For those who really really love their car...

[vessa 1]

Let me first say, I desperatley love my husband and daughter more than anything. Then there's my car...to some, it may be nothing, to me it is so dear. It is the nicest and most expensive thing I have ever owned, I rent and have moved often. I have lived in 3 states (Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Minnesota) and been through some terrible weather, and a bad accident with it. It has survived. My baby is a black 2 door 1985 Buick Riviera with 70,000 miles. Yes, you heard me, 70,000. was a collector car with 40,000 when I bought it. Beautiful motor, minor rust just started on passenger door. Very quiet and depedable. I could go on and on. Anyways, here is my agony. When I was in hospital delivering my baby 2 months ago, EVERYTHING just started going to hell with the car. Minor things, brake lines, wires, etc (obviously I'm no mechanic, not even close) and we ended up paying out about $700, with probably about $400 left to fix that we couldn't afford at the time. So everything was ok for a while (and with just having a new baby, $700 really put us in the hole! We are poor people!) Now a week ago, the car wasn't shifting right...like going into gear, but not, just sitting there reving. So knowing it could be transmission, but hoping it wasn't we got transmission Fluid, it worked, for a half hour until I went to kwik trip, put car in park and turned it off to go inside, and it rolled backwards! Nearly hitting a gas pump!!! I was scared to death. And devestated. we barely can afford rent, this was our only car. Now it sits in parking lot, not shifting into gear AT ALL. My husband goes to get a junker today, so he can get back and forth to work. What to do, what to do? We've been told to get rid of it, have it towed and junked for basically nothing...and we've been told to hold onto it, move it with us and repair it next year, when we can afford it. Am I holding onto something I should let go? Listen, I'm not being silly, I KNOW it could be so much worse, my daughter or my husband or both could have been in the car, it COULD have hit gas pump, it might have, it could have, etc. I know I'm lucky. I'm just very dispondant at the thought of getting some crap car when ours is in such good shape, but we are too poor to do the repairs that are a long time coming. I know it's the transmission. That's totally expensive, right? I just want to know what others would do, what would you do? And I really only want to hear from those who really really love their car, you know who you are, and I hope you can understand my pain...I want to do what is best for me and my family, i want to not give up on something i believe in. Sorry for the long-winded-ness and passion for a piece of metal, like i said, this is harder than giving away my cat i had for 10 years. Please help. Need non-judgemental opinions. thanks:car:

[short1 2]

:car:I know exactly how you feel. I have a 1983 Berlinetta Camaro. I am the 2nd owner my mom was the first. I have put a ton of money into her. I rarely drive her, but love the looks I get when I do. I had my tranny rebuilt 4 years ago and it was $1500. If I were you I would keep her if possible. Put a tarp on it untill you get the cash. Good luck.

JP

[Hamster 0]

I feel for you. About a year ago I was without a car for a couple of months - I had sold the old one and was waiting to find the right replacement.

If your car is going to be out of action for a while a couple of things you might like to do are;

Put it up on blocks to get the weight off the suspension & tires;

Put some rat/mouse poison inside (for the obvious reason);

If it gets cold where you are then drain the radiator to prevent it getting damaged if it freezes;

Remove the battery and take it inside as it can also freeze also this removes the risk of a short-circuit causing a fire;

Remove the spark plugs and squirt a little oil into each cylinder and put the plugs back;

If you're going to put a tarp over it make certain that there is air-flow underneath the tarp as they can trap moisture and cause rust;

[vessa 1]

thanks hamster, how totally helpful of you! I appreciate the input, an have my husband on it right now!

[Kat817 19]

You might try spending a little bit of money by comparison, and having the tranny flushed and a new filter put in. We bought a car to use as parts because the tranny was bad---but before doing any tearing down my DH decided to try that, because other than the tranny it was in better shape than the one we already had. It went on to have another 40,000 miles put on it before we traded it in. It was a Cutlass, and I still see it around town on occasion!!!

I now drive an Intrepid R/T that I refuse to trade in!!! I love my car!

Kat

[dynofan 0]

I thought I was the only 'numbskull' who was in love with their car! I have a 2001 Vehicross; (most never heard of it), but it's my baby. To preserve it I put in an electronic rust protector. It helped my '94 Amigo.....; still strong,

200000+ miles later.

[bitteroldhag 0]

I love my eBay Cadillac and I just got a new, used RAV 4 which is really fancy. I love, love the Cadillac because it is so luxurious. It's old, but has low miles. It was the best car deal I ever did. It's 12 years old with about 40,000 miles on it. The new car has electric everything like the Cadillac. It even has a place where I can put the garage door opener in the ceiling of the car. It gets great gas mileage even with the air conditioner running full blast and can go from 0 to 60 really fast even if it only has 4 cylinders. The only problem is that I don't know how to work everything yet. It took me months to learn how to operate all the neat stuff on the Caddy. It has seats that warm up! I love that because my back has crashed and burned. I understand loving one's car. I still worship my old RAV which is think is the cutest car I ever owned, but I need to sell it to pay on the new Rav which isn't nearly as cute. Toyotas may not be very sexy, but they last. At my age, I'm not very sexy either, but I hope this car lasts until I die or they put my in the nursing home so people can beat me up.

[Hamster 0]

To preserve it I put in an electronic rust protector. It helped my '94 Amigo.....; still strong,

200000+ miles later.

Now that would be a good idea. An alternative would be to squirt/brush some liquid rust inhibitor (such as fish oil) into all the nooks and crannies - doesn't cost much and seems to work. I had a 16 year old station wagon with the only rust-free tailgate around.

[StephC 0]

I love my car! Its the first car thats mine - all mine! I drove a mini van around for 10 years - yes the same one for 10 years - until it died. I had come to hate that van! I went from that into a smaller car which was passed from one teenager to the next, and so on it went, with me driving my hubbys truck (a nice truck but still it was HIS truck) and finally when the 3rd kid got her license and I passed my little used car down to her my sweet dear hubby took me to town and bought me my Impala. I love it love it love it and I share with NO ONE. I will occasionally let hubby drive her but since he drives so much for work he seldom wants to. I love my car.

[Angeleyes 1]

I love my car!!!! I own a 2004 silver VW. Makes me feels so young!!!!

[Thinner me 1]

My husband has this "love" for his 1991 Honda. It was once a lovely shade of gray and I think it now has some form of flesh eating virus. The seats are stained by everything from coffee to turkey juice.... yes turkey juice (very long story). It is a standard, and it jumps almost like a rabbit when he shifts from 1st to 2nd I KID YOU NOT!! It has no air and that should be enough to put it out of our misery, Yet he loves this car. We have a new Lexus suv and a 2006 Nissan, I drive the Lexus and in this weather 90+ he still refuses to drive the car with air!!!! We just moved into a new area and I am afraid to think what the neighbors must think of me driving around in my suv and my poor husband having to drive that old thing LOL!

Don't get me wrong, not to long ago I would have thought that it was a great car and would have been thankful to have it (Lord knows I've driven worse) but for goodness sake its almost 100 degrees out there and the car smells of dead turkey!!!I think he needs some sort of help

[Thinner me 1]

LMAO!!! Jack you are to funny!!!

[wendy645 1]

I actually spit my drink on my computer. THANKS JACK! *wipes off keyboard, glaring at Jack*

[pr_pitbullgrl 1,039]

haha i love this thread! i love my car. made me want to get skinny. i have after market tips, cold air intake, working on new exhaust, cams and headers and getting a damn tuner cuz im governed at 118mph and that's not acceptable

[Blamo 35]

I love my cars and trucks. Heck I love all of 'em!

I make my living as an electrical tech but on the side and for fun I build trucks, cars, motorcycles and even a couple of boats. I currently have a VW GTI VR6 that I absolutely love. I also have my Jeep Cherokee for four-wheeling and a Ford Ranger that is my next project.