Older car repair advice
- Thread starter Hollow
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Head gasket and full new exhaust and replacing all susp parts?! On an 03? Im all for fixing stuff but I wouldnt drop that much money on my 07 and I currently have zero issues that need addressing. If I need to spend north of 2k to make my ride reliable, its time to replace or make good enough with quick fixes and use as is. If you do all those repairs and it lasts 5 years...sure but who knows what else can go.
unless you can fix it yourself: new car.
Should have been sold back around 125K miles. There's no way you will make out better fixing this car over the next 3-5 yrs than replacing it now with a lower mileage one that is rust free. You're also taking a leap of faith that nothing will go wrong with the engine, trans or rear end while you own it. That's a big IF.
That car sounds like a $2K car if everything is fixed. If you've identified $2K in things needing fixing, you can bet there's another $1K-$2K more lurking in the wings (window motors, seat motors, AC, cooling system/radiators, ps and water pumps, brakes, emissions equipment, head lights and tail lights, starter motor, etc.). The last older "rusty" car I had that I took from 160K-230K miles just ate me alive in repairs. And I ignored the exhaust, leaking brake lines, original suspension. Never again.
That car sounds like a $2K car if everything is fixed. If you've identified $2K in things needing fixing, you can bet there's another $1K-$2K more lurking in the wings (window motors, seat motors, AC, cooling system/radiators, ps and water pumps, brakes, emissions equipment, head lights and tail lights, starter motor, etc.). The last older "rusty" car I had that I took from 160K-230K miles just ate me alive in repairs. And I ignored the exhaust, leaking brake lines, original suspension. Never again.
Originally Posted By: khittner
You've neglected this car for far too long; as a result of your neglect, most important systems are needlessly past critical, and are finished. Take whatever money you'd otherwise spend on it, get on AutoTrader or a similar used-car search site, and find your wife a nice, similar-vintage, low mileage Southern (ie: not Rust-Belt) Subaru or Toyota Camry granny car, and buy it. Then take care of this new-to-you car and, along with it, your wife.
Exactly!
Sell it to someone who needs a beater for $1000
Take the $2000 you would have spent on repairs (or $1000) and buy one just like it in better condition for $2000 - $3000
Even Steven.
You've neglected this car for far too long; as a result of your neglect, most important systems are needlessly past critical, and are finished. Take whatever money you'd otherwise spend on it, get on AutoTrader or a similar used-car search site, and find your wife a nice, similar-vintage, low mileage Southern (ie: not Rust-Belt) Subaru or Toyota Camry granny car, and buy it. Then take care of this new-to-you car and, along with it, your wife.
Exactly!
Sell it to someone who needs a beater for $1000
Take the $2000 you would have spent on repairs (or $1000) and buy one just like it in better condition for $2000 - $3000
Even Steven.
How can anyone in all seriousness quantify/qualify on a balance sheet the safety of a car vs the safety of those in it????
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Originally Posted By: KitaCam
How can anyone in all seriousness quantify/qualify on a balance sheet the safety of a car vs the safety of those in it????
The auto makers and consumer testers do that very thing all the time. The safety of those in the car, is based on the safety features of the car...though there is a limit they can't go beyond because consumers won't pay for the added costs. If there was no ceiling on the price of safety, we'd all be driving around in $1 MILL tanks...weaponless of course.
How can anyone in all seriousness quantify/qualify on a balance sheet the safety of a car vs the safety of those in it????
The auto makers and consumer testers do that very thing all the time. The safety of those in the car, is based on the safety features of the car...though there is a limit they can't go beyond because consumers won't pay for the added costs. If there was no ceiling on the price of safety, we'd all be driving around in $1 MILL tanks...weaponless of course.
As I'm the only person (other than my mechanic) who thinks a rattling leaky exhaust is not a safety issue and everyone apparently thinks I'm trying to kill my wife whom I don't care for due to neglecting a vehicle despite trying to honor her desires and requests about her vehicle...just nevermind this thread.
Ask for suspension repair advice, get ignored and lectured. Man, I remember when this forum used to be decent. Back to hibernate.
Ask for suspension repair advice, get ignored and lectured. Man, I remember when this forum used to be decent. Back to hibernate.
worn out suspension parts will cause accelerated tire wear but thats really about the only real concern I would have with this car.
I have heard head gaskets are easy on these motors fwiw
I have heard head gaskets are easy on these motors fwiw
Originally Posted By: Hollow
Ask for suspension repair advice, get ignored and lectured. Man, I remember when this forum used to be decent. Back to hibernate.
Suspension repair is easy. But it's nice to know the whole picture... and the whole picture is cruddy.
There are many who get into the lost cost fallacy, and owning an older car is like that. "If I just pay for this one thing I'm home free". You're lucky... extremely lucky... to have many systems failing simultaneously yet getting advance warning that action needs to happen soon. Jump!
Ask for suspension repair advice, get ignored and lectured. Man, I remember when this forum used to be decent. Back to hibernate.
Suspension repair is easy. But it's nice to know the whole picture... and the whole picture is cruddy.
There are many who get into the lost cost fallacy, and owning an older car is like that. "If I just pay for this one thing I'm home free". You're lucky... extremely lucky... to have many systems failing simultaneously yet getting advance warning that action needs to happen soon. Jump!
Originally Posted By: Hollow
Vehicle: 2003 Subaru Outback with 163,000 miles.
The suspension is where I'm trying to figure out what I want to do. Replacing EVERYTHING will run close to $2000 in parts and labor, which is not much less that the value of the car.
Any older car can be economical to fix, but only if you have the ability to do it yourself. There is a point where replacing 1 suspension component does not do it. Some times its at the point where the ball joints are completely shot as are the control arm bushings , tie rods, strut bearings and struts. Replacing one component will make little difference when the others are so far gone as well. If you have to pay labor for most of the work, an older car is not that economical. I would not spend $2000 on suspension and then another ( guessing here) $700-1000 on exhaust.
Vehicle: 2003 Subaru Outback with 163,000 miles.
The suspension is where I'm trying to figure out what I want to do. Replacing EVERYTHING will run close to $2000 in parts and labor, which is not much less that the value of the car.
Any older car can be economical to fix, but only if you have the ability to do it yourself. There is a point where replacing 1 suspension component does not do it. Some times its at the point where the ball joints are completely shot as are the control arm bushings , tie rods, strut bearings and struts. Replacing one component will make little difference when the others are so far gone as well. If you have to pay labor for most of the work, an older car is not that economical. I would not spend $2000 on suspension and then another ( guessing here) $700-1000 on exhaust.
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I swear no one here reads a [censored] thing I've posted. And as such maybe I need to yell a bit:
I DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE EXHAUST LEAK AND NEITHER DOES MY MECHANIC. IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE.
I DO NOT CARE THAT THE CAR IS NOT WORTH MUCH. MY WIFE WANTS HER CAR FIXED AND I WILL DO SO.
/end thread.
I get it. This forum looks at things from a money only perspective. I do not. My goal is to keep the vehicle on the road and out of the junkyard as long as it can be safely done.
A mod can close this or delete it. I don't care anymore.
I DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE EXHAUST LEAK AND NEITHER DOES MY MECHANIC. IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE.
I DO NOT CARE THAT THE CAR IS NOT WORTH MUCH. MY WIFE WANTS HER CAR FIXED AND I WILL DO SO.
/end thread.
I get it. This forum looks at things from a money only perspective. I do not. My goal is to keep the vehicle on the road and out of the junkyard as long as it can be safely done.
A mod can close this or delete it. I don't care anymore.
If a head gasket is bad and you have no plans to repair it, it makes little sense to put money into the suspension when the car could die at any moment. Now if you plan on fixing everthing thats different, but i would do the head gasket first.
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Originally Posted By: Hollow
I DO NOT CARE THAT THE CAR IS NOT WORTH MUCH. MY WIFE WANTS HER CAR FIXED AND I WILL DO SO.
[/b]
/end thread.
Not a problem. As we say in the south, " Have at it ".
I DO NOT CARE THAT THE CAR IS NOT WORTH MUCH. MY WIFE WANTS HER CAR FIXED AND I WILL DO SO.
[/b]
/end thread.
Not a problem. As we say in the south, " Have at it ".
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Hollow,
You got lots of good advice here, and some unwanted commentary, whether you wanted it or not. Part of the problem here was your rambling original post. It gave lots of people something to latch on to, other than the question at the bottom.
To answer your question:
1. Replace struts, because, Safety. It's not just the mileage, it's the age. I'll bet money the gas charge is gone.
2. Inspect for rusted brake lines and cracked hoses.
3. Whatever else is loose and needs immediate replacement, replace on BOTH sides, even if only one side is bad.
4. Everything else in the suspension, wait for it to wear out.
You got lots of good advice here, and some unwanted commentary, whether you wanted it or not. Part of the problem here was your rambling original post. It gave lots of people something to latch on to, other than the question at the bottom.
To answer your question:
1. Replace struts, because, Safety. It's not just the mileage, it's the age. I'll bet money the gas charge is gone.
2. Inspect for rusted brake lines and cracked hoses.
3. Whatever else is loose and needs immediate replacement, replace on BOTH sides, even if only one side is bad.
4. Everything else in the suspension, wait for it to wear out.
An exhaust leak not a safety issue? It's the only thing you've listed that I would actually be concerned with fixing IMMEDIATELY.
That, and your failing head gasket is just waiting to total the car.
Fix it all, or none of it. And be ready to fix more.
That, and your failing head gasket is just waiting to total the car.
Fix it all, or none of it. And be ready to fix more.
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
Originally Posted By: Hollow
I swear no one here reads a [censored] thing I've posted. And as such maybe I need to yell a bit:
I DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE EXHAUST LEAK AND NEITHER DOES MY MECHANIC. IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE.
I DO NOT CARE THAT THE CAR IS NOT WORTH MUCH. MY WIFE WANTS HER CAR FIXED AND I WILL DO SO.
/end thread.
I get it. This forum looks at things from a money only perspective. I do not. My goal is to keep the vehicle on the road and out of the junkyard as long as it can be safely done.
A mod can close this or delete it. I don't care anymore.
It's the internet, as my 6 year old granddaughter says, you get what you get, don't throw a fit.
One question for you sir, how in the world do you expect unknown persons on the internet to tell you what suspension parts need replaced, particularly when you didn't give an idea the condition of the different parts? Would this not be something for your trusted mechanic to determine?
I swear no one here reads a [censored] thing I've posted. And as such maybe I need to yell a bit:
I DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE EXHAUST LEAK AND NEITHER DOES MY MECHANIC. IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE.
I DO NOT CARE THAT THE CAR IS NOT WORTH MUCH. MY WIFE WANTS HER CAR FIXED AND I WILL DO SO.
/end thread.
I get it. This forum looks at things from a money only perspective. I do not. My goal is to keep the vehicle on the road and out of the junkyard as long as it can be safely done.
A mod can close this or delete it. I don't care anymore.
It's the internet, as my 6 year old granddaughter says, you get what you get, don't throw a fit.
One question for you sir, how in the world do you expect unknown persons on the internet to tell you what suspension parts need replaced, particularly when you didn't give an idea the condition of the different parts? Would this not be something for your trusted mechanic to determine?
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