Article

2009-04-02 Economy

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2009-04-02 09:08|| || Front Page|| [11131 views ] Top

#1 In its a feature not a bug dept, as real competition made cars more reliable and sustainable through regular maintenance, the market reaches a point where for practical reasons people can choose to put off buying a new car and still have transportation. Expensive fashion statements are among the first to be dropped when the crimp hits the household budget.

Posted by Procopius2k 2009-04-02 10:12|| 2009-04-02 10:12|| Front Page Top

#2 This week the "administration" began to show the first indications of an admission that a structured bankruptsy might be the preferred method of dealing with GM. Of course the news could not have been presented by veteran CEO Rick Wagoner. A cleansing "CHANGE" had to take place first and a new talking dog brought on stage. Kegs of Budweiser must be popping at Black Lake. Details of the structured bankruptsy may be quite interesting.

Posted by Besoeker 2009-04-02 10:25|| 2009-04-02 10:25|| Front Page Top

#3 If GM is going to declare bankruptcy, why did we have to give them billions in the past couple of months? Seems to me they should have declared last fall (autumn to you non-Yanks) and saved us a lot of money and gotten on the right track sooner. WTF.

Posted by Spot">Spot 2009-04-02 10:29|| 2009-04-02 10:29|| Front Page Top

#4 My 2002 Honda is running just fine, thankyouverymuch.

Posted by Seafarious 2009-04-02 10:57|| 2009-04-02 10:57|| Front Page Top

#5 @procopius, it's my take that the emission regs made engines more durable because they had to pass tests after 50K(?) miles. Also, better ring and valve guide technology helped.

In any case, in the '60s we were happy to get 60K from a Chevy valve job. Now, I've got 300K on my Subaru, with no engine problems. It gets about 500 miles per quart, and half of that is leaks. But it's $1000 to fix the leaks, so the payback is maybe 10 years, not including cost of money. I'll just keep feeding it oil.

I'm having problems wearing it out - but the New England rust is starting to get to it. It will never make another 10 years.

I saw a Honda Civic with over 400K miles on it, and it looked like the engine had never been touched. The trick is to change the oil every 3000 miles.

Posted by KBK 2009-04-02 11:15|| 2009-04-02 11:15|| Front Page Top

#6 My 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier has 158,000 miles on it. I still get 30 mpg. I don't, however do much city driving.

Posted by Deacon Blues 2009-04-02 11:56|| 2009-04-02 11:56|| Front Page Top

#7 I currently own an 1988 Isuzu pickup 5 speed stick,(Sorta a chevy, chevy owns isuzu, twin to an S 10) it's rusting, but the drivetrain's sound, needs occasional U joints, and just put in a replacement Radiator, considering it's got around 250 K I'm very happy with it.

Posted by Redneck Jim">Redneck Jim 2009-04-02 12:05|| 2009-04-02 12:05|| Front Page Top

#8 I just got a much better paying job and a promotion, but it is farther away so we will have to buy a new car.

Make me a deal, auto-boy! I know you are desperate as a drunk-ugly woman at last call!

Posted by DarthVader 2009-04-02 12:34|| 2009-04-02 12:34|| Front Page Top

#9 Edit:

Second car. We have one that works great but we need two now since the wife also got a better job.

Posted by DarthVader 2009-04-02 12:35|| 2009-04-02 12:35|| Front Page Top

#10 I had a 85 BMW for 750,000 miles. After initial break-in I used Mobil 1 oil for it's entire life. Although the compression was nothing like new it still did't turn into a hybrid, burning oil and gas. I used a quart every 2,000 to 2,500 miles.

I was having expensive non powertrain problems. In 06 the heater core went. It seems the Huns hold up the heater core and build the car around it. Lot's of labor cost to replace so I sold the car to the State of California for $650 and sent it to the big parking lot in the sky.

Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2009-04-02 13:31|| 2009-04-02 13:31|| Front Page Top

#11 My 1990 Volvo 740 is nearing 300,000 and leaks a bit of oil. She's just about broken in.

If my girl and I are going out, we'll take her Toyota or Infiniti.

I have no idea of my mileage - don't care. Paid for, good running vehicles are cheaper than buying new, fuel-sipping American marqued POSes any day.

Posted by GORT 2009-04-02 15:22|| 2009-04-02 15:22|| Front Page Top

#12 I bought my new 1983 F250 HD with a 6.9L diesel in May 1983. It's so old it has been grandfathered out of my state's emissions testing program. It has 160,000 miles on it. Starts & runs well, Gets 22-24 mpg around town, empty. In 2001 I hit a deer while going 70 mph, the front mounted spare saved me a lot of trouble & the damage was repaired cheap. The clutch hydraulics went out last week. What to do, what to do...

Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2009-04-02 19:03|| 2009-04-02 19:03|| Front Page Top

#13 Keep up with the payments Anguper. A few more years and it will all be yours. :)

Posted by Besoeker 2009-04-02 19:07|| 2009-04-02 19:07|| Front Page Top

#14 It was paid off the day I got it, $11,000! They don't make 'em like that anymore.

Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2009-04-02 19:11|| 2009-04-02 19:11|| Front Page Top

#15 Just kidding. I've got an old restored vehicle myself. I use that line when someone comments on it.

Posted by Besoeker 2009-04-02 19:16|| 2009-04-02 19:16|| Front Page Top

#16 So's my 1998 one, Sea. :-D

Posted by Barbara Skolaut">Barbara Skolaut 2009-04-02 19:27|| 2009-04-02 19:27|| Front Page Top

#17 Congrats on the better jobs, Darth!

I'm grateful for the one I have, even if I have been working a lot fewer hours lately.

Posted by Barbara Skolaut">Barbara Skolaut 2009-04-02 19:30|| 2009-04-02 19:30|| Front Page Top

#18 Fix the clutch, Anguper, then she's good for another 25 years. Consider trading up for my 1989 S-10.

Posted by KBK 2009-04-02 21:03|| 2009-04-02 21:03|| Front Page Top

#19 I am going to buy a a Toyota this weekend ... or maybe the new Diesel Jetta. I haven't decided yet.

Posted by crosspatch 2009-04-02 23:31|| 2009-04-02 23:31|| Front Page Top

23:52 Procopius2k
23:52 Barbara Skolaut
23:47 Barbara Skolaut
23:44 Redneck Jim
23:31 crosspatch
23:29 SteveS
23:28 crosspatch
23:21 Gluting Fillmore6653
23:19 Redneck Jim
23:08 DarthVader
23:06 DarthVader
23:03 SteveS
23:02 Speremble Dark Lord of the Danes4730
23:01 Redneck Jim
22:54 Broadhead6
22:51 Broadhead6
22:48 Galactic Coordinator redneck Jim
22:10 Pappy
21:55 gromky
21:54 gromky
21:44 JosephMendiola
21:37 Seafarious
21:27 JosephMendiola
21:24 JosephMendiola