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+--- Thread: f*** my car (/showthread.php?tid=1487)
f*** my car - Darth-Apple - April 29th, 2017
I currently drive a 97 civic as my primary driver. I bought it for 800 dollars thinking I had a good deal. Not a bad price at all for a car with less than 140K miles. Well, needless to say, I learned the lesson of the 800 dollar car pretty quick. Need I say, it's pretty bare-bones. Terrible paint job, no power steering, no tach, no nothing.
Honestly, it ain't really a loss. It's absolutely great on gas (33-34 in the CITY), and it served its intended purpose of allowing me to learn how to fluently drive a stick shift. And to be honest, after driving a stick for almost a year I can say I don't know that I'd ever want to go back to an automatic. On one hand the automatic is like a breath of fresh air. On the other? Feels like it's got a mind of its own. You get used to feeling like you're in control. The stick brings a new feeling.
Anyway, that aside, it's got the original clutch so that's probably gonna go out sooner or later. Had some minor issues, namely accessory belt issues and what not, but meh those can be fixed.
Anyway, one week after purchase, I pull out of my driveway and next thing you know I see the whitest cloud of white smoke I'd ever seen coming from the tailpipe. I'm talking call the f*** fire department thick. Like, really really thick. If you've ever seen a car being sea foamed through the intake, we're talking sea foam thick. Definitely not normal.
My stupid a** drives it to work anyway. Well, it runs.
Did everything I could to fix the simple stuff. Full tune up, PCV valve (hardest PCV valve ever by the way, took two hours to yank it out and broke in its hole), fluid changes, everything. Fair enough.
Well, the problem persists, so I decide just to keep adding coolant and oil. Looks like a blown head gasket. I'll give it two weeks before it blows and call it quits.
And you might not expect a car with a blown head gasket to last a year, but it has. It's taken me to and from work with no problems, on many vacations, and over 15K miles of driving. No problems... just adding coolant and oil. Actually more oil than coolant. The coolant doesn't seem to burn much anymore. Otherwise a solid car...
Well, until the electrical problems begin. It dies in the middle of the road. Randomly. Now, being that it's a manual, it'll come back to life once the power comes back without need of a starter. It stays in gear and the wheels turn the engine which in turn fires the ignition. Therefore I don't get stranded. But the car suddenly being killed in the middle of the interstate intermittently has me thinking it's a tad bit possessed at this point.
Next comes the headlights... bye bye headlights. Been driving without them for two months. Then comes loud rattling noises from the engine. No idea what this could be... And then next come to find out my AC doesn't hardly work. It's one thing after another. Yes, I literally have no headlights in this bitch.
Well, I figure, okay then, I can still drive it, that's cool. I'll drive it until the wheels fall off. Well, that phrase has a whole new meaning for me now.
I was driving home on the interstate, hear this loud rattling/bumping sound. SOunds like the brakes, I pull off. I kid you not, the wheel was falling off the car. Never seen this until now but well, it happened. Aaaaaannnnddddd it f*** up my brakes while it was at it. Bye bye brakes. Bye bye wheel. Bye bye car.
Well the brakes are fixed. I needed those. Kinda a necessity at this point. Even more than the headlights=. And you know, original clutch, no power steering, no AC, no tachometer, no CD player, tape player, nothing, terrible paint job, and an otherwise unsatisfactory appearance, it still "runs" like a champ, getting 34 MPG every day.
much as I love my clunker, the wheel has finally killed it for me. it might finally be time to sell. My wish of driving a car into the ground has finally come true.
My buddies tell me it's a $600 car. Imma try for a grand... hehe, hehe
RE: f*** my car - Guardian - April 29th, 2017
Wow. Sounds like a rough time... maybe time to scrap it? Sounds like the upkeep adds up fast.
After I wrecked my car and insurance totaled it, I was still able to sell it to a scrap yard for $900. Granted, it was a bit newer of a vehicle than yours (7 years at the time), but there's still potential there. Old Honda's are relatively popular.
RE: f*** my car - brian51 - April 29th, 2017
Yes I wish you the best of luck with this Hans,,
perhaps you will get more for it than you hoped for !
RE: f*** my car - Darth-Apple - April 29th, 2017
Yeah we shall see. Gonna post it on craigslist fairly soon. Just got to get it cleaned up really good. I actually still gotta get rid of my 2000 corolla too. Scraping both of them for something better.
I bought a Saab 9-3 Arc for 1200 not too long ago, six speed manual, and that was actually one of the nicer cars I've ever owned and also one of the cheapest. Unfortunately the turbo went out so I got rid of that too. Wasn't worth trying to source a new turbo for a car that no longer is being manufactured...
Oh the joys of the world of automobiles...
RE: f*** my car - Guardian - April 30th, 2017
Yeah... been looking for an older-little truck to use for a lot of oddobs. Been painful, everything is either junk, or just way overpriced...
RE: f*** my car - Darth-Apple - April 30th, 2017
Yep. And that's craigslist these days. A lot of these ads are also posted by uneducated people who either don't understand what their car is worth, or are posting just to see if they can rip someone off. Unfortunately I have been the victim on both counts.
I used to sell cars for a car dealership and I know that during the trade in process, the hardest part was explaining to people why their car was often worth less than they expected. People will come in expecting their car to be worth 3 grand because kelly blue book says so. If you car has a bad engine, you'll need at least 1500 or so just to replace the engine. Take 3,000 minus 1,500 and you get the idea. If your car needs a grand of body work, same idea. But people don't consider this stuff. The car has to be in pretty good condition or it's not really worth blue book value. Blue book doesn't take this stuff into account.
Finding fair deals on craigslist is a headache sometimes... There are definitely good deals on there too but no doubt, with it being such an open platform, there's a lot of garbage to sort out.
RE: f*** my car - Guardian - April 30th, 2017
Oh yes. Tons of garbage.
The best one... a guy selling a 20 year old truck for $13,000 because that was how much work he put into it. The best part... it didn't have an engine.
RE: f*** my car - Darth-Apple - May 1st, 2017
(April 30th, 2017 at 2:40 AM)Guardian Wrote: Oh yes. Tons of garbage.
The best one... a guy selling a 20 year old truck for $13,000 because that was how much work he put into it. The best part... it didn't have an engine.
Shit! That's insane...
Did it actually sell?
RE: f*** my car - Guardian - May 1st, 2017
(May 1st, 2017 at 3:12 AM)Hans Squeaky Wrote: Did it actually sell?
Not that I've seen. I hope it doesn't either.
RE: f*** my car - Darth-Apple - May 2nd, 2017
(May 1st, 2017 at 9:48 PM)Guardian Wrote:(May 1st, 2017 at 3:12 AM)Hans Squeaky Wrote: Did it actually sell?
Not that I've seen. I hope it doesn't either.
Freakin dumbasses on craigslist I swear...
I'll tell you though, people will fall for it sometimes. My buddy had a 93 bronco, bought it from auction for about 1400, had no back windows, a misfiring engine, all four tires were bad, 200K miles, and a transmission that was clunking severely and would not shift past second gear, even on the highway. Sold it for 1700, was the best he managed to get for it. Checked craigslist and the next day the guy had it listed on there for 3 grand and flipped it. Not sure what it actually sold for but he forgot to take his license plate off and the DMV notified him of this, so it definitely was sold. Probably for some profit...
RE: f*** my car - Guardian - May 2nd, 2017
(May 2nd, 2017 at 1:15 AM)Hans Squeaky Wrote: I'll tell you though, people will fall for it sometimes. My buddy had a 93 bronco, bought it from auction for about 1400, had no back windows, a misfiring engine, all four tires were bad, 200K miles, and a transmission that was clunking severely and would not shift past second gear, even on the highway. Sold it for 1700, was the best he managed to get for it. Checked craigslist and the next day the guy had it listed on there for 3 grand and flipped it. Not sure what it actually sold for but he forgot to take his license plate off and the DMV notified him of this, so it definitely was sold. Probably for some profit...
HOLY CRAP!Flippers like that are why it's hard to find a good deal. They buy the cheap stuff quick and turn around and jack up the prices. Not a bad business move if you can pull it off, but it still sucks for everyone else.
RE: f*** my car - Darth-Apple - May 3rd, 2017
Yeah man no kidding. Seriously.
I actually still trust craigslist more than a lot of fly by night dealers on the side of the road ONLY because if you actually manage to find a legitimate seller, they know more about the car than some random dealer that just bought it from auction will. But there is definitely some shit out there. It's all unregulated, so it's really up to you to protect your own a**.
I have access to some wholesale cars thanks to my job though, so I can get some ridiculously good deals without all the hassle
RE: f*** my car - Guardian - May 3rd, 2017
(May 3rd, 2017 at 2:36 AM)Hans Squeaky Wrote: I actually still trust craigslist more than a lot of fly by night dealers on the side of the road ONLY because if you actually manage to find a legitimate seller, they know more about the car than some random dealer that just bought it from auction will. But there is definitely some shit out there. It's all unregulated, so it's really up to you to protect your own a**.True that.
(May 3rd, 2017 at 2:36 AM)Hans Squeaky Wrote: I have access to some wholesale cars thanks to my job though, so I can get some ridiculously good deals without all the hassle
Pass me some of those deals!
RE: f*** my car - brian51 - May 3rd, 2017
Quote:I have access to some wholesale cars thanks to my job though, so I can get some ridiculously good deals without all the hassle
![[Image: biggrin.gif]](http://makestation.net/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
Hans, I had no idea this was the case..
I now feel some sense of relief that you can avail yourself of this option should you chose/ need to..
RE: f*** my car - Darth-Apple - May 4th, 2017
Haha come to NC guys and I'll hook you up!
RE: f*** my car - brian51 - May 5th, 2017
i think I have mentioned to you, that in the past NC was like a second home to me..
Asheville area , in the heart of the mountains..I still have an uncle that lives up that way who is about 85 now..