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NEW (to me) CAR! (LONG!)
WARNING VERY LONG.
Everyone knows what happened to my old car. Vandalized to hell and back, insurance flat out told me they would total it. When I asked what the buyback value would be, the guy stopped me and said that while he knows a lot of people will buy back and repair or part out, he said he really didn't want to see me do it on this car. The ONLY usable parts were stuff under the hood and the transmission, and a couple of windows. Maybe the engine computer. So I could have sold the engine/transmission for maybe $500, when the buyback would have been about that. It was a semi beat up 2001 Honda Accord LX, 5 speed manual, 4 door. CD player, power windows and locks, and that was it for options. Hail damage, peeling paint.
I got a $5800 payout after deductible, plus $325 for rental (double what I expected). In reality, I've spent about $600 on a rental, but more because I've been VERY picky about what I want to drive, and I still have it rented until Monday. I set aside $4000 for a car, about $1000 for potential repairs, the rest to pay my final month's rent, utilities, and moving expenses (keep in mind I've had 2 paychecks since then as well).
My requirements: manual transmission was my #1 priority, followed very closely by working air conditioning. The lower the better on miles, I'd prefer a truck or small SUV, but would take anything but another Accord (I've owned 3 goddamn Accords now, I'm sick of them).
Craigslist has been useless. Half the ads, minimum, are bogus to harvest emails. A lot more pretended not to speak English when calling (they posted a perfect english ad), many more sold before I called, the one I really had my heart on got sold out from under me (1987 Toyota 4runner 4x4, 150k miles, new suspension, new everything under the hood, working a/c), my second choice was a late model F-150 with a manual V6 and they started screaming in spanish when I asked "Habla English? Trucka?".
A payday loan place, of all places, pointed me toward 2 dealers in East Plano (I did have a payday loan, I paid it off in full today... they noticed I wasn't in the Accord and asked what happened, I told them). Yeah, I hate payday loans, I took one out 2 months ago in a tight spot.
Went to the first one she recommended. Small lot on the corner in a so so part of town, not bad at all, but definitely lower class. I pulled in, walked around, after a minute an older guy (65 or so) walked out and said hello, said he was the owner, told me they were all unlocked and I was free to pop the hoods and if I had questions he'd be inside. I stopped him immediately and told him "I'll be honest, I'm very picky in that I want a manual transmission, working a/c, and the lower the miles, the better". He had 2 on the lot with 5 speed. He took my ID to make a photocopy, then handed me the keys to both and asked me to try and be back within 30 minutes.
2000 Ford F-150, sticker of 6000. Inside smelled like smoke and I don't really like bench seats or manual windows. Didn't even bother trying that one, the bed was beat to crap. As much as I would like a 5.4L V8 (same engine in my stepdad's truck), ESPECIALLY with a 5 speed... it'd be a fast as hell truck, but city mileage is around 10-12 for my stepdad's 2001 F-150 5.4 automatic.
1999 Nissan Altima GXE. Sticker of 4000. Inside still has the new car smell (WTF?!), but hasn't been detailed at all aside from cleaning the carpet. Front bumper is a little rough, but original. 133k miles. I pop the hood, dig around a bit, discovered it has the famous Nissan KA24DE - the same engine in the 240SX, the hardbody trucks, and just about every 4 cylinder they made between 1985 and early 2000s. This is the DOHC version, most got the SOHC. They didn't attempt to clean anything under the hood, so everything was honest. Tiny valve cover gasket leak, small oil pan gasket leak - both are to be expected on this engine (if you see a KA24DE WITHOUT these leaks, something's wrong). I hand over my ID, get the keys, drive it for a few miles and generally beat the living piss out of it. FM radio doesn't work, drivers side window doesn't like to go up (probably a loose wire, easy fix), but the a/c is ice cold, it's comfy, no funny noises, if you lay on the brakes you get dizzy, and the tires are new.
Get back... I walk in, he asks how I like it. I tell him truthfully I really like how it drives and it handles great. But I've noticed it only gets AM radio (and barely at that), the dash trim is cracked from a previous break in, it's got a couple of oil leaks, and the window is an absolute pain to roll up. He nods a bit, he obviously knew all of this. I pull out my laptop and cellphone (I can tether my laptop to the phone for 3g internet) and start pulling up kelley blue book values, he's got it priced below "dealer excellent" and above "private party good". I tell him I consider it to be in fair condition due to the oil leak, misaligned bumpers (though they're original), and the radio (which is most likely due to the broken antenna - either way, it's getting an aftermarket with an aux input anyway, I can stream pandora on both my phone and laptop, and have a 30gb Zune).
Sticker was 3995 + TTL. I offer 2500 + TTL, he thinks and asks if I'm paying cash, check, CC, or finance. I tell him I have cash in my pocket, and he agrees. I'm pretty sure I had a little more wiggle room, but the car is actually in pretty decent shape aside from damage to the bumper and bezel around the stereo. Paint is PERFECT on it and looks to be original, and it was a 1 owner trade (he still had the title for it and showed me the original owner bought it new). I told him how much I appreciated him not detailing the engine bay, that gave me an honest look at any leaks. He said he doesn't believe in detailing cars aside from shampooing the upholstery, maybe a quick wax, and that's it. He said he knows that anyone who knows anything about cars is going to run from an engine bay that looks like it had an armor all factory explode under the hood, and I told him that's my exact same train of thought. We actually had a pretty friendly conversation while I was trying to get insurance lined up for it. Seemed to be a nice guy, said he retired ages ago and just sold cars a few days a week for a little extra income.
It's a LOT more fun to drive than the Accord. It has a 2.4L 4 cylinder with 150 hp, 154 ft/lbs tq, dual cam. The Accord had a 2.3, 150 hp, 152 ft/lbs, single cam, but being a VTEC engine, to get that power you had to rev the piss out of it. The KA24DE in this car started out as a truck engine, so the HP and torque start really low in the RPMs. And it's a much lighter car that seems to be well maintained, mechanically.
So here's the photos. I already have it fully insured, it still has the previous owner's plates (plates follow car in TX), but since TX introduced 7 digit plates, whenever a car changes hands via dealer a new 7 digit plate will be issued. So I'm kinda nervous driving on no-longer-valid plates for the next few weeks. He advised me to keep my bill of sale in the car.
Also, the open fuel door I've already fixed, the release cable had popped out of its holder. Just needs a new c-clip to keep it in place. The sun visors also fall out if you use them - again, just need c-clips. I think I'll drop under $100 in junkyard parts to fix every problem except the oil leaks, and I could care less about minor leaks.
http://picasaweb.google.com/awfulbea...eat=directlink Sorry, camera battery died when I opened the hood, but it's a pretty typical, slightly oily KA24DE. I'm going to powerwash under the hood tomorrow and also the oil pan so I can get a good idea of what's still leaking, I did see some recent work on the valve cover gasket. Also had new plug wires (probably plugs too), distributor cap, air filter, etc. The oil is dark, so it could stand to be changed, and I'm definitely going to change the transaxle oil.
Everyone knows what happened to my old car. Vandalized to hell and back, insurance flat out told me they would total it. When I asked what the buyback value would be, the guy stopped me and said that while he knows a lot of people will buy back and repair or part out, he said he really didn't want to see me do it on this car. The ONLY usable parts were stuff under the hood and the transmission, and a couple of windows. Maybe the engine computer. So I could have sold the engine/transmission for maybe $500, when the buyback would have been about that. It was a semi beat up 2001 Honda Accord LX, 5 speed manual, 4 door. CD player, power windows and locks, and that was it for options. Hail damage, peeling paint.
I got a $5800 payout after deductible, plus $325 for rental (double what I expected). In reality, I've spent about $600 on a rental, but more because I've been VERY picky about what I want to drive, and I still have it rented until Monday. I set aside $4000 for a car, about $1000 for potential repairs, the rest to pay my final month's rent, utilities, and moving expenses (keep in mind I've had 2 paychecks since then as well).
My requirements: manual transmission was my #1 priority, followed very closely by working air conditioning. The lower the better on miles, I'd prefer a truck or small SUV, but would take anything but another Accord (I've owned 3 goddamn Accords now, I'm sick of them).
Craigslist has been useless. Half the ads, minimum, are bogus to harvest emails. A lot more pretended not to speak English when calling (they posted a perfect english ad), many more sold before I called, the one I really had my heart on got sold out from under me (1987 Toyota 4runner 4x4, 150k miles, new suspension, new everything under the hood, working a/c), my second choice was a late model F-150 with a manual V6 and they started screaming in spanish when I asked "Habla English? Trucka?".
A payday loan place, of all places, pointed me toward 2 dealers in East Plano (I did have a payday loan, I paid it off in full today... they noticed I wasn't in the Accord and asked what happened, I told them). Yeah, I hate payday loans, I took one out 2 months ago in a tight spot.
Went to the first one she recommended. Small lot on the corner in a so so part of town, not bad at all, but definitely lower class. I pulled in, walked around, after a minute an older guy (65 or so) walked out and said hello, said he was the owner, told me they were all unlocked and I was free to pop the hoods and if I had questions he'd be inside. I stopped him immediately and told him "I'll be honest, I'm very picky in that I want a manual transmission, working a/c, and the lower the miles, the better". He had 2 on the lot with 5 speed. He took my ID to make a photocopy, then handed me the keys to both and asked me to try and be back within 30 minutes.
2000 Ford F-150, sticker of 6000. Inside smelled like smoke and I don't really like bench seats or manual windows. Didn't even bother trying that one, the bed was beat to crap. As much as I would like a 5.4L V8 (same engine in my stepdad's truck), ESPECIALLY with a 5 speed... it'd be a fast as hell truck, but city mileage is around 10-12 for my stepdad's 2001 F-150 5.4 automatic.
1999 Nissan Altima GXE. Sticker of 4000. Inside still has the new car smell (WTF?!), but hasn't been detailed at all aside from cleaning the carpet. Front bumper is a little rough, but original. 133k miles. I pop the hood, dig around a bit, discovered it has the famous Nissan KA24DE - the same engine in the 240SX, the hardbody trucks, and just about every 4 cylinder they made between 1985 and early 2000s. This is the DOHC version, most got the SOHC. They didn't attempt to clean anything under the hood, so everything was honest. Tiny valve cover gasket leak, small oil pan gasket leak - both are to be expected on this engine (if you see a KA24DE WITHOUT these leaks, something's wrong). I hand over my ID, get the keys, drive it for a few miles and generally beat the living piss out of it. FM radio doesn't work, drivers side window doesn't like to go up (probably a loose wire, easy fix), but the a/c is ice cold, it's comfy, no funny noises, if you lay on the brakes you get dizzy, and the tires are new.
Get back... I walk in, he asks how I like it. I tell him truthfully I really like how it drives and it handles great. But I've noticed it only gets AM radio (and barely at that), the dash trim is cracked from a previous break in, it's got a couple of oil leaks, and the window is an absolute pain to roll up. He nods a bit, he obviously knew all of this. I pull out my laptop and cellphone (I can tether my laptop to the phone for 3g internet) and start pulling up kelley blue book values, he's got it priced below "dealer excellent" and above "private party good". I tell him I consider it to be in fair condition due to the oil leak, misaligned bumpers (though they're original), and the radio (which is most likely due to the broken antenna - either way, it's getting an aftermarket with an aux input anyway, I can stream pandora on both my phone and laptop, and have a 30gb Zune).
Sticker was 3995 + TTL. I offer 2500 + TTL, he thinks and asks if I'm paying cash, check, CC, or finance. I tell him I have cash in my pocket, and he agrees. I'm pretty sure I had a little more wiggle room, but the car is actually in pretty decent shape aside from damage to the bumper and bezel around the stereo. Paint is PERFECT on it and looks to be original, and it was a 1 owner trade (he still had the title for it and showed me the original owner bought it new). I told him how much I appreciated him not detailing the engine bay, that gave me an honest look at any leaks. He said he doesn't believe in detailing cars aside from shampooing the upholstery, maybe a quick wax, and that's it. He said he knows that anyone who knows anything about cars is going to run from an engine bay that looks like it had an armor all factory explode under the hood, and I told him that's my exact same train of thought. We actually had a pretty friendly conversation while I was trying to get insurance lined up for it. Seemed to be a nice guy, said he retired ages ago and just sold cars a few days a week for a little extra income.
It's a LOT more fun to drive than the Accord. It has a 2.4L 4 cylinder with 150 hp, 154 ft/lbs tq, dual cam. The Accord had a 2.3, 150 hp, 152 ft/lbs, single cam, but being a VTEC engine, to get that power you had to rev the piss out of it. The KA24DE in this car started out as a truck engine, so the HP and torque start really low in the RPMs. And it's a much lighter car that seems to be well maintained, mechanically.
So here's the photos. I already have it fully insured, it still has the previous owner's plates (plates follow car in TX), but since TX introduced 7 digit plates, whenever a car changes hands via dealer a new 7 digit plate will be issued. So I'm kinda nervous driving on no-longer-valid plates for the next few weeks. He advised me to keep my bill of sale in the car.
Also, the open fuel door I've already fixed, the release cable had popped out of its holder. Just needs a new c-clip to keep it in place. The sun visors also fall out if you use them - again, just need c-clips. I think I'll drop under $100 in junkyard parts to fix every problem except the oil leaks, and I could care less about minor leaks.
http://picasaweb.google.com/awfulbea...eat=directlink Sorry, camera battery died when I opened the hood, but it's a pretty typical, slightly oily KA24DE. I'm going to powerwash under the hood tomorrow and also the oil pan so I can get a good idea of what's still leaking, I did see some recent work on the valve cover gasket. Also had new plug wires (probably plugs too), distributor cap, air filter, etc. The oil is dark, so it could stand to be changed, and I'm definitely going to change the transaxle oil.
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