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For some reason my family seriously does not like my 2000 Civic HX manual, which is rated 30/39, and I drive very carefully. The EPA says I save $300 a year over the average American, although I do better than that. The paint is bad, but the car runs great. From what I understand, it is just not worth repainting an old car, unless it is a classic. HotRod.com did it in a weekend for $871.94, but they had a group of guys, and experienced painters pointing, laughing, but also offering guidance. I am not sure that paying someone $900 to paint my car would result in her looking any better, at least in two years. Some have recommended using Plasti-Dip, but I have not found anyone in the area that will do it for me, and if you can purchase automotive paint for the same cost as Plasti-Dip, which requires several coats, and much of the work is the same, why not just paint it?
Driving a black car in Phoenix is not my favorite. I can find a similar white or silver car, but I still figure that would waste money. for which I have better uses. I have spent an average of $49.30 per month in repairs
I am enduring well enough. I would rather save up until maintenance becomes a problem.
I really want to get into a house.
Anyway, my sister says she convinced her sister-in-law to sell me a late 90s Accord automatic that was well-maintained and looks pretty good. I do not know why anyone would pass up a $100 car in fair shape, but it would still cost me less to keep the Civic, drive her, and just hold onto the Accord.
What do you guys think? Thanks for your input!
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it really doesnt matter how the car looks as long as you get from point A to point B… to be honest even a junk yard would probly give him more then a $100 for it… personly I would get it as a 2nd car at first the deside.. if you want 2 cars… so if one car goes bad you have a 2nd car you can use in the mean time…. like I find parts a lot chipper on like … like a new fuel pump for like $18 online at autozone the same pump is like $120… so if you can wait 1 1/2 weeks you can sometimes save big time
I painted my Mercedes by myself in a weekend for under $100. Is it show room quality? Absolutely not, but it’s pretty good and from 20 feet away everything looks the same. I used oil based tractor paint which I like better than the automotive paint anyways, much easier to work with and more environmentally friendly. The actual spraying takes maybe an hour or two, prep is where all the work is. But I was doing a color change, if you’re not you basically just mask off lights, glass, and trim and go for it.
It is nice to have a backup car, but I believe i have only needed to rent cars twice in thirty-three months, although I think one month of liability coverage through USAA costs the same as a one day rental, unless I can get an especially good deal, and the time involved in getting a car can be problematic.
My Civic has been good to me, but like my Prelude long before, I found more problems with the car than I expected, even though I had mechanics inspect each of them. Ah. Three rentals.
The HX has an aluminum oil pan and the first time I changed the oil I was tightening the plug with a socket wrench and it would not get very tight. I pulled the bolt and the pan threads were on it. I found a used pan for $80, but one of the bolts attaching the exhaust manifold to the exhaust pipe was stuck and the heat shield prevented me from getting special tools in there. I tried a heat gun and propane torch, PB Blaster, and many other things. I ended up removing the manifold with the other pipe attached and hammering a 13mm socket on a 14mm bolt.
Anyway, it was Easter, and my family kept asking if I needed a ride, I did not want anyone to drive an hour out of their way for me while I still had a chance to fix it. They kept asking, though, so I ignored them and tried to work. Then they were upset because I did not respond. Whatever I was trying did not work, so I resigned myself to renting, except it was Sunday.
Easter Sunday.
I ended up riding my bike five miles to U-Haul and renting an F150. There was a big scene with my family and they claimed I ruined Easter, so I left after ten minutes.
Perhaps backup cars are not so terrible… 🙂
Is tractor paint anything like Rustoleum? I throughly researched painting with that and decided it was not for me.
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