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The Car...
Jun. 26th, 2008 08:54 pmThe car has reached that stage in it's life where it might do something exciting. I'm less than 3 payments away from it being fully paid off, it's 9 years old, and it just broke 100,000 miles this year. I know the timing belt should be replaced, because both of my previous cars stopped dead on me when the timing belt broke, and it was no good... and they were cars that didn't get completely fire-trucked up if the timing belt goes. It does have a faulty EGR valve, but it's been faulty for the past almost 4 years without any sign of it actually causing a problem other than potentially preventing my NYS car inspection. It does have a new noise... well, an old noise that is being repeated with increasing frequency. Remember that noise of sticking a pencil in a box fan? A kind of tinny whirring noise? It does that occasionally on acceleration. It's not very loud, can't hear it at all if the radio is on, but it's there, and it's a bit worrisome. I know, logical answer is take it in to be looked at. (Don't get me started on the mechanic though... it's a complete cluster fuck down there.) Oh, right, and the air conditioning has been dead for going on 4 years.
The way I see it, I have a few options...
a) Pay it off, replace the timing belt, get the EGR valve repaired/replaced/re-whatevered, get the tinny noise checked out and repaired as necessary, suck up the lack of air conditioning and drive the thing into the ground. Don't consider a new car until car no longer runs.
b) Don't do a damn thing to it and start an actual car hunt, and snap up whatever is the "best offer I can find" whether I get it paid off or not before I find it or the car dies is inconsequential.
c) Replace the timing belt to remove the one thing I know would likely cause car to stop dead, pay it off, put off all other repairs unless car stops actually running. Pocket the amount of the car payment between now and December-ish, and buy up at 2008 model right after Christmas and before they have to do inventory to get the best deal I can find. (Assuming of course, car makes it to December, if not, replace it as necessary.)
All of these options carry some level of appeal.
a) The potential for months without car payment could possibly offset repairs. Guaranteed: dead car on the side of the road.
b) New car, extended warranty, don't have to deal with repairs for an extended period of time, and significant decrease in likelihood of dealing with dead car on the side of the road.
c) Seems to be the "responsible" decision, and perhaps the best way to get to take my time to find the car I like and want, get the best deal I can, and possibly, minimize the car loan and payments because I'll have a trade-in and a down payment. (spiffy!) Risk: dead car on the side of the road.
Hmmmmm....
The way I see it, I have a few options...
a) Pay it off, replace the timing belt, get the EGR valve repaired/replaced/re-whatevered, get the tinny noise checked out and repaired as necessary, suck up the lack of air conditioning and drive the thing into the ground. Don't consider a new car until car no longer runs.
b) Don't do a damn thing to it and start an actual car hunt, and snap up whatever is the "best offer I can find" whether I get it paid off or not before I find it or the car dies is inconsequential.
c) Replace the timing belt to remove the one thing I know would likely cause car to stop dead, pay it off, put off all other repairs unless car stops actually running. Pocket the amount of the car payment between now and December-ish, and buy up at 2008 model right after Christmas and before they have to do inventory to get the best deal I can find. (Assuming of course, car makes it to December, if not, replace it as necessary.)
All of these options carry some level of appeal.
a) The potential for months without car payment could possibly offset repairs. Guaranteed: dead car on the side of the road.
b) New car, extended warranty, don't have to deal with repairs for an extended period of time, and significant decrease in likelihood of dealing with dead car on the side of the road.
c) Seems to be the "responsible" decision, and perhaps the best way to get to take my time to find the car I like and want, get the best deal I can, and possibly, minimize the car loan and payments because I'll have a trade-in and a down payment. (spiffy!) Risk: dead car on the side of the road.
Hmmmmm....
