Why Is My 'Godsend' Car Falling Apart?

[Intrepid_Chef]

My Escort died in January. I was desparate and deferring all my bills until I got a car. Finally, a generous soul GAVE me a 1991 Cutlass Supreme with less than 100,000 miles on it. It was a Godsend, or so I thought.

Well, this week I took her in for an oil change and checkup. The results were not good. This car has:

* A leaking gas tank
* A leaking gas LINE
* A leaking brake line
* The back calipers, pads, rotors and hoses are all shot.
* It also needs a couple of tie rod ends and a serpentine belt, according to Midas, who didn't show me the serp belt so I'm taking that one with a grain of salt.

I cannot afford all this work so my best hope is to sell the car and hope I get enough to buy another one.

This is so frustrating! I need a reliable car to get to work and back ... not to mention for SHOWS!

 

[katie0128]

Where are you in OH?

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

Akron.I'm going on a vacation for a week and will worry about this when I get back.The sad thing is that the Cutlass is a good car overall ... but it's been exposed to a lifetime of Ohio winters, and that salt has ruined everything on the bottom of this car. I'd be in a pile of debt if I were to attempt to fix it, and I just can't.

 

[katie0128]

Never mind... DH is really good with car stuff and is always willing to help. But unless you are planning to drive the car to Cinti and stay for a week or so, can't help you this time!

 

[janetupnorth]

Many of those things are cheaper than a car payment! Get a second opinion, find a mechanic you trust that can see the overall condition and give you an honest opinion of whether it is worth fixing.My van needs a new catalytic converter and muffler and tailpipe. The CHEAPEST quote so far is $1000. The CC alone with intake for parts only is $667 the cheapest I can find...not to mention muffler, tailpipe and labor. I'm still looking but fixing it is still going to be better than another vehicle. I only have 135,000 miles on it - still new to me!

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

I am forbidden by federal law to have a car payment. Also forbidden from getting a credit card. 'Nuff said.I'm told that my brother could probably change my gas tank and lines ... but I am not sure I can afford all that, especially since both of the mechanics suspected they had just diagnosed the tip of the iceburg.Midas I don't trust ... but I saw the leaks with my own eyes and have been smelling them recently ... they diagnosed the gas leak. Helpful Mechanic is someone I DO trust ... he is pretty good about working for next to nothing ... but since he works for himself he doesn't have much time to get into my brakes. He sent me elsewhere just for the oil change ... which is where the other stuff was diagnosed. I am thinking I could sell the car and buy another one for about the same money ... though I don't know how I could handle the difference.Before this car was given to me, I found out that the used car market is a scary place. There are few cars out there selling for less than $3,000 and all of them have problems ... At least this one's currently driveable, which is more than I can say for the car it replaced!

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

And Katie, I appreciate the offer but I don't think this car would safely make it over the 5 hour drive!

 

[Kitchen Diva]

My Escort died in January. I was desparate and deferring all my bills until I got a car. Finally, a generous soul GAVE me a 1991 Cutlass Supreme with less than 100,000 miles on it. It was a Godsend, or so I thought.

Well, this week I took her in for an oil change and checkup. The results were not good. This car has:

* A leaking gas tank
* A leaking gas LINE
* A leaking brake line
* The back calipers, pads, rotors and hoses are all shot.
* It also needs a couple of tie rod ends and a serpentine belt, according to Midas, who didn't show me the serp belt so I'm taking that one with a grain of salt.

I cannot afford all this work so my best hope is to sell the car and hope I get enough to buy another one.

This is so frustrating! I need a reliable car to get to work and back ... not to mention for SHOWS!

Cutlass's are known for all those above issues. DH and I both had cutlass's and did most of the above mentioned issues you have ourselves. Heck our first date was replacing the tranny in his cutlass. Sorry you are having issues! Take it to a local trade school that has a mechanic's class, you'll get the job done with half the costs and the students will get to learn!

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

Problem with vocational schools is they are all out for the summer!Talked to a friend who had the SAME kind of car ... she had a mutual friend of ours replace all her lines for $70. But he doesn't work the same place as he did before ... there is also a lot of rust on the tank so it's hard to say the leak isn't worse than it appears. The brake problems are legendary on this car.Thing is, I could replace those parts and have to replace them again 6 months later ... that's what happened to the guy at Midas (a former Lumina owner.)

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Problem with vocational schools is they are all out for the summer!

Talked to a friend who had the SAME kind of car ... she had a mutual friend of ours replace all her lines for $70. But he doesn't work the same place as he did before ... there is also a lot of rust on the tank so it's hard to say the leak isn't worse than it appears.

The brake problems are legendary on this car.

Thing is, I could replace those parts and have to replace them again 6 months later ... that's what happened to the guy at Midas (a former Lumina owner.)

I had to replace the gas tank in mine. Needless to say DH and I were a couple of grease monkey's for about a year until we finally sold his cutlass to the junkyard for $100.00 for parts, and mine we sold to a gal for about $750.00 and sadly about 6 months later the car sorta fell off the body of the car. I had no idea it was that rusted. No one did- it didn't look that rusted. She was just driving along and the body of the car came separated from the frame of the car- Thankfully we were living out of state so they didn't come after me for the money. We heard it through mutual friends that that is what happened to my cutlass.

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

My roomate, who is woefully ignorant about the car market, thinks I'd be lucky if I could sell this car for $300.

However, I've been looking at Craig's list and am quite underwhelmed by what I'm seeing. $1,000 for a car with problems spelled out in the ad is enough to frighten me.

My friend the previous Cutlass owner, drove hers until the wheels literally fell off.

I'm not impressed with what I'm seeing ... I may just fix this thing after all ...

 

[Chef Bobby]

Are you sure some mechanic is not trying to take advantage of you? There are shops near me where everytime you need new brakes, they want to replace the calipers. Calipers usually last a long time. I'd get a second opinion.

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

Bobby ... the mechanic who diagnosed that problem is one I'd trust with my life ... he (and the guy at Midas, who I don't trust) both said that this is a known problem with Cutlasses and with Luminas. They lock up.

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

Hopped on Auto Zone's web site and found the following prices for car parts:

* Rotors: $22.99 (probably need 2)
* Calipers $42.99 plus a $52 core charge (again, for each one)
* Hoses: $8.99 each
* Pads $14.99
* Gas tank (yes, they sell those) $97

So that's $276 just for parts ... not counting the lines and the labor.

My head is swimming as I debate whether it's worth it.

 

[janetupnorth]

Cars are expensive, I just put $700 into my van for "structural pieces" that were needed. Still cheaper than a newer one...Like you said, used are hard to find without problems, so sometimes better to fix what you have.You can find someone to do brakes easy enough...that's a normal wear and tear item. Figure out what a "new used" would cost you and if repair and project it out versus what this would cost you and then decide.

 

[PCSarahjm]

Have you tried getting used parts from a salvage yard? Most of the time these parts have been replaced and you can find used parts that are almost new....for a cheap price.

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

I'm not sure I want to go that route, especially for brakes and calipers that are known to be problematic. And the gas tank ... that's a lot of labor just to get the old one out! Plus I live in Ohio so I'm not sure if I'd want a 20 year old gas tank.Last time I bought a part at a junk yard, it wasn't as cheap as I hoped it would be.At least the front brakes are good ... that's the only reason I'm able to stop!