Fogel
Mr. Poopybutthole
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What make, how many miles, and how is the general condition? Car prices are still high so if this work gets you a couple years out of it, I'd say its worth it
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What make, how many miles, and how is the general condition? Car prices are still high so if this work gets you a couple years out of it, I'd say its worth it
nu_11
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Chevrolet 110,000 miles. General condition? I've always kept up on service--e.g., tires, oil, engine fluids. It does have some bumps and scrapes but I can deal with all the aesthetic issues
I really wanted to wait like 2-3 years before considering getting another vehicle. Last year I got the water pump replaced (so that's already a sunk cost), I was also advised at that time my AC fluid was leaking and may need to be serviced
Lanx
<Prior Amod>
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carry arm? maybe they mean the sway bar which also has bushings that need to be replaced
but if it's the control arms, wow thats gonna be a bit of work
and what did they say about the front and rear brakes? are your brake pads so worn that you grinded out the rotors?
i remember when i didn't have a garage and started working on the subbie, new brake pads and rotors for all 4 wheels cost 1k...
you can buy the parts for 250ish as an example
nu_11
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carry arm? maybe they mean the sway bar which also has bushings that need to be replaced
and what did they say about the front and rear brakes? are your brake pads so worn that you grinded out the rotors?
i remember when i didn't have a garage and started working on the subbie, new brake pads and rotors for all 4 wheels cost 1k...
you can buy the parts for 250ish as an example
Sorry to say that I don't know much about cars, mostly because they don't catch my interest. I have done small things like replacing headlights, spark plugs, and swapping out tires.
My original message said carry arm + bushels but I think I meant to say control arm + bushels. The sway bar may need to be replaced soon as well, however
The service center said that rotors + brake pads have to be done at the same time. I think my rotors are okay for now, nothing grinding yet. I just moved to TX and don't know many people, so as far as getting friends to help out with repairs is impossible. As far as replacing rotors + pads, is a jack sufficient enough for raising my car?
Burns
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From reading the SS car thread alone, now is not the time you want to be buying a car and the inflation on new and used cars has probably outpaced the inflation on parts and service.
For any work under the car you need a jack and at least 2 jack stands. Never get under a car unless it has jack stands. Look up "jack stand positions" or "jacking points" for your car to find out the best place to put them. Ideally, also put a brick in front and behind the tires that are still on the ground, as well (or get tire chocks).
For doing the brakes yourself, you will probably want a socket wrench set, an extender for said sockets and a cheater bar, or at least some penetrating oil to break free the old bolts (also, you may need metric and standard sockets). Harbor Freight tools are probably sufficient for rarely used tools.
Rotors can wear out, and on 100k+ miles, they are probably correct on needing to be replaced. You can probably find a video on how to evaluate if your rotors are bad, just by looking at them (the brake pads will eventually cut deep groves into the rotors). Brake pads can be done alone, but you want to replace both when rotors are bad.
Look up how to change brakes and rotors for your car type on Youtube and there should be a tutorial with in +- 5 years. It's not as easy as changing the oil, but then, if you follow a tutorial on how to keep air out of the brakes, it isn't too hard.
Replacing a control arm and it's bushing (where it connects to the frame) may be more involved still. Youtube is your best friend on evaluating if you think you can tackle such a project and what tools are required. Also, I would assume they meant both front control arms plus their respective bushings (when it comes to suspension, you usually want to do both sides at the same time anyway).
There are a decent amount of users living in Texas, especially the DFW area, so if you list a close city (if you're in a major metro, it would be Plano, Woodlands, Georgetown, White Settlement, Humble, etc.) or side of town, someone might have a recommendation for a "trustworthy" mechanic (if they happen to read this thread).
Here is the best picture I could find showcasing the grove the brake pad cuts into the rotor. An official test used a caliper to measure the thickness and compares that with safety guidelines.
nu_11
Avatar of War Slayer
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Thanks.From reading the SS car thread alone, now is not the time you want to be buying a car and the inflation on new and used cars has probably outpaced the inflation on parts and service.
For any work under the car you need a jack and at least 2 jack stands. Never get under a car unless it has jack stands. Look up "jack stand positions" or "jacking points" for your car to find out the best place to put them. Ideally, also put a brick in front and behind the tires that are still on the ground, as well (or get tire chocks).
For doing the brakes yourself, you will probably want a socket wrench set, an extender for said sockets and a cheater bar, or at least some penetrating oil to break free the old bolts (also, you may need metric and standard sockets). Harbor Freight tools are probably sufficient for rarely used tools.
Rotors can wear out, and on 100k+ miles, they are probably correct on needing to be replaced. You can probably find a video on how to evaluate if your rotors are bad, just by looking at them (the brake pads will eventually cut deep groves into the rotors). Brake pads can be done alone, but you want to replace both when rotors are bad.
Look up how to change brakes and rotors for your car type on Youtube and there should be a tutorial with in +- 5 years. It's not as easy as changing the oil, but then, if you follow a tutorial on how to keep air out of the brakes, it isn't too hard.
Replacing a control arm and it's bushing (where it connects to the frame) may be more involved still. Youtube is your best friend on evaluating if you think you can tackle such a project and what tools are required. Also, I would assume they meant both front control arms plus their respective bushings (when it comes to suspension, you usually want to do both sides at the same time anyway).
There are a decent amount of users living in Texas, especially the DFW area, so if you list a close city (if you're in a major metro, it would be Plano, Woodlands, Georgetown, White Settlement, Humble, etc.) or side of town, someone might have a recommendation for a "trustworthy" mechanic (if they happen to read this thread).
Here is the best picture I could find showcasing the grove the brake pad cuts into the rotor. An official test used a caliper to measure the thickness and compares that with safety guidelines.
Im okay with $2000-4000 of maintenance for the next 2-3 years. I guess what I’m looking to get answered is this: is there a good reason to believe that my maintenance will significantly exceed that?
I see myself buying new vehicle in the next 2-3 years at the latest, so it doesn’t make sense to pump a lot of money into maintaining what Im driving.
Obviously there’s things I can do to mitigate my maintenance like drive much less. I may be able to cap my driving at 5k per year because my only concern right now is to work on my career and save money.
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Sometimes with wishbone suspension the spring is in between the upr and lwr control arm. If hes not a car guy its not something that can be done by himself. Dont you have buddies that can do it? Usually there is a buddy in your circle that is a car guy.carry arm? maybe they mean the sway bar which also has bushings that need to be replaced
but if it's the control arms, wow thats gonna be a bit of work
and what did they say about the front and rear brakes? are your brake pads so worn that you grinded out the rotors?
i remember when i didn't have a garage and started working on the subbie, new brake pads and rotors for all 4 wheels cost 1k...
you can buy the parts for 250ish as an example
The breaks are a no brainier, most current cars are 2 fucking bolts to undo to drop the calipers, install new shoes and just replace the rotors since they are cheap. I have my kids do the breaks on my cars. I jsut showed them how stood back and let them do the work, lol.
If the car has no rust and 110K miles that shit is jsut broken in right now. Most chevy engines can go at least 250K with maintenance being done on the reg.
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Burns
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Some things show signs of going bad but some wont. You may want to double check the 100k mile maintenance recommendations and take care of anything you haven't done. If the transmission has no signs of trouble (late shifts, trouble going into drive), the engine runs smooth, and there are no leaks then there should be a good chance that you are clear for another 2 or 3 years. If this was a northern car, for most of it's life, the suspension, undercarriage, and body panels are what really take a beating from the de-ice chemicals.
If you want to go the extra mile and fork over $100-200, you could also have a (trusted) mechanic look it over to see if anything else was showing wear (since your new in town, you will probably have to go off of reviews alone).
It's hard to trust people, and this may or may not work:
Call ahead and tell them that you are looking to buy a used car, and ask how much it is for a complete inspection; then go and have it done. Less motivation for lying if they think you don't own it, and therefor wouldn't be paying for repairs. Not fool proof, but the most you can realistically do to try to judge maintenance costs.
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Burren
Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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Keep it. You'll save money. Consider yourself lucky you have a running car you can rely on.
Lanx
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i mean tbh, it sounds like you are actually lucky w/ a 110k+ car your only wear and tear is suspension related, at least it's not the engine or tranny.
Lambourne
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$1000 for a single control arm replacement sounds way too high. They're usually under $200 for the part (which comes with bushings and a new ball joint (which is the part that usually what wears out first)) and maybe 0.5-2 hours to replace depending on the suspension design.
I wouldn't buy a new vehicle just for this. Obviously I can't judge the state of the car remotely but none of this sounds excessive for a 110k car. Maintenance goes up, depreciation goes down. Nobody drives for free.
I wouldn't buy a new vehicle just for this. Obviously I can't judge the state of the car remotely but none of this sounds excessive for a 110k car. Maintenance goes up, depreciation goes down. Nobody drives for free.
BrutulTM
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$2000 is nothing compared to what the depreciation would be on a new car over the next 3 years, never mind the interest you will be paying if you take out a loan on a new car. I don't know why people freak out about having to pay a mechanic and want a new car as soon as something goes wrong with their old one. Amazing how often people are willing to go $20-30K in debt to avoid a couple grand in repairs on their existing car. Of course the dealership is always happy to take your "damaged" car off your hands in trade for next to nothing and put a few hundred in repairs into it and then sell it at auction for $10,000-$15,000.
Sanrith Descartes
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Lanx
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yea, when i see a good deal on the ryobi hp ratchet, imma get it a cordless ratchet
i haven't started up my civic in a year cuz of wfh we only use the subbie, and it started smoking. after figuring out what happened, my alternator locked, so getting a new alternator and belt (cuz the smoking cooked off the belt), anyway w/ a 20yr old car, the factory alternator is practically bonded to the engine now, how i did do a bit more research and found out i could just unsieze my alternator, just pour a bit of engine oil inside the it and the stator will turn, and it does.
i had to get a stubby 24metric socket to turn, but it eventually turned, anyway i have both long and stubby sockets from 1/4 to 1/2 and stubby and long neck ratchets and a set of flexible head wrenches and i had to use everything to get at this. in some places the space was so small i could literally only move the wrench for 2 tooth clicks.
ToeMissile
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I saw my first F150 Lightning yesterday and MBZ EQS today. The front end of both don’t really do it for me. I like the styling of the Lucid Air and Rivian R1T better, though both have their quirks as well
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BrutulTM
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I think the Lightning looks awesome and would be really fun to drive, especially with that giant frunk. It falls apart if you try to tow something though. Looking like less than 100 mile range pulling a decent sized trailer which is just unusable. People don't really pull trailers that much with a half ton pickup but it's nice to have the option.
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ToeMissile
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Yeah, all the towing tests (at or near their max?) I’ve seen for the Lightning and R1T show the range dropping down to about 1/3 of their rated range. They’re both impressive vehicles
Sanrith Descartes
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I saw a Rivian the other day. I am not a fan of the front end and especially rhe lights.
Sanrith Descartes
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They both are urban non-work vehicles. Reality is the Lightning cant actually be used as a work truck with it's limited range. And wait until they try the tow test in the winter with the heater on. They might get 50 or 60 miles range.
Sanrith Descartes
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If we see a Cybertruck in 2024, my MX will be 5 years old and i might consider swapping depending on how the final version looks at production.