Stumped

[Scott Stein]

Got a 95 Grand Prix 3.1L 186,000 miles. Couple weeks ago my brother drove it to school,called and said it got hot,temp guage way up. I told him to drive it home (5 miles school-home) and see what happens,nothing temp was in the normal range. That night I checked the freeze and it was fine. Next day same thing on way to school gets hot light comes on,no heat coming outta vents. Went and switched vehicles with him and I drove it home,temp light comes on,needle buried on red. So yesterday I called the guy who works on our stuff and he says bring it in tomorrow. So this morning my dad was taking it to the guys shop,gets half way there and same thing,reads hot, no hot air outta vents. So we towed it the rest of the way. I was thinking maybe the thermostat was stuck but the mechanic called today and said he thinks the head gasket is bad,something about the #1 cylinder. He said it sucks the freeze outta the resevoir takes it through the motor and pushes it back into the resevoir. $700 to fix it. The only problem is the tranny is getting weak and its got 186,000 miles but the body is awesome,it was an arizona car up to 154,000 so the last 32,000 have only been driven in MN and it hardly has any rust,interior is clean and its got new tires. So now were trying to decide if it's worth the money to fix it since the tranny is getting bad or try and sell it for parts. I hate to see it go since it's so nice but then again I hate to put the money into it and have the tranny take a dump. What do you guys think? thanks

[Steve Foss]

I don't know your finances, but putting $700 into a vehicle with that many miles and a weak tranny could be throwing good money after bad.

In what way does the tranny appear weak? A tranny rebuild/replacement is big bucks, and on top of $700 recently spent would be quite a ways toward enough money to get another sounder used car.

[deadeye]

Those cars are dime a dozen at any salvage yard. If you didn't mind junkyard parts a used transmission will usually do just fine. However, there is a reason that they are dime a dozen at the yards...

I would price out doing the head gaskets and the transmission. Then you know what you are really going to be out with that car.

[Scott Stein]

Reverse,1st,2nd slip pretty good. Well this car is just a back up between the 4 of us in the family we each have our own this is just a spare in case one of the other ones goes down.

[deadeye]

I would consider selling it "as is" as a fixer upper or seeing what a yard would take for it then. I have gotten several vehicles off of C L for well under a 1k without any problems. Im sure for the 700 you could get another beater that is a lot better.

If it is totally mint, short of the motor and transmission and you really like it then shop around and see what the best price is for the transmission. Kind of worthless to have a good motor and a transmission that will leave you stranded.

[katophil]

cut your loss, and move on

[Hafnutz]

In good running condition it's maybe a $6-700 dollar car. I'd say it's time to move on and sell it to the boneyard. Keep the tires if you want and put em on the next one.

[Phred52]

Battery too, if it's any good, they're not worth anything as scrap. Keep it as a jumper or even a replacement in something else. Phred52

[Jeremy airjer W]

$700 for a head gasket?

That's pretty cheap, you must be from somewhere north of hwy 169!

That motor has so many issues its just silly. This will be the first of a series of events that will leave your pocket book empty.