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What are your thoughts about those V6 cars vs. a gas-friendly mobile (e.g. old Honda Civic or old Honda Accord)?
I've actually thought about maybe throwing down $5k-$7k toward one that has mileage no greater than 150k. A relatively newer Civic and Accord EX's (e.g. early to mid 2000's) will come with a bit more features that won't make me feel like I'm driving in a complete piece-o-junk.
Although this route isn't as financially sound, it also doesn't drive my Maxima completely into the ground while giving me at least a little bit more of a modern vehicle to drive around during my round-trip two hour daily commute.
Honestly, i made the recommendation that i did because i would expect you to be really unhappy in your '00 Camry, or a Civic/Accord after driving a Maxima for the last 60K. I think you're going to be inclined to beat the snot out of the Camry,etc., hence my recommendation.
I chose to put a used engine in my 98 Altima. Different car, but same deal with engine being toast, but car seemingly fine otherwise.
I think your sense of the math is probably correct - that you couldn't get nearly as much car for $4,000. Just know what you're getting into. There are all sorts of expenses that may come up now that your car is past 150K. How are the struts, lower control arms, tie rods, ball joints, wheel bearings, transmission, brakes, engine mounts, exhaust system, and so on.
I also can't see why a nice used engine wouldn't be the route to go. Shop around for installation, too. Prices varied widely for me.
As a community here, in Pacific NW, we simply provide certified used engines from Japan. They come fully assembled, even with oil and spark plugs, all connectors included, only wires cut. You simply drop it in.
They come guaranteed certified low mileage. 35-40 000 miles. Transmissions too.
Also, to de-seize and engine that seized due to low oil or no oil driving is not that much of a big deal and can be done with engine block still in the engine bay. Done it few times on four cylinder engines. All you need to do is to replace piston push rod bearings.
It's only a Nissan Maxima. A 4 year old Maxima. Put the miles on it and drive it into the ground. Who wants to spend 100 miles a day in a 13 year old Camry? If you work 5 days a week, 48 weeks a year, that's 24,000 miles just to and from work. I'd move closer to your job personally, if you will be there for 5+ years. You'll be in your car commuting for 20 full days out of the year. That's a little over 5% of the year commuting.
Aren't there depreciation algorithms available for Excel, or (not nearly as interesting) online calculators for vehicle depreciation, maintenance, etc? Edmunds has one that makes a series of assumptions, for cars 5 years old and newer. I'd sooner plug in specifics, via Excel around those assumptions vs. using the standards on some website, but it's a start.
Or you could game it out pretty quickly, if less accurately, taking maybe 10 data points for 2000 Camrys, and 2010 Maximas, with similar mileage, to obtain real street value. I'd use AutoTrader and similar. That should give you a START point for value of each vehicle, in whatever respective conditions they are in.
Now it get a bit more complicated: need to figure out depreciation per mile for each, maintenance, insurance, and a couple other factors.
The average, or median (better) price for a 2000 Camry, MINUS the $4K you'd spend to repair it, is your start point for that car. Most likely a negative number, in this case, assuming real street value is (as other suggest) something like $2K for a '00.
The Maxima is a positive number, but then again you owe money on it. Factor payments in, too. You may or may not have equity in that vehicle after two years of payments, as well (or whatever it is).
Really the opportunity cost of both the $4000 for the Camry repairs and cost to finance the Maxima should be factored in too, ditto inflation. But that's rather abstract for most such calcs over short periods (couple of years).
Game out cost to own each over the period you intend to have the long-commute job, on both vehicles. Factor in average price of fuel, data available online for your area. That, of course, is also based on "assumptions" about fuel costs in the future.
My guts tell me having the Camry hauled away at salvage (which will probably cost you money) is the smart move. That removes one piece from the chessboard. That done, the next calc is similar to the above for:
a) Running the Maxima into high miles as primary commuter.
b) Making payments on a second commuter car, intended use: high-mileage, with $4,000 down that you saved from Camry repairs. Where, and what, to buy to reach some sort of break-even is part of the calculation.
Hope that makes sense, the above is out of my head and I may have missed something.
Aren't there depreciation algorithms available for Excel, or (not nearly as interesting) online calculators for vehicle depreciation, maintenance, etc? ....the above is out of my head and I may have missed something.
Bloody hell. I'd pay $4,000 to avoid this figuring. Ebay has low-mileage JDMs going for $1,200 (not endorsing ebay, but there's a market price). Another $1000 to install. Bam. You're back on the road in the Toyota for probably another 100K for two grand, while keeping the new Maxima maxi-nice and saving the planet a bit.
Bloody hell. I'd pay $4,000 to avoid this figuring. Ebay has low-mileage JDMs going for $1,200 (not endorsing ebay, but there's a market price). Figure $800 to install. Bam. You're back on the road in the Toyota for probably another 100K for two grand, while keeping the new Maxima maxi-nice and saving the planet a bit.
I agree. It doesn't have to cost $4,000.
Rule of thumb is to figure that you're going to get charged $1,000 labor for the install. Or at least you should, if it's a decent shop.
The little secret most shops don't want to admit, is that pulling the drivetrain out of some of these newer vehicles is actually extremely easy. For instance, one of my men & I could easily have the engine/transmission pulled out of an early Ford Focus in less than an hour. Granted, we have both the tools and the experience, but...
Also, the OP might be able to find a really good used engine for $1000, If that happens, the swap should run less than $2500.
Put the $4k into your Maxima loan, use your Maxima.
It's the best choice really. While Maxima's are very nice, they're mass production vehicles. You can always buy another one later on.
Owning and maintaining a second vehicle to spare wear and tear on a Maxima(while still paying on it) seems like a poor choice.
MPG difference seems minimal and another poster did the math on it taking 100k+ miles to even out excluding other maintenance and insurance and registration costs.
Put the $4k into your Maxima loan, use your Maxima.
It's the best choice really. While Maxima's are very nice, they're mass production vehicles. You can always buy another one later on.
Owning and maintaining a second vehicle to spare wear and tear on a Maxima(while still paying on it) seems like a poor choice.
MPG difference seems minimal and another poster did the math on it taking 100k+ miles to even out excluding other maintenance and insurance and registration costs.
Hmm...I partly agree with you. On one hand, the costs of having a second commuter car may not make financial sense after taking factors such as depreciation into account. However, it seems that the savings can be materialized (even after insurance, maintenance, etc.) if the commute starts getting larger.
I found this article with someone who was in a similar situation, though the car MPG difference was more drastic (16 vs 35 instead of my 22 vs 28). Thoughts?
So when might it make sense to buy a second car for commuting?
If your commute is longer, for one: with a 60-mile round trip (and certainly a 100-mile commute), the savings start to materialize.
The other scenario in which buying a commuting car would make sense is if gas prices hit $10. In that case, you’ll break even on the second car in just two years. (Even with gas at $5 a gallon — with a 30-mile round trip commute — it will still take six years to break even).
As a community here, in Pacific NW, we simply provide certified used engines from Japan. They come fully assembled, even with oil and spark plugs, all connectors included, only wires cut. You simply drop it in.
They come guaranteed certified low mileage. 35-40 000 miles. Transmissions too. Also, to de-seize and engine that seized due to low oil or no oil driving is not that much of a big deal and can be done with engine block still in the engine bay. Done it few times on four cylinder engines. All you need to do is to replace piston push rod bearings.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GarageLogic
Rule of thumb is to figure that you're going to get charged $1,000 labor for the install. Or at least you should, if it's a decent shop. The little secret most shops don't want to admit, is that pulling the drivetrain out of some of these newer vehicles is actually extremely easy. For instance, one of my men & I could easily have the engine/transmission pulled out of an early Ford Focus in less than an hour. Granted, we have both the tools and the experience, but...
These are both good posts with good information to know. My Camry did have a nasty oil leak and that's how the engine seized. Hopefully, ukrkoz is right about the mechanic ease behind un-seizing an engine.
I think I am leaning towards getting a used engine swapped into my Camry. Though some have recommended an engine rebuild, I think getting a genuine Toyota-built used engine is the safer way to go considering how immaculate their build quality can be.
Buying an econo-box (with presumably a vague or unknown maintenance history) doesn't make financial sense, but patching up a car that I already have for around $2.5-$4k, it feels relatively low risk for me -- especially since I'm already familiar with the Camry and know its history.
I am in Connecticut, and while I did ask the Connecticut forum for mechanic recommendations, please feel free to chime in with your recommendations if you are from Connecticut but don't hang around the C-D CT forum.
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