>>12395 >>12396 Well fuck me silly. I guess that makes more sense that kph would be closer to the odometer then. >>12400 Might just be an age thing. My LeSabre had shit breakdown in the engine at 130k miles because the headgaskets were old, I think. Same thing happened to it's near identical twin that only had 30k miles. Started to burn coolant, got nice white smoke out the exhaust Wait >>12402 Do you have a Series 2 L67 in that thing? Because that's the engine my LeSabre had and it failed. How old is the car? Like 17 years old?

>>12404 >Might just be an age thing. Might also be a 90s GM thing I suppose, they aren't exactly known for reliability…

>>12405 Buicks are fairly reliable, man. The LeSabre had no issues for my granddad who drove with a leadfoot on it, only crapped out from age. I won't say GM is the paragon of reliability but it might be something you can fix and keep the car going instead of having catastrophic engine failure.

>>12406 >Buicks are fairly reliable >crapped out from age >17 years That's not very reliable. My Saab is 23 years old with 125k and never had any major engine work done. Most Nips go 200k+ before needing much more than one, maybe two new timing belts. Even my dad's 96 Mustang is still going strong after 130k+. If you let it sit for a long time that's a different story, but it doesn't sound like that's your case (or Grand Prix anon's).

>>12407 Oh shit, I'm retarded, I need to look at IDs closer. >17 years >only a gasket is going I dunno, man. I'd say that's okay if that's the only thing wrong with it. I mean, I see where you're coming from with everything else not having random parts break down but given it's not a performance/usage issue but an age one, it's fairly reliable. It just doesn't have longevity like a nipponese car or others, which I don't necessarily consider reliability. Longevity or lack thereof can impact reliability, to be sure, but I always consider them as separate.

>>12403 >>12403 I have been the only owner aside from my parent, and they never drove it hard. It can be fixable, but its a money thing. Even then the car might have other issues. the early 90s GPs have common electric problems.The weather seals on the windshield were weak and rain got into the dash and dripped right into the fuze box during Hurricane Sandy. I lost my auto locks and rear windows. It was an outside car its whole life. >>12404 1994 GP. It has a V6. I can't remember the exact one and its too cold to go out and check. I think it might be a gasket in mine too. While I do love the car I've also been dying to get a MX5, so when the time comes it might be for the best. >>12407 I just blame GM for most things that go wrong with it. I will stick up for my car though. Still 2 years ago everything was from the factor. It needed a new starter. It was rusty as fuck when I yanked it out. 20+ years of NY winters will do that. It needed a new alternator at the same time I did the starter. I also put new belts on it. However even before Sandy that fucking thing had electric problems and the driver door handle snapped off 8 years ago so it needed to be replaced.

>>12408 >I always consider them as separate. That's where we'll have to disagree. Things like rust-resistance and gasket longevity (two things very commonly affected by age) are imperative to reliability in my book. >>12409 >MX5 If you can only have one car I would recommend something better in the snow for NY, but you do you. >90s GM >NY winters There's the problem. I'm half-jokingly surprised it hasn't disintegrated yet.

>>12409 Well it's definitely not the same engine but it might suffer the same fate. Still, the amount of problems you listed make me think it's for the best that it goes to the junk pile. On the other hand, MX5s are supposed to be a ton of fun. I've never sat in one and never really saw the appeal beyond finding one for cheap and having a RWD roadster. Otherwise I'd rather have a pony car/muscle car.

>>12410 I'm in lower NY. we don't get that much snow ,it's mostly wind and 40f rain. If I lived more north where my family is the thing would be a pile of rust. >>12411 I love mustangs, but I don't like the sigma of being a mustang owner. The same with the WRX. And yes I know I'll get endless gay jokes, but I like them.

My poor car.

>>12419 RIP buickanon, will be missed

>>12425 That's a Volvo. Buickanon just has a similarly shitty camera. I bolted those two things together today. By some miracle, I could hear good compression while testing the timing.

>>12419 >>12427 What happened? I've never seen an engine up close like that and have no idea what's wrong with it, beyond that there are shop towels stuffed into every orifice.

>>12430 The cylinder head warped and partially dissolved from corrosion. The head in pic is the new head. Strangest thing. The iron is fine, but the head and every aluminum piece that coolant contacts had some bad pitting. Will spend some time with a multimeter in the coolant tank when it's running, but I think the problem may be related to some rotted silicone blobs that I retrieved from the oil cooler.

Related My cavalier needs more repairs than its worth. Just hit 100k and was planning on at least another 100. It was a basic bitch, unmoddable, average car, but it was ultra reliable and it was all mine. Now I'm gonna have to get a car loan and get a new one. My parents said they'd co-sign so I'd have like 10k to spend on a car, but with all the reliable 5+ year old econoboxes I can't justify spending more than 5k on a car especially if its just a daily driver and not a dream/project car. What should I do?

>>12440 You probably don't want a $5k car, since it's probably going to need another $4k to make it run like normal or not smell like weed/smoke. That said, for 10G, I'd opt for a fun car as long as you're over 25 so your insurance isn't shit and you can have fun driving it. A Corvette or a Mustang which should be fairly reliable, parts are cheap even if something does go wrong, and you can still go fast and not be Jeep-tier MPG. If you don't want a fun car or are under 25, a Focus can be had for cheap and the most recent models have decent creature comforts and good MPG, though most niplander cars are proven reliable up to like 200k-300k miles. How much is MPG important to you? How much do you want to have fun driving it instead of just making do with a functional car? My Focus is good since I use it for carrying friends and commuting but it's definitely not a car I'd take for spirited, backroad driving. It can do it, it's just not as fun.

>>12432 Interesting. >>12440 tldr look for something like this https://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/ctd/6004088445.html or this https://portland.craigslist.org/clc/ctd/5972849574.html >$10k >on an econobox Waste of money. If all you need is a car, find a Corolla, Civic, or Sentra with <150k miles for nearly half that money and fuck yourself over a bit less with a smaller loan. If you want something more fun, get a Miata or an Integra/RSX or something along those lines. Don't buy anything that isn't Japanese or a straight-six Jeep unless you want to spend a lot on top of the price of the car to maintain it. >>12441 >You probably don't want a $5k car There's a difference between a car with an asking price of $5k and a car that you pay $5k for. If a car does have issues and you can spot them, you may be able to talk the price down. >Corvette >$10k Looking at my local craigslist I'm seeing more than I thought I would for around that price, but almost all of them are automatic. I would not recommend. >Mustang Heavily dependent on which one you get. It hardly changed from 1979 to 2004. 2000s Fords aren't extremely reliable (compared to GM they aren't bad but compared to Japanese competition they are pretty shitty). You're right though in that parts are cheap as fuck, and the aftermarket is huge if you're into that. There's also Ford Racing. Gas mileage and sportiness beyond drag racing between traffic lights are limited. The aftermarket for each of the aforementioned Japanese econoboxes is pretty big as well, with the Civic's likely being the largest. If you think you will want to build it into something else later, consider that. >Focus My Grandmother has a first generation and it's been having electrical problems after barely 130k miles. I can't speak for the second generation but I've heard they and the latest Fiesta have some pretty nasty electrical issues as well. Regardless of what you decide to look for, do research on the model before you buy to find out about any such issues.

>>12442 archives of the listings for posterity https://archive.is/2xpBp https://archive.is/60MIx

>>12443 Yeah, C4 Corvettes are more common in Automatic since that was the fancier thing instead of going full sports car like the Viper and not offering an auto at all. For a daily commute car through city traffic, I'd wholly recommend an auto. The 4-speed in the C4 isn't bad and can still get 20MPG. It's a bit of a shame but they're the ugly ducklings generation anyhow. If you drive longer distances on higher speed roads, go manual all the way. >There's a difference between asking price and actual cost While it's true, generally people are asking for more money because it's better cared for or less worn. Doesn't make it the hard and fast rule, though. >modern Focus and Fiesta with electrical problems I'll keep an eye out but my Focus is brand new, less than 10k miles on it so far, so I can't really comment on long term reliability. It's a pretty nice car for a half step from pure shitbox. Even has heated seats.

>>12442 >>12441 I guess I want too much. I want at least 20/25 city/highway, it has to be functional. It doesn't have to be cool or fast, but I have like it. I tend to dislike modern cars because of the overabundance of electronic and computer integration which leads to costlier repairs as that are more frequent and next to impossible to fix and maintain yourself. I just have no desire for a "new" car after seeing how often and how much my friends and family spend on fixing their 2010+ cars just months after buying them new off the lot, While I've spent less than 3000 over six years on a now 16 year old car and most of that was due to my own stupidity and novice car ownership. I'm 26 and a pizza guy so It needs to be dead reliable with no sudden expensive and debiliatting "quirks", otherwise I would say fuck it and buy a 73 Comet GT or a Saab 900. Miata seems like a good choice, just wondering if the 2 seat would be limiting/ if I'm secure enough in my masculinity to drive a 2 seat european car Also I'm using a rented camry right now and goddamn do I hate this car. It handles like a boat, it's cramped as hell, and theres about 20 too many buttons and switches with no explanation of what they do.

>>12445 >I tend to dislike modern cars because of the overabundance of electronic and computer integration I'm with you there. >I want at least 20/25 city/highway, it has to be functional Was about to suggest a Saab 900. If it runs well to begin with then they are very reliable. Some parts are more expensive though, and hard to find due to obvious reasons. Some things are shared with the GM2900 platform, USDM models based on which include the Saturn SL1. Saab replaced over 60% of the parts though. I've been trying to think of something with similar qualities (gargantuan trunk, two doors, sporty-ish, preferably turbo) and the only thing I can think of that comes close is the AE86, which is even rarer than a 900 - at least where I live. The second generation Hyundai Accent has a similar body style, similarly sized trunk (I think), and is reliable as fuck, but it's Korean and they didn't know the meaning of "sports car" in 1999. I think the next closest thing would be an Integra/RSX or some such sporty liftback. Not as much trunk space though. I'll need something when my 900 conks out in 150k miles and all the parts are gone so I'll keep looking… >if I'm secure enough in my masculinity to drive a 2 seat european car It's Japanese. If you aren't secure enough to drive a Miata then you are a closet homo. They are cheap, reliable, and fun as hell. Nothing else matters.

>>12452 Funny you mention it. I first found out about the 900 like a month ago and fell in love with it. They seem to go for a little much for what they are at least around here because SAAB guys are apparently second only to Mopar guys in autism and endless money to throw at things. They're also a little bit older than whats ideal for me right now. Again if I was just commuting and not driving for work it would be one thing, but I really can't justify a project car as a daily driver especially given my lack of car repair skills/ I'll check out the integra. Only thing I ever really haul is some long gun cases to the range and 2x4s for projects. I miss my pickup, but not everyone asking me to help them move shit

>>12470 I should note that I'm referring to the NG900 (1994-2002), not the C900 (1979?-1993). A C900 would be more of a project because the chances of finding one in close to good working condition aren't as high. The NG900 is technically a 9-3 after 1998, but the two are basically the same - you can take pretty much any 1st generation 9-3 part and put it on an NG900. >SAAB guys are apparently second only to Mopar guys in autism and endless money to throw at things. Unsurprising. >little bit older than whats ideal for me right now. 2002 isn't very old, but I didn't mention that before. A last generation Celica would be similarly sized to an Integra/RSX, though I doubt the driving experience would be very similar. I've never driven either but I've not heard great things about the Celica. I would look for an Integra/RSX and look at Celicas if you can't find one of those. You could also do your own research on Celicas and see if they are any good.

>>12471 I'm still not really sure what I like in a car beyond looks and sound. My ranger and cavalier were both loyal and reliable to me. Truck was great for curbhopping during parking wars at college and general hazards of Massachusetts roads. Cavalier was the perfect beater econobox for an early 20s dumbass

>>12490 If you liked both of those for those reasons, combine them and get a Hardbody or an older Toyota pickup. First generation Pathfinder and 4Runner are the same thing but with full roofs and back seats. Also, after watching Celica videos for longer than I'd like to admit, it looks like that would be a good buy as well. I'd strongly suggest getting the GTS if you go that route. I think I already said that pretty much anything Japanese will be reliable, and a lot of things are fun. If you don't know what you want, look around for things you like the look of and research to see if it's worth having. I don't know what else to tell you.

>>12471 >>12470 >mopar guys are the reigning king of autism and endless funds Can confirm, know 2 Mopar guys one of whom has spent probably 60k on his project car granted it's immaculate and beautiful, thing is like a time machine to the past with how perfectly stock looking it is. Granted he is an older man who doesn't want to do ALL of the work on his own.

>>12355 >the miata isn't gay I bet you think traps aren't gay, either. >>>/bog/

Spent the day diagnosing a No crank No start on my POS 1989 K1500 Chevy. The ignition switch was pretty roasted. On a side note, Alaska is melting early it seems. Time to get ready for working on why I made this OP I know that I just fucked myself by saying that and ensured another 2 months of winter

So my clutch cable snapped the other day and the clutch got stuck disengaged. The replacement cable got here yesterday I've spent the better part of the last two days replacing the clutch cable, and today realized that the clutch lever is fucked. It won't move back enough to attach the cable, and there's a ton of play in the other direction. It's like an arm bent backwards. I called my shop to describe the symptoms and got a quote of ~$150. I'm glad it's (relatively) cheap because it means I can afford to have it fixed, but I'm a little frustrated because if it's so cheap it should be something I can do myself. I don't know what the issue is though and web searches yielded nothing.

>>12419 It all worked. Comp 150 with the worst one 7 away. Temperature holds steady, no leaks. Couple little vacuum leaks, but those should be easy to track down. Drove around 100 miles and no incidents. That block sat outside with a bag over it for over a month and came out reading like a brand new engine somehow. Volvos are pretty amazing things.

>>12876 Track down a diagram of the system. Who manufactured your car? At least with Nissans and Volvos, you get amazingly good diagrams on dealership parts store websites. If you can find a good diagram, most of the rest of the battle is finding bolt torques.

>>12907 Nice. What model is it? >>12908 A friend of mine, who has the same generation car as I, found the Saab Workshop Information System (WIS; the factory service manual) on some obscure torrent site and shared it with me. That's what I used to replace the clutch cable. It doesn't seem to have instructions on how to remove just the clutch lever - only removing the entire clutch. There is also no diagnostic guide for it and like I said web searches yielded nothing. My best bet is that the release bearing is jammed in the spring or something, but it seems like fixing that would require dropping the transmission so that can't be it if the repair is cheap. I don't have the knowledge or tools to drop the transmission to remove the clutch and inspect it, so all I can do is take it to the shop.

wew

>>12909 Volvo 945 Turbo Wagon. It always sucks to be beaten and have to go to a shop. But $150 might be worth it if they explain to you what they did to break it loose.

>>12909 >>12913 I drove the car back from the shop today. I basically paid $50 for them to just put the cable on the lever… I guess I didn't pull it hard enough. They did do a general inspection and apparently discovered that the accessory belt is worn and a couple gaskets and seals could use replacing, which is nice. I feel double defeated now though…

>>12938 Hey man, it could be worse. It could have been your girlfriend correctly guessing your no-start after you read the LH-Jet 2.4 manual 3 times and probed half the shit in your fuel system. Fuck. She couldn't even give a short description of the Otto cycle, but damn if my fuel pumps didn't kick on right away.