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To Fix Up or Trade Up, That is the Question

863 messages,  Last post on May 20, 2013 at 7:19 AM

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What is this discussion about? Car Safety, Tires, Wheels, Auto Body, Brakes, Engine, Interior, Paint, Transmission, Fuel Efficiency (MPG), Buying Insurance, Coupe, Convertible, Hatchback, Truck, Sedan, Wagon, SUV, Van

Messages Page 74 of 87

#726 of 863 Re: Repair or trade in my '06 Sonata??? [oldfarmer50] by cadillacmike

Oct 26, 2011 (7:56 am)

Replying to: oldfarmer50 (Jul 22, 2011 6:36 pm)
You must watch the red-green show.
 
An automotive AC system is nothing like a home window unit. The only thing the same is the principle of operation.

#727 of 863 Re: BMW's [euphonium] by cadillacmike

Oct 26, 2011 (8:56 am)

Replying to: euphonium (May 27, 2010 2:08 pm)
I'll pass on the eurortrash and take a rear drive NorthStar STS over any of these.

#728 of 863 Re: Circling Back To The '99 Audi A8... [Mr_Shiftright] by cadillacmike

Oct 26, 2011 (9:49 am)

Replying to: MrShift@Edmunds (May 28, 2010 6:25 am)
Laughing at this one.
 
My 1995 Fleetwood at 198,000 miles had no issues, no leaks, no falling off trim (I did have the belt line trim repainted a few yeard back). The only thing was that occasionally the memory seat would think i'm 4'8" and move the seat too close up.
 
My 1996 Fleetwood (83,000 mi) is the opposite. It think's I'm 7'2" and does not move it far enough up. These are two problem free cars, expeciually compared to the 7-series mentioned.

#729 of 863 Re: BMW's [cadillacmike] by MrShift@Edmunds HOST

Oct 26, 2011 (9:29 am)

Replying to: cadillacmike (Oct 26, 2011 8:56 am)
But no Northstar engines prior to 2000. Many problems with those.

#730 of 863 2004 Jeep Liberty w blown engine by cadillacmike

Oct 26, 2011 (10:19 am)

My nephew - let's clarify that, my wife's niece's husband, managed to blow the engine in his 2004 Jeep Liberty. Don't know how he did it, and of course he doesn't know - no car sense.
 
Anyway initial repair estimate is approx $3,500. Car is worth maybe $6,000-8,000 i don't know enough details about it and Edmunds TMV on used cars is usually in fantasy land. Problem is they owe some $8,600 on it still????? I owe less on my wife's 2008 CTS but that's besides the point.
 
Of course they have no money and want / need us to pay for most of it. I could maybe agree, but this is a never ending saga. Her younger brother is a similar train wreck on cars & financial sense and their parents (my wife's older sister) are a financial nightmare. These guys think I'm their personal banker and my wife has a 100 megaton short fuse when it comes to these subjects. I told her if we agree, then I'm getting a rear drive northStar STS. She said i could have the STS and but not her. That's looking like a better & better deal, but i digress.
 
Would it make better bottom line $ sense to take advangage of one of those "$5,000 minimum trade in on any new XXX model" from the kia & mitsubshiiti hawks or just sink the $3,500 into this one.
 
Lets see keep old one means sink $3,500 into an 8 year old car, they they STLLL owe $8,600 on. Trade with one of those "minimum trade" crazies = 8,600 owe - 5,000 trade = 3,600 net negative equity, so initial look is NO - would cost more to buy a new car, even though the new car will have a warranty. But it may mean no money out of pocket for me, since they might be able to roll the $3,600 into the new car.....
 
If they owed much less on the Liberty, then that would make sense. Am i right on this?

#731 of 863 Re: 2004 Jeep Liberty w blown engine [cadillacmike] by MrShift@Edmunds HOST

Oct 26, 2011 (9:49 am)

Replying to: cadillacmike (Oct 26, 2011 10:19 am)
Er, that's a very iffy solution in my opinion. The $5000 trade-in is, of course, meaningless unless we know what they will charge you for the new car, and then basically, once the smoke clears, your relative will have two car payments instead of one.
 
Then of course, what do we mean by "blow the engine"? Is it a complete loss, is it a head gasket...what?
 
I think before I pulled the trigger on anything here I'd get two opinions, AND a very clear description, in detail, of what is wrong with this engine. I mean, you're footing the bill and you have a right to accurate information on which to base your decision.
 
I don't think the "minimum trade" gimmick is anything more than a manipulative sales tool. They'll just pack it in on the other end of the deal and you'll end up, in reality, getting no more for the Jeep than if you sold it as a parts car.
 
If I were King ('it's GOOD to be King!" ) I'd ask them to sell the damaged vehicle and with whatever they get for it, use that to buy some beater until they can come up with a decent down on a car you may be willing to co-sign on.

#732 of 863 Re: 2004 Jeep Liberty w blown engine [Mr_Shiftright] by kyfdx@Edmunds HOST

Oct 26, 2011 (9:52 am)

Replying to: MrShift@Edmunds (Oct 26, 2011 9:49 am)
"If I were King ('it's GOOD to be King!" ) I'd ask them to sell the damaged vehicle and with whatever they get for it, use that to buy some beater until they can come up with a decent down on a car you may be willing to co-sign on. "
 
Can't sell it, unless they pay off the $8600 loan...

#733 of 863 Re: BMW's [Mr_Shiftright] by cadillacmike

Oct 26, 2011 (9:53 am)

Replying to: MrShift@Edmunds (Oct 26, 2011 9:29 am)
Actually NorthStars didn't appear until the 1993 model year, and no rear drive ones until 2004. I had a 2000 Eldorado FWD) and it ran great up until i got sideswiped. It did have that annoying split case oil seepage (small leak but annoying nonetheless), but it (quietly) screamed down the road and was very fuel efficient.
 
My point was no thanks to the maintenance nightmare euros.

#734 of 863 Re: 2004 Jeep Liberty w blown engine [kyfdx] by MrShift@Edmunds HOST

Oct 26, 2011 (10:04 am)

Replying to: kyfdx@Edmunds (Oct 26, 2011 9:52 am)
Oh, I was thinking they find a buyer, close a deal and then pay off the loan by adding their own money---but i guess after re-reading, that they are stone broke here?
 
In THAT case, fixing the car seems the only reasonable option. You don't buy a new car for penniless people--that's just crazy and ASKING for more grief---such as, what happens if they smash up the new car and don't have gap insurance? Guess who gets stuck for the difference.

#735 of 863 Re: 2004 Jeep Liberty w blown engine [Mr_Shiftright] by cadillacmike

Oct 26, 2011 (10:05 am)

Replying to: MrShift@Edmunds (Oct 26, 2011 9:49 am)
I'd like to do that, but you have to remember the 100 megaton blast that will ensue. I'd really like to hammer some sense into their heads.
 
I'm very leery of the "$5,000 minimum trade gimmicks, i usually change the station when i hear one, but they are everywhere here in FL. Can't find a forum topic on thet subject here - maybe i'm looking at in the wrong sections. In orlando it's mostly the Kia dealers. If they do execute a new car trade in with this libeerty, there wioll only be 1 loan, albiet an inflated one. but that leads me to question what thell did they get into when they bought this current vehicle?????
 
I haven't seen the liberty. They are all in the Tampa area and I'm working in Orlando. I'll be there this weekend. Word from my wife, from her neice (with total car knowledge is what your 8 yr old sister might know) is that a radiator failure (crack??) caused an overheat an engine fail on the interstate.

Messages Page 74 of 87

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