Should I give up Malibu Stacy?
June 2, 2011 12:30 PM Subscribe
Fix it or replace it Filter. My car Stacy, a 1997 Chevy Malibu, is having issues again. Lots of issues. I'm trying to decide if we should get couples therapy at the mechanic or DTMFA. Hope me hivemind in deciding.
My car is a 1997 Chevy Malibu LS. 122,000 miles. V6, in mediocre condition. I've run into that mystical point of should I repair it or should I get a different car. I own the car outright, no car payment. I've run blue book values and the car would be worth around $2000 if it were in good condition, but it isn't.
My car needs repairs. Repairs I know the car needs are for a cracked windshield at the cost of a $100 deductible, rear brake shoes/drums and a wheel cylinder that my shop quoted $300, and an unknown amount to get the cars engine running properly. Stacy is idling very roughly and is throwing a P0171 check engine code which equates to "car running lean" which could be anything including fuel filter, injectors, vacuum hose leaking, computer, O2 sensor, etc. I have yet to get it diagnosed, but I have stopped driving her. The car is leaking oil at about 1 quart ever 2000 miles. My car also could do with new struts, quoted originally at $700. My mechanic indicated it might not even be possible because so many of the bolts are rusted underneath that they had trouble doing an alignment. There is also a loose steering bushing that could cost up to $200 to get fixed, mostly due to labor (very rusty). Stacy also has the ABS light on due to a bad ABS sensor. Due to the ABS sensor being in the rear wheel bearing it would cost roughly $450 to replace out the rear wheel bearings to fix this. Lastly, my car has damage to the left-side where it got scraped by an unknown vehicle. To do a full repair to the damage would involve replacing the quarterpanels and metal on both doors, plus a paint job. Due to the cost of $1500-2000 for that repair, I've decided to forgo it as everything is cosmetic and doesn't affect driving, but it isn't pretty.
Some of the repairs I can probably do on my own such as the brakes or easier engine work. I've kept on basic maintenance on the car (oil, coolant, tune-up, belts, etc.).
While I can afford repairs, I'm thinking it might be a better idea to not throw this much money at repairs and throw it at a different vehicle. I considered going without a vehicle, but the 4 hours/day of commuting on public transport isn't sustainable for me. I've been wanting a basic used small truck (Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger or any other in that class) for a long time and think it might be that time. I can afford a payment up to $300/month and $1000 down now plus the jump in insurance, and probably kick Stacy as a trade-in/craigslist/scrap metal.
Hive: I haven't made a decision either way. I'm not emotionally attached to this car. I know on one hand I could drop around $1500 and get Stacy fixed and have her run properly again, but she might need more repairs in a month or a year with no way of knowing. I could do the bare minimum and hope she doesn't fall apart randomly on I-5. I know a different vehicle doesn't mean "no repairs" but does mean "car payment." I currently have a 20 mile one-way commute, so reliability is key.
If you were to own Stacy, would you keep her or send her packing?
My car is a 1997 Chevy Malibu LS. 122,000 miles. V6, in mediocre condition. I've run into that mystical point of should I repair it or should I get a different car. I own the car outright, no car payment. I've run blue book values and the car would be worth around $2000 if it were in good condition, but it isn't.
My car needs repairs. Repairs I know the car needs are for a cracked windshield at the cost of a $100 deductible, rear brake shoes/drums and a wheel cylinder that my shop quoted $300, and an unknown amount to get the cars engine running properly. Stacy is idling very roughly and is throwing a P0171 check engine code which equates to "car running lean" which could be anything including fuel filter, injectors, vacuum hose leaking, computer, O2 sensor, etc. I have yet to get it diagnosed, but I have stopped driving her. The car is leaking oil at about 1 quart ever 2000 miles. My car also could do with new struts, quoted originally at $700. My mechanic indicated it might not even be possible because so many of the bolts are rusted underneath that they had trouble doing an alignment. There is also a loose steering bushing that could cost up to $200 to get fixed, mostly due to labor (very rusty). Stacy also has the ABS light on due to a bad ABS sensor. Due to the ABS sensor being in the rear wheel bearing it would cost roughly $450 to replace out the rear wheel bearings to fix this. Lastly, my car has damage to the left-side where it got scraped by an unknown vehicle. To do a full repair to the damage would involve replacing the quarterpanels and metal on both doors, plus a paint job. Due to the cost of $1500-2000 for that repair, I've decided to forgo it as everything is cosmetic and doesn't affect driving, but it isn't pretty.
Some of the repairs I can probably do on my own such as the brakes or easier engine work. I've kept on basic maintenance on the car (oil, coolant, tune-up, belts, etc.).
While I can afford repairs, I'm thinking it might be a better idea to not throw this much money at repairs and throw it at a different vehicle. I considered going without a vehicle, but the 4 hours/day of commuting on public transport isn't sustainable for me. I've been wanting a basic used small truck (Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger or any other in that class) for a long time and think it might be that time. I can afford a payment up to $300/month and $1000 down now plus the jump in insurance, and probably kick Stacy as a trade-in/craigslist/scrap metal.
Hive: I haven't made a decision either way. I'm not emotionally attached to this car. I know on one hand I could drop around $1500 and get Stacy fixed and have her run properly again, but she might need more repairs in a month or a year with no way of knowing. I could do the bare minimum and hope she doesn't fall apart randomly on I-5. I know a different vehicle doesn't mean "no repairs" but does mean "car payment." I currently have a 20 mile one-way commute, so reliability is key.
If you were to own Stacy, would you keep her or send her packing?
Yeah, I'm with Kimberly. I think the time has come to send Stacy packing. I think the looming issue here is the frame rust, which will never get better on its own, and will only get worse. Better to part ways now and get some money out of the vehicle before it becomes impossible to do so later.
posted by mosk at 12:43 PM on June 2, 2011
posted by mosk at 12:43 PM on June 2, 2011
You're not emotionally attached, yet the car has a name? Just sayin'...because this seems like a simple decision if you're truly not attached. Besides the reliability of a new car, another factor to consider is that a more recent car will be tons safer (in terms of safety features and the fact that it's not so rusty mechanics hesitate to work on it!). Plus, you'll be able to dump all this data about needed repairs from your mind and free your brain for more productive activities.
posted by dust of the stars at 12:48 PM on June 2, 2011
posted by dust of the stars at 12:48 PM on June 2, 2011
Response by poster: You're not emotionally attached, yet the car has a name?
I was told when I was 15 to name every car, because people who name their car statistically have less issues and are more likely to take care of their car. The Malibu's name is Stacy.
Previous cars were my old F-350 I drove in high school, Bill. My Ford Ranger was Doc. My Grand Am was Ariel. Ariel was a bitch.
posted by Mister Fabulous at 12:54 PM on June 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
I was told when I was 15 to name every car, because people who name their car statistically have less issues and are more likely to take care of their car. The Malibu's name is Stacy.
Previous cars were my old F-350 I drove in high school, Bill. My Ford Ranger was Doc. My Grand Am was Ariel. Ariel was a bitch.
posted by Mister Fabulous at 12:54 PM on June 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: You are looking ot spend over $1700 on mechanical repairs that might get it running properly. I still would not be worth the blue book of $2000 because of the body damage. So you are thinking about investing $1700 into a $300 asset (I always assume someone will pay $300 for any car that runs) to get at best a $1200 asset (maybe less from the sounds of the body work needed).
Plus it leaks oil, and most importantly, its a 14 year old Malibu with 122,000 miles on it that doesn't seem to have been pampered. So the big question is what's next? You don't mention transmission issues, but how suprised would you be if next month you find out it need rebuilding at $3000? Or if that oil leak turns out to be a $1,000 head gasket?
I would do one of two things - sell it for next to nothing and buy a newer used car, or run it into the ground and pay a scrapyard to pick it up. The second option allows you some more time before you have to buy something new, but sooner or later you will be sitting on the side of the road waiting for someone to pick you up.
posted by rtimmel at 1:02 PM on June 2, 2011
Plus it leaks oil, and most importantly, its a 14 year old Malibu with 122,000 miles on it that doesn't seem to have been pampered. So the big question is what's next? You don't mention transmission issues, but how suprised would you be if next month you find out it need rebuilding at $3000? Or if that oil leak turns out to be a $1,000 head gasket?
I would do one of two things - sell it for next to nothing and buy a newer used car, or run it into the ground and pay a scrapyard to pick it up. The second option allows you some more time before you have to buy something new, but sooner or later you will be sitting on the side of the road waiting for someone to pick you up.
posted by rtimmel at 1:02 PM on June 2, 2011
Best answer: Well, I had a huge response typed up but then realized that you already know you should get rid of the car, but you have attachment to it and you need validation from enough of us to tell you to get rid of it.
So, add me to the "get rid of it!" column.
posted by TinWhistle at 1:11 PM on June 2, 2011
So, add me to the "get rid of it!" column.
posted by TinWhistle at 1:11 PM on June 2, 2011
Response by poster: I'm not attached. My dad, whose opinion I trust, told me to fix it and keep it running. I'm looking for opinions from elsewhere because I'm definitely leaning towards getting rid of it, hence me burning my weekly AskMe question.
posted by Mister Fabulous at 1:15 PM on June 2, 2011
posted by Mister Fabulous at 1:15 PM on June 2, 2011
I just got rid of my own Stacy (a '97 Ford Escort) because there was too much wrong with it to make it worth keeping and it was starting to become unreliable, with the electrics cutting out intermittently when I braked. Once I realised it would be too expensive to keep it going, the decision to get rid of it was simple. I even managed to talk the Toyota dealer into giving me £300 on it towards the nearly-new Prius I bought to replace it.
The day I went to pick up the Prius, the electrics on the Escort died just as I came off the flyover to pull into the Toyota dealership. I glided off the flyover and into the parking lot with no power to the engine at all, it managed those last 100 yards on momentum only. As I handed over the keys and picked up my Prius I was so glad it wasn't my problem any more.
posted by essexjan at 1:21 PM on June 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
The day I went to pick up the Prius, the electrics on the Escort died just as I came off the flyover to pull into the Toyota dealership. I glided off the flyover and into the parking lot with no power to the engine at all, it managed those last 100 yards on momentum only. As I handed over the keys and picked up my Prius I was so glad it wasn't my problem any more.
posted by essexjan at 1:21 PM on June 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
My thought is to ask: If you put the $1700 into Stacy, how much longer would she run?
Six months? Six months of payments on a new car is more than $1700.
A year? You come out ahead, financially, if you can get another year out of her with these repairs.
In the interests of disclosure, I am driving a 1995 Toyota Corolla ("Joan") with 335,000 miles on her.
posted by DWRoelands at 1:54 PM on June 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
Six months? Six months of payments on a new car is more than $1700.
A year? You come out ahead, financially, if you can get another year out of her with these repairs.
In the interests of disclosure, I am driving a 1995 Toyota Corolla ("Joan") with 335,000 miles on her.
posted by DWRoelands at 1:54 PM on June 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
I know a different vehicle doesn't mean "no repairs" but does mean "car payment."
This is wrong.
Take your $1000 plus $300 a month and set it aside. In a year you will have $4600. In a year and a half you will have $6400. When you have enough to buy whatever decent used car that you like, do that, and sell the Malibu (which I can't bring myself to call Stacy) to pay for taxes and plates.
If Stacy (I did it!) fails outright sooner than that, THEN consider getting a loan or doing the smallest possible repair to get her running again.
posted by fritley at 2:18 PM on June 2, 2011
This is wrong.
Take your $1000 plus $300 a month and set it aside. In a year you will have $4600. In a year and a half you will have $6400. When you have enough to buy whatever decent used car that you like, do that, and sell the Malibu (which I can't bring myself to call Stacy) to pay for taxes and plates.
If Stacy (I did it!) fails outright sooner than that, THEN consider getting a loan or doing the smallest possible repair to get her running again.
posted by fritley at 2:18 PM on June 2, 2011
Do no major repairs (just keep up with the oil changes) until you can afford to dump that US-built chunk of crap and get yourself a ten year old Japanese or Korean car. You should be able to find one without rust or oil leaks for maybe $3000-$4000.
Sushi > Stacy.
posted by flabdablet at 6:59 PM on June 2, 2011
Sushi > Stacy.
posted by flabdablet at 6:59 PM on June 2, 2011
1995 Daihatsu Mira owner, fwiw. Great little car.
posted by flabdablet at 7:00 PM on June 2, 2011
posted by flabdablet at 7:00 PM on June 2, 2011
Still far better than anything of the same vintage from the US, though.
Ms. flabdablet recently bought a '97 Hyundai Lantra wagon with 160,000 km on it for AU$3.5k. Compressions are down a little and it wants a thicker oil than new, but everything else is really good.
posted by flabdablet at 7:51 AM on June 3, 2011
Ms. flabdablet recently bought a '97 Hyundai Lantra wagon with 160,000 km on it for AU$3.5k. Compressions are down a little and it wants a thicker oil than new, but everything else is really good.
posted by flabdablet at 7:51 AM on June 3, 2011
Response by poster: So if anyone is still reading this thread, I took it to the shop and got this list of damages:
Diagnostic for the engine and full inspection was $95. Vacuum leak was found and fixed, covered under the $95.
Must do now or Stacy will wind up on the road dead very soon:
Rotate tires. Screw in left front, get fixed. This is covered under warranty.
EGR Valve is throwing codes, needs replacement. Will not pass emissions (due in 1.5 years) until done.
Rear brakes, including shoes, drums, wheel cylinders (leaking) and hardware all need replacing.
Rack and Pinion is very loose, dangerous to drive, and must be fixed. Very rusted, bushings are likely dead. Entire rack must be pulled/fixed. Must be aligned after.
Power steering pump leaking, pulley going to break soon, has cracks.
Total: $860.
Need to do, but not immediate concerns:
Coolant is bad, possible corrosion in cooling system. Radiator flush, replace cap.
Transmission leaking fluid around cap. Flush and replace cap.
Front struts are out of spec and will likely die soon. Replace struts, mounts, etc. and align.
Rear wheel bearings work, but ABS sensor dead. Replace both bearings.
Oil is leaking with suspected bad seal.
Total for everything: somewhere above $2000.
I was informed that there is significant rusting underneath, and to expect more steering issues, rear struts, front brakes all needing replacement.
posted by Mister Fabulous at 12:22 PM on June 3, 2011
Diagnostic for the engine and full inspection was $95. Vacuum leak was found and fixed, covered under the $95.
Must do now or Stacy will wind up on the road dead very soon:
Rotate tires. Screw in left front, get fixed. This is covered under warranty.
EGR Valve is throwing codes, needs replacement. Will not pass emissions (due in 1.5 years) until done.
Rear brakes, including shoes, drums, wheel cylinders (leaking) and hardware all need replacing.
Rack and Pinion is very loose, dangerous to drive, and must be fixed. Very rusted, bushings are likely dead. Entire rack must be pulled/fixed. Must be aligned after.
Power steering pump leaking, pulley going to break soon, has cracks.
Total: $860.
Need to do, but not immediate concerns:
Coolant is bad, possible corrosion in cooling system. Radiator flush, replace cap.
Transmission leaking fluid around cap. Flush and replace cap.
Front struts are out of spec and will likely die soon. Replace struts, mounts, etc. and align.
Rear wheel bearings work, but ABS sensor dead. Replace both bearings.
Oil is leaking with suspected bad seal.
Total for everything: somewhere above $2000.
I was informed that there is significant rusting underneath, and to expect more steering issues, rear struts, front brakes all needing replacement.
posted by Mister Fabulous at 12:22 PM on June 3, 2011
Stacy is not worth fixing. Go and buy a small used Japanese car. If you spend $2000-$2500 on one, you can expect to have reliable transportation after spending another $1000 fixing it up. If you spend around $3500 you should be able to pick up something that doesn't need much fixing up at all and will last you at least another ten years.
From the car history you list, it doesn't look like you've owned a Japanese car before. Try one. It will reset your expectations of how long a car should last.
posted by flabdablet at 4:29 AM on June 4, 2011
From the car history you list, it doesn't look like you've owned a Japanese car before. Try one. It will reset your expectations of how long a car should last.
posted by flabdablet at 4:29 AM on June 4, 2011
One more thing: the keys to successful used car ownership are (a) getting one that won't suffer from rust for another ten years (b) being religious about oil and filter changes: oil is cheap and engines are expensive (c) finding an honest mechanic that you trust not to rip you off while (d) fixing worn-out stuff promptly before it has a chance to gang up with other worn-out stuff. This will undoubtedly mean you'll spend more at the mechanic's than you would with a new car, but provided you don't own an American lemon there's no way you'll ever spend as much at the mechanic as a new car would cost you in loan repayments.
I've only ever owned used cars and would never even think about buying new; it's a complete sucker's game. You basically burn $10,000 just by driving one off the dealer's lot.
The way I budget for my cars has always been the same: every time I put fuel in, I put aside the same amount I just spent on fuel and add it to the car maintenance account. It's incredibly rare that I need to draw money from any other account to put toward the car.
posted by flabdablet at 4:37 AM on June 4, 2011
I've only ever owned used cars and would never even think about buying new; it's a complete sucker's game. You basically burn $10,000 just by driving one off the dealer's lot.
The way I budget for my cars has always been the same: every time I put fuel in, I put aside the same amount I just spent on fuel and add it to the car maintenance account. It's incredibly rare that I need to draw money from any other account to put toward the car.
posted by flabdablet at 4:37 AM on June 4, 2011
Response by poster: If anyone ever reads this thread in the future:
I didn't bother fixing Malibu Stacy. She lasted until roughly... today, Feb 4th, 2012. 8 months and 8,00 miles later the head gasket is blown. Took it in for an oil change and there is a bunch of oil in the coolant. Now the repairs for that alone are around $1500. Her future is Pick n Pull.
posted by Mister Fabulous at 11:20 PM on February 4, 2012
I didn't bother fixing Malibu Stacy. She lasted until roughly... today, Feb 4th, 2012. 8 months and 8,00 miles later the head gasket is blown. Took it in for an oil change and there is a bunch of oil in the coolant. Now the repairs for that alone are around $1500. Her future is Pick n Pull.
posted by Mister Fabulous at 11:20 PM on February 4, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Kimberly at 12:33 PM on June 2, 2011 [2 favorites]