Just about paid as much to maintain my car as i did to buy it!

[danny_galaga]

And I'm happy (",)

Just did a major service, and had some tie rod ends and a bush replaced. Handles like a Porsche now  By my reckoning that brings the total bill to about $2500, which is what I paid. $5000 for about 5 years. Can't get much for 5k. This is why I'm one of the few people you'll meet who DOESN'T complain about the cost of car repairs...

[RayB]

As long as you don't have those kind of bills yearly, I agree. Otherwise you can buy or lease a new car for around 200-250 a month.

[danny_galaga]

No, $632 this time. $2500 is roughly the total in maintenance so far. I'd say I've averaged about $500 a year. And bear in mind in 5 years, even a brand new car needs a service or two.
I just found it funny that guys at work couldn't understand the value in that. One guy said 'damn, i'm trying to convince my wife that VW's are economical'. Hehe. guys like him buy something cheap and don't allow for maintenance, as if nothing will ever go wrong...

I still haven't fixed the guard though

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=81077.0

but once i locate one locally, shouldn't be more than about a hundred bucks. I actually saw one on ebay get passed in at 99c but it was an earlier model and too far away...

[drventure]

Nice Notchback. I've got a 73 superbeetle from my college days in the garage, up on blocks. Another project waiting for some free time (and money).

Fun stuff. And I can actually work on it with plain old tools 

[protokatie]

I have never paid more than 700 dollars for a car in my life, and have never put more than 400 into a car I owned. I basically buy 300-400 dollar clunkers and run them into the ground. I resell them for the cost of the maintenance I put into them. I get a good year out of a clunker, and luckily I know enough to fix most basic problems on my own (Alternator belt, tie-rod connector, etc) And although I do not posses a timing gun, I can mess with a distributor usually by sound and a little trial and error (Timing it to just under the point I get preignition when pushing the engine hard).

[danny_galaga]

I have never paid more than 700 dollars for a car in my life, and have never put more than 400 into a car I owned. I basically buy 300-400 dollar clunkers and run them into the ground. I resell them for the cost of the maintenance I put into them. I get a good year out of a clunker, and luckily I know enough to fix most basic problems on my own (Alternator belt, tie-rod connector, etc) And although I do not posses a timing gun, I can mess with a distributor usually by sound and a little trial and error (Timing it to just under the point I get preignition when pushing the engine hard).

Hehe. I recall you saying something like that before. My dad was the same. Pay a few hundred bucks, after a year or two when it was in a really bad way, he'd drive it to the wreckers and leave it there!

Other cars i've had i would tune myself by ear (taught by the best of course) and do quite a lot of the work myself, i even rebuilt a couple of motors. But VW motors are a bit funny about those sorts of tuning methods, so i prefer to take it to a VW mechanic. The latest was a tune up in combo with fixing the steering. Other things i do myself. I replaced the handbrake cables earlier this year for instance...

[daywane]

I hope you replaced the tie rod before it fell off.
I had one fall off in a truck hauling a Uhaul trailer 
Drivers side tire kicked to a left turn on the interstate and started wheel hopping on me. 

I am like most of you. I have never had a new car. I used to pay no more than $500.00 for a car, I have now raised the funds to $4,000.00
$4,000.00 will buy a VERY nice car or truck

[danny_galaga]

I hope you replaced the tie rod before it fell off.
I had one fall off in a truck hauling a Uhaul trailer 
Drivers side tire kicked to a left turn on the interstate and started wheel hopping on me. 

I am like most of you. I have never had a new car. I used to pay no more than $500.00 for a car, I have now raised the funds to $4,000.00
$4,000.00 will buy a VERY nice car or truck

My golden rule is to always pay cash for a car. I have actually owned a new car (and paid cash) but it was for a courier business. Was nice to drive something with a working airconditioner for a change though 

[DaOld Man]

Ive only bought two new vehicles in my life. But I have never bought a cheap ($400 or less) auto that didnt bite me in the arse.
Just love that "new car smell".