Fix it, drop it, sell it?

[Preston]

A bit of history.

Last June I bought a 2001 Chevy Cavalier for $100. yes. a hundred bucks. It has run fine for me and gotten the job done. I had to put tires and a battery on it, but I have been able to do all the other basic work myself. I do my own oil changes.

Due to cold weather and a back injury, I had Midas do the oil change this time. That and it was due for tire rotation which I don't quite have enough equipment for. I had noticed some pulsation while braking. Turns out a wheel out of balance, which they fixed, but also as I suspected the rotors were warped. completely warped and screwed up and it can't wait much longer. I have a little bit of time before I have no choice to replace.

So the plates come up for renewal in July. Right now the list of things wrong with the car: Passenger window doesn't move -- open about a half inch and rain/snow get inside the car, but not too bad. washer fluid bin cracked and i can't spray windshield, and if i try to fill the car up all the way it leaks gas.. if I keep it under half a tank it is fine.

I'm looking at a $300-$400 brake job. I'm considering just selling the car, telling whoever buys it needs brakes and replacing it. However, I could probably sell the thing for $700-800 but then again, what would I be getting in that price range? We're currently working out of debt and I could probably squeeze some more time out of this car.

Any feedback appreciated.

[frugalwarrior2]

I guess doing the brakes yourself is out of the question w/ your back now?? Do you have any "mechanically good" friends you could trade a favor w/ making labor "free". A window like that is annoying but not fatal. Wiper fluid about the same?? I used to keep a snowscraper on my front seat of an old car like that- I was scraping the inside because the defroster didn't work either.lol.
Looks like the rotors may be the decider for me. I guess if you need new ones it will cost ya. I assume they can't be turned safely again.??

[Contrary Housewife]

Brakes definitely, that's a safety issue. I'd get an estimate on the cracked gas tank too because that could be a problem.

Wiper fluid, annoying, but not urgent, unless you get a lot of mud on the front window from city driving. Seems I use more wiper fluid in the winter than any other time of year. There's just so much spray from wet roads.

The window should be cheap to fix and you might be able to do that yourself. The panel should come off on the inside so you can get at the mechanics, and if nothing else roll it all the way up permanently.

As my mechanic says when I ask if I should repair it, or get rid of it, "Is it cheaper than making car payments?"

[Russ]

A cracked gas tank could propagate over the course of time.

If the motor and trans is sound, I would fix.

Look around, see what you can get for the amount of money you think you will have to spend.

[Greebo]

New rule of thumb for me is if it'll cost more in one year to fix than the value of the car, don't bother. Otherwise, fix it.

It sounds like the car's worth $1,000 if you fix it - so I'd set $1,000 as my upper repair limit for the car for the whole year.

[nodmicks]

Oh boy! I'm going through this myself kind of. Greebo how exactly do you know what it is worth?

[mauimagic]

If the car is safe - fix it or else get rid of it. The leaking gas would bother me.

[ladytoysdream]

Start looking for a replacement.
When you find one, buy it, and then sell your current car as is.