Do we try to fix the old car until it no longer can be fixed or...

[cricket1178]

buy another car. We have a 1997 Astro van with 220,000 miles on it. Its been a great vehicle, but it is starting to need some major repairs. We had it in the shop 3 weeks ago (costs $700.00) and now it seems we are having transmission problems. Dh also drives an old klunker to work everyday that is also having problems and costing money.

The problem is, we just now got our debt paid off (except our mortgage) and haven't really gotten our savings up to where it needs to be. We really don't want to deplete our savings on vehicle repairs and then end up having to find something else and still end up with a car payment except no money to put down to lower payments. Sometimes it seems we are sinking money into a black hole with all the repair costs, however, I don't want to go back into debt for a car payment. But, in our situation, would that be the logical move?

[elegantlion]

Is this your only car, or a 2nd vehicle?

If it is your only car and is having transmission trouble I would suggest you price out another used car. Transmission troubles can be "scary" and very expensive.

If it is a 2nd vehicle can you do without it until you save up for another? We are currently a one car family. While it has been more than annoying at times, I enjoy not having another car payment or the insurance bill.

[Jenny in Atl]

My better half always says, "if it cost more than its worth... then most likely it's not worth fixing."

Better to put that money into a down payment on another "newer" car. I'm in this same spot with an old 92 Volvo. It's one major repair away from the junkyard. :driving:

[Joanne]

We have a 1997 Astro van with 220,000 miles on it. Its been a great vehicle, but it is starting to need some major repairs. We had it in the shop 3 weeks ago (costs $700.00) and now it seems we are having transmission problems. Dh also drives an old klunker to work everyday that is also having problems and costing money.

I was in a very similar situation during my time as a single mom and newly married. I "got" the 13 year old van in the divorce, with the air conditioning that was broken (I live in TX and at the time was driving 50+ miles a day for income). The tranny had already been replaced (something I later found was a pattern in Caravans - ac and trans).

I felt unsafe getting in that vehicle. We did not have any newer, reliable, under warranty vehicles. It's NOT the same breaking down for a woman with kids and a man. It's simply not.

It was after my bankruptcy, and so I had no debt other than the house. But I had yet to even accumulate an emergency fund.

Ultimately, we decided that we needed to have at least one reliable, under warranty vehicle. Since I don't believe in Dave Ramsey's "absolutely no car debt" policy, we went ahead, researched and financed a new Kia van.

Making the payment is tough, but less so than the worry, concern and pervading issues of relying on a vehicle that had "done its time."

[Claire]

Sometimes it seems we are sinking money into a black hole with all the repair costs, however, I don't want to go back into debt for a car payment. But, in our situation, would that be the logical move?

With that many miles on a van, I would definitely buy something else. IMO it's better to have more reliability and a fixed amount to pay each month than to face unreliability (especially with children in the vehicle) and the risk of expensive repairs along with possible catastrophic failure (especially after expensive repairs). There's a breakeven point for repairs, and I would say you have exceeded it at this point.

[Whisperlily]

I was in a very similar situation during my time as a single mom and newly married. I "got" the 13 year old van in the divorce, with the air conditioning that was broken (I live in TX and at the time was driving 50+ miles a day for income). The tranny had already been replaced (something I later found was a pattern in Caravans - ac and trans).

I felt unsafe getting in that vehicle. We did not have any newer, reliable, under warranty vehicles. It's NOT the same breaking down for a woman with kids and a man. It's simply not.

It was after my bankruptcy, and so I had no debt other than the house. But I had yet to even accumulate an emergency fund.

Ultimately, we decided that we needed to have at least one reliable, under warranty vehicle. Since I don't believe in Dave Ramsey's "absolutely no car debt" policy, we went ahead, researched and financed a new Kia van.

Making the payment is tough, but less so than the worry, concern and pervading issues of relying on a vehicle that had "done its time."


Thank you for posting this. I'm in almost the *exact* same situation, (except I'm not single. My DH is military, so he's gone often) We've got ONE car, and it's a 1994 Plymouth minivan with no AC and we just moved to TX. It's also having some other troubles, and I don't know how long it's going to last.

We have been looking at a KIA minivan, but I'm afraid of taking on payments. We've never financed a car before, so car payments are something new. :confused: I think we're going to have to look again soon... it's starting to get HOT already and it's only March.

[Dana in OR]

if it was a Toyota. I am biased because of experience - every time we have an American car it has cost major bucks and then *died*. But our Toyotas just keep on and on; we take good care of them and they last for ages. So no, I would not invest in the Astro. Sorry you are in that situation.

[Renee in FL]

I would not go into debt for anything. I would drive as little as possible until I was able to save up money for a less-used, lower-mile van. You can probably find something not to expensive. Are the repairs going to cost you more than the $3600 that a $300 payment would cost in one year?