I am getting a new car!!!!

Cygnet · #1 08/19/05, 10:21 AM

Okay, S10, 153K miles. It's been the best car I've ever owned until this month. Only routine maintenance. Now that I'm trying to get rid of it, I can't go 100 miles without a breakdown. And I mean that literally.

Friday before last, new starter.
Last friday, exhaust leak -- gasket under the manifold blew out.
This morning, headlights started getting dimmer and dimmer and dimmer ... it runs, but the alternator is definitely on its deathbed. (Can hear it squealing, too.)

Oh, and it's trying to overheat at random intervals (not a thermostat issue) and I can feel the clutch slipping when I'm accelerating.

Gah!

I need a "real" truck anyway. I've gotten a lot of use out of that S10, but I'll probably SAVE money with a full size pickup (rather than a half scale pickup *snort*) because I'll need to make fewer trips to the feed store to get hay. The S10 can't haul more than six bales of hay at a time without dragging the bumper on the asphalt ...

So off to the dealership I go tonight. I HATE car shopping ... I'm taking my dad because the salesmen always treat me like I'm clueless when they're the ones who are ... umm ... not up on the lingo ... ("It's a six cylinder, so it'll be great on gas, ma'am." "Yeah? Is it ford's in-line six?" "In line what?" *grumble* "Pop the hood, will you?" ... "Whatcha loooking at in there?" -- An actual conversation I had with a salesman last week, because I've been shopping for two weeks anyway.

Leva

Jan Doling · #2 08/19/05, 10:42 AM

Dads are great for deal-making. Mine once parked himself in the manager's office and before it was all over, they were practically giving him the paintings on the wall to just get him to go! Good luck.

AngieM2 · #3 08/19/05, 10:55 AM

You'd probably get a better deal the last couple of days in the month since they have to make quota and are more desperate to make the deal.

Angie

(Who got a new car 6/30)

agmantoo · #4 08/19/05, 10:57 AM

With the uncertainty of fuel other than it will continue to rise in price I would be reluctant to purchase a full size truck or any vehicle at the moment. It still may be cheaper to make the minimal repairs on the S10. A small trailer to pull with a smaller truck could possibly meet your needs when they exceed the trucks hauling capacity and still not penalize when you need a vehicle for daily conveyance.