So my car blew out its heart unexpectedly (head gasket) and now I have to buy a new car

Get a nissan

Idk yeah I was thinking about it because they look nice and run well but I heard from a reliable source that the floor boards rot out in the Altima's like 100 percent.

It has been my experience that the cars used by
taxi companies are the best.

You seem intent on buying crap. Sweet and Buick aren't often used in same sentence.

Spend 10K and buy used Honda Accord.
....bank the rest.

Aw c'mon have you ever owned one? Have mercy lol

I had the same mechanic for over 30 years. He always seemed to be very fair, but the last time I went he told me my car had a blown head gasket. He said he would put sealer in it to keep it going. Well, I was scared and full of mental anxiety, I had no more money to buy another vehicle. I spent months worrying when this thing would go.
Inspection came up. I let it expire and drove it for six additional months, always checking the fluids, etc.
Finally, I began to think that something with my mechanic was wrong. He had recently divorced and was beginning to lose his customers. I thought maybe he might have been trying to get money out of me (quote 1,500)
So I went to a new mechanic, had the car inspected. "Nothing at all is wrong" said the new guy. "This is in great shape".
Word to the wise: Know your mechanic well. Don't trust.

To be honest UCE, The Honda was my first choice of the next go-to car for reliability but damn they are so boring esp. the colors. The Accord would be the one, but dang they are all over the place as far as style goes depending on the year.

Amiright?

Those Sebrings are known to blow head gaskets.

Cherokee or 4 Runner. I'd go with the 4 Runner

AC I appreciate that thought. The thing is, I just went in for an oil change the other day and they brought me in and showed me how it was leaking at the top and the bottom. I went home and looked at my old garage floor and sure enough there was oil there. I was like whoa. Have been going to them for almost ten years. They never once suggested a sealer and didn't pressure me into taking on that repair job after quoting the potential price of the worst case scenario. I went back and they pressure tested it and it was confirmed head gasket.

That's where I'm at now.

I totally agree....they are boring as hell if you like to drive cars. 100% agree.
...but they are reliable for a beater or commuter.
...and the fact that they are all over the place = CHEAP PARTS.

If you are mechanically inclined though, you have a bunch more options you could go with.
The BMW 3 (E46 series) series cars a a fun car to drive and as long as you know the problem areas and treat it like an airplane in terms of maintaining them, you won't have any problems.

There are others too.
I like the Bimmers though.

.

Last Edited by Useless Cookie Eater on 01/24/2014 11:56 PM

OP included no info as to what would be appropriate for use, climate, driving style, etc.

I even asked him that same question "are they known for that" and the response I got was that it could happen to any car.

So there ya go but I've talked to my friends and searched online and that apparently is consistent for an old car. Dang. Now I have a fucking car payment coming up.

Not really....SOME engines are know for blowing head gaskets. You got one of them.

Observe.....

Chrysler Sebring Head Gasket May Fail Prematurely

[link to repairpal.com]

BUT...that said....you might be able to just replace it and drive it if you didn't warp the head.

Hey Boris, I drive to work on city streets in a Northern climate (horrible roads with pot holes) about 12? miles one way.

People like us have serious swerving talent lol but apparently not enough.

I have an orange cat too!

Be prepared for harsher winters then. Don't pay the Honda tax or Toyota tax.


Low mileage Suzuki SX4 Crossover with iAWD.

Try a nice used Honda Civic. They retain their value, and are within your price range. I get mine from a dealership, but I tell them last minute i'm paying cash. This way they think they are going to make money on financing (bank gives them a rate, they legally bump it up 2 points).
It is not dishonest, you were unsure, and now you get you best price. I like the Honda Civic EX (best model). Buy last years (great deal on new car) and you save a bundle.

Happy motoring

You can always just replace the engine, do the rear main seal, oil pan gasket (don't know if yours is hard to get at), any other pain in the butt repairs while engine is out. The cost might be worth it instead of a payment. And you know exactly where you are at. You don't when you get a used car.

Had a 2000 buick regal lse, nothing like a mobile couch that can move when it wants to. You did not provide a hell of a lot to go on! If you need a nice people mover get a sienna, if you want something well built and sleek get a bmw. If you are feeling economical and want new have a look at the new *cough* dodge dart. I'd recommend a corolla but they have gone pretty mediocre.

Here's the thing Cookies, my mechanic said they have to send it out for grinding and I wouldn't have my car for a week. So that tells me it's warped plus who knows if the rest of the engine is polluted. Not worth it to me. I do trust these guys.

BTW my mechanics (brothers) told me that the reason they haven't expanded their business further is because they can't find qualified help because cars are so complicated now.

An fyi to your sons and daughters.

Head gasket is terminal, because you need to remove the heads to replace it. So while they are off valves and seals should be replaced, in other words a rebuild.

Cheaper to flip a used engine in then repair a head gasket.

Check car-part.com for engine prices.

Can you buy a Haynes or Chilton manual for $20 on ebay or Amazon? yea...

Can you afford the $150 or less in parts? Of course...(that is probably less than your "new" used junk payment for one month...)

Are you able to read, use tools (which you can borrow for free or rent from any auto parts store) and do the work yourself for practically nothing? Yep..

WILL YOU, or will you just say "my car is dead, time for a new one"??? probably the answer..sadly...

I knew NOTHING about cars, until I bought a few repair manuals and got dirty...if bubba can figure it out, so can you.

Advanced, Autozone, Napa, etc. all have every tool you would ever need to rent or borrow for free...the rest is in your laziness...these things aren't built to last forever, they need regular upkeep and maintenance.

If you do the research, and figure out what you NEED to do, before a crisis happens, your vehicle will last WELL into the 2-300k mile range, without needing major repair. All of mine have. And I drive Fords...go figure...(the internet is free and there are thousands of message boards detailing just about every repair you can imagine).

If you budget a few hundred dollars a year, and a few hours every few months, you will actually save thousands. Think of it as an investment...

Unless you just accept that you must live off the system, the dealerships, the mechanics, and the rip-offs, and the fact that you are too lazy to learn anything new...and in that case, enjoy your car payments and insurance on liabilities that will always let you down, you will never get ahead...

I don't mean to be rude, but c'mon man, YOU CAN DO IT YOURSELF!

Yes the used, hopefully low miles engine is your best bet.

So don't tell them right away you're paying cash? I would think that would bring about real prices.

Sorry for my naivete'

My car is so beat up from city driving (thousands already spent on struts, bearings, tie-rods, etc.) that its obvious the poor dear has suffered enough.

Do I hear OP grunting and pigsqueeling?

OP...for much less than 20k.....you can have one of these. (1998-2007 E46)

(buy one and spend the money for maintenance....still much less than 20K...and you decide M3 or not)



Last Edited by Useless Cookie Eater on 01/25/2014 12:19 AM