Hi:
I wanted people's opinions and sometimes there may be an obvious answer to some, but I'm not inclined with making decisions to go with repairs and the worthiness of keeping a vehicle. So hear me out.
I have a 2015 Kia Rio LX with 59k miles and my monthly payment is $300 (total loan of $12000). I recently did 60k maintenance and the mechanic said it is in pretty great shape, but I'm always constantly worried about whether it'll blow up (yay). Along with Scotty's strong attachment to his '94 Celica, I decided maybe I should pick up an old Corolla/Civic and try to maybe get rid of the Kia to avoid getting blown up but also saving money. I ended up getting a '94 Corolla with 137k miles but I didn't get a mechanic to look at before purchasing the car for $1200 (rip), but I did read his book and did a bit of the bare minimum per inspection and test drove it. I felt that maybe the cost of repairs (without really knowing) could be less than my total overall payment for my loan and that maybe it was worth it.
So, I did go to Japanese Auto Tech Service in North Hollywood, and I can say they are really good! The estimate:
-CV Axle Assembly R&R Service (Both Side) $888.05
-Trans Fluid Drain & Refill $145.02
-Replace Rear Brake Shoes & Resurface Drums $194.00
-Fuel Injection Cleaning Service $123.32
-Tear down Service Requested to Inspect Timing Belt $115.00
-Tear Down Service Requested to Inspect Left Door Issue $172.00
-Door Handle R&R (Front, Right, One Side) $168.39
-Dorr Handle R&R (Rear, Left, One Side) $155.39
-Door Handle R&R (Rear, Left, One Side) $155.39
-Hood Washer Nozzle's R&R Service $57.56
-Battery Terminal Cleaning Service $28.75
I have a hunch that the CV axel, trans fluid drain and refill, timing belt, and brakes will be the most important things. I'm just trying very hard to educate myself by watching many of Scotty's videos but of course there's more to just watching to really grasp an understanding of cars.
Back to my question, is it worth the repairs to keep a '94 Corolla with 137k miles that I bought for $1200 or should I get rid of it and do my best to maintain my Kia?
Wow. These service prices are out of this world. They are about triple what I have done it for. So, you want to put another $2200 into the car for a total of about $3400 for 28 year old car. If I were you, I'd get a dry/wet compression test to see what condition the engine is in. That would be the deciding factor for me, if I were you, but I'm not. For my money, I would dump the Kia for as much as I could and stick with the '94 Celica with maintenance and insurance costs all being considered.
Those costs are pretty outrageous. If you were going to do the work yourself it would be a no-brainer, but a car that old isn't a good choice if you're going to be running to a mechanic every time something breaks.
sell them both and get a good car
Whoa oh whoa. If you were doing the work yourself for the Corolla, it may be worth it.
And I’ve gone to Japanese Auto Tech in NoHo. It’s the one off of Sherman Way right?
Their prices are usually more reasonable. I am thinking pandemic pricing has set it. I haven’t gone to them since before the pandemic. I can’t even imagine what other mechanics are charging, if those are their prices, because they were on the lower end, but high quality.
CV Axle Assembly R&R Service (Both Side) $888.05
-Trans Fluid Drain & Refill $145.02
-Replace Rear Brake Shoes & Resurface Drums $194.00
-Fuel Injection Cleaning Service $123.32
I found a mechanic who's willing to do this for $950. They also offered to check timing belt and tear down my left rear down for free to see why it isn't working. This mechanic told me that since the car passed smog, I won't need a compression test. But I think I'll give this mechanic a shot since they're much more reasonably priced.
But any thoughts on this decision before I follow through? I may also consider selling it for $1.5k and report that there are no broken parts, thankfully.
Whoa oh whoa. If you were doing the work yourself for the Corolla, it may be worth it.
And I’ve gone to Japanese Auto Tech in NoHo. It’s the one off of Sherman Way right?
Their prices are usually more reasonable. I am thinking pandemic pricing has set it. I haven’t gone to them since before the pandemic. I can’t even imagine what other mechanics are charging, if those are their prices, because they were on the lower end, but high quality.
I found a mechanic who's willing to do this for $950. They also offered to check timing belt and tear down my left rear down for free to see why it isn't working. This mechanic told me that since the car passed smog, I won't need a compression test. But I think I'll give this mechanic a shot since they're much more reasonably priced.
But any thoughts on this decision before I follow through? I may also consider selling it for $1.5k and report that there are no broken parts, thankfully.