SDS Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 there are enough signs of engine damage that it doesn't make sense to fix a 1999 Chevy Malibu with $136k miles on it. The car is good shape, save for the engine. Sheet metal, doors, seats, etc... Where does one take a car that isn't really drivable anymore? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeFerguson Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 there are enough signs of engine damage that it doesn't make sense to fix a 1999 Chevy Malibu with $136k miles on it. The car is good shape, save for the engine. Sheet metal, doors, seats, etc... Where does one take a car that isn't really drivable anymore? junk yard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 there are enough signs of engine damage that it doesn't make sense to fix a 1999 Chevy Malibu with $136k miles on it. The car is good shape, save for the engine. Sheet metal, doors, seats, etc... Where does one take a car that isn't really drivable anymore? Intake gasket finally give it up? Junkyards will pick it up - many give you some cash - 50, a 100 bucks or so. IIRC, Goodwill will only take vehicles in donation, if they run (to some degree). Not sure what St. Vincent de Pauls' policy is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDS Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 One junk yard would give us $200, but we have to get it there. I didn't know if there was a better option or not - or whether $200 was the best I could get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 One junk yard would give us $200, but we have to get it there. I didn't if there was a better option or not - or whether $200 was the best I could get. If it is not running this is probably all you will see. A dealer may (probably not though given the age) take it as a trade in if the repair is relatively minor. It is more likely destined for the scrap metal heap either way. Look at the other thread concerning the gov't offer of $4,500 for gass guzzlers (posted yesterday) - I believe it has to run to qualify though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UConn James Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 You might see if it can be donated for a tax deduction. There are a few organizations/charities that do that in the northeast. I don't know what they have as far as drive-ability requirements. You could put it in the listings and try to get some cash by hoping there's a kid who wants a spare 'parts car.' I have a friend who did that with a junker Puegot back in college. Call an auto parts yard (you know... ones that have a lot of wreck cars) which pretty much does the same thing as the kid mentioned above, for the odd customer who needs a gas door, fender, windshield fluid tank, etc. Or, you could sing some Don McLean and take it to the levy. Whatever way, from the sounds of it, don't expect to get much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 One junk yard would give us $200, but we have to get it there. I didn't if there was a better option or not - or whether $200 was the best I could get. Years ago, I had an old truck in similar shape. I donated mine to charity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Poojer Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 before you give up on it completely...check out craigslist...there are a bunch of mom and pop shops that are dying for work and are everybit as good as the 'certified'... that said, kidney cars, salvation army or any sort of homeless shelter with adult services attached to them...that or a high school or tech center with automotive classes for students.... there are enough signs of engine damage that it doesn't make sense to fix a 1999 Chevy Malibu with $136k miles on it. The car is good shape, save for the engine. Sheet metal, doors, seats, etc... Where does one take a car that isn't really drivable anymore? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDS Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 You might see if it can be donated for a tax deduction. There are a few organizations that do that in the northeast. I don't know what they have as far as drive-ability requirements. You could put it in the listings and try to get some cash by hoping there's a kid who wants a spare 'parts car.' I have a friend who did that with a junker Puegot back in college. Call an auto parts yard (you know... ones that have a lot of wreck cars) which pretty much does the same thing as the kid mentioned above, for the odd customer who needs a gas door, fender, windshield fluid tank, etc. Or, you could sing some Don McLean and take it to the levy. from what I heard about the tax deduction - you have to wait to see what it actually sells for before you can claim anything. I assume I'm screwed and $200 is the best I can get. I would have to get it towed though. Not sure how much that would be for under 10 miles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDS Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 before you give up on it completely...check out craigslist...there are a bunch of mom and pop shops that are dying for work and are everybit as good as the 'certified'... that said, kidney cars, salvation army or any sort of homeless shelter with adult services attached to them...that or a high school or tech center with automotive classes for students.... I don't know who is going to sink $5k into a new engine though on that car. Unless they have ways to fix it for less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linksfiend Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 before you give up on it completely...check out craigslist...there are a bunch of mom and pop shops that are dying for work and are everybit as good as the 'certified'... "Well, what's so great about a Mom and Pop store? Let me tell you something. If my Mom and Pop ran a store, I wouldn't shop there." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Poojer Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 i was talking to a guy this morning who had a transmission fixed for less than 800.00 rather than have a refurb put in for 3,000...the guy has his own small garage and happens to be a mechanical engineer(?) from India, and if his parents ever found out that he was a car mechanic and not an aeronautic mechanic, they would come over here and pull him back to india....guy said the tranny has been running without problems for over 1.5 years.....it may be a needle in a haystack, but if you have any thought of keeping the car...this may be an option I don't know who is going to sink $5k into a new engine though on that car. Unless they have ways to fix it for less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stl Bills Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 I don't know who is going to sink $5k into a new engine though on that car. Unless they have ways to fix it for less. craigslist it first.....sold my girlfriend's 2000 salvaged cavalier with a bad fuel pump yesterday for $1200......I wouldn't have paid $300 for it. One man's trash is another man's treasure. I'd put it on craigslist for $500 and a picture, just be honest about the condition and if you know exactly whats wrong with it that could help. You'll be surprised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stl Bills Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 I don't know who is going to sink $5k into a new engine though on that car. Unless they have ways to fix it for less. I bet somebody could get that engine rebuilt for about $2500 and so if you sold it for $500, they've have a car for about 3k. I wouldn't do it but I'm sure it sounds appealing to somebody. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 craigslist it first.....sold my girlfriend's 2000 salvaged cavalier with a bad fuel pump yesterday for $1200......I wouldn't have paid $300 for it. One man's trash is another man's treasure. I'd put it on craigslist for $500 and a picture, just be honest about the condition and if you know exactly whats wrong with it that could help. You'll be surprised. Not a bad idea... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guffalo Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 from what I heard about the tax deduction - you have to wait to see what it actually sells for before you can claim anything. I assume I'm screwed and $200 is the best I can get. I would have to get it towed though. Not sure how much that would be for under 10 miles. I read up on some of that information, check the factsheet again, you may be able to qualify. I am kicking myself since we just donated our 1999 Sable to a freind who needed a car to get to work I thought I read that it had to be 1984 or older, the official information had no age limit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UConn James Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 craigslist it first.....sold my girlfriend's 2000 salvaged cavalier with a bad fuel pump yesterday for $1200......I wouldn't have paid $300 for it. One man's trash is another man's treasure. I'd put it on craigslist for $500 and a picture, just be honest about the condition and if you know exactly whats wrong with it that could help. You'll be surprised. Of the options I listed, this would be the way I would go. List it for ~ 3 weeks and if there's no bite, I'd sell it to the junkyard place. Even $200 cash in hand is much better than a $500 deduction (if it's not the straw that breaks the camel's back vis-a-vis putting you in a lower tax bracket). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDS Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 Of the options I listed, this would be the way I would go. List it for ~ 3 weeks and if there's no bite, I'd sell it to the junkyard place. Even $200 cash in hand is much better than a $500 deduction. depends on that tax bracket. You need to include state taxes too, plus the income on "selling it". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 I don't know who is going to sink $5k into a new engine though on that car. Unless they have ways to fix it for less. 5k? There is always ways to fix it for less... It is only a motor. What you are paying for is time/labor. I wouldn't junk it so fast... Try selling it... REALLY!! You may get more than that 200 bucks. What I am talking about is many people that can work on cars may want to buy it if it is only the motor. I say only... A co-worker of mine is a mechanic and he recently purchased a 2003 Toyota Echo from some lady in Michigan... Trailered it back to Illinois himself after finding the sale on E-Bay. They wanted her to shell out 3,500 bucks for a new motor... He snapped the vehicle up for 300 bucks and fixed it himself for under 500. The car is worth 1,000's now. Yours is still a little older though. 135k is really not a lot of miles for a 10 year old car (13.5k a year)... What went wrong? Did you change the timing belt at around 100k?? The car sounds like it can be serviced... Somebody will take it before it is scrapped... Yet, 200 bucks is a great scrap price... With scrap hitting rock bottom, I heard that cars were only being scrapped for 40-50 bucks... Maybe the scrap yard won't scrap it?? Strange because if that was the case, why would they be offering you at least 100 dollars more than what I heard the going rate was? Unless they want to be fair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 I bet somebody could get that engine rebuilt for about $2500 and so if you sold it for $500, they've have a car for about 3k. I wouldn't do it but I'm sure it sounds appealing to somebody. Maybe way cheaper. SDS, what exactly is wrong with the motor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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