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You should not allow yourself to exaggerate the cost of a new catalytic converter. $150 will get the job done, usually. I paid less than that for a "free flow Cat" for my 90 GMC.
Just don't go to a dealer. Use a muffler shop.
I would buy a used car through CarMax.
Well, there are other considerations on the board as well. The AC has not worked for years. I am down to one radio speaker. The deer hit 2 or 3 years ago is rusting that impact panel, it was just too expensive to get that, too, repaired. The inside clock no longer works. Long story short......I think the writing is on the wall. It may have 3-4 years left but then we have those things about government mandates and to get a new car before I retire.
Next item. When I bought my current car, I was still watching TV. I saw all those commercials for Subaru, the Montero (with the Eskimo girl singing to her husky in the front seat), all the fun people were having with the Nissan Xterra. The Jeep Cherokee.
But, TV was left behind 6 years ago, I don't see these commercials. Granted, it is all so much fluff, fantasy, BUT am I missing something useful in car shopping by not being in that world?
Finally, while Jeep Cherokee is not on my list for it seems so much extra money to get something useful, the woke environment of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep_C...hange_the_name is a concern to what kind of car I buy next. For something I am going to be driving the rest of my life, do I want to risk, oh say like the anger Ira and Anne faced when they personalized their licence plate with the first two letters of their name................and then the embassy hostage crisis started up?
Well for me it was the fact that the engine siezed up and the truck would no longer move. I really need a vehicle that can move. A replacement engine together with some other repairs that were already needed added up to considerably more than the value of the truck.
I did not buy a new truck but I looked at several new gladiators. There was nothing available that I liked, almost nothing available at all, so I found a four year old truck pretty much exactly the same as my 13 year old one except the engine works.
How does CarMax work? Do they deliver cars from all over like Carvana does, with the buyer paying for shipping?
You have to go to the Carmax lot. You can look online first if you like.
Ar Carmax you pay what is listed. Salesmen are there but it's not like other lots. At Carmax they give advice and let you drive whatever you like. There is no negotiating price - what you see is what you get. If you don't like it you can trade it back within a couple weeks or so.
They can bring the car to you local dealer if you like - even across country. There's a small fee.
I like them, but I am a buy-it-and-keep-it kind of buyer.
You should not allow yourself to exaggerate the cost of a new catalytic converter. $150 will get the job done, usually. I paid less than that for a "free flow Cat" for my 90 GMC.
Just don't go to a dealer. Use a muffler shop.
Depends on the vehicle and the state you live in. At least in my state a 1990 is exempt from any emissions inspections, and since it's pre-OBD there's no check engine light. Cats are a lot more complex in a newer vehicle, and with a bargain one it might not do the job.
Agree that a dealer is the most expensive way to go. Had to get a new cat in my '05 Jeep last year, it was still over $1200 at an independent mechanic.
I got a screaming deal on a 2019 RAM 1500 quad cab (Tradesman) in early 2019. I needed it to pull a trailer several times over a couple years. Now retired, I've driven it a bit over 3,000 miles in the past 18 months. Nothing wrong with it, but I might swap it for a new Dakota if they don't ruin the design when they bring it back next year. Primarily just because I can and I think I want to.
I hear ya - a new car is kind of a want rather than a need at this point. We have 11 and 13 yr old cars that are still running well - and since we've not driven them much over the last 3 years, they don't have a lot of wear on them.
We are about in the same boat with 21 and 18 y.o. cars with very low miles - the ‘02 WRX wagon I bought brand new in ‘01 has only 74k miles! Our other Subaru is starting to smoke a bit on start up so that will be the one we eventually replace, as of now the WRX runs great and is a super fun car to drive so that’s not going anywhere. We are both basically retired, are lucky to have a very healthy investment account, zero debt and I just inherited a bunch of money this year so I feel like it’s about that time.
The thing is we hardly ever drive, I’ve put less than 2k miles the past three years as I’m not commuting and we live in an area where we can walk to just about everywhere so the impetus to buy now is not strong. I’m just doing a lot of research and waiting for the market to calm down and will have VIP pricing and a loyalty coupon to use in a couple of months so I won’t have to go through all of the pain and hassle of the dealership experience - just some.
I was initially looking at a larger, more powerful car - still mid-sized - or more “rugged” for those very few times when we might be traveling with more than two, have to haul a bunch of stuff or go trail camping but the more I thought about it that’s pretty stupid. Instead, I’m starting to look at a safe, fun to drive compact car that’s still got some decent space to it and will easily manage 95% of our driving needs and just rent something for those rare times we need something with more capacity or capability. So a hatchback or small wagon is where we are headed to.
I tend to keep my cars for a long time until the repair costs start to get out of hand. My Honda CRV lasted 140K+ and I traded in for a 2016 Kia Soul. That was my first car with a backup camera. That lasted until 2020 when I was rear ended. It wasn't totaled but I felt like I wanted to trade it so I could a 2020 Kia Soul which had the backup camera as well as the collision detection system (which I love). I do like the newer safety features and that (or more space) will be the reason for my next car at some point.
I DON'T like all the modern improvements. I love my basic 15-year-old car with the roll-up windows, key-opened doors, knob-operated radio, and my CD player. Safety features just make us lazier, IMHO. The more gadgets, the more there is to break and repair... So THAT common incentive for trading up is missing in my case.
We bought me a 2013 Honda Civic in 2016. Unbeknownst to us at that time we would be moving 1,000 Mike's from sunny California, to super snowy rural Wyoming. The Honda Civic was perfect for California, for Wyoming, not as much. I need more ground clearance, I am always worried about getting stuck because of snow ruts in the road that my car can't get over. I'm getting older and I'd like something that I don't have to bend over to get into. I have more money now, I'd like some bells and whistles like AWD and heated seats. I have a 16 year old now, who needs a car, so they can have my Honda Civic I am ready for something new. Seven winters with the Honda Civic is enough.
I DON'T like all the modern improvements. I love my basic 15-year-old car with the roll-up windows, key-opened doors, knob-operated radio, and my CD player. Safety features just make us lazier, IMHO. The more gadgets, the more there is to break and repair... So THAT common incentive for trading up is missing in my case.
Same here. But it’s very difficult finding a basic car or pickup. All dealers want you to buy the most expensive, complicated vehicle on the lot. They are like sharks. So I never go on a car lot until they are closed.
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