Two lemons don't make lemonade (car question)
August 21, 2012 2:26 PM Subscribe
I have two vehicles: a 1998 Toyota Tacoma (220k mi.) and a 2003 Honda Civic (90k mi.) that I use alternately for my daily 80 mile commute to work. Each vehicle is in need of repairs that are approx. $600-1000 per car. Having two vehicles is getting to be more trouble that it's worth, but I'm not sure what to do.
I have two vehicles: a 1998 Toyota Tacoma (220k mi.) and a 2003 Honda Civic (90k mi.) that I use alternately for my daily 80 mile commute to work. I just bought the Honda from a friend last summer for $400 as backup for the truck. Note: there was nothing terribly wrong with the Honda that prompted the friend to sell it so cheap; just basically a wealthy friend of my wife's doing a good deed. So each vehicle is in need of repairs that are approx. $600-1000 per car. The truck doesn't run right now (needs new crankshaft pulley & belts), but the Honda works but the AC compressor needs replacement. Some might say that a working car with AC is better than one that doesn't run at all, but living in Alabama you need AC for much of the year. Having two vehicles is getting to be more trouble that it's worth, but I'm not sure what to do. The Honda is a good car with low mileage, but the problem is I've used it as collateral on a bank loan to replace our home AC system and essentially owe $5k on it. I would like to sell the truck w/o doing the repairs to someone who might fix it themselves or use it for parts for $800-1000 to replace AC in the Honda, but I don't think anyone's going to buy the truck if it won't even start.
I'd appreciate any suggestions from others who've been in the same experience, and/or from mechanically-inclined people about the most sensible way to resolve this mess.
Thanks,
Jason
I have two vehicles: a 1998 Toyota Tacoma (220k mi.) and a 2003 Honda Civic (90k mi.) that I use alternately for my daily 80 mile commute to work. I just bought the Honda from a friend last summer for $400 as backup for the truck. Note: there was nothing terribly wrong with the Honda that prompted the friend to sell it so cheap; just basically a wealthy friend of my wife's doing a good deed. So each vehicle is in need of repairs that are approx. $600-1000 per car. The truck doesn't run right now (needs new crankshaft pulley & belts), but the Honda works but the AC compressor needs replacement. Some might say that a working car with AC is better than one that doesn't run at all, but living in Alabama you need AC for much of the year. Having two vehicles is getting to be more trouble that it's worth, but I'm not sure what to do. The Honda is a good car with low mileage, but the problem is I've used it as collateral on a bank loan to replace our home AC system and essentially owe $5k on it. I would like to sell the truck w/o doing the repairs to someone who might fix it themselves or use it for parts for $800-1000 to replace AC in the Honda, but I don't think anyone's going to buy the truck if it won't even start.
I'd appreciate any suggestions from others who've been in the same experience, and/or from mechanically-inclined people about the most sensible way to resolve this mess.
Thanks,
Jason
Seems like you must keep the Honda so the course of action seems clear - sell the truck for as much as you can get and use that money as a seed for your A/C savings account. (Having no A/C sucks, but I did it for 3 years in central FL. Lucky you, we are heading into 'winter' which gives you more time to save!)
posted by PorcineWithMe at 2:48 PM on August 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by PorcineWithMe at 2:48 PM on August 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
Or, ya know, what something something said.
posted by PorcineWithMe at 2:48 PM on August 21, 2012
posted by PorcineWithMe at 2:48 PM on August 21, 2012
If the toyota is 4wd, it will be easy to sell, running or not. (Hell, I'd probably buy it, seriously.) If 2wd, though, its value is lower, but you can still definitely sell it as-is.
posted by Forktine at 3:13 PM on August 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Forktine at 3:13 PM on August 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
Keep the Honda, list the truck with its faults as a repair special or parts source on Craigslist, and also call Pick 'n' Pull or the local equivalent and find out what they'll give you for it.
posted by zippy at 3:25 PM on August 21, 2012
posted by zippy at 3:25 PM on August 21, 2012
It's a Tacoma, it'll sell. Don't give it away, look on Craigslist and see what they're going for.
posted by fshgrl at 3:27 PM on August 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by fshgrl at 3:27 PM on August 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
You are going to save a lot of money on fuel using the Honda for your long commute, so keep it, no question.
The Tacoma will sell, they are always in demand. You just need to do a little research to figure out if it would be better to fix it and then sell it, or sell it as is. Either way, I'm sure you'll end up with more than $1000 net.
posted by ssg at 3:48 PM on August 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
The Tacoma will sell, they are always in demand. You just need to do a little research to figure out if it would be better to fix it and then sell it, or sell it as is. Either way, I'm sure you'll end up with more than $1000 net.
posted by ssg at 3:48 PM on August 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
Tacomas are generally tanks, and people who need a truck and have them don't get rid of them until they're totally bricked. Not long ago I was in the market for a used, relatively cheap truck and a Tacoma was at the top of my list. I couldn't find one, running or not, that was in my price range. You can definitely sell it and you can probably even get several thousand for it, even if you don't fix it first. Maybe more like 10 if you do.
posted by cmoj at 4:06 PM on August 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by cmoj at 4:06 PM on August 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
I'm going to mirror the comments above. I'm in a similar situation, I've got two cars, one with and one without A/C. I just drive the one without occasionally during the summer and then rotate heavily in the winter - also in the South here. Toyotas (esp 4x4s) are easy to sell, and with the money, get the Honda fixed.
posted by neveroddoreven at 4:12 PM on August 21, 2012
posted by neveroddoreven at 4:12 PM on August 21, 2012
Keep the Honda, the car that's currently running plus has far lower miles AND I'd bet has much better gas mileage; sell the Tacoma as soon as possible, before its value goes even lower. That's not to say you should use the money from the Tacoma right away to fix the Honda, that's optional.
posted by easily confused at 4:25 PM on August 21, 2012
posted by easily confused at 4:25 PM on August 21, 2012
Couple of things on the Tacoma.
First, as others have said, they hold their value pretty darn well, even with 220k miles (though of course that's a lot of miles, even for a Tacoma). Is the Tacoma 2wd or 4wd? 4 cylinder of V6? Manual or auto? Rusty or not rusty? There are a lot of folks out there looking for Tacoma parts, especially if it's 4x4. The most desired "flavor" of this truck would be 4x4 with a manual trans, but even a non-running 2wd automatic will have some value for its parts, especially if the interior and or the body are clean. If you decide to part it out (or just sell the whole thing for parts), there are several Tacoma message forums with active Classifieds sections. Check out TTORA, ih8mud.com, yotatech.com, customtacos.com, and/or tacomaworld.com, just to name a few of the larger forums, and see what complete parts trucks are going for. It may not be a lot, but even as a parts vehicle your Tacoma has some value.
Second, that "needs new crankshaft pulley & belts" is NOT necessarily the end of that particular story on that motor. The belt that needs replacing is almost certainly the timing belt (and perhaps one or more accessory belts, though those are minor), and it's typically closer to $1k than not to do a timing belt on these motors. In most cases that I'm familiar with (as a hobbyist/enthusiast, not a professional mechanic), if the actual crank pulley needs replacing as well it's often because either the pulley disintegrated or the pulley bolt came loose, which allows the crank pulley to flop around a bit and will destroy the end of the crankshaft and ruin it. If you Google "tacoma crankshaft pulley bolt proper torque" you'll get around 93k pages, as the pulley bolt coming loose and causing damage to the crank's nose is a problem that happens with some frequency, and it's effects are pretty well documented. Before you commit to having the crank pulley and belts replaced (if you decide to go that route), make sure that the job can be done without requiring a new crankshaft.
Anyway, hopefully that will give you some additional direction on how to move forward with this decision.
posted by mosk at 5:18 PM on August 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
First, as others have said, they hold their value pretty darn well, even with 220k miles (though of course that's a lot of miles, even for a Tacoma). Is the Tacoma 2wd or 4wd? 4 cylinder of V6? Manual or auto? Rusty or not rusty? There are a lot of folks out there looking for Tacoma parts, especially if it's 4x4. The most desired "flavor" of this truck would be 4x4 with a manual trans, but even a non-running 2wd automatic will have some value for its parts, especially if the interior and or the body are clean. If you decide to part it out (or just sell the whole thing for parts), there are several Tacoma message forums with active Classifieds sections. Check out TTORA, ih8mud.com, yotatech.com, customtacos.com, and/or tacomaworld.com, just to name a few of the larger forums, and see what complete parts trucks are going for. It may not be a lot, but even as a parts vehicle your Tacoma has some value.
Second, that "needs new crankshaft pulley & belts" is NOT necessarily the end of that particular story on that motor. The belt that needs replacing is almost certainly the timing belt (and perhaps one or more accessory belts, though those are minor), and it's typically closer to $1k than not to do a timing belt on these motors. In most cases that I'm familiar with (as a hobbyist/enthusiast, not a professional mechanic), if the actual crank pulley needs replacing as well it's often because either the pulley disintegrated or the pulley bolt came loose, which allows the crank pulley to flop around a bit and will destroy the end of the crankshaft and ruin it. If you Google "tacoma crankshaft pulley bolt proper torque" you'll get around 93k pages, as the pulley bolt coming loose and causing damage to the crank's nose is a problem that happens with some frequency, and it's effects are pretty well documented. Before you commit to having the crank pulley and belts replaced (if you decide to go that route), make sure that the job can be done without requiring a new crankshaft.
Anyway, hopefully that will give you some additional direction on how to move forward with this decision.
posted by mosk at 5:18 PM on August 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
Everything Mosk said. That Tacoma is gold.
First generation tacos in good condition (i.e. no rust) are in high demand because they just don't make them like that anymore and parts are getting harder to find. KBB has the base model of that truck in the lowest condition at ~$4k around here.
If you shopped around and got the truck fixed for cheap, you might get enough for it to get the honda fixed and be square on the loan, too.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 6:23 PM on August 21, 2012
First generation tacos in good condition (i.e. no rust) are in high demand because they just don't make them like that anymore and parts are getting harder to find. KBB has the base model of that truck in the lowest condition at ~$4k around here.
If you shopped around and got the truck fixed for cheap, you might get enough for it to get the honda fixed and be square on the loan, too.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 6:23 PM on August 21, 2012
Toyota Tacoma is the US version of the (lighter variant of the) infamous Toyota Hilux, a bona fide indestructible vehicle. Sell, the truck. If I lived close to you, I'd make you an offer adjusted for the repairs due. This truck is 30K miles away from the moon, and it'll keep on truckin' to Mars if you let it. I'm as optimistic about its money-bringing odds as most others here.
In fact, see if your mechanic will make an offer-- he knows exactly how cheap he can get the parts (and labor) to do the repair.
posted by Sunburnt at 8:49 PM on August 21, 2012
In fact, see if your mechanic will make an offer-- he knows exactly how cheap he can get the parts (and labor) to do the repair.
posted by Sunburnt at 8:49 PM on August 21, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
You can sell the Tacoma for parts and get at least a few hundred dollars for it, which you can then apply to the AC repair account. Call around to local junkyards and see what they will offer you for it. I'd say a 15 year old car with high mileage that needs that much work isn't worth fixing, even if it's a Toyota.
posted by something something at 2:46 PM on August 21, 2012