Hey guys, I would like your opinions please. I bought a used 1997 honda accord that turned out to be a huge lemon! I bought the car stupidly for $4200 then quickly dropped money on brakes and tires. I have around $5200 invested in the car. A few months after I bought it, the engine went on me. A used engine is going to cost around $1500 installed +/-. That being said, I will have around $6700 invested in a car that is not worth $3k. I am not sure if I should take the loss and walk away or go ahead and get it running then just drive it into the ground so at least I can get something out of it. Suggestions, opinions please? Thanks!
Drive it until it stops working then sell it, or sell it now and buy something else. I would not put a new engine in it. BT
I bought the car stupidly for $4200 Yes you did, Dave. At least once, we all experience the taste of a lemon. Good luck next time.
Is the rest of the car in good shape? I tend to agree with Bill. Or, how much could you sell if for without the engine?
Part it out and sell the pieces. You will get more for it as parts, if you have the space and tools to do it.
1) Donate it for a tax decuction... 2) Bring it to a crowded place, and charge $1 per hit with a baseball bat for anyone who wants.... 3) Find a film crew that needs footage of a burning car......
Dave, not sure where you get the $1500 figure for an engine swap. Dealer? Go to Ebay, use the item number I put in this post and check out the motor with a 30 day guarantee. Its in Miami (Hialieah is still part of the USA, right?). Look at all the others listed in the $400-$500 range. Rent a hoist to pull your engine, have a couple of friends help you. The cost of the engine, the hoist, and about $150 in beer and food should get the job done for under $1000. You have way too much invested to have the car junked. If the rest of the car is decent to good, and you planned to use this as a daily driver for a while, replace the engine, check the trans while you are at it. When you bought it you must have considered potential problems. You did overpay, but since this is not an appreciating in value vehicle, fix it for even the $1500, don't throw away your $5200. Don't give up on the car yet.
I'm surprised nobody has suggested parking it in a bad part of town with the keys in it It really sounds like a bad deal for you overall. I think the answer depends on how much money you have for something else. Ideally, I would dump it as is and get another car.
For what?? They can't drive it away........LOL!!! Besides.........I hear the FBI is all over that type of sh*t these days.............
If the rest of the car is good, I would swallow the pill and put in a new engine (after all you have already new brakes) and drive it the way you intended in the first place. If the rest of the car is not good, then I would try to do what has been suggested already: trade it in for a new car.
guys, thanks for your posts. lol I actually live in a pretty bad place and the car did get broken into but unforunately they wanted nothing more than to prove they could do it, then they just left the car exactly as was, minus bending door frame to open the car door. Never opened trunk, glove box, center console or even tried to start it...course they would not have had a chance to get it to turn over.... I tried the clunker route but unfortunately they said car did not qualify and the last thing I want is a payment on a car unless they would have cashed mine in.
I'd say junk it. If you knew the car would be good with a $1000 replacement engine, then maybe I'd go that route. But think of the aggravation if you do that and some other crappy thing comes up. Junk it for $500, use the money for a down payment on something REALLY cheap, and go from there. Just my $0.02... BT
After I stopped racing motorcycles I sold my truck in hopes of finding a daily driver to put around town in. My 2 rottweilers cannot fit in my nsx nor can they fit on the motorcycle until the day comes that I can get a side car and some doggles for them. Bought the accord but the only thing that has gotten use of it being parked is mother nature and the lizards...
I can see truth in everyone's words and I appreciate your thoughts. Maybe Ill just let it sit until I suck it up and buy a new car. Going that route perhaps the dealer may give me more than $500 for it.
I heard a statistic on the radio this morning that somewhere around 53% of the population in Hialeah does not have health insurance (the highest percentage in all of Florida); yet they seem to have the greatest concentration of clinics and pharmacies per capita. Hhmmm.
First of all............ 78.6327% of all statistics are made up, on the spot. Besides, isn't that what you call 'Job Security'.........LOL!
Dave, two words.........REALITY SHOW!!!!!! Let's build a HUGE catipult........then, we'll call FOX for the new reality show to televise the launch........... We can do the whole bit. We will show you saving for the car, then showing how it broke, you in tears and all emotional screaming as we 'bleeeeep' out the bad words, saying how you were going to go with another car but how you felt that was just wrong to cheat on your Accord, how you proposed by giving the car roses, and then how your whole life has changed by the car getting f'ked up.......... with the 1 hour season fanale, filled with 58 minutes of meaningless banter & commercials, only to lead to the crescendo of the 1 minute catipult.............. Yes, I know, genius.........
