Delaying Car Purchase?

[WilliamH]

The guy at 1600 doesn't like internal combustion? As you apparently don't realize, overlooked, or are not willing to admit our President's economic policies bailed out the internal combustion car companies saving millions of jobs that helped to provide for our economic recovery.

If or when the ATVM Loan is approved I assume you will give both our President and his appointed DOE loan officer credit deserved for getting it done.

That's interesting. You do realize that both GM and Chrysler went bankrupt and as a result of the so called bailout the unions got most of the stock in both and lots of individual investors lost everything? Oh, and Chrysler is now owned by an Italian company? And the US median income has declined?
Hey, Fix It Again Tony!
Ten months to process a loan application?
Riiiiight.

 

[HHH]

back when I was a teenager (yep, many years ago) if a car had 80,000 miles on it, that was exceptional .... usually the motor would be gone but the body would be in great shape .... now days, if you go to a used car lot, the vast majority of their vehicles will have well over 100,000 miles on them

Back in that same time period, the opposite held true in Cleveland, Ohio. The cars began to fall apart at 80,000 miles, but the bodies had rusted through, and the frames, brake components and several muffler replacements showed significant rust.

 

[Ekh]

What in the hell are you doing to your cars?

Driving them through Canada and Alaska, hauling my very heavy lawnmower for service (too often), and generally a work car for an outdoors professional photographer. Beats 'em up, all that gravel.

 

[Coss]

Back in that same time period, the opposite held true in Cleveland, Ohio. The cars began to fall apart at 80,000 miles, but the bodies had rusted through, and the frames, brake components and several muffler replacements showed significant rust.

Began to fall apart??? I grew up in South Chicago and I remember in the late 60's there were cars on the showroom floor that already had rust.

I love living on the west coast now, you rarely see cars rusted out.

 

[HHH]

Began to fall apart??? I grew up in South Chicago and I remember in the late 60's there were cars on the showroom floor that already had rust.

I love living on the west coast now, you rarely see cars rusted out.

I meant to expand on the original post that referred to engines falling apart at 80,000 miles. My intent was to state that driveline components began to fall apart at that point, but the bodies and other rust prone parts were long gone.

 

[Inigo93]

Driving them through Canada and Alaska, hauling my very heavy lawnmower for service (too often), and generally a work car for an outdoors professional photographer. Beats 'em up, all that gravel.

Fair enough, but I think you would agree that such usage is unusual. As such, a comment along the lines of, "By the time they're 5-6 years old, **MY** cars are starting to show their age" would have been more accurate.

 

[Elio Amazed]

The key to

What in the hell are you doing to your cars?

What I want to know (in reference to Ekh's post) is how someone goes 30,000 miles without replacing brake pads.

 

[Elio Amazed]

I meant to expand on the original post that referred to engines falling apart at 80,000 miles. My intent was to state that driveline components began to fall apart at that point, but the bodies and other rust prone parts were long gone.

The 60's huh?
There weren't many engines or trannys running with more than 80K that hadn't been rebuilt.
Most cars needed new floors to come close to seeing their 9th birthday on the road.
I know, I sledged a few huge 1/8" plates into shape while wearing headphones and earplugs.
Radiators and fluid lines were always issues too.

On the other hand, like someone else observed, I stood in between the straight six and the fender and worked on my '68 Bel-Air.

What? Can't hear you.

 

[Joshua Caldwell]

The key to

What I want to know (in reference to Ekh's post) is how someone goes 30,000 miles without replacing brake pads.

??? I'm at 147 k miles and have only changed pads 3 times.

 

[Buckeyejake]

I use to put on a lot of highway miles. Brake usage is minimal. 50K is not abnormal brake wear for some of us.