What should I ask mechanic to check to make a decision on older car? (insurance, car payments)

[midwestmom]

We have a 98 escort wagon automatic with 145,000 miles, A/C needs fixed(freon leak somewhere). Tune up 3 yrs ago.
Had brake work done (they kept locking up) and tail pipe replaced (it rusted through in the middle) for over $600 2 months ago.
Gas smell that shop A couldn't smell - checked gas line, no leaks. Smell persisted so went to shop B - oil leaking on PVC valve, cover melted. Problem solved for $200 but I need struts to tune of $1,000. I can tell I do need them, not sure if sping is broken. Said car seemed ok overall on brief inspection.

I'm not so sure about shop A - I gave a look and there's a 3 inch long soft rust line on side of muffler so probably more underneath. No mention from them about it. Shouldn't they have noticed a bad spring on struts when they worked on brake line?

I'm not a DIY so don't know what to ask when getting repairs and have to take their word on it - I miss my old trustworthy mechanic who only said "urgent repair" when it was true. I think I need to get some fluids flushed since its never been done, maintenance has only been fair so I'm not sure its worth repairing. There is rust growing (3 inch round) on passenger side, near rear tire. Can I do anything just to stop it spreading, without getting it repainted?

Anyway, I've decided to take it to an independent shop to get an overall idea of what repairs it may need. What specifically should I have checked? Questions I should ask? Transmission? There's a new straining noise when gears are shifting. The engine has a new, rough sound. the oil was changed recently. I'd hate to spend $1,000 if worse is on the way.

I'm having a hard time saving for any kind of maintenance when these urgent pricey repairs are coming up every 2-3 months. Having a steady car payment seems easier but my int rate would be high and wow! have prices risen. I bought this one 4 yrs old, 44,000 miles for $7,000. The used I've seen in same shape are now double that price. I have no problem with getting a 4-5 yr old car, except I'd expect unknown problems and mileages are much higher (60 to 150,000) even for $15,000. New car payments for mid-sized are $500 or so (that high int), not counting insurance. I'd really rather save longer to have a bigger down payment, if I can.

oh - they mentioned HVAC clean - do this do anything for the engine or just help it smell nicer?

[MrRational]

That era of Escort was one of the best cars Ford ever made.
If you're looking for a "1000 dollar beater" you can't do much better.

The things to look for and be concerned about...
beyond the basics of ANY 13yo 145,000 mile care... aren't many.
(rear springs are known to shear; I'd prefer a manual tranny)

The main thing is NUMBER of owners in it's life. Fewer is better.
The more owners = the more variance in maintenance and wear habits.
KNOW for certain how many owners there were and how long each had it.
(carfax is good for this)

After you buy it do a thorough filter, fluid, belt, hose check/replace.

hth

[midwestmom]

Hi Mr Rational,
I'm the 2nd car owner and the escorts rep is the main reason I would keep up the repairs - the problem is coming up with 700-1000 every few months. I realize this is less than I'd be making on a car payment/insurance, its just difficult to save for future repairs when I keep having present ones. And..I'm not sure what specifically I can do to prevent future repairs. I know someone else who had the worst luck with escorts, head gasket and more with much lower mileage. I've been relatively lucky until I hit 140,000 miles and lived in a very snowy state (no rust at all till that point). Personally I'm a keep it till its dead car buyer, our first was stolen, this is our 2nd car. I hate the whole car buying process, even test drives.

[StealthRabbit]

Rusty car is not worth salvaging with expensive mechanical repairs. 145k might be enough for your Escort, tho they often go much further in non-rust area with DIY owner.

Personally, I would buy a better beater (since you are not a DIY). I would find the lowest mileage one owner BY OWNER and upgrade to a newer 40 mpg Focus wagon. I like to buy in Dallas and Austin (lower 'used car' prices / rust free if born and lived there), and NEVER from a dealer, ONLY from original owner. I fetch my cars via a $89 one way airfare (I LUV SWA), and examine them via LONG phone call or have a local internet friend look it over. I have bought many sight unseen. DEC is a great time to go to TX, especially San Antonio (Canal Lights). buying a car and driving home might be a good choice.

It is expensive to pay someone to do repairs (and if you are in the Midwest, even WORSE... rusty undercarriage)

Example is the struts...(mine cost ~ $80 / pair) they are a real pain on my Midwest cars, ~3 hrs vs 1 hr on west coast / sw usa cars.

Find a better shop, feed them cookies and brownies

[midwestmom]

Thanks SteathRabbit,
I'm taking it to another mechanic that was recommended, they have a car check for determining if a car is worth purchasing which should give me a good idea what shape my car is in so I can decide. Wouldn't mind an excuse to take a road trip to San Antonio this time of year. A bit harder for us to check out a car long distance. I've been checking out which cars have stood the test of time, likely another beater if we have to get one, hopefully a bit bigger. Would be nice to have a shiny new-er car with all the features that have been added since we bought ours but it really isn't in the budget right now.

[jlawrence01]

If you are going to keep an older domestic car, you had better be putting aside $200-300 a month for repairs info an account as you will need it.

A thirteen year car with that many miles in the midwest is NOT a vehicle that I would be investing in.

As for a cheap used car, good luck. It is definitely a SELLER'S market Some of the prices that I am getting at the auctions for cars from my fleet are really unbelievable - even on gas guzzlers.

IMO, in December 2011, you are almost better buying a small car NEW and driving the thing for 150-200k miles.

[jtur88]

With ordinary usage, any American-badged car is pretty much at the end of its life at 140K. Japanese more like 220K, and then pretty much the same litany of issues.

Each separate component that is built into a car has an expected life of its own, and those components are engineered to all fail at about the same time. With your car, you're in the red zone of target mileage. The average car in America is driven about 12K miles a year, so your 13 years is right on the mark, too, at the predicted expiration date.

In other words, it's time to walk away from that car, before it eats you out of house and home.

[midwestmom]

I do want to wait and see what the mechanic says, esp about the degree of rust. I'm tending to agree with most of you, that its time to put money toward a newer, lower mileage beater or a small new car and then trade up. I am leary of compacts because of safety and our car is already pretty crowded but have to read more about it since we hadn't thought we'd need to get one so soon.

[summer22]

You're in the Midwest? If that means Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, check out Superior Auto... they have about forty locations in those states.

Their cars are about 5 years old, about 80,000-100,000 miles, about $400 down and about $300 a month for 2 1/2 years. I bought from them when I didn't have good credit. Found a very nice car; you can have them bring you any car in their inventory. The car didn't last as long as it should have, but that was more Ford's fault than the person who sold it to me. From my experience with them, they're a decent company. But ALWAYS have a car checked by a mechanic before you sign the papers. Pay someone to give it a very thorough inspection.

Sounds like you got lucky with your Escort; those years were good. I had a '90's Ford Thunderbird and it lasted 230,000 miles and 11 years before it completely rusted out. All the systems were strong, but the rust took out the front suspension and I narrowly missed having that happen on a Chicago interstate. Luckily that moment came when I was easing into a parking space, instead.

I wouldn't want to commit money or time into repairing an Escort with 1998 safety technology, though. I agree with Jtur88's advice.

We also recently purchased a three-year-old VW through a Volkswagen dealer and paid $1000 down, $335 per month for five years, and being certified used it has another three years on its warranty. Bought it with 28,000 miles. It has only decent mileage (27 mpg highway) but is comfortable, reliable, and is loaded with airbags, traction control, and all of those things. The maintenance is between $500 and $1000 per year depending on how much driving I do.

If you have excellent or good credit, it might be worth it to buy new. My credit is still rebuilding so I had to go the used route.

Pick up a copy of Consumer Reports' guide. I found it at a grocery store for $10, it has reliability and safety ratings for the last seven years of vehicles. Also take the time to look online at MSN Autos owner reviews, and CarComplaints.com, before picking a vehicle.

I don't work for either of the dealers mentioned; I've just bought from them and had a good experience.

Good luck!