when to junk a car?

[mrpike1973]

hi 94 olds 88 235,000 miles very rusty. so when i'm at 55mph sometimes not always it feels like it misses or cuts out for 1-2 seconds. sometimes 3-4 times in a row then a week goes by nothing. dont know how serious this is but very unnerving. the car runs good has new tires air works very rusty ive had brake lines replaced many times. the tech said its getting very rusty when do i put a bullet in it. i dont have a lot of cash so i dont want to put 200 in it to find out its junk when i could use that for the next clunk.

[Whoaru99]

Hard to say what that could be. Does does the Check Engine/Service Engine light come on when it cuts out?

[mrpike1973]

no the light does not come on thanks

[K_Josh87]

check out the bronco 2 thread... have a little fun with it before you sender to the crusher, or find someone who wants to have a little fun and will give you a little cash for it! good luck with it!

[fischer69]

If you do junk it, cut out the catalytic convertor, you can get $75-150 out of that alone. Then hit up hsolist or the site that has a dudes name like craig, there are tons of people looking for scrap cars. Take the tires off & list them too, also if it has aluminum rims you can get some cash out of that too. Or you can scap it out yourself. If you have someone come get it, you will probably get about $200. But if you do it yourself, you can probably get $400-500 just on the weight.

[K_Josh87]

I think the junk yards normally give around 200 for a complete vehicle if they pick it up... complete meaning cats, rims, and battery are in tact... if you can deliver it, its on weight... and its been a while so I do not know where they are at... but usually 300-500 is what you get out of them... i would put er out for sale complete and see what you can get out of it... I try to get my racers for 300 or less... and thats more than you'll usually get if someones picking them up for you... but I know others pay more... but... between the time to build them, and whatever parts I wreck... when I take them in, I am not coming out ahead, but the fun had ends up being fairly cheap entertainment...

[Tom7227]

I'm going to toss a little different line on this subject.

Maybe it's time to junk it when it is leaking fluids or smoking a lot. I've had to make cars limp along so I know what it's like but I also have come to realize that you have to take the environmental factors into account as well.

[Whoaru99]

The real answer is, of course, when you can no longer reasonably trust it to get you where you need to be when you need to be there, and you're tired of it nickel and diming you to death (even though the nickels and dimes may still be less than something newer).

Another aspect is safety. If it's that rusty who knows what part of the suspension or other important bits are about ready to break.

[reinhard1]

i donated my 1997 Pontiac last fall with 270,000 miles on it. realy hated to see it go down the driveway. will do the same with my truck when the time comes. i think a person knows when it's time. it's about haveing the money for a new car or truck or even a good used one. not having the funds will delay the moment also. good luck.

[Scott K]

I have a 97 Taurus with 265,000 miles on it. It may not look the best, but I would trust it to drive me back and forth to Texas, or where ever. In fact, I will be driving it to Washington in Aug. Although, I will need to put a couple tires on before then. Other then routine maintenance, I havent done anything to it.

At this point, if something big went out, engine, tranny, it would go to the scrap yard. I judge when it is time, by your sense of security in it. Would you trust it on a long trip? How about it you fixed say $800 worth of stuff on it, then would you? If the answer is no, then junk it. If it is yes, then spend the $800 on it and get it trustworthy.

[mrpike1973]

i had to junk it. i went over railroad tracks and the 4 bolts that hold the engine cradle broke off. it was a show stopper glad i wasnt going fast hauled it to the scrap

[ozzie]

haha classic.........

[rundrave]

i had to junk it. i went over railroad tracks and the 4 bolts that hold the engine cradle broke off. it was a show stopper glad i wasnt going fast hauled it to the scrap

I don't want to make light of what probably was a pretty serious, unfortunate incident.

But you have to share more details about this story? How fast were you going? What physically happened to the vehicle when this happened? What sounds did it make? Any pics of the aftermath?

Sorry its just the mythbuster/gear head side of me that really wants to know what happens in a situation like this?

[K_Josh87]

problem solved eh?

[Jeremy airjer W]

But you have to share more details about this story? How fast were you going? What physically happened to the vehicle when this happened? What sounds did it make? Any pics of the aftermath?

Sorry its just the mythbuster/gear head side of me that really wants to know what happens in a situation like this?

Typically the washers that hold the bushing that secure the subframe to the vehicle are what let go. We see this quite a bit at the shop. The subframes also like to rot right behind wear the lower control arms bolt in. The first scenario just gets new bolts, washers, and bushings. The second gets a new subframe along with the other items.

[mrpike1973]

what jeremy said. i was going 20 mph the left tire smashed up to the wheel wheel and then i tried to jack it up to move it then the other 2 bolts broke on the other side. what makes me mad is the tech a while back said it was rusty. i thought he ment the outside body 2nd i just had the oil changed in at a dealer. when the service writer came out he said all set. i teased and said the car didnt fall of the hoist did it. he said no but said all looked great and i needed a trans and coolant flush if they couldnt see the frame was gone dont think i,ll have them do anything else. glad i changed the oil for the scrap yard. thank god the engine didnt fall off the hoist and kill someone.