Crunchy Cookie wrote:

> I thought I'd get a little cost/benefit analysis discussion going. I've always
> thought the best used-car deals were ones between, oh, 2 and 8 years old. If
> it's too new, you might as well buy new, but if it's too old, you're just asking
> for trouble, right?

That's true for most cars. Some are better, though, and you can double
that estimate. I'd have no problems buying a 15 year old Merdedes 500
series sedan, for instance.

> What's the average (range of) mileage where cars start
> konking out to a higher expense than their value? Most people seem to casually
> say between 100K and 200K;

Don't know. GM engines tend to last about 150-200K miles before a
rebuild is required.(roughly 12-15 years) My Volvos both had over 200K
on them and ran perfectly well when I got rid of them.

My dad's old 1979 Olds Cutlass is still trudging around Pasadena last
I heard. It's cheaper to keep a car running than get a new one in
almost every instance, so few cars actually "wear out" - the owner just
gets really tired of it.

> The engine and transmission rebuilds are the only really huge
> items, right?

Pretty much. First off, get a manual transmission. You can
get 3-4 clutch jobs for what an antomatic will cost you,
plus you can push-start the car to get it to the mechanics
AND you can technically use it without any clutch at all
if you know the gear ratios and rpms they line up at.

An automatic just dies. Then it's a rock that needs to be
towed for a $1600+ repair. The "auto-sticks" and other
nonsense aren't manuals either - what you need is something
with a clutch pedal.

> How much does
> rebuilding those cost?

I know of a place that will rebuild a GM engine for roughly
$1500-$1800 to work like new. All new sensors, modules,
rings, gaskets - the works.

That's the least expensive quality place that I know of in
S. California. Most places charge a lot more than that,
so if you can get a good engine/transmission combo, the
car will last longer than you will