96 Bonne - Gutsy car (remember) - NOT....

[jmulhearn]

Just a small rant here, I've had it with this car. I've had this piece of _ _ _ _ since Nov (my other car (94 olds) blew the engine) and put about $2400 into it, just to keep it running so I can get to work. This while I'm behind on my Mortgage, utilities, etc. pay 3-350 per month on Meds for my wife and I.

NOW my heater core blew on the way to work this AM. That's another $4-500 (that I don't have) I'll have to put in to it just so I can get to work. I'm 69, I can't so this work anymore. This is not what I fought for, my taxes going to support some big bank or Oil company or someone that doesn't want to work.

If I could I'd scrap this thing, If I had any brains.

Not looking for any help (there is no help for stupidity), just ranting.

[Bugsi]

Heater cores are a pain in the @$$. I hate replacing those things.

[MattStrike]

Don't have any friends or kids to help you out?

[1oldman]

unfortunately, used automobiles are money pits. It's about like packing sand down a rat hole. The parts used during assembly average about 150k miles (just my personal experience). The replacement parts typically last only about 12 months to 3 years (my experience), even the OEM replacement parts. My take on it is to buy a certified used vehicle and get a manufacturers maintenance contract. Even new vehicles are no guarantee against mechanical problems. The only problem with those solutions is coming up with the money/monthly payments to pay for it (certified or new). Like "Tennessee" Ernie Ford's song sez, "Sixteen tons, whata ya get? Another day older and a deeper in debt. Saint Peter don't ya call me cause I can't go, I owe my soul to the company store."

By the way, you don't have a case of stupidity. You just have the same problem as most average working people. Almost no one want's to pay a living wage. - BC

EDIT: what part of the world do you live in? - BC

[impala67]

You can be heard all the way to other side of the world. I´ve just got my driver back and i feel so satisfied since it works again after simple fault.
If it would not be so cold, you could do the emergency repair; take heater hose away from circulating coolant in heater. just make the heater hose make a circle back to engine, from heater hose outlet straight back to heater hose inlet end in engine.

that is, if your distance to work is not so long... its get cold quickly if you live in northern states. We have it 5F currently, i could not live with that, but once i did so for month in summertime.

[jmulhearn]

It's getting fixed as I write. May be done in an hour. I'm just very grateful that I have a very good mechanic that is both honest, does very good work and will let me pay in installments (plus I can walk to his shop).
I would have reouted the heater hoses but I need the heat at this time of the year.

Thanks for all of the good wishes and comments, i really does help. Just wish me luck till the next time.

[Jrs3800]

I wish you luck... They are not bad cars, but with age and a previous owner that may have neglected it.... You know how that can be..

I have a 95 and am on the original heater core, I am 100% that I am on borrowed time..

Driving home one day from a friends house I lost most of my coolant in the 20 Mile trip up the interstate... I had no idea.. The little valve to the heater core broke and started shooting coolant.. I had no idea until I came to a stop and could smell coolant.. I drove another 2 miles home... Popped the hood and had Dex Cool coolant all over the belt end of the engine... I ordered the part and replaced it... It took aq lot of coolant to fill it back up... I lucked out that day..

I wish you the best...

[jmulhearn]

Thanks for the good wishes.
It is Sat nite and the car will not be ready till Monday. This means i have missed another 2 days of work because of this car, a total of almost 3 wks so far.
If I look at it another way, It should last me a long time, I've repalced a lot on this car. I just wish I could spend the money on things I'd like to repalce, like the headliner, front seats, get the radio fixed, the heater control fixed.
I realize the problems are only due to age (it has 235k on it) and the fact that the last owner never took care of it and I'm paying the price.