"ciscokidinsf" (ciscokidinsf)
05/30/2019 at 00:46 • Filed to: None
0
11|
"ciscokidinsf" (ciscokidinsf)
05/30/2019 at 00:46 • Filed to: None | 0
| 11 |
So like many bad Oppo decisions, this started in Craigslist a month ago. In a town 200 miles away, I f
ound a 1988 Impulse 5MT non Turbo
in running condition, 177K miles, clean title, straight body. And like a dumbass, I paid $2000 for it.
It drove ‘tolerable’ for about 100 miles, and then the Tranny immolated itself after all the fluid leaked out . All the gears were blown to bits I learned much later . At least it had the grace of not leaving me in the middle of nowhere, it blew up in the middle of a town 90 miles away from me.
Cost $100 for a tow to a local place
Then I left the car at a local mechanic, bought $35
0 in ebay parts to rebuild the tranny and also
other things
. But tranny c
ouldn’t be rebuilt. All gears were broken.
So, I find a used manual tranny online
, all inclusive with shipping I paid $475. It is installed but doesn’
t work either (only 4th and 5th gears work) The main mechanic recommends to rebuild with a local guy
.
The Tranny
rebuilding guy in town wants the precious sum of $1400 for a rebuild (wut!) to remove current tranny from car and try to build one from two and all the other parts I bought and re-install and pray
. This seems insane to me.
So, now, should I spend $400 in towing the car home to me and plan the next move? (likely a fire sale, dont have tools for such a job) or should I try to buy
another tranny around $500 and add another $375 in labor for try # 2? I feel a rebuild is too expensive.
I already have put $2000 in. I doubt I will get $2000 back if placed running on ebay or anywhere. I dont have space to keep it long.
Thoughts? Does anyone around the bay area have a car trailer I can borrow?
Future Heap Owner
> ciscokidinsf
05/30/2019 at 01:26 |
|
What is this car to you? Is it your daily, a fun car to toss around on weekends, a piece of your childhood, an investment?
What is the money you’ve put into it? Is it money you’re comfortable writing off? What about the money you might be about to put into it? How would you feel if you got it running and sold it for only $1k?
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ciscokidinsf
> Future Heap Owner
05/30/2019 at 01:53 |
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Crunching the numbers, the scenario of a fix and a sale of $1500 is less of a loss than not fixing and selling for $800 (engine is good, body is good and most electronics work) Sure I *could* write it off, its a fun car that would have been a daily driver for me (on a Mon-Fri
10 mile commute approx
) but have alternatives.
smobgirl
> ciscokidinsf
05/30/2019 at 01:57 |
|
I can’t help you make a decision (unless there’s an option for a second estimate on the rebuild) but damn that’s a neat looking car. If I had spare change I’d probably fix and keep it.
I kind of think of quirky cars like this as the same sort of vanity/throwaway spending as dying my hair and buying shoes I don’t need, and in the long run I’m pretty sure I waste more than $1400 on that crap in a year - just with less of an unhappy surprise (as long as I stick with the same hair stylist anyway!)
Nauraushaun
> ciscokidinsf
05/30/2019 at 02:15 |
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Nightmare. Sorry to hear that man.
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Future Heap Owner
> ciscokidinsf
05/30/2019 at 02:36 |
|
How close is it between fixing and selling for $1500 and selling in the current state for $800? It seems like any further difficulties could easily erase that difference.
How much corroborating evidence is there that the rest of this car is good? Is there paperwork? Was there a PPI?
Do you have another car you can use while this one is being fixed? For how long?
Sorry, I don’t mean to interrogate you, I’m just asking all the questions I’d be asking myself if I were making this decision. I don’t think any of us can give you a good answer, the best we can do is talk through as many things as we can with you so you can make a decision with the most information.
That said, given what I know now (not that much), I think I would either unload the car as is, or get it running and keep it . Trying to repair it and then sell it doesn’t make much sense to me : f ixing it could easily end up costing more than you anticipate, and as a rule, the m oney you put in never all comes back out from a sale , so if you’re just gonna sell it, why put more in?
pip bip - choose Corrour
> ciscokidinsf
05/30/2019 at 04:47 |
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spend the cash and fix it
shop-teacher
> ciscokidinsf
05/30/2019 at 07:16 |
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“The Tranny rebuilding guy in town wants the precious sum of $1400 for a rebuild (wut!) to remove current tranny from car and try to build one from two and all the other parts I bought and re-install and pray. This seems insane to me.”
Honestly, that price does not sound insane to me. You’re asking for a lot of labor there. I think you have two options: go all-in and have it rebuilt, or dump it on e-bay as-is where is. Towing it back home does you no good. You can’t fix it yourself, and I seriously doubt you’re going to find a shop to touch it for much less than the quote you already got. Even if you found a shop local to you who would do it for a grand, you’ll spend $400 on a tow.
It sucks, you definitely have no good options there.
Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
> ciscokidinsf
05/30/2019 at 07:19 |
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Looks like a gorgeous car, which also happens to be quite a rarity these days. You’d be dumb not to keep it going.
I would dig deeper for a known good trans, there has to be support/forums/etc for these cars, find a good trans and get it swapped. I can’t imagine this is beyond a hand tools/jackstand job to switch a trans on these.
Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
> ciscokidinsf
05/30/2019 at 08:21 |
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I’m often an advocate for cutting losses and moving on with one’s life. This is no exception . I’ve lost serious money on cars before. It happens.
punkgoose17
> ciscokidinsf
05/30/2019 at 21:01 |
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I would try and rebuild the trans myself. If you accomplish it, even if it takes a couple years the feeling of accomplishment will be wonderful. Also, it will feel special no one else is driving around in a classic Impulse.
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ciscokidinsf
> punkgoose17
05/31/2019 at 02:54 |
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I want to fix it myself
. But no space and tools
to do it. So the choices are narrow...