/dev/zero

Auf Wiedersehen, BMW.

I traded in the ol’ 1990 325i. She was a good ride, but she was falling apart. Cruise control quit before I even moved to Texas. Front end was crunched in December. Sun roof was sticking quite badly and would no longer open more than a few inches. The drivers seat has been broken for years and the rough edge of the broken frame was starting to poke through the padding behind my shoulder. The passenger seat never did lean forward to give access to the rear seat. The drivers airbag has been off line ever since I had the turn signal switch replaced and the garage didn’t reinstall it correctly. The steering wheel would squeak like mad if I didn’t have my right hand on it (extra maddening, when the girlfriend likes to hold my hand in her lap when we’re going anywhere.) The suspension was shot. The odometer quit working a month or so ago at 144K miles. The paint was starting to show it’s age.

But she was a nice ride while she lasted. She had power to spare and I was occasionally seduced into using it.

I traded her in on an ‘05 Toyota Corolla. I wanted a Scion TC, but I just couldn’t swing the financing (odd, since it wasn’t any more expensive than the Corolla.) I’ll miss the power of the 6 cylinder engine and the cache of a BMW (let’s face it, a Corolla is just a Corolla), but I have one of the world’s most reliable cars, it’s comfy, everything works and it’s in pristine shape. The engine isn’t as powerful, but it has a very smooth transmission and it just glides over the road. And while the Bemer wasn’t bad on the gas, the Corolla is much, much better.

Now I just have to live with a $500/month car payment for the next year and my insurance premium doubled.

But in a year’s time, hopefully, I will be able to either refinance the loan to a more favorable interest rate (I’m being raped on this loan, but I only have myself to blame for my poor credit) or trade it in on the Scion (AND a lower rate on the loan.)

Oh, and Ford? Thanks for nothing. No, I really didn’t want your gas-guzzling 6-cylinder Ranger. Had you been a little better about your promises of financing, you might have got my business and I would have taken one of those ‘05 rangers off your hands. Toyota was willing to work with me on it.

<edit>Turns out Toyata was even worse than Ford. I had to GIVE THE CAR BACK a week later when the promised financing fell through.

I eventually found a nice ‘05 Ford Focus at Carmax.

All right you Scion owners, post your opinions.
Love your car? Hate it? What do you love or hate about it.
I’m in the market for a new car and I’m looking at a Scion. I really like the tC, but I test drove an XA the other day at the dealer and it kinda speaks to me to. Rode in an XB and it was nice on the inside, but I can’t get around the fact that they’re butt ugly on the outside.

I really liked my car when I got it, but at 144000 miles, this BMW is getting just too expensive.

So far this year I’ve had to have one tire fixed (free. Nice shop.) Replace another tire ($80). And have it towed and replace the water pump and thermostat (~$800).

I had to have it towed into a shop on Friday because it was losing all it’s radiator fluid and overheating. Shop couldn’t find what was wrong with it. They checked all the hoses and even pressurized the system but couldn’t find the leak. Since all that shop could do was the hoses, they told me I’d have to take it elsewhere to have it fixed. Luckily no charge. I got the car to work, but it lost all it’s fluid and overheated again on the way home. No working car, couldn’t do anything all weekend.

Filled up the radiator yesterday and limped it in to another shop, whereupon I could clearly see where the leak was: the very top-most hose!
It being an older car, the shop recommended and I agreed, that I have them all replaced. Since the car had already overheated I also agreed the thermostat needed to be replaced again. $623 later, my bank account is empty once again.

I think I’m taking it to one of those “$3,000 minimum for your trade” places and getting a new Hyundai.

EDIT: 22 April, 2007 - I replaced this car with a 2005 Ford Escort from Carmax about 6 months ago.

It’s Memorial Day weekend.

And I’m tied to the apartment.

My car overheated in traffic yesterday before work. I had it towed to Sears auto. They checked it out and couldn’t find anything wrong with it. Funny, considering there was radiator fluid all over the engine compartment. they said where ever it’s leaking, it isn’t in any of the hoses.
I was able to drive it to work (with a coworker driving right behind me) and nothing happened. But driving home it lost all it’s coolant and overheated again. I had to stop to let the engine cool so I could drive it the 2 minutes left to get down the block, in the gate and to my parking space.

I just had the water pump replaced a couple of months ago. I don’t think it’s that.

Whatever it is, Sears cant’ find it and all they work on is hoses. So on Monday I’ll have to pray that a) I can find a shop that’s actually open and b) it won’t blow out my bank account to get fixed. Time to replace the Beemer.

I was just thinking a couple of weeks ago, I have a job, a functioning car, weekends off… I can take off for a weekend any time I want. Go camping, go visit another city, whatever. And now I’m tied down to the apartment because my car doesn’t work. I won’t even be able to go to my co-workers house warming party tomorrow.

First 100 degree day and my car overheats in traffic.