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The rule of thumb is to ditch the car if the repair is more than the car is worth. Not always. I had an otherwise impeccable 98 Explorer that needed a transmission. A completely rebuilt transmission installed would cost me 2 grand and I went for it. I just couldn't see the truck end up in the junkyard. 30,000 miles later, it developed a rough running problem that nobody could fix. Curtains.
I think the rule usually means ditch it if the cost of the repair is more than the car is worth after being repaired. If you're 98 Explorer was worth less than $2K, then you did break that rule. I lean towards your way of thinking, though unless the numbers are waaay out of balance.
Do wear and tear items count? I've have had multiple things fixed at once, but my biggest single fix was a brake replacement. 4 sets of pads, 4 rotors, and a caliper for $850.
We just dodged a crazy expensive (unnecessary) repair. 2 weeks of sleeplessness and stress later we pried our 10 year old diesel van back outta highly-positive-reviewed local shop and took it to authorized repair. Quoted 10k for transmission replacement, then 7k. Got it repaired for $400. Was a hole in a hose, not transmission at all.
My exact words when I took it to 1st shop for oil change was "ask them to look at transmission fluid, seems a little unsmooth shifting 1st to 2nd gear." The horror began...
What are your stories?
I bought a brand new car and a week later drilled a hole through the firewall to run a cord for a radar detector. I drilled through the wiring harness. It took the dealership over 2 weeks to find the problem because I didn't want to confess what I did. The repair cost $4400.
I bought a brand new car and a week later drilled a hole through the firewall to run a cord for a radar detector. I drilled through the wiring harness. It took the dealership over 2 weeks to find the problem because I didn't want to confess what I did. The repair cost $4400.
Hope you didn't have to pay an hourly "seek and find" repair charge. Brave of you to confess, even anonymously.
Speaking of hourly fees...they suck. I have paid hundreds of dollars to the now-fired local highly-rated repair shop and not have them correctly diagnose and/or repair what needed to be fixed. Reminds me of the "free" termite inspection which ALWAYS finds termites and recommends having them mitigated for $500-600.
Hope you didn't have to pay an hourly "seek and find" repair charge. Brave of you to confess, even anonymously.
Speaking of hourly fees...they suck. I have paid hundreds of dollars to the now-fired local highly-rated repair shop and not have them correctly diagnose and/or repair what needed to be fixed. Reminds me of the "free" termite inspection which ALWAYS finds termites and recommends having them mitigated for $500-600.
The tech "repaired" the existing harness so most of the charges were for "labor" in looking for why my car wouldn't start and me not giving them a clue. Expensive mistake.
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