We need a "car talk" forum?

[strollingbones]

is one out there...if so move this to it....my car....a subie...1996...why you ask...well i hate car payments...i have made car payments for 4 years of my life and find it so totally oppressive i swore never to do it again....so i am doomed to life with used cars that i can pay cash for. right now my car is broke...bad bo bo...i was driving down the road..when suddenly the idiot light for the brake system comes on...but hey i got brakes..so we debate the course of action...since i have brakes its party on....but then i recall the words...."they are called idiot lights for a reason"....so i pull off and begin to search for the brake light cause..fluids...fine....brake lights...good to go...hmmm....still have brakes...well now they are mushy....yes mushy is a car talk word damn it..but they are beginning to drift to the floor...sillie me...i turn around and drive home....no party for me...next day i begin the drive to the mechanic and i am having to pump the brakes....not good...they have gone fast...of course by now we know its the master cyclinder...i love car talk when we can say master and slave....anyways i digress....

mechanic calls monday....well you need the following....master cyclinder....new....160 bucks....new strut....75 or 80 bucks...ball joint...geezes 50 bucks...well hello....i still got to pay the mechanic....
so i do what all good subie drivers do when the going gets tough...the tough get to the junk yard...master cyclinder used 30 bucks...strut 50 bucks...i a bit high but it was a done deal by my mechanic....long story there...

so my question..what do you drive and why...what is your attitude towards cars...do you drive a junker...in leiu of car payments or do you prefer the peace of mind a new car brings...or does it...how do you buy a car? my man lets me buy my own cars...is that normal? most people are shocked that i buy my own car and dont mind driving junkers. matter of fact i love my old cars.

so tell me about your car and your car philosophy...

 

[Sunni Man]

My first brand new car was a 1980 Toyota Corolla.

The second week I owned it. It was setting on the driveway when a good ole southwest thunderstorm dropped golf ball sized hail all over it. Hadn't even made the first months payment on a 4 year loan.

That was the last "new" car I ever owned.

Since then, every car I buy is used and I pay cash.

My secret is that I purchase cars with the lowest miles from private owners, like little old church ladies or retired people. They haven't be abused and are basically like new inside and out.

The extra bouns for doing this: I only need to buy the inexpensive liability insurance and not expensive full coverage.

 

[PoliticalChic]

I've always driven used cars. I have peace of mind, knowing that if I get a ding it won't bother me and that it won't be a target of car thieves.

I've been lucky that my husband likes to tinker with cars so if there is a problem we're not running to the mechanic right away. We use the cars until the repairs outweight the value of the car and then we donate them to charity.

We are a two car family. We have a 99 Ford Windstar and a 96 Ford Windstar. When the 96 Ford Windstar goes, we'd like to upgrade to a minivan that has the foldable seats in the back.

Personally, I'd like to learn more about cars so heaven forbid my husband predeceases me, I won't have to rely on a mechanic for every minute problem.

Does anyone like to listen to the radio talk show Click and Clack?

 

[Sunni Man]

Fords!!!

They are the bane of the earth!

I only buy GM, Chevy or Buick, or some foreign cars.

Never a Chrysler product: ie. Plymouth or Dodge (basically junk)

 

[strollingbones]

love click and clack ...or tom and ray manscihin or something italian...

well damn mechanic has called...master cyclinder is wrong part....seems they make a few types lol....*headbanging*

 

[Andrew2382]

Have had a BMW for 5 years and never plan on leaving. Best built cars, drives like a dream and has the best warranty out there.

Plus brother and father work for BMW so I get my 2 beamers cheaper then I would 2 honda accords

 

[Missourian]

You have unearthed the one topic I enjoy more than politics.


I have never paid more than $700 for my pickups, all Fords.

Much to my wifes regret and my chagrin, I have 5 of them.

84 F-150 inline 6 cyl. 300 cid 4wd

85 F-150 inline 6 cyl. 2wd...just rebuild the motor on this one last week.

77 F-150 V8 351M 4wd factory highboy.

78 F-150 V8 351M 4wd factory highboy...this is the only non-runner...parts truck for the 77.

89 F-150 V8 302 cid 2wd daily driver.


And my pride and joy 51' Chevy Styleline. Half done so far. Hoping to have it done by the Fourth of July for the Parade.

Wife has a 95 Ford Probe GT.

 

[strollingbones]

lol@5 trucks....my hubby wants to buy a spare car for me....i am fighting that when you have 3 cars...two are always broke down....

i dream of the day i can move into the 2000 series lol...i still drive a stick...not many do that now...

i drove my son's truck for a while..he told me if it caught fire to pull this wire out from under the dash..sillie me..i thought he was kidding till the damn thing caught on fire....the wire made a nice imprint in hubbys hand. has a killer radio lol...the headlight had fallen out and they welded it in...and tottled the lights...dont even ask...lol...

see how many adventures one has in an old car that would have been missed on a new car...i learned a lot of things i am capable of....i.e. driving 25 miles on a flat tire without blowing the rim....lol....also learned to check your own spare....he made sure i had a spare but it was flat too

 

[strollingbones]

okay after a day of tooth grinding...calling in all the flavors i am owed....i might have a master cyclinder..cost 170 but it is brand new..damn skippy....i am waiting for the call that tells me if it will fit or not...lets all cross our fingers

 

[Missourian]

lol@5 trucks....my hubby wants to buy a spare car for me....i am fighting that when you have 3 cars...two are always broke down....

i dream of the day i can move into the 2000 series lol...i still drive a stick...not many do that now...

I'm going the other way...I can't repair the newer models without a bunch of computer diagnostic equipment. Forget that.

As for shifting, I have 8 semi tractor power units with 15 and 18 speed transmissions. Talk about a lot of shifting.

i drove my son's truck for a while..he told me if it caught fire to pull this wire out from under the dash..sillie me..i thought he was kidding till the damn thing caught on fire....the wire made a nice imprint in hubbys hand. has a killer radio lol...the headlight had fallen out and they welded it in...and tottled the lights...dont even ask...lol...

see how many adventures one has in an old car that would have been missed on a new car...i learned a lot of things i am capable of....i.e. driving 25 miles on a flat tire without blowing the rim....lol....also learned to check your own spare....he made sure i had a spare but it was flat too

It's the adventures that add the spice to life.

 

[strollingbones]

omg i went thur the hanging out with a long distance trucker stage....damn driving one of them things is ...well ....a turn on lol....just getting in one made me hot..but i digress...now what the hell was the topic? lol...o stick shifts and all that entails...

i hear you about the computer stuff..i remember when the engine changed and it didnt have the regular parts...all fancy stuff...hell i drove an old car with a bad carborator for years....i knew my options....225 bucks or be cold...now this is my worse thing story....i had a tire come off...yeppers...o sure it made noise..man was out of town..called mechanic...said...making lots of noise..he figured it was the axle...said to put it in 4 wheel drive and come in....i will never forget the noise it made or the mind's eye when i realized that was my tire going down the road and up the bank. yes i had purchased a set of tires...and they forgot to tighten the lug nuts...my mechanic dealt with that..thankfully...i was in shock

 

[CA95380]

We, (only one car, now) have our 1997 Ford Mustang Convertible that we purchased new (17 miles on it) in October 1996 (when both of us were still working - before retirement). Have no plans to get rid of ... we call it our "Mid-life Crisis Car" .... that will come true if we live to be 120+!

(Pic found on the net - I still do not know how to post your own pic's here on the board)

 

[strollingbones]

*shooting mo foking skippy* brand new one..(170 bucks) .didnt fit...none of them fit...then i remember the guy at the old dump and all his old cars..hubby goes by.. houston we have landed....whooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

 

[strollingbones]

now to convince mechanic he does not want to wait till the morning to get it done...seems he has 3 cars on the racks waiting....his day has been done in by wrong parts too

 

[Againsheila]

is one out there...if so move this to it....my car....a subie...1996...why you ask...well i hate car payments...i have made car payments for 4 years of my life and find it so totally oppressive i swore never to do it again....so i am doomed to life with used cars that i can pay cash for. right now my car is broke...bad bo bo...i was driving down the road..when suddenly the idiot light for the brake system comes on...but hey i got brakes..so we debate the course of action...since i have brakes its party on....but then i recall the words...."they are called idiot lights for a reason"....so i pull off and begin to search for the brake light cause..fluids...fine....brake lights...good to go...hmmm....still have brakes...well now they are mushy....yes mushy is a car talk word damn it..but they are beginning to drift to the floor...sillie me...i turn around and drive home....no party for me...next day i begin the drive to the mechanic and i am having to pump the brakes....not good...they have gone fast...of course by now we know its the master cyclinder...i love car talk when we can say master and slave....anyways i digress....

mechanic calls monday....well you need the following....master cyclinder....new....160 bucks....new strut....75 or 80 bucks...ball joint...geezes 50 bucks...well hello....i still got to pay the mechanic....
so i do what all good subie drivers do when the going gets tough...the tough get to the junk yard...master cyclinder used 30 bucks...strut 50 bucks...i a bit high but it was a done deal by my mechanic....long story there...

so my question..what do you drive and why...what is your attitude towards cars...do you drive a junker...in leiu of car payments or do you prefer the peace of mind a new car brings...or does it...how do you buy a car? my man lets me buy my own cars...is that normal? most people are shocked that i buy my own car and dont mind driving junkers. matter of fact i love my old cars.

so tell me about your car and your car philosophy...

When we were first married we always bought old cars we could pay cash for, but we were putting out upwards of $200 a month on repairs...I finally insisted that the next car we get be new. Yeah, we had car payments, but they equalled the repair bills we'd been paying and we didn't have the hassle. Since then we've bought two more new cars, one with cash. Both are cars are now FORDs, a focus and a taurus and we love them both. Our Taurus was slightly used when we bought it, it had $6,000 miles on it. That was almost 10 years ago and we've had very few problems with it. Well worth buying the newer car for us.

 

[CA95380]

Thanks strollingbones on the tips of how to add my own pic, in the PM.

So here is our actual Mustang!

 

[Paulie]

is one out there...if so move this to it....my car....a subie...1996...why you ask...well i hate car payments...i have made car payments for 4 years of my life and find it so totally oppressive i swore never to do it again....so i am doomed to life with used cars that i can pay cash for. right now my car is broke...bad bo bo...i was driving down the road..when suddenly the idiot light for the brake system comes on...but hey i got brakes..so we debate the course of action...since i have brakes its party on....but then i recall the words...."they are called idiot lights for a reason"....so i pull off and begin to search for the brake light cause..fluids...fine....brake lights...good to go...hmmm....still have brakes...well now they are mushy....yes mushy is a car talk word damn it..but they are beginning to drift to the floor...sillie me...i turn around and drive home....no party for me...next day i begin the drive to the mechanic and i am having to pump the brakes....not good...they have gone fast...of course by now we know its the master cyclinder...i love car talk when we can say master and slave....anyways i digress....

mechanic calls monday....well you need the following....master cyclinder....new....160 bucks....new strut....75 or 80 bucks...ball joint...geezes 50 bucks...well hello....i still got to pay the mechanic....
so i do what all good subie drivers do when the going gets tough...the tough get to the junk yard...master cyclinder used 30 bucks...strut 50 bucks...i a bit high but it was a done deal by my mechanic....long story there...

so my question..what do you drive and why...what is your attitude towards cars...do you drive a junker...in leiu of car payments or do you prefer the peace of mind a new car brings...or does it...how do you buy a car? my man lets me buy my own cars...is that normal? most people are shocked that i buy my own car and dont mind driving junkers. matter of fact i love my old cars.

so tell me about your car and your car philosophy...

The grammar!

 

[strollingbones]

o please i got del doing spell check and now you doing grammar.....

you boys are gonna be busy lol

 

[PoliticalChic]

The grammar!

LOL! My husband is the grammar police and is in love with commas. He'll look over my shoulder and insist I use commas where I don't normally put them.

 

[strollingbones]

i will never make car payments again....i have had this car 3 winters....i have maybe...including todays bill put 1 grand into it....i had to have a new clutch....o and i busted the window out of the tailgate...long story there....but today...i am going to the mechanics and sitting with him....he hates this...and waiting on my car...he will be livid by hour 1....but come hell or high water ...i am getting my car today.