Just days after commenting that I plan to keep my 1997 Toyota Avalon (131,300 miles) for year and years to come, I learned today that it needs quite alot of work...some is absolutely required, right away, some is highly advisable, now or very soon. The work it needs is very, very expensive. The work I was advised to have done on the car, which has a Blue Book value of about $3,500, amounts to more than $4,700!
MUST DO work includes replacement of the rack & pinion (right side) because the leaking power steering fluid will not allow the car to pass state inspection. That, alone, would allow me to get the car inspected. But the break pads, front and rear, are nearly worn to metal...never been replaced...and will ruin the rotors, soon, if they are not replaced. The timing belt was replaced at 60,000 miles...I'm told it's on borrowed time and could cause enormously expensive problems if it breaks. There's a serious oil leak that could, if it spills onto the hot manifold below, cause an engine fire. All SORTS of shit! My immediate thought was...get rid of it! But then I waffle about just biting the bullet and getting it done...the guy at the garage (not a Toyota dealership, but a place that specializes in Japanese cars) says the car will go a long way if I spend the money now...but he warns that if I don't, the car will be nothing but a load of problems for me, and soon.
My state inspection expires Monday. So, I'm trying to decide what I do...do I get it the rack & pinion fixed ($675), get it inspected, and then hope it holds out long enough for me to select another car? Do I spend it all...and keep the car for as long as I possibly can? Do I get the timing belt done, too?
In reviewing past expenses, aside from expensive regular maintenance, the car has cost much more than it should...I really like it, but a recap of past expenses revealed things like $450 to replace an electric window motor...$390 to replace a starter motor...$1300 to replace the AC compressor...$1000 to replace the rack & pinion (yes, it happened before), etc. So, I don't know if the $4,700 investment would be just the beginning of a continuing series of investments.
Dammit!
1 comment:
Been there, done that! Cars are a royal pain in the ass. Mi esposa's Volvo 850 broke a timing chain less than a month after I told the Volvo people to change it and they refused. And just past the warranty expiration, naturally. The used MB 450 we had in Anchorage turned out to be a black hole for repair money too, but never to such an obnoxious (almost 5$Kextent)
I suggest looking at e-bay for what you can get for the cost of the major repairs. The cars can be inspected before you bid on them, but such inspections are not as full as a mechanic with a relationship to you might make. My $6K used MB wagon with 210K on it is still pretty sound although it is short on bells and whistles. And a second opinon from another Toyota specialist might be worth the expense. Next time get a car that can run without major damage with a broken timing belt (I forget what one calls such engines)
Could be that a rebuilt engine would be better than repairing the old one.
As for the breaks - next car, put a reminder on your calendar to replace pads every X miles and rotors and calipers ever 50K or so.
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