99 Honda Civic Ex: Fix it or Sell it?

[mcs328]

I have a 99 Honda Civic EX. It's the first car I purchased with my own money after I graduated college and got a job. I took it in for the 210K mile scheduled service. That was $500. They found that it needs about $2200 in repairs.

The repairs include the following. Time belt and water pump replacement (preventive). New front brake pads and rotors. They can't be resurfaced. The side engine mount is cracked all the way through. I guess it's the rubber dome shaped washer that the engine attached to the car. I saw it and it's cracked alright. The rear trail arm bushings need replacement. One is cracked and the other is cracked and rusted through.

The value of my car according to KBB is about $1800 in good condition. I went to another mechanic who can do the work for $1400 or he offered to buy my car for $1000. My car runs fine without any major problems except the cd player doesn't work.

Should I get it fixed and hope it runs for another 50-100K? Sell it and buy another used or new car? Other options?

[Daedalus]

Are you on the original timing belt? Congrats if that's the case.

210k is a lot of miles. At that point, everything is a little bit loose and worn. You can replace the things that you know really need replacing, and still have hundreds of parts that are beyond the limits of factory specified tolerances. Things like seals and valve guides just aren't cost effective to replace, but can make ownership very unpleasant when they start to go. Many are likely closer to the end than the beginning.

Being at the mercy of repair shops is a factor, as you're paying at least as much in labor as in parts (which are @ retail pricing). If one engine mount is bad, are the other 2-4 mounts much better? If one trailing arm is bad, how is the other one...or all the other suspension pieces for that matter? CV joints? A few repairs like this and you could pay for a similar car with 60k on it.

Maybe the best thing about fixing it would be that you knew what was good and what was bad. Buy another used car and you could be paying for a lot of someone else's deferred maintenance.

That said, if it were me, I would either pick up a similar car with far fewer miles, or use this as the nudge to get into a newer, fancier car that I've wanted for a while. That's assuming you're not emotionally attached to the car.

[cheapie]

$1400 (repair bill) / $300 (new monthly car payment) is less than five months, especially if it has any value at all after fixing it. you wouldn't have to drive it 50-100k to justify getting it fixed.

[ShawnLee]

Take your last pictures together, cry a tear, and sell it.
Play Boyz II Men, "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday" as you last drive it.

[cruelpupet]

i suggest sell and get something CPO or new

[renovation]

i agree with the others - also with that many miles who to say the clutch or trans wont let go a week later.
sell it and if you buy a brand new car feel safe knowing it should get you another 150 to 200 thousand miles of worry free travel. on a side note -you being from Maryland im suprized the DMV pass the car .i know they use to have yearly inspections and they nail a car if it had a rust hole larger then a quarter in it .now this was years ago and im not sure they still are that way. a friend of mine had to get rid of his car when he got out of collage and moved there for his first job back in the early 80's the laws may of changed some by now. but i remember him being so pissed off becouse his car ran so good but they wouldn't pass it till he got the rust fixed.

[Jeffbx]

If you got 210k out of it already, let it go. That's a great run for any single owner car.

I'm with the others who say if you put $1400 into it today, who's to say that another major problem doesn't pop up next month? If you're in a position to have a monthly payment again, then kiss it goodbye & sell it or trade it in on a newer car.

[mcs328]

I replaced the timing once before 100K miles ago. So this will be the second one. It's an automatic trans since I can't drive stick. I just passed the emissions test the same morning I took the car in for the scheduled maintenance which was this past Saturday. I haven't had any major problems with it considering I've been in 2 major accidents that happened more than 4 years ago.

Beside the sentimental value of, I believe I can get another 50-100K miles out of it but the critical point is that my project might be cut and I'll be jobless come May. I had a company meeting last Thursday on the status of our contracts and mine was specifically highlighted as one that took a major hit because of a change in direction in the government. If that wasn't the case then I would get a new car.

[Jeffbx]

In that case I'd skip the 'preventative' stuff & patch it together.

[mechmike0034]

Do the belt, pump, and brakes. If the car tracks straight and you can't feel a jolt or bump on accel/decel, skip the bushings for now. Once you see what your job's going to do you can decide whether to keep or trade from there.

[attgig]

$1400 (repair bill) / $300 (new monthly car payment) is less than five months, especially if it has any value at all after fixing it. you wouldn't have to drive it 50-100k to justify getting it fixed.


1400 repair bill vs 300 new car payments + 1000 in pocket. so, it's another ~3 months in terms of 'break even'. but the question is, after the 8 or so months, are there going to be more repairbills on the way...

but as noted, buying a new car is a bigger decision vs car i have now with repairs vs new car.

good luck with keeping the job, or finding a new one if that's what may be better for you in the end.

[cruelpupet]

the critical point is that my project might be cut and I'll be jobless come May. I had a company meeting last Thursday on the status of our contracts and mine was specifically highlighted as one that took a major hit because of a change in direction in the government. If that wasn't the case then I would get a new car.


Thats a big point to leave out earlier...id say keep the current car then...or see if there is something better for cost of
repairs + what you have to spare.


If your job is still up in the air after repairs, try putting away your best guess on a car payment each month into a separate account. If you keep your job, then you have a nice down payment, and you know you can afford at least that much...if not then you have some extra backup money.