What do you reckon?

Ratmick · Post by **Ratmick** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 4:28 pm

Hi all,

Having a hard time deciding WTF to do next...

Our family car is a 1998 TF Magna V6 wagon with 240k kilometres on the clock. It hasn't been a bad car, not much wrong with it except some issues with the air conditioning in 2001, and the normal run-of-the-mill consumble stuff like tyres, brake pads and car radio antennas (little shits keeping breaking the f&%#ers off). We've had it since new, I leased it at my old job and paid out the lease.

It's now a bit tired in the engine department and has started leaking and burning oil, and we go through a litre or so every three/four weeks. As you can tell from the mileage (kilometreage?), it gets a few kilometres put on it. Ros does the school run three times a week @ 120km a go, and she drives places far and wide on her days off. And it gets down to Melbourne and around the area a bit on weekends, all up probably 600-700km a week in all.

I'm tossing up what to do next. I can get a replacement engine for it, but it costs an arm and a leg, around $4,500 fitted, as it's a 24-valve job, and they cost a lot to reco.

I can trade it in, but in its present state it's not probably worth a lot.

I can also novate-lease a Custom-fleet car from work, but that opens up an entirely new kettle of fish regarding the cost...and we still will have a second car that burns oil and leaks on the driveway. I don't particularly need a second car, although it would be a nice thing to have when the bike is off the road.

So, do I bite the bullet and spend $4,500 on a car that's probably not worth much more than double that? Or do I call it a day and buy something a bit more economical, probably smaller (we have three kids), and reconcile myself to the fact I'll get bugger-all as a trade-in. Or do I keep it as a second car, park it on the grass and lease a car from work?

I could lease an ex-lease car, which is a cheaper option. Finding a large small-capacity economical but not gutless car is another problem

Thanks all, any input appreciated.

bonester · Post by **bonester** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 4:43 pm

I would look into the reason for its oil consumption. My Hyundai (with 90000km on it at the time) smoked like a mofo- so much so I had complaints phoned in from the public to my then employer.

It now has 180000km on it and uses next to no oil.
Turned out to be the valve seals which I changed myself costing just over $100, including $70 of tools to do the job with- a special adaptor that screws into the head to keep the valve shut with compressed air as you remove the valve spring to get at the valve seal- also a special spring compressor that means you don't have to lift the head((s) (in V6 case)) off to change seals. Been handy tools to have. Changed the valve seals in my Z440 as well. (pictured) I had space issues with the Z440, and that is why the tool appears to be used incorrectly in the pic. (it is!) Z440 didn't need the air compressor trick- an angled screwdriver held the valves up with the pistons at TDC.

Other oil comsumption problems could be an oil breather line split, oil leaks, engine wear (hope not), due for an oil change (dilutants boiling off appear like oil comsumption) etc etc etc

The V6 Magna can be a bitch to work on (transverse V6)- so much so the rear plugs are platinum and are due for changing at 100000km- inlet manifold has to come off to change them! If you are mechanically inclined it might be very worthwhile fixing it- cars of this vintage (my Hyundai included) are worth next to nothing, but far more valuable to an owner if they run reliably and cheaply!

ttc · Post by **ttc** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 4:47 pm

Personally I'd get rid of it, you'll never get that $4,500 back, and a car with that many km even with a new engine is still worth nothing.
Just be grateful that it has served you well and move on

Smitty · Post by **Smitty** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 5:02 pm

tanyathecheeky wrote:Personally I'd get rid of it, you'll never get that $4,500 back, and a car with that many km even with a new engine is still worth nothing.
Just be grateful that it has served you well and move on

hafta agree with the young lady....
$4500 on a car worth nothing will get it going and still be worth nothing
and what next?..the auto trans, the diff?

Mick
novate a car...and let ya missus drive it (surely thats allowed)
you keep going on the bike
and whatever vehicle you choose to novate
make sure the dealer will take a trade-in...the Mitzu...

btw
Mitsubishi will be doing very good deals to get of current 'old' models
when the new '380' model appears next month

hth

cheers

Felix · Post by **Felix** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 5:38 pm

7 years old means it wont appear on the floorplan of anywhere you trade it, so effectively not worth much.

But...

A litre every 3 or 4 weeks. I had a ve valiant that would do more than that. Just kept a bottle of oil in the boot and a funnel. Never smoky, just seemed to eat it. I was doing 600-800km/week at the time. Just buy cheap oil. Problem solvered!

Mind you, my next car could well be an oil burner

Oh, you know you can actually just get secondhand motors? Not reco'd but good, lower k motors? I bought one for my VK Valiant for $650. Was a dream compared to the donk it replaced. You could probably get one for around $1500. That would more worthwhile. Contact your local jap wreckers. Then you could probably just sell it privately. $4500 is a waste of money.

photomike666 · Post by **photomike666** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 5:59 pm

Get it converted to run on gas, they will do the reco while they're at it and you may save on mounting fuel bills. Either that or say fark it ans stick a 350 chev in there

diesel · Post by **diesel** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 6:07 pm

do i hear the words "paddock basher"????

diesel · Post by **diesel** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 6:08 pm

hang on!
how come u get to lease a car???
goddamn NAB screwin me again.
i really gotta get into IT

Ratmick · Post by **Ratmick** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 6:16 pm

Smitty wrote:novate a car...and let ya missus drive it (surely thats allowed)
you keep going on the bike
and whatever vehicle you choose to novate
make sure the dealer will take a trade-in...the Mitzu...

No trade-in with Custom Fleet, you get to keep the old car and try and sell it in yourself.

The car would primarly be for Ros, I rarely drive a car nowadays, only on weekends. She drives more than enough kilometres for FBT benefits to kick in. We'd definitely need a wagon, she carries so much crap around for school it's not funny.

Custom Fleet have good deals on Magnas atm, but I'm not sure I want another one, as they aren't particularly frugal on the fuel. I was looking at a VRX Lancer or Corolla wagon, but the jury's still out on that one. The Commodore, Falcon and Magna wagons are right size for a family of five, but I can't really justify a 3.5-4 litre engine.

Thanks

Ratmick · Post by **Ratmick** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 6:22 pm

diesel wrote:hang on!
how come u get to lease a car???
goddamn NAB screwin me again.
i really gotta get into IT

Mate mate mate maaaaaaaate. Anyone in NAB can lease a car, but there is zero benefit unless you're well into the top tax bracket. The money you save is the difference between the top tax rate and FBT.

The FBT rate drops the more kilometres you travel, so the more you drive the cheaper it gets

Might look at the Custom Fleet auctions of their ex-lease vehicles. I can lease one of those if I get in before they are put on sale. Unfortunately 90% of the vehicles are Falcon and Commodore sedans, so when the time comes it may be one of those. As long as it's cheap.

thanks

Rossi · Post by **Rossi** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 7:42 pm

Mate,
do the same as I have..............Ford Falcon Wagon ECO lpg only version
$39 - 40 to fill it up and 750K's to the tank

Barrabob · Post by **Barrabob** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 8:27 pm

Mate you cant beat a ba wagon with the gas pack 700kms to the fill just keep driving the sucker all night.

Mate if they will pay ya to take away the magna and you can get a cheaper runner for the missus and she has authorised it I would get rid of the old magna and go looking for a newer rig(she really wants a new 10r right

)

The way the petrol prices are going a lot of vehicles just became obsolete due to the huge cost of filling the tank

fortunatley i only have to fill my 6r so thats cheap but i still have a couple of diesel vans i am not useing hanging around and i think i would go into shock if i had to fill them.(havnt been running a taxi of my own for a bit just driving other peoples).

aardvark · Post by **aardvark** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 11:31 pm

Ratmick wrote:Mate mate mate maaaaaaaate. Anyone in NAB can lease a car, but there is zero benefit unless you're well into the top tax bracket.

Ahh, well then Mick, since you earn so much, I can recommend a place that has some really nice Porsche's!

Ratmick · Post by **Ratmick** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 6:16 pm

aardvark wrote:Ahh, well then Mick, since you earn so much, I can recommend a place that has some really nice Porsche's!

Umm, I DON"T earn THAT much, and I have three kids, so any money I do make is eaten, played with (and broken) or worn (and grown out of)...hence the requirement the car is cheap

I was just remarking you need to be in the top bracket before they even consider the novating option, they will knock you back otherwise.

Anyway, I've got a Porsche....1/10 scale electric RC.