the last few years it has been much less than that, but then so has my mileage.
I DO do my own maintenance, but HONESTLY, How do you spend that much money?


Ditto. I swap back and forth between two cars as my "daily rides." 1993 Ford Taurus and 1995 Oldsmobile Cutlass. I bought the Ford around 10 years ago, paid 1,000 bucks for it and have probably put 1,500 dollars into it over the years in parts and repairs, (this doesn't count gas, oil, insurance). That adds up to 250 bucks a year for ten years now and it keeps getting cheaper.

The Olds is even better as I paid 800 dollars for it three years ago and so far have replaced the battery with one I picked up at the junkyard.

 

[VicVinegar]

I've spent about $1500 this year on the Civic, excluding gas. Still need to do the timing belt service. Probably need an oil pan too. A/C doesn't work either. That is a different thread.

I did a cost estimate for the next two years late last year to compare a new car, a used $15-16k car, and sinking money into the Civic. I estimated $2900 for repairs this year, including a new A/C system. So far, I've done a suspension bushing and an unexpected radiator where I was taken for a ride by the nearby mechanic. It was actually balanced out in the estimate by a bad exhuast gasket that appeared to be a catalytic converter at one point. As I said above, still more to go. I need to get an appointment to have the A/C diagnosed by the guy I have confidence in now, along with just another quick look over things to see if anything else is about to go before I start writing checks again. Unfortunately a job change has really crunched my time recently.

Still on the fence about putting another ~$2500 or so into the car, but like I said, different thread. Ideally, I'd be in for a fairly inexpensive 2014 after doing those things though. I'm sure a couple other suspension parts may wear out, but that should be it. As we are hitting 90 this week in Northern VA, and it took me 2.5 hours to get home today, that A/C is becoming an issue real fast.

 

[rjundi]

Subaru(151k) seems to be $200/month the last 12 months. However prior year was $20/month as just oil changes and tire rotations. That car is 18k/year.

My Acura MDX 07(104k miles) has been $50/month since I purchased 2.5 years ago.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

In the 2.5 years I have owned my Cherokee, I have done the following repairs on it:

Brake lines: $100 *
Wheel Bearings: $200 *
Water Pump, Hoses, Thermostat Belt: $200 *
Front Rotors, pads, Calipers $120
Rear Wheel Cylinder: $50 *
Rear Brake hardware, shoes: $50
Headlights, marker lights: $30
Fan Clutch: $40
Rear Springs: $120 (originals were cracked)
Coming Soon:
Front Axle $80
Ball Joints $100

Stuff with a * was stuff done by my mechanic, price includes parts AND labor.

Comes out to about $35 a month. The front axle and ball joints are my fault as a result of the way I treat it.

Granted, when the AC system fails, I won't repair it ... I will have it hooked up and the reamining refrigerant sucked out and do a bypass pullet

 

[cashmoney]

We have had two Toyota Highlanders - an 06 and an 07 both purchased 2-3 years old with low miles - my wife put 30 k miles on the 06 until we sold it to buy the 07 and has now put 30k miles on the 07. Total repair costs for 60k miles on both cars to date has been $0.

I have done diy oil, filters,and AT and brake fluid changes at recommended intervals. Also replaced windshield wipers a couple of times. So pretty low maint costs. For us the Highlanders have been totally bullet proof cars. Resale value stays high also so depreciation is very low if you take good care of this car. I can't imagine any other car having much lower total cost of ownership at this level of comfort and safety.

 

[InvalidUserID]

My three cars are all 90s cars and in the past two years what I've had to do to them (routine maintenance doesn't count):

1996 Camaro - Transmission cooler line repair, oil pan gasket and upper/lower manifold gaskets (preventive, wasn't bad).

1997 Grand Cherokee - Oil filter gasket, valve cover gasket, door handle and vehicle information center (pulled replacements from junk yard)

1999 Civic - Head gasket repair.

Hopefully they should all be good for a while. Only thing I need (that I know of) is a o2 for the Civic.

 

[another Todd]

Originally Posted By: InvalidUserID

1997 Grand Cherokee - Oil filter gasket, valve cover gasket, door handle and vehicle information center (pulled replacements from junk yard)


Oil filter gasket?

 

[JANDSZIRKLE]

For over a decade, i have had the habit of buying used vehicles with over 150xxx miles. Pay cash for them, do some basic maintenance and run them till they die or run into a repair that costs more than its worth, or more than i desire too pay too fix it at the time. We have done this while saving money too buy two new vehicles, paid cash for both of them. SO now we have two new vehicles around 50xxx miles and two beaters we use for daily running and chores. It can pay off too not have the monthly payment, i dont like the idea of them for vehicles. we have had some luck with some beaters too last over 2 years, one i ran from 160xxx too almost 400xxx. i call it luck. some people wouldnt be caught dead in a 90s vehicle nowadays, but they are paying 400-500 dollars a month in payments as well. i like a good seasoned vehicle. just my experience.

 

[hattaresguy]

Originally Posted By: hatt
Originally Posted By: surfstar
Also, in general, older cars are easier to DIY. No fancy scan tools needed, etc. So if you are actually DIY'ing, an older, reliable vehicle will always be much cheaper than a new vehicle that you pay someone (gasp a dealership) to maintain.

I'd wager that my vehicles are easily less than $500/year for maintenance and repairs - including oil changes, tires, etc.
I don't think working on a 10-15 year old car is much different than a brand new one. Not hard at all. Scan tool + google + forum and someone with decent mechanical ability can fix anything. You have to go back to the 60s to find cars "easy" to work on.


Yeah but your down in rust free Florida.

Up here in salt land working on a 10-15 year old vehicle requires a torch, hammer and cold chisel, and lots of sawzall blades. I don't even try to remove suspension parts and bolts, just snap and cut.

10 years is about it for me, I have no desire to mess with an older daily driver than that.

My 05 truck is already starting to pop a little rust in some places. In 1-2 years the fenders will probably be rotted threw.

 

[KitaCam]

Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Originally Posted By: hatt
Originally Posted By: surfstar
Also, in general, older cars are easier to DIY. No fancy scan tools needed, etc. So if you are actually DIY'ing, an older, reliable vehicle will always be much cheaper than a new vehicle that you pay someone (gasp a dealership) to maintain.

I'd wager that my vehicles are easily less than $500/year for maintenance and repairs - including oil changes, tires, etc.
I don't think working on a 10-15 year old car is much different than a brand new one. Not hard at all. Scan tool + google + forum and someone with decent mechanical ability can fix anything. You have to go back to the 60s to find cars "easy" to work on.


Yeah but your down in rust free Florida.

Up here in salt land working on a 10-15 year old vehicle requires a torch, hammer and cold chisel, and lots of sawzall blades. I don't even try to remove suspension parts and bolts, just snap and cut.

10 years is about it for me, I have no desire to mess with an older daily driver than that.

My 05 truck is already starting to pop a little rust in some places. In 1-2 years the fenders will probably be rotted threw.


THIS...while it's true in FLA we have to watch for rotting rubber and electronics getting overheated and oxidized if not corroded, all that is replaceable...replacing the body structural parts is, well, not going to be very cost effective considering how rust creeps from one panel to another...
The Florida-Georgia line is the boundary between Shangri-la and the real world for auto bodies...

 

[TFB1]

Originally Posted By: KitaCam

The Florida-Georgia line is the boundary between Shangri-la and the real world for auto bodies...


HUH??? How so??? I don't have any rust on any of my vehicles...

 

[KitaCam]

Originally Posted By: TFB1
Originally Posted By: KitaCam

The Florida-Georgia line is the boundary between Shangri-la and the real world for auto bodies...


HUH??? How so??? I don't have any rust on any of my vehicles...


Well, shhhhh, don't tell that to Kitacam....

 

[JethroBodine]

I don't get anywhere close to $200/month with my cars and that includes tires. I am in the $80/month camp.

 

[apwillard1986]

It depends how long you are willing to wait to recoup the larger repair investments. The last three years we had my wife’s previous truck the repairs averaged about $200 a month.

I do the work myself mostly but we decided it was no longer the best investment of our time and money and purchased a new truck when the rebates peaked. It made buying a new truck 2K cheaper than buying a two year old used truck with low miles. Her commute is eighty miles a day round trip. I have to agree with the previous poster who stated that those who drive a large number of miles a year will see more benefit in a new vehicle they can maintain well from the start. Much of what caused the sharp increase in repair bills for us was a huge increase in daily commute in her already decade old vehicle. It only had 120,000 miles but time can be as wearing as miles.