should I give up on my Altima?

I have a 1994 Altima GXE with 150k miles on it. It needs new springs and struts ($800) and new tires/alignment ($300). I 've changed the oil every 3,000 miles and transmission fluid probably 3 times. At one point last winter I thought I had a transmission problem, (the car was shuddering in low gear in the morning) but the problem went away after a few days. The first 100k miles was driven by my grandmother, but when I inherited the car I used it to deliver pizza for a few years. Do you think it is worth putting the $1100 into it if the engine is good and the transmission is questionable? Should I wait until the winter and see how it goes? If I decide to keep the car I would like to make it as safe as possible and right now its a little dangerous with bad suspension. I also have a check engine light that comes on periodically when driving at high speeds so I might fail emission test in the spring.

Reply to
dkaufma
Loading thread data ...

Depends on how soon you want that new car. I'd suggest you repair the Altima since '94 was a good year and it sounds like yours has been taken care of. Drive it for a year or two more. After 3 months, bank 1/3 of that 1100 every month. When you're ready, use what you've saved as a down payment on the new car of your choice. Right now, buy yourself one of these:

formatting link
and spend a little time really learning how to use it. With it you can effectively deal with bankers, car dealerships, mortgage types and anyone else who'd like some of your money. If they know you know what you're doing no one wastes time. You get the best deal going and they move on to an easy mark. It's really that simple.

Reply to
FanJet

You should not repair a car if the repairs cost more than the value of the car. IMO you should junk the car and buy another one because it is going to cost you more than the value of the car.

Depends on how soon you want that new car. I'd suggest you repair the Altima since '94 was a good year and it sounds like yours has been taken care of. Drive it for a year or two more. After 3 months, bank 1/3 of that 1100 every month. When you're ready, use what you've saved as a down payment on the new car of your choice. Right now, buy yourself one of these:

formatting link
and spend a little time really learning how to use it. With it you can effectively deal with bankers, car dealerships, mortgage types and anyone else who'd like some of your money. If they know you know what you're doing no one wastes time. You get the best deal going and they move on to an easy mark. It's really that simple.

Reply to
G

formatting link

I generally find that those who believe themselves to be the most prepared are the ones who make the most ridiculous offers on vehicles, thinking themselves clever and tough negotiators, when in reality they are just foolish. You don't need a book to tell you how to get a decent deal on a car. Follow these quick steps and you shouldn't have an issue:

1) Research the vehicle you wish to purchase online, and know the costs involved (KBB and Edmonds are good sources. The problems with books is that they may contain out-dated pricing information). Don't try to eliminate things like "Destination" from the vehicle build because no matter what you will have to pay it. And if you want something like leather, expect to pay for it. Nothing is free, no matter what some dealers may try and tell you. It's all part of the MSRP and the vehicle cost, so live with it if you want that equipment. Also, be aware of all rebates to which you may be entitled, including college grad, military, etc. It costs a dealer nothing to give these to you, if you are eligible. 2) Get pre-approved for a loan from a bank BEFORE you go into the dealership. At that point in time if the dealer can do something better for you through one of the many banks with whom they work, take it. But at least you are assuring your best situation. It just saves you money and if the dealer can make something, even a $50 flat bank fee, instead of nothing, they will take it. 3) What type of service will you get at the dealer? Where you buy is just as important as what you buy and for how much. The dealer for which I work offers free oil changes for life, among other things, and has an excellent reputation for customer service. All things being equal (and all dealers can sell new vehicles for the same price) wouldn't you want to be taken care of after the sale? You are spending a great deal of money, you should buy the dealership as much as you buy the car. 4) Watch out for add-ons. Extended Waranties are useful IN THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES. If you are only going to keep a car for three years (which is the current average for those taking out a 60 month loan) why pay more for something you will never use? Rust-proofing is a scam (new vehicles all come with a corrosion through warranty, most of them fairly substantial), although under-coating can be said to offer sound-dampening (although this is highly dubious, I recommend against it. It voids your factory corrosion warranty.).

GAP Protection, which you can read about on the website below, is the one Financial add-on that I do recommend, as long as you aren't paying too much. $200-$350 is about right, depending on the exact coverage. Anyone charging $1000 is just too high, unless you are purchasing a very high-line product.

5) Sell your trade if you can. Your 95 ALtima is a wholesale piece to a dealer and will pass through several hands before it's final destination, wherever that may be. Each of those hands takes a cut. If you have the time and patience, sell the car on your own to maximize the potential worth of the vehicle. If you decide you must use the vehicle as a trade, just as you would the price of a new vehicle, research the value of your trade. KBB is a good resource to give you a general idea on value. Unless the vehicle is in absolute stunning condition, use "FAIR" condition to get the best idea of the value. Dealers generally use auction reports and Galves, to determine value. But KBB is usually close, if you are honest about the condition of the car. For example, if KBB says the "FAIR" condition value is $2000, but you know the vehicle needs tires and an alignment, then the vehicle is not worth $2000, it is worth $1500. If you kow the vehicle further needs work, like stuts, the value is no longer $1500, but under $1000. That being said, make sure you take your car into the dealership looking it's best. Clean it up, and make it presentable. If you are asked if it needs struts, or similar, you must, by law, give an honest answer. However, it is encumbant upon the dealership to ask those questions, and inspect the trade. 6) Approach the transaction in a business-like fashion, but there is no cause to be the typical rude customer. Car salespeople have an incredibly tough job. Most work 60 hours a week, and don't make as much money as some would have you believe. Most make under 40k per year. So make sure you do your homework to get a good deal, but treating the salesperson with a modicum of respect will earn you the same treatment back, making everyone's life easier. If you want to try to be the "Great Negotiator" and are generally unpleasant, you will never get your salesperson to go to bat for you with the sales managers. Most salespeople will throw their hands up in surrender and not bat for a customer that has to have that last $1.75 per month in payment, or $50 in price when they are already scrapping the bottom of the barely and they know they will only see a $50 flat commission.

The true art of negotiation is knowing when you have a good deal, and taking it.

So to break it down: do your homework, negotiate in good faith, buy from someone that will remember you as a customer after they have your money, and be friendly. In the end you will save time, money, and aggravation.

Hope this helps.

And by the way, it is almost always cheaper to repair a decent used vehicle rather than buy a new one. If the vehicle is in generally good shape you may want to consider those repairs. As well, check out Factory Certified vehicles as replacements for your Altima, as well as brand new. You can save thousands and have a better warranty.

snipped-for-privacy@jerseynissan.com

formatting link

Reply to
Bajori

formatting link

True, but this is maintenance, not repair.

CD

Reply to
Codifus

Taking a different direction, there are a lot of very decent, reliable older cars out there that can be had in the $1500 price range. New does not always mean problem free. You need to have cash in hand, and be willing to spend some time looking through Craigslist every day, but they're out there.

3 - 6 years of car payments to avoid $1100 in car repair costs is a terrible tradeoff in my opinion. However I would not keep pouring money into a problem car either.

Chris

Reply to
Christopher Ott

Generally, as I have stated previously, it is much less expensive to repair a vehicle rather than purchase something new. You do, however, get tot he point of diminishing returns, and need to move on. Depending on the issue causing the check engine light, he is rapidly approaching that point on his Altima.

You are talking about a little more than $1000 dollars of repairs right now. Ten year old cars, on average, take about $250-$300 per month to keep running, over the course of a year. If you don't do those things to keep the vehicle maintained it will just result in bigger repair bills down the road. A Certified Altima costs about $60-$75 per month to keep running, maintenance-wise. At a minimum tha tis a swing of $175-$240 PER MONTH! That in and of itself is a car payment. Now, does his emotional attachment to that particular Altima justify that cost differences in maintenance. How about the trust factor, as that Altima has clearly been great for him, and he will still trust it more than any vehicle he is bound to purchase? Where those two items balance in the equation will dictate his choice moving forward.

The big thing, however, is that a 10-yr old car is in many ways much more costly than people realize, unless the owner does nothing to maintain the vehicle to assure a good long life.

Hope this helps

formatting link
snipped-for-privacy@jerseynissan.com

>
Reply to
Bajori

Good advice. Fact is, it is an old car. It's a reliable car but an old one. The $1500 worth of work may be done and then your alternator dies, not from premature failure, but fromthe fact that it's time is done. Then the water pump etc. All these things are going to go, sooner rather than later now that the car has reached 150 K miles.

A new car is more attrciative becuase it's new and nothing will break, but the car payments are another long term commitment and insurance rates may be higher as well.

As some have suggested, maybe another used car should be investigated. But then, he does have a good used car that just needs some work.

It's a bit of a toss up.

CD

Reply to
Codifus

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.