is really not that difficult. I picked up that last 2 cars I've had nearby with very little research and weighing the pros and cons. They were an Avalon and then a Camry. These were reliable, the mechanical aspects of these cars were good, I had to replace something here or there but they did not nickel and dime me and I am able to ride around here in L.A. in veritable comfort and assurance that the car won't leave me sitting somewhere. Buy a japanese made product, get over your "must buy a USA product". When the U.S. can build a car as high quality and durable as the Japanese build, I will be the first one to buy them. Just a few, simple things to keep in mind if you want the best bang for your buck, as I do.
@@joeschmo7957 I drove a first-gen Saturn for several years, only American car I've had that came close in reliability. Parts are cheap and still pretty easy to find when things did go out.
Okay, I watched the whole thing before commenting my thoughts. I own two vehicles. One is a 1995 F250 I bought for $6,000. The other is my daily and it's a 2003 Pontiac Vibe I paid $1,400 for. I rarely do anything to either. I've spent a grand total of MAYBE three weekends over three years doing things like changing oil, starter, etc. Total cost hasn't been over $600. The battery and starter for the car were the big ones. Other than that these vehicles have been CHEAP. you have to pick the right vehicles.
Okay, I watched the whole thing before commenting my thoughts. I own two vehicles. One is a 1995 F250 I bought for $6,000. The other is my daily and it's a 2003 Pontiac Vibe I paid $1,400 for. I rarely do anything to either. I've spent a grand total of MAYBE three weekends over three years doing things like changing oil, starter, etc. Total cost hasn't been over $600. The battery and starter for the car were the big ones. Other than that these vehicles have been CHEAP. you have to pick the right vehicles.
About 80% of Americans on the road do not own their car. They consistently go from loan to loan or lease to lease. They are literally a paycheck or two away from losing their vehicles and yes they do live above their means.
I used to do all my own maintenance, but now I don’t. But even still, paying for a little labor now and then is still a lot less than car payments and having to pay full coverage insurance.
I agree, as I get older, I'd rather pay a mechanic to just get er' done. I mean I actually took my car to a garage to replace a rear shock mount, I just didn't feel like doing it, just throw a few bucks at the problem, make it go away. I have other things to do. I still do my own brakes though.
@@erintheangry any thoughts on how you do that? I don’t have to worry with rust here in southeast. I’ve heard various ways people in the rust belt try to prevent rust.
@@atpgarageatl we use undercoating, and religious washing. At least those of us who manage to keep a car for long do. Some manufacturers coat from the factory better than others. My toyota has nothing on it but I have repaired a few holes in my truck. We use salt like it's going out of style up north here.
@@atpgarageatl Yep, I have an ‘03 Ranger with the 3.0 Vulcan engine. 220,000 miles and runs like a Singer sewing machine. The gas mileage is pretty bad: around 14-15 in the city during A/C season, which is 8 months of the year where I live. Two radiators, one set of hoses, two water pumps & thermostats, two serpentine belts, one starter, one alternator, ignition coil pack and various & sundry suspension components. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
I have 3 older European cars in my garage and no car payments. One was purchased brand new 21 years ago and the other 2 I got used. I’m a master technician and amateur detailer and I enjoy the challenge of keeping my cars looking and driving like new. My cars all have bright, glossy paint, excellent interiors and they drive as nice as they look. I have done all the work for them to be in that condition, so yes, I am proud to drive and be seen in them. I respect everyone who maintains and drives older cars regardless of the brand because I know the effort it takes to keep cars in very good condition.
Same here! '14 Mercedes E350 wagon, '11 BMW 328i wagon, and an '11 128i convertible. Bought the BMW wagon new, the other two used. I do most things myself on them - and they have not needed much. Even if they do need something fixed - so what? The new equivalent of the cheapest of them would be more than $1000/mo for five years to buy new. And BMW doesn't even offer the 3-series wagon anymore - and mine is a RWD 6spd to boot. Plus I have a '95 Land Rover Discovery and a '74 Triumph Spitfire. I LOVE not having car payments, and even when I have bought new cars I tend to pay them off rather quickly. At this point there aren't really any new cars I want anyway - cars have jumped the shark.
An average new car is $750 a month for 7 years. Or $750 x 84 months = $63,000 + higher insurance. You can do a lot of work on that old car with $63,000.
Speaking of "doing it yourself" and saving money.... Dig into that alternator, I've found most times a $5 brush kit or V regulator is all they need. I've even done them on the autozone counter and verified the fix on the tester before leaving. It's super easy on most units.... Nobody even tries anymore.
The last two times I've had alternators go bad (different cars), it was solved with a rebuild rather than replacing the whole thing. Took some extra time and some soldering but saved a LOT of money.
I remember rebuilding alternators (brushes, mainly) in high school auto mechanics shop, but that was "awhile back." Any experience repairing one with worn bearings?
@@frankharley1000 Yes, just like any motor or generator, split the case and press the old bearings out. If you don't have access to a press you can use a socket that just fits around the outside of the bearing and pound it out, but be VERY CAREFUL not to crack the cast housing or you'll be going back to the pick-and-pull for another one. When pressing in the replacement bearing be careful not to put any pressure on the bearing seal, only the outer race, and make sure the bearing is fully seated in the housing or it may not spin freely.
People will complain about the maintenance costs of older cars, but they often are cheaper to repair and maintain than the massive car loans of a new car. But even just selling your bothersome older car to buy another older used car can just have even more costs as you don't know it as well as how you know your own older car.
If you are going to drive an older car you should prepare to be out there turning the wrench for a least minor stuff. Most fixes are super easy, especially with a YT tutorial on everything under the sun.
@@AmandaHugenkiss2915 Exactly people should learn basic maintenance... But find and stick with a good and honest mechanic. Tell him you plan on being a loyal customer if he gives you a Fair break on costs.
@@geraldc.37 that seems to be the consensus unfortunately. I’m curious if anyone has daily driven a car in the rust belt with any of the prevention methods that worked. It seems like no matter what you do the rust/salt eventually wins.
I swear by electronic rust prevention. It's a small module that attaches to your battery and sends a tiny charge through the car that doesn't let rust start. I had one installed by the dealer when I bought my 2007 Subaru outback brand new. I had it for ten years and put nearly 400k kms on it and was 100% rust free. That car is still on the road with over half a million kms on it and going strong. That's 17 years of Canadian winters. I will have one of those units on every car I own.
2001 Toyota Sienna minivan, paid off many years ago. It’s got 356k miles, still on the original engine and transmission. It runs like a top and still gets great gas mileage. Yes, it burns a bit of oil (one quart every 1000-1500 miles) but oil is relatively cheap still. It’s had new struts and springs 150k miles ago and they are still going strong. It’s had some brake pads but is still on the original rotors (they are due to be changed). It’s had a few burned out light bulbs, an O2 sensor, and one engine anti-knock sensor that was a pain to repair. Even the original cat converter is still working and it passes California smog. But all in all, this van has cost a fraction of what it would cost to have replaced it even once, much less numerous times the way most people would have done.
@@576103 that’s awesome and a true testament to how older vehicles can be reliable. Fun fact, the V6 in the Sienna is the same engine in the Solara in my video.
I just recently bought a 2000 Sienna to live in, after being homeless since the pandemic. I'm happy with my purchase. It passed the CA smog test here in Los Angeles also.
Ah, back when trucks looked like trucks and didnt have that massive Mac truck grill and weigh 5500 pounds. Ford and Chevy both had cool looking trucks in the 90s .They look like mid sized trucks now. The 96 std cab 2 WD I have, I wouldnt sell it for 10K.
Wholeheartedly agree! I have an '03 Toy 4Runner, you really couldn't give me a new car, too much electronic nothingness and engine destroying emission controls. I'm 77 years old and plan to keep the 4Runner going for a long time, it only has 158K miles. I just put a new radiator in it last week, cost me about $200 and 8 hours work.
That is great! I have a 04, Toyota 4Runner V8, full time 4WD with 69K miles. Garage kept, serviced exclusively by Toyota, no accidents and pampered. I love it and it will likely outlive me.
@@fraservalley9027 Nice ride! I wish Toyota had made the 5th generation option with a V8. We have enjoyed the V6 so far. At 69K, your 4Runner is basically new!
@@atpgarageatl Thank you. It drives like new, quiet and smooth. You can barely hear the V8 engine running. I accelerate and brake gently and take it out on the highway for a run now and then. The service guys get excited when I bring it in for service. The exterior and interior look almost new. I am quite fond of the old girl.
Cars built before 2010 are much simpler to repair at home. The fuse box on my 01 chrysler is near the steering wheel and every panel can be removed with a standard set of sockets. My grandfather had the same car for over 40 years and im hoping mine will last that’s long
We have a 2004 Grand Caravan with 300K on it and that thing just runs every time. Hardly ever needs anything but gas and oil and when it does need something it's little, like a blower resistor. It's just rusty and ugly but it runs every time without fail.
@@ln5747 seems like 2010 was a tipping point where we went insane with emissions and technology, and quality in American cars just went to pot. I forget but that was probably around the time they got their bailouts and the Feds demanded all the changes. GM for sure has been garbage ever since. Ford, not sure. My kids each have 3.7 mustangs, a 2011 and 2013. They are great cars, rarely anything but oil changes. Wife has a 2015 sienna, it's excellent. But GM or Dodge? No way would I touch them.
So true, I’ve had old Toyota’s + Nissan’s for 40 years. I drive them short distance in case they fail, it’s not a long tow home. All old cars need parts replaced + maintenance, more attention than normal. Something will eventually fail. Sure it’s cheaper to drive an old car but eventually I got tired of it and always had a newer car where everything works.
I agree. I had the alternator go out on my 2014 Honda. When I read the reviews for alternators sold at local parts stores I went to a Honda dealer to buy it. It had a made in Japan sticker on it. 😊
When replacing anything in the electrical system, only buy OEM parts. The original coil on my van failed when the truck was 12 years old (to be expected) and then 5 more coils were installed, with each lasting between 3 to 6 months. The 5 replacements were made off shore. Finally, replaced the coil with the original OEM part, at twice the price, but it functioned fine for the next 10 years until I sold the van.
Just to let you know what I found with my 2002 Avalon that was going through alternators every 6 months or so: aftermarket alternators all seem to use some poor quality voltage regulators that have zero long-term reliability. I finally went to a salvage yard and found a similar Toyota that had the factory alternator and slapped the voltage regulator in my 6 month-old aftermarket alternator. Been running fine now for a year. Great video, sir.
100%. That's an item you should "buy once, cry once". I don't know why a 2000-ish Camry would be on its third alternator unless: 1) the aftermarket ones were badly made, 2) it's positioned under a leaky component (like the SC400's high-pressure power steering hose, as an example), or 3) someone is taking many very short trips and just wearing it out. My wife always runs with lights on and the years of sub-2-mile trips to take the kids to school finally wore out our 2012 Avalon's alternator after 10 years. That's a good run for most alternators but not for a Toyota. My 2000 Tundra still has it's original alternator.
@@sreginkc that’s been my experience as well. Each time the remanufactured autozone unit has failed it has been due to a bad voltage regulator. That’s a great idea on grabbing one from the junk yard.
@@koomo801 agreed learn from my mistake. I’m on my third alternator because the remanufactured autozone ones are junk. When the oem one failed they were the quickest option available to get the car back on the road but lessons learned should have got the Denso unit or one from the junk yard. Each time they failed was due to faulty voltage regulators. No leaks going on to the alternator.
not to mention the new ones are not built like the old ones. a friend purchased a 2021 Corolla ands it’s been nothing but trouble. new transmission at 6500 miles, water, pump and radiator before 20k? all repairs have been covered under warranty but that’s still inconvenient and doesn’t leave one with confidence regarding your vehicle. his old toyota truck had over 500k on it and was still his daily driver before it burned up in a wildfire that also took his house.
I bought a brand new Nissan Sentra in 1993, had it Ziebarted immediately, paid it off in four years, and drove it for ten more years after that -- in the rust belt, no less. Finally, at about 220k miles, one of the shafts in the manual transmission started eating through the case. I traded it in, with the _original_ 14-year-old battery still in it. Ten years without a car payment on a daily driver was a pretty good deal! My wife later bought a Nissan Altima, and it was a piece of crap! Go figure...😯
@@ttiwkram that’s an awesome run for a car and incredible it kept the battery that long. It’s a shame but Nissan has gone down hill. After about 2005 I can’t recommend them anymore.
@@atpgarageatlYep. After Nissan got involved with Renault, their cars turned into crap. I've a 2001 Nissan Sunny here in South Africa (called the Sentra here)140 Si, and it still runs great as a daily driver. I'm an ex mechanic, so I keep it in perfect running order. 😊
Was it cheaper to write a check for a transmission or an entire other car though? Say the trans job was $2500, wouldn't you have bought that car for $2500 with a new trans or had to buy another one the same age and unknown issues for $10k instead?
Here in Southern Ontario, where rust eats up cars: A car can only go up to 20 years old at the maximum. Usually once the car gets to 15 years old it is cheaper to get something new instead of constantly spending money fixing the old car. By the time 20 years hit, rust has eaten up critical components holding the car together, and a wheel or two is about to fall off.
Depends on how much time and money you're able and willing to put into maintenance and repairs, but we're both driving 30+ year old cars that are in good shape. Now granted, I put a ton of time, effort and not a little money into keeping them in good shape, but most of that was at the back end after years of moderate to severe neglect. There was a lot of rust, but very little of the structural kind, so the bodies are strong and intact. Averaged over their lifespans, it's actually not a lot. I still need to put some more work into them to get them to optimum shape, but once that's done it'll be mostly routine maintenance and repairs, oil changes, coolant flush, new pads and rotors, etc., and touching up some rust here and there. Cars today can last for decades if maintained properly. Literally anywhere.
Wash the car really well underneath and then spray the rusty areas with Fluid Film before winter. Don’t wash it again until Spring. You will be amazed at how it prevents the rust from getting worse.
@@montestu5502I agree. I put Fluid Film in the doors, rockers and anywhere that rust is likely to form. Doing the entire car would be better but I’m cheap.
@@CharlesCurran-m9p - I hadn’t even heard of Fluid Film until a few years ago after my cars were already rusty. They dump so much salt here in the winters that the roads are white. I did discover that Fluid Film seems to keep the rust that has already formed from getting worse so I just spray the rusted areas now.
Depends on what you buy/bought , I have a 2000 caddy that's all galvinized underneith? can't spell , an stainless exhaust looks the same as the day I bought it , and a 2000 porsche 911 , they don't rust at all , the 81 gm 1/2 ton gets a month of welding an tinkering every few years but paid for itself years ago and still makes money hauling scrap when I feel up to it , I'm getting older faster than it is lol an yes I live where you do
Done this for many years. The old stuff is simply better built than new stuff. A key element of this plan is to have more cars than drivers. Hopefully only one needs repairs at a time. Having one newer vehicle that seldom needs any breakdown repairs takes some of the stress away too. I've actually used the same strategy with business machines like printers and phones.
I own an old Ford pickup in Texas. Every other male in Texas knows as much or more about my pickup than I do. Parts are available. Shops are knowledgeable. Help is sometimes free from a nostalgic old timer. If you want to drive an older car, get something that is very common in your area.
I am an old car owner. I am also getting old, so upkeep for car and body. Current truck, 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 quad cab. 76000 miles, repaint and transmission replaced at ~22 years. That’s it. Sold my 84 Nissan longbed to buy it , bought new, sold at 176 kmiles. Still had original clutch. 2006 Nissan convertible 350z, ~ 118000 miles, owned now for 4 years, replaced dual fans, one died, that’s it. 1972 CB750, bought in 82, was chopped, rebuilt it and redesigned into a single seat lowered beast. Still runs great, lots of general maintenance, never any major failure, biggest was replaced seeping head gasket. 4 fricken carbs😕. Even my sailboat was an early Chrysler 26. At least I can work on all these vehicles. Not sure I’ll ever buy another car. The exception to all this was a 1988 Mercedes SL560 with 88 kmiles. Fun for about 3 years, then turned into a giant money pit. Plus you can’t really work on it. Started eating fuel pumps relays regularly, and smog issues. Sold and took a haircut, so watch what you buy, I did like the handling, power, and rag top. Plus finding a knowledgeable mechanic was problematic, only one in town, and he was getting long in the tooth.
Dang, I thought my 02 Ram Quad 4x4 was low miles at 157k now, ur not 4 wheelin' it enough! My 08 Kia Optima doing pretty good at 65k, we got it as a back up and gas mileage at 55k a couple years ago for $8k
My '02 Avalon has 117,000 miles on it and it is the perfect car to own. My first expense has been rear struts due to a broken spring. I keep up the paint work and maintenance. I may keep it another 10 years as long as I can get parts or it. By that time I won't care as I'm 73 now
My brother bought a 2-year old Avalon (I can't remember the year) and used it as his daily driver (60 miles a day). When it eventually died it had 325,000 miles on it (engine bearing failure). He did his own oil changes but the rest of the work was by local auto shops.
I have a 15 year old truck paid off for over 10 years and a 8 year old SUV also long since paid off. They’re both almost like new as maintaining them in A-1 condition is my hobby and DIYing means nothing but money in my pocket. Every once in a while something comes up beyond my ability and I have to take them to a shop but that’s rare. Frankly I don’t care if I ever make another new car payment, there are so many better things to do with money than give it to a car company.
alternators are built with the cheapest parts known to mankind. Take your dead alt to an electrical shop that does starters ect. You will have an alt that will last for decades. Same for starters.
It's true. However a recent vehicle and zero turn mower I got both had starters from a rebuild shop and both had starter issues (I spotted one of the repair faults). So, unfortunately, our quality of work is heading down hill. Pretty sad..
I have a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 w/5.7liter Hemi that I have owned since new. It runs as quiet and smooth today as it did when it was new...never any issues, just basic maintenance required. Best vehicle I have ever owned...
Way better for the environment to keep an old car on the road than feed the machine that is new car manufacturing industry... Up until recently I had a 1996 Ford Courier 4x4 cab chassis (Australian)... Had it for 15 year's until it was stolen. In that time it had the motor, gearbox and diff (LSD) replaced, along with suspension consumables, all carried out by myself, and I am not a mechanic. I even upgraded the interior from bench to bucket seat's with centre console. One of the best cars I ever owned, even though it had nearly 600 thousand kilometres on the clock when stolen... I have replaced it with a newer version of the same model, everything is the same except the cab as I know what to expect as far as maintaining the mechanicals and I know just how capable they are as an off road vehicle.
Sounds like it was a sweet ride! Sorry to hear it was stolen. I agree, keeping old cars on the road is better as it’s less resources and prolongs the resource used to produce the car. Keeping it out of the scrap yard
My old 2008 Lexus IS250 has been fully paid off for a while and runs great at 141k Miles. I hope she continues to run well as I maintain it on time. The last major work I had to do was a water pump and thermostat replacement, but either than that it runs great.
I agree with everything you said in this video. For alternator on the Toyota, I strongly recommend you go with a Denso OE alternator. A lot of other alternatives are very iffy. Hope this helps!
Also worth thoroughly checking body and engine earths, especially between the 2, and power connections between battery and alternator. Poor or intermittent connections on any of these can dry a good alternator prematurely.
Knowing enough not to get scammed is SO valuable. I got my Crosstrek new and did my own routine maintenance, except for milestones just to save some headache and get more eyes on it. I paid for differential service (which I mistook for inspection until a change was needed)) at 35k and 70k, and at 77k my differential started to sound like a 2-way in tight turns after warming up. I flushed my fluid myself, and found that it had never been done. I had evidence that they opened the inspection hole, but never the drain hole, and went back to my invoices to see they had charged me for a flush both times. A normal driver would have been on the hook for a full differential replacement, thousands of dollars, but I was able to get them to cover it, without admitting outright it was their lie that caused the problem. But first they tried to convince me there was no problem, then tried to convince me it was the CV joints, before finally quitting the BS. This was the Subaru Dealer near Everett WA, that I had purchased the car from, that was ripping me off. That was the last time I ever went there. Now, I stick with the small independent Subaru shop near me, and they are great.
@@LeftoverHamsters it’s sad that happened but it happens way more often than we realize. My local Toyota dealership almost cost me an engine because they double gasketed my drain plug on my GR86. Crosstreks are fun vehicles! We miss ours!
3rd alternator wonder if that's a parts store brand reman. I trust the DENSO Reman alternators (they are about the same price as pos duralast alternator)and starters their radiators suck though
It's a lifestyle choice for sure. 35 years driving, I've never owned a new car. Newest unit in the current fleet of 7 is now 21 years old. Spare cars make it easy to take your time on maintenance & bigger repairs. My fleet is a mix of '80s/90s Japanese, a couple germans, and an OBS K2500.
@@atpgarageatlTough to choose a favorite since they all span a variety of utilization, but I'd have to give the nod to my '97 Toyota 4runner. Owned 15 years, now has 220k on it. I've never seen the check engine light and have done nothing beyond normal maintenance. That vehicle I can rely on to do anything & go anywhere anytime.
Where you really save is on depreciation and insurance. You also save on interest if you have to finance the new car. The downside is the inconvenience and unreliability of the old car.
Agree with the above. You can find and build an older car that is far more reliable and less maintenance than a new car. After getting past the initial catch-up on repairs and maintenance, if you did it right, it should be like having a new car again, or even better than a new car if you're good at it. It's better not to cut corners or take shortcuts. Just fix it all, and fix it right. Don't shy away from the work, and don't nickel and dime it forever. You're usually saving $30k, $40k dollars, or more by fixing up an older vehicle. Don't feel bad spending a couple thousand the first year to get it reliable if it's a worthy candidate. It should be a car you really like. Unfortunately, it does take research and years of experience to know what to get and what to do to it. Being a grease monkey saves tens of thousands of dollars over a lifetime, but it takes a lifetime to be a great grease monkey. The older I get, the better cars I drive with fewer problems, for even less money. But, I've had to eat a couple of lemons too. That's part of the learning curve.
@@lespearson3801 great points. It’s all about being open to learning. The good thing now is information is easily available and even some tools that used to be way out of reach like diagnostic tools have come down in price making it easier to diy older vehicles.
@atpgarageatl absolutely. I have a scanner that is BT for my phone that I gave $400 for. It is vastly superior to a scanner from just a decade ago that cost over $1500. Mechanics gave over $10,000 for diagnostic computers in the 1990s and early 2000 that could now be easily replaced with a $50 scanner at Autzone. In fact, the Autzone scanner is doubtlessly much better.
Was talking to my ex-wife the other day and she told me she bought a new car. She asked me if she got hustled. 2025 ford mustang at $690.00 for 7 years. I didn't have the heart to tell her.
From a DIY mechanic, this hits some points. I developed a whole channel on assistive maintenance on the majority of operations I've done on my own vehicle. I despise it when it's most inconvenient. With insurance, APR% being high, and modern car notes I just buckle up.
I have an 08 4 runner with 212,000 miles and a 06 Tundra with 233,000 miles. I only use factory parts when I can. Anything I’ve replace with aftermarket never lasts.
The biggest cost of owning a car is NOT maintenance (even new cars need that). The biggest cost is Depreciation. The repairs on older cars will be significantly lower than the depreciation on a new car.
2000 Toyota Camry no regrets I have the time to tackle most repairs , two starters, heater fan control, rear trailing arms etc. Big jobs like timing belt off to the shop. 😂
@@ralger nice! I’ve done 3 timing belts on this Solara and it’s a huge pain so I don’t blame you for having a shop tackle it. 00 Camry is a great car! How many miles are you up to?
It’s a low use car , only has 200000 kilometres on it but up here in Canada we have long brutal winters and hot short summers so it’s hard on a vehicle .
@@ralger That is definitely something that gets overlooked. The environment a car is in plays a huge role in its longevity. Low miles/kilometers but in a harsh environment can be just as taxing as a car with high miles in a less harsh environment. Do you have any tips for rust-proofing your vehicle for the winters?
@@atpgarageatl don’t let the vehicle constantly be thawed out in a heated building then frozen again. As my high school teacher told me to get rust you need iron, salt,water and oxygen. If the car is frozen most of the winter it can’t rust anywhere near as much as being thawed out every night in a heated garage. If you do thaw it out then wash thoroughly and dry thoroughly to prevent rust from happening. I have an unheated garage and my car is just barely starting to rust in the right rear quarter panel only after 24 years in a very harsh climate with temperature range from 100F to minus 40 F every year .
@@atpgarageatl Oh come on, I did a timing belt on my 01 Camry with the 1MZ V6 and while it wasn't a piece of cake it wasn't a "huge pain" either. This was the first belt I have ever replaced and Toyota makes it so easy to keep everything in time so it was relatively easy.I bought the Asin kit from Rock Auto that had everything needed to do the belt and water pump. I'm just a shade tree mechanic not a pro by any means. The hardest part was getting the crank bolt loose, had to buy a stronger impact to get it off. Watched a TH-cam video and got her done!
We've bought new cars and kept them for a decade or more. We've bought good used cars and done the same. But I research heavily, and try to buy reliable vehicles. I maintain all myself and conduct most repairs. Saved a ton of money for us and kids rides. With no vehicle payments, it helped us become debt free at 43. Myself and buds have saved a lot of money maintaining good older rides. A good Honda or Toyota generally are great wealth savers, if maintained well ( minimal costs needed to do so). Good video. Good message to share.
@@atpgarageatl 2017 Acura RDX, had a 2013 Honda Civic. honestly miss that car, looked nice, was dirt cheap to maintain and fill with gas lol also, insurance was super cheap too. might go back to a 2015 honda civic, i like that model year
Great video! My newest vehicle is a 98, and I could probably replace the entire drivetrain for less than the average car payment for a year. Definitely less than the average car payment for two years. Couldn't pay me enough to drive something with driver monitoring built in. No thank you, at best that's like a HOA in your car.
I always buy older cars, always from private sellers and always pay cash for them. So the concept of a "paid-off car" is foreign to me. I'm currently driving a 1983 Chevrolet Celebrity. I fix what I can myself (always change my own oil, belts and hoses) and sometimes hire mobile mechanics. Only as a last resort do I take a car to a repair shop. Shop prices are now insanely high. So high, you may as well junk the car rather than have any major repair done. A shop wanted $4000 to fix the transmission on my daughter's 2004 Ford Focus. We junked it and bought a 2016 Kia Rio for $5000.
Nice! You don’t see many of those celebrities anymore. I think cash for clunkers took so many cars off the road. It is sad that shop prices have gotten so expensive it makes owning an older vehicle even harder if you aren’t diy everything.
I bought a 2004 Kia optima with 103,000 for 400.00 bucks. 5sp car looked like somebody couldn't drive in the snow every panel was dented what sold me interior looked showroom new.dude sole it because had a bad coil running on 3 at low rpm if reved it 4 kick in replace coil drove it for 6-7. Years hardy touches it oil changes tires had CV clicking replaced both.Struts all 4 supper cheap then I went after the timing belt. That's when it went downhill It's 0 reference motor got 4 or 5 timing marks all have to be dead nuts or your bending valves thats what happened sold car to scraper for 225.00 got value for my 400 investment
I have a 13 year old vehicle I bought new and paid off long ago. I can afford to buy a new one and pay cash for it but like you, I like to save money and really do like my older well maintained vehicle. Yes things break from time to time but I just order the parts and fix it. Thanks for a good video.
Bought a 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 4x4 in 2005 for $5500. It had 119K on the ticker. Retired it in 2018 due to excessive rust. Powertrain was still sound. Had 265K on it. Total of purchase price and unscheduled repairs was still under ten grand, or less than $770 per year ($65 per month, no money down). Now, I'm driving a 2000 Dodge Dakota purchased in January of 2018 for $3800 with 114K on it. Today, it has 183K on it and has had about $1800 in unscheduled repairs. This amounts to $800 per year (January 2025) or $67 per month. I'm also driving what was my wife's 2003 PT Cruiser. She bought it in 2011 with 75K on it, for $7,000. She upgraded from it in 2020 and I decided to keep it. Today, it has 177K on it and has incurred about $2700 in unscheduled repairs. That adds up to just under $65 per month over thirteen years and 100K miles. I seem to be hanging in a pretty consistent range.
Great video! I own a 2004 Toyota Camry. 252,000 miles. Interior looks like the day I bought it 20 years ago. A/C still works great. The only components mechanically that I have replaced is the coil packs and spark plugs. I do all of my own maintenance, brakes, oil changes, air filters, etc. It does burn a quart of oil every 1,000 miles. Shocks need replacing. The car has been paid off since 2007. I would not sell this car even for $10,000.00 because I could not replace it with anything that is as reliable as this car has been.
Finding one that has been well cared for can be a challenge, I'm on Subaru number two, first one was a 3 year old used car with a good history & serviced on time every time, it served me very well from 95 to 2014, it was traded on a brand new Forester, it too is serviced on time & everything is done regardless of low mileage, don't wait for the oil to go black & inspect the dipstick & coolant levels every week or two at least & take note of the colour. Oil is cheaper than gear boxes, engines & centre & rear differentials.Keeping it under cover helps too of course & we don't have winter road salting.
@@creditelectric nice! Is your Forester a manual or automatic transmission? Which Subaru did you have from 95 to 2014? What was the biggest repair you had during that ownership?
Preventative maintenance is crucial for maintaining a vehicle. Most people won't even check the fluids or air in the tires. They drive until the radio no longer drowns out the loud noises.
@@quademasters249Or more. My insurance for a 2017 Lexus was $550 a momth when financed and now its $350/month now with just liability . When I financed my payment was $340 per month. How is it that ALL insurances are able to charge that amount of money to subscribe to you using YOUR OWN vehicle?
Exactly! The price of the car is only part of the equation. Plus consumable items are usually not covered by the warranty so you still have maintenance costs to factor in on top of everything else.
I just had my 01 Suburban tranny rebuilt for $3k. I spend a year look for my gen 1 Tundra & paid cash. Both will get me down the road another 150K miles. Money well spent. 👍👍Thanks for the video.
@@atpgarageatl yep. I ask my mechanic how the motor was before I rebuilt it & he told me these years of Vortex motors go to 300-450k he sees in the shop. He encouraged the tranny rebuild.
Sometimes those cheaper replacement parts just don't have the same longevity as OEM. Especially with alternators it may not pay off to cheap out if you plan to keep the car. Thanks for the videos!
TBH, only people with basic mechanical skills, tools, and a place to work on cars should be driving these old cars and trucks. It also helps having an alternate means of transportation. My newest car (and daily driver) is 20 years old, but I’d never recommend it to anyone who isn’t comfortable changing out an alternator in a McDonald’s parking lot.
An old car can sometimes help you lose your job too :) I remember the days when buying re-tread 13" tires for my ride cost me more than a weeks wages. And anything more complicated - without a garage to work on it in - in the middle of winter? You might go weeks taking the bus (waiting to save up for the part needed and a window in the weather when you can actually get underneath it) - that's IF you have bus service in the area. If you're a student who has to work too, it may be more cost effective to make payments on that $18K Nissan Versa, and get to where you need to be before the warranty runs out - it may be more economically prudent so you can eventually get that job that gets you out of that hole. Then you can think about maybe owning two older cars - one daily and one backup. It all depends on personal circumstances.
@@ivantuma7969 personal circumstances definitely play a huge role in this. I just advocate avoid going into a ton of debt for a vehicle. If you have to take on a loan make sure you have a plan.
Owning a newer, tech-bloated vehicle today beyond the warranty period is risky. Quality/reliability isn't what it used to be (even for companies like Toyota/Honda I have discovered) & repairs are $$$$$, with so many different things that can go wrong. Even under warranty, automakers have trouble properly diagnosing & fixing problems in their tech-bloated garbage.
@@oligarchy-usa agreed. As we have seen recently even the mighty Toyota has made big mistakes with their new cars like the new tundras blowing up engines
Had my beater coming up to five years now, a £500 Alfa 147 is definitely not the default choice but so far my costs have been: rear brakes & top suspension arms (£120) when I first got it, then recently front brakes, new front shocks & bottom suspension arms (£300) plus yearly oil & filter (£20) not too bad to own an Italian classic with gorgeous red leather, great fuel economy, & puts a smile on my face every day, fantastic!
I bought a brand new Camaro in 2000. Still using it as my daily driver 24 years later. It has a 3800 V6 with 226,000 miles on it. I’ve always used synthetic oil and the engine has never been taken apart, runs great and still gets 30 mpg. The car has T-tops and a 5-speed manual transmission, which are all but extinct now. There are very few new cars that I would trade my car straight up for, let alone pay $40,000.
Same. Except my new Camaro is an SS with the v8. Love this car. It is my summer car up here in MI with almost 80 gran on her. Zero maintainence so far other than tires and batteries and fluid changes.
You make some good points. What I do is buy a new car that's highly reliable (2003 Tacoma), do regular maintenance, and keep it for many years. That old truck saves me a lot of money compared to a new car or truck. My next new vehicle will be either Toyota or Honda. I plan on keeping that for 12 to 15 years.
@@MidnightPolaris800 They are. They have a long, proven track record of reliability. The early 00s gens had issues with rust, which Toyota eventually recalled and provided people with new frames.
Older, paid off cars are absolutely fine IF you know what to buy. Chevy, Ford, Dodge were worthless junk when new so they are eliminated immediately. European cars are just expensive nightmares and wholely unreliable. Early 2000's Toyotas that have been carefully owned and driven are the pot of gold. Nissans are crap, all of them. Newer KIA and Mazda are worth considering if lower milage. I buy nothing but Toyotas with rebuilt titles at super prices. Because of that, I have been able to easily afford cars for all 3 kids and still retire at 62. Maintenance has been no worse than normal.
@@rizzodrat3076 that’s awesome! I agree modern Nissans are not great but the older ones sub 2005 were great. The old maximas of the 90s would run forever.
I just found this channel. You might have found a good niche here. Owning a car. One that is licenced, insured and fit to drive. Not buying it. Not selling it. Not chasing fashion. Trying not to get ripped off and getting ripped off anyway and moving on from that. We should all have a service bay in our house that is not clogged with hord. Buy tools without worrying too much about the cost because one or two repairs will pay for them. Scream complaint about the government body even suggesting they have rights to tell us what we can do there. The horrible state of the car industry. To get a decent car person practically has to build it themselves anyway. What car is good? what car is reliable? If you need a car that will absolutely, positively, NOT! leave you and your family stranded? Would it be better to have a new 60K techno-marvel with a suspicious engine and transmission, or a 1000 buck toyota you just rescued and refurbished with your own fingers?
I did that for a long time. Held on to my '08 Accord for 15 years! After many diy repairs but also saving thousands in car payments, the time finally came to upgrade. I got a brand new Acura. Is it worth the cost? To me, yes!! 15 years is a long time to drive the same car and I saved a lot of money for a downpayment on a new car. My new Acura will be under warranty for several years and I plan to keep it for at least 8-10 years - maybe longer if the car is driving well. I have no problem driving an old car if well maintained. But after I pay off my vehicles I save the money for a new car so I can experience the best of both worlds. Being the sole owner of a well-maintained vehicle gives you a lot of confidence on the vehicle's expected longevity. Its been a year since the purchase of my car and I'm very happy with my decision.
@@MrSupernova111 that’s a good plan and part of what I preach. I’m not opposed to new cars I’m opposed to people going into enormous amounts of debt for them. Thanks for watching!
It's a great argument for always leasing a vehicle. The only advantage to owning a car is that you can use it as collateral for a loan, if needed. You never actually own it until it's paid off anyway, and by the time you do in 5 years, you're ready for another new one. And by leasing every few years, you get to take advantage of all the new technology. And i wouldnt even consider buying an electric vehicle. If you insist on getting one because you think you're helping the environment (which you're not), you definitely need to lease it. Replacing the batteries will cost you more than the vehicle is worth.
@@cydonian0417 leasing keeps you in the payment game. The goal is to avoid payments all together and the only way to do that is to own your vehicle. While they are mostly depreciating assets you can extend the length of time of this asset with maintenance.
I used to have nothing but paid for vehicles, and I have two now, a 2013 Avalon which is giving us some serious issues and a 2004 tundra that only has 140,000 miles but needs some work, oil leaks and front end parts. Yes, it can be nice to own paid off vehicles because it frees up money to go towards house repairs, vacations, hobbys and ao on. The downside is the price of parts, the time and effort to work on it and the constant worry. I just purchased a 2020 Chevrolet Colorado with the 3.6 v6. I now have payments. That being said it has relatively low miles, it is very comfortable and ut gets really good fuel mileage. I'm almost 50 years old and crawling around on the ground working on these cars with little to no room around the engine sucks. Getting onto the ground isn't the problem. It's the arthritis in my hands, my knees are shot and I get very dizzy if I lay on my back with my eyes open for too long. I now take everything to the mechanic, and with these repair bills it can get very expensive.
I admire those who can work on their own cars. I never learned. I just wasn’t exposed to that growing up. I know I can dive in at any time and learn but the thing is, I’m passionate about other things. My take on car ownership and transportation: it just costs money going from point a to b. No way around it. So, you’re going to lose either way. I had a car that I bought used. Drove it for 10 years. I calculated the cost over that period and found, wow, the cost was on par with buying new- and even leasing if you got a good enough deal and didn’t put more than a couple hundred bucks down. In this one case, it was like, wow, I drove what became a beater around for a few years - no a/c, power windows broken at the end. And for maybe $2k spread over 10 years, I could have had a better, more comfortable and more reliable car. For me, that is worth $200 a year. Ok, this is one case study, a limited perspective, but something to consider when you think about how you want to lose when you buy a car.
@@philipschwartz5465 that’s a great perspective. Not everyone is interested in cars and I get that. My angle is it’s a way to save money in a world with ever increasing expenses. I’m a bit surprised a paid off car over a ten year span mathematically cost the same as having a new car payment/lease payment monthly. In those instances it’s not worth fixing those cars.
I just put new tires on my 1998 Subaru and doubled the value of the car. I have spent very little in maintenance on it and I don't hesitate to go anywhere I want to go. It could use front brake rotors at some point. The radio is crappy. Some day I'll buy one from the wrecking yard for $20. I put a new starter on it once.
I agree with you and believe that you are $ ahead even if you have work done by professionals. I have a 17 Acura, a 12 Ford F250 and a 09 Benz E320 and do most work, but some stuff like brakes are so annoying to me with all the dust, etc, that I just take to a shop. Sensors and other electronic replacements are very satisfying by the amount of money saved for a few hours work even using OEM parts.
My wife and I together spent five years paying off all our debt. During that time, we paid off the one vehicle we had that we'd financed, and immediately sold it because it had been so problematic during owning it. We sold it for $3500 to a dealership and then the next day for $3800 bought our 2003 4Runner. At purchase, it had 213k and now today, has over 294k. That vehicle has on average, for repairs and maintenance, cost about $1100 a year. I do most of my own repairs and even with one trip to a real mechanic, this vehicle has been very reliable and never left us stranded. Yes, due to miles and age, I have replaced the alternator, some suspension and steering parts etc. Our other two vehicles are a 2004 Tundra and a 2008 Honda Pilot. Both were purchased paid in full. The Tundra in the three years I've owned it, has averaged around $1400 a year in repairs and maintenance. The Honda we just purchased 2 months ago for $3000 and I've replaced a few things including the alternator. So far, it's been my go to daily driver. The Tundra is sitting at about 241k miles and the Honda has 284k. Like the video says, maintenance is key and learning your particular vehicle. I've chosen to stick with Toyota and Honda and that has proven to work for me.
Bought my '99 Camry 4cyl in 2000, been my daily driver. 356k miles, timing belts, valve cover gasket, IAC valve / throttle body service is all it ever really needs. Change my oil as soon as it becomes very tan in color. Last year did a compression test. All cylinders equal and well within spec. Yes every few years it needs a new radiator (I can do that myself in 30 minutes if I rush). Or something else fairly minor, 2x i have replaced all the tie rod ends, struts once, cooling fan motors once, a few bulbs, flasher unit once. Most everything besides the timing belt and tie rod ends, I do myself and its not a pain in the ass to work on. Yet modern enough that it has a ECU and can give trouble codes (not that it ever does besides the fuel evap that has been bad for 19 years. But i am in a no emissions testing state, so I live with that code and the check engine light on with a piece of black electrical tape over it. Which means the lights not really on and there are no trouble codes! LoL... Long Live Old Toyota's, easy to work on, parts are plentiful and cheap, new or used... It's also nearly as quiet on the road as a Lexus LS430 I recently drove for a week...
Older autos have just about depreciated as much as they can. I got 2004 Lincoln town car in perfect condition, garage kept, 116,000 miles on it..$5000.00. Love it!!! Not much more to say? Same car priced on internet $1500 to $ 7500. I am old man and trip to Walmart is about it. My son can't wait to hear my will read!
Bought a 07 RAV4 with 200,000 miles for $3,400 in Oahu. Thing is awesome! 2.4 doesn’t drink hardly any oil like everyone says. Only parts so far were motor mounts only $80 for all of them.
2001 Tacoma 245,000 miles still going strong, 2010 Silverado 2500 236.000 miles still going strong, it’s amazing what proper vehicle maintenance can do !!
2008 4Runner 4WD with 250,000 miles, bought it 6 years ago with 134,000 miles, paid $11k cash. I do all the maintenance and the minor repairs the car needed. Everything works, and I enjoying working on it. At 65, I hope to reach 500,000 miles on this 4Runner.
One thing I learned about having an old paid off car is never let a mechanic talk you into having them install a used engine with 75k. I did this and after 20k on the vehicle the engine went bad again. So now I'm out $5k for that engine where if I would have paid $3k more at the time I never would have ended up with a bad engine. If it was they would have had to replace it under warranty. I questioned the mecanic at the time and he said don't worry it will be fine. The only time it's fine is when it comes with a warranty.
@@briannielsen7176 every time I’ve known someone to have a shop replace an engine with a junk yard one they don’t last. You’re better off getting a rebuilt engine or scrapping the car.
@@atpgarageatl I was going to sell the truck but my wife wanted to keep it so I ended up having a different garage put in a new Jasper engine with a 3 year 100k mile warranty in this spring.
I have a 2008 f150 4.6 2 valve 4 speed automatic. It looks great. Other than brake pads, oil changes, and the like, I've put $700 in parts and about 15 hours of labor into it in the last 7 years. It's never left me stranded and runs perfectly. It's a blessing from God. Most people are afraid to turn a wrench these days, and new cars are complete garbage. I'm glad I had to learn when I was young.
@@briagarri275 those are good trucks. The 08 doesn’t have the spark plug issues right? I think that stopped in 07. What’s been the single most expensive repair throughout your ownership?
I own 5 cars, two of which my kids drive. The newest is a 2010 and all run excellent because I do all the maintenance myself. All 5 cost less than $40,000, have minimal insurance and parts are cheap since the models I own were produced in large numbers. I’ve saved thousands over the years and I get that new cars are nice but they’re just not made as good as they used to be.
@@atpgarageatl wife has a 2000 Porsche Boxster S that I got for $13k. Can’t beat it for fun factor and she loves it . I have a 1997 Jeep Wrangler 4.0. Both these cars are easy to work on, yes, even the Porsche. Jeep parts are cheap and junkyards have millions of them. My neighbors new truck cost TWICE as much as all 5 of my vehicles, crazy.
I have had 1 brand new car in my life. After paying for 3 years, it had dropped $40,000 in value. Even at the supposed break-even point, it was still upside down. This was a decade ago before things got REALLY crazy. I drove it until the engine was cashiered in a flash flood. Insurance finished paying it off. I paid cash for the next car like I always had, and always will. Lesson learned. A $40k lesson. I now drive an E70 BMW with the M57 diesel. When I first got it, yes, it was a major headache. As with a lot of used cars, the previous owner had unleashed bole weevils under the hood, and sometimes, poorly executed maintenance is worse than no maintenance. It took about 2 months, and 4 grand to get old Betty back to spec. It was more than worth it. I totally agree that you have to cut loses if you get a bad used car, and choosing the right candidate car is of tantamount importance. Also, knowing how to do your own repairs well. It would have cost well over $12k to have a shop do all the repairs I did to my X5 for $4k in parts. I got her well under book, and even with parts considered, I could sell her right now for more than I have in it. A built X5 35d is very popular right now. I've driven Betty for 2 years now with zero issues. I potholed and tuned it, so I have 400HP and 600 ft lbs of torque and still get 30+ mpg with a bullet-proofed 1 million mile engine. I have no intention of selling it. It cost me less than $300/month to drive. Just fuel and liability insurance now. It runs, drives, and looks better than it did brand new. It all costs far less than just the depreciation of a new car before even considering interest on a loan or full coverage insurance, which has both gotten utterly ridiculous. No one in their right mind would buy a new car right now. It didn't make sense 10 years ago, and it definitely is insanity today. I make well over 6 figures, and there's no way I'm wasting that much money on basic transportation ever again. I'll gladly lay my stethoscope on the coffee table and spend my weekend getting greasy in the driveway. In the end, I have an arguably superior vehicle to any current offering at a very small fraction of the cost of ownership.
My 2002 Honda Integra (Acura RSX for the US) is still going strong, other than the usual consumables, the alternator only died last year. Unfortunately the clear coat started peeling off a few years ago, so will probably have to look into re-painting or vinyl wrapping it to extend it's life.
2007 Toyota Camry XLE V6 runs like a champ here in 2024. Glad I decided to keep it even while getting newer vehicles. I’m the original owner and have taken care of, and the dividends have paid off.
@@atpgarageatl - I only have 118K on it, which is not a lot given the age of the car. The V6 engine still has the power and the spunk to get me up to speed in a hurry. I plan to keep it as long as it doesn’t give me too many issues. So far, it’s just been basic maintenance and normal wear-and-gear part replacements, as expected.
I used to own a 2007 Toyota Yaris that I bought in 2012 with a salvage title for 4K Canadian cash and this car was good to me. I did the maintenance myself and it was pennies on the dollar compared to most cars. Worst thing that happened is the alternator failed on my commute and I simply replaced it on my lunch break.
@@atpgarageatl You might be disappointed since it's a complete opposite of my previous car: a 2017 BMW M240i. I am planning to keep it long term and offset the running costs with doing maintenance myself.
@@mathieulevasseur4082 those are fun cars! BMWs aren’t all bad. If you take care of the weak points like the cooling system you should be good. FCP euro is the best place due to the lifetime warranty on everything. Have you had any issues since you purchased it?
12 year old diesel here. I picked the car up at a price below market value and I bought it in cash, no loans or anything. I’ve probably spent £1200ish in repairs with half of that being the EGR valve being the bulk of it and the rest going on high performance tires + OEM quality bits like wiper blades and a battery. I own the car outright with no strings attached. The climate here is harsh on cars but I wash it by hand regularly and it looks great. I will be getting any corrosion sorted before it can spread. The annual MOT helps flag up such things and cleaning the car by hand helps a lot. You absolutely can keep old cars on the road for daily use but they demand respect and a bit of TLC. Considering I have a 700 mile (highway speeds) range and acceleration is comparable to EVs with £60k+ price tags I think modern cars are a terrible deal. They cost more to buy and more to repair. They have more points of failure and you don’t even get so much as a more comfortable chair to sit in. Save the old cars. Look after them. The government wants them gone and replaced with either walking or with joyless appliances packed with sensors and tracking devices that rob us of the potential to enjoy driving. It’s a shame so many cars are thrown away because of consumerism. People will regret it one day and it’s coming very soon.
@@atpgarageatl 3,500ish mile oil change Frequent cleaning by hand (cheap wax and shampoo 2 in 1 works fine) Transmission fluid 95-100k Repair rust before it spreads Pressure wash underbody to remove salt buildup in winter Don’t rag the engine while cold but don’t sit around idling it Give it some exercise when warmed up Profit 👍😎
@@ADBLOCKER4TH-cam unfortunately it’s a re-manufactured unit from autozone as I needed to get the car back up and running at the time and they were the quickest option having it in stock same day. I’ve now gone through 3 in two years. Wish I’d just bought the Denso. The OEM Denso lasted 240k miles. In the last 25k I’ve had 3 autozone ones. Each time autozone warrantied them out due to faulty voltage regulators.
Denso, AC Delco Gold, or rebuild your current one at a reputable local shop. Replaced 3 alternators on my Honda Pilot and Odyssey in the last 3 years. The AutoZone failed, got one rebuilt locally for $120 and paid $260 for an AC Delco Gold. Both working great last few months.
@@DearSX I've always gone with OEM. Who cares if Auto Zone or NAPA gives you a lifetime warranty if you have to keep replacing it over and over? I have original Denso oxygen sensors on my 98 Tacoma with 268K miles. Try that with Bosch or some other brand. Not happening. Same for the u joints. Never been replaced. Just greased liberally over the past two plus decades. I expect an alternator to go for YEARS. Same for the water pump, a/c compressor and power steering pump. Or let's say I measure the performance of the replacement unit by the original one.
Got an 02 f150 and an 08 VW jetta. Rebuilt transmissions in both. Regular maintenance and oil changes have kept them going strong. Cheaper than a car note 📝.
474,000 miles on my 03 Grand Marquis, I've owned it since 86,000 miles and in the family from day one, original engine, transmission, axle, front end, pw windows, all original, has had a H2O pump, alternator, 1 alignment, 1 intake manifold, 1 AC pump...one thing I have run into now that my car is "old" is harassment by the police. 10 cars can drive by, but they pull out and pass others to get behind me, pull me over at night, never a ticket, but a disadvantage of older cars is police harassments. I have cops in my family and they even do this bx 95% of the time old "big cars" out at night have no insurance, drugs, alcohol, and warrants, etc.
I have a Suzuki Vitara that I bought new in 1991 and is still a reliable runabout today its my my go to car for runs to the shops or leaving in car parks all the regular maintenance consumables are inexpensive and its simple DIY
@@atpgarageatl Getting my new car dented when parked drives me crazy I just had my new Landcruiser Troopy damaged at my local shops, a very expensive carton of milk 😩
I have a 86 Lincoln TownCar. Have owned it for 4 years. 1 wheelbearing replacement & oil changes. That is it. Looking at a 77 Thunderbird that is in pretty good condition. Both cars will last me the rest of my life with little to no issues.
A new car may require maintenance but the worst part is the dealership has to manage the "warranty" repairs and it can be weeks before you get your car back. BTW that full coverage insurance isn't working necessary when you own your own car.
Im in the uk and at last have vehicles all paid for a 15yrs old mazda mx5 with only 14k on clock use most days to and from work by my wife she loves it i have a 15yr old vw t5 van/camper 160k on clock both these vehicles are maintained religiously also a suv vauxhall thats a low mileage run about that we bought mainly to get mother around in because she struggles getting in out of cars, all paid for and collectively didn't cost as much as 1 brand new suv ,weve wasted shed loads of money on cars but things more steady for last 9 years , maintenance is the key as soon as something goes wrong repair before it gets a bigger repair ?
@@grahamshaw9316 Interesting! We have some states here in the US that have a similar process. Most places either only require emissions or nothing at all. It's kind of surprising. Do you feel the UK will continue to allow older vehicles on the road? It seems like we are headed to a place that could make it extremely hard to own an old car in the future.
It's getting more expensive with the road tax each year ,they really pushing the electric cars but it'll be years before petrol and diesel becomes a minority I hope they transition slowly and let it happen gradually , people need cars for all sorts of reasons and many can't afford to buy electric cars too dam expensive and our infrastructure is woeful
Choosing the RIGHT older vehicle....
is really not that difficult. I picked up that last 2 cars I've had nearby with very little research and weighing the pros and cons. They were an Avalon and then a Camry. These were reliable, the mechanical aspects of these cars were good, I had to replace something here or there but they did not nickel and dime me and I am able to ride around here in L.A. in veritable comfort and assurance that the car won't leave me sitting somewhere. Buy a japanese made product, get over your "must buy a USA product". When the U.S. can build a car as high quality and durable as the Japanese build, I will be the first one to buy them. Just a few, simple things to keep in mind if you want the best bang for your buck, as I do.
@@joeschmo7957 I drove a first-gen Saturn for several years, only American car I've had that came close in reliability. Parts are cheap and still pretty easy to find when things did go out.
08 Toyota Highlander - runs like a champ - 240K miles on it. 👍
1998 toyota 4runner 350k miles still running
Okay, I watched the whole thing before commenting my thoughts. I own two vehicles. One is a 1995 F250 I bought for $6,000. The other is my daily and it's a 2003 Pontiac Vibe I paid $1,400 for.
I rarely do anything to either. I've spent a grand total of MAYBE three weekends over three years doing things like changing oil, starter, etc. Total cost hasn't been over $600. The battery and starter for the car were the big ones. Other than that these vehicles have been CHEAP.
you have to pick the right vehicles.
Having an old, paid-off car, that is mechanically sound, is PRICELESS.
Okay, I watched the whole thing before commenting my thoughts. I own two vehicles. One is a 1995 F250 I bought for $6,000. The other is my daily and it's a 2003 Pontiac Vibe I paid $1,400 for.
I rarely do anything to either. I've spent a grand total of MAYBE three weekends over three years doing things like changing oil, starter, etc. Total cost hasn't been over $600. The battery and starter for the car were the big ones. Other than that these vehicles have been CHEAP.
you have to pick the right vehicles.
2011 Mazda 3, 5spd man.. Paid $7000 CDN for it. I OWN it, no payments, and it is very dependable.
@@sekovittol3124 👌
It is. It's unlikely though 😢
About 80% of Americans on the road do not own their car. They consistently go from loan to loan or lease to lease. They are literally a paycheck or two away from losing their vehicles and yes they do live above their means.
I used to do all my own maintenance, but now I don’t.
But even still, paying for a little labor now and then is still a lot less than car payments and having to pay full coverage insurance.
I too gladly pay an expert to bust knuckles fixing my cars.
I got the cheapest liability I have.
I agree, as I get older, I'd rather pay a mechanic to just get er' done. I mean I actually took my car to a garage to replace a rear shock mount, I just didn't feel like doing it, just throw a few bucks at the problem, make it go away.
I have other things to do. I still do my own brakes though.
Real Men fix they're own. Do you send your wife to another man too?
@@stoundingresultsReal men fix they're own. Do you send your Wife too another man too?
95 avalon. 05 ranger. I'll put new engines and trannies in them before I spend 60-90k on a new vehicle that I hate everything computerized in.
@@erintheangry both great cars! That ranger will run forever.
@@atpgarageatl Just gotta keep the floor and frame from rusting out. That's the tough part being up here in canada.
@@erintheangry any thoughts on how you do that? I don’t have to worry with rust here in southeast. I’ve heard various ways people in the rust belt try to prevent rust.
@@atpgarageatl we use undercoating, and religious washing. At least those of us who manage to keep a car for long do. Some manufacturers coat from the factory better than others. My toyota has nothing on it but I have repaired a few holes in my truck. We use salt like it's going out of style up north here.
@@atpgarageatl Yep, I have an ‘03 Ranger with the 3.0 Vulcan engine. 220,000 miles and runs like a Singer sewing machine.
The gas mileage is pretty bad: around 14-15 in the city during A/C season, which is 8 months of the year where I live.
Two radiators, one set of hoses, two water pumps & thermostats, two serpentine belts, one starter, one alternator, ignition coil pack and various & sundry suspension components.
I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
I have 3 older European cars in my garage and no car payments. One was purchased brand new 21 years ago and the other 2 I got used. I’m a master technician and amateur detailer and I enjoy the challenge of keeping my cars looking and driving like new. My cars all have bright, glossy paint, excellent interiors and they drive as nice as they look. I have done all the work for them to be in that condition, so yes, I am proud to drive and be seen in them. I respect everyone who maintains and drives older cars regardless of the brand because I know the effort it takes to keep cars in very good condition.
@@ghostwrench2292 I agree. Anytime I see an older car on the road I appreciate the persons effort. What three cars do you have?
Same here! '14 Mercedes E350 wagon, '11 BMW 328i wagon, and an '11 128i convertible. Bought the BMW wagon new, the other two used. I do most things myself on them - and they have not needed much. Even if they do need something fixed - so what? The new equivalent of the cheapest of them would be more than $1000/mo for five years to buy new. And BMW doesn't even offer the 3-series wagon anymore - and mine is a RWD 6spd to boot.
Plus I have a '95 Land Rover Discovery and a '74 Triumph Spitfire. I LOVE not having car payments, and even when I have bought new cars I tend to pay them off rather quickly. At this point there aren't really any new cars I want anyway - cars have jumped the shark.
I own a 96 corolla still looks and drives like new.
@@Kevin_Rhodes that’s awesome! You have quite the fleet of cars! I bet the wagons are a blast.
@@stendecstretcher5678 nice!
An average new car is $750 a month for 7 years. Or $750 x 84 months = $63,000 + higher insurance. You can do a lot of work on that old car with $63,000.
That's exactly the way I look at it.I just can't see spending that much on a new car.
@@chodkowski01 exactly! And anything left over in the time is money well saved.
Yeah, you can buy six cars for 10k!
@@THRASHMETALFUNRIFFS almost a car for each day of the week!
How do people afford it, I can't imagine.
Speaking of "doing it yourself" and saving money.... Dig into that alternator, I've found most times a $5 brush kit or V regulator is all they need. I've even done them on the autozone counter and verified the fix on the tester before leaving. It's super easy on most units.... Nobody even tries anymore.
The last two times I've had alternators go bad (different cars), it was solved with a rebuild rather than replacing the whole thing. Took some extra time and some soldering but saved a LOT of money.
Thank u
I remember rebuilding alternators (brushes, mainly) in high school auto mechanics shop, but that was "awhile back." Any experience repairing one with worn bearings?
@@frankharley1000 Yes, just like any motor or generator, split the case and press the old bearings out. If you don't have access to a press you can use a socket that just fits around the outside of the bearing and pound it out, but be VERY CAREFUL not to crack the cast housing or you'll be going back to the pick-and-pull for another one. When pressing in the replacement bearing be careful not to put any pressure on the bearing seal, only the outer race, and make sure the bearing is fully seated in the housing or it may not spin freely.
@@drewzero1 cool, thanks!
People will complain about the maintenance costs of older cars, but they often are cheaper to repair and maintain than the massive car loans of a new car.
But even just selling your bothersome older car to buy another older used car can just have even more costs as you don't know it as well as how you know your own older car.
Exactly. I think people need to realize 100k+ miles on a vehicle now is quite common and with proper maintenance you can go 200-300k.
If you are going to drive an older car you should prepare to be out there turning the wrench for a least minor stuff. Most fixes are super easy, especially with a YT tutorial on everything under the sun.
@@AmandaHugenkiss2915
Exactly people should learn basic maintenance... But find and stick with a good and honest mechanic. Tell him you plan on being a loyal customer if he gives you a Fair break on costs.
@@AmandaHugenkiss2915 yup. With the internet giving us a ton of information at our finger tips anyone can do at least the basics
You make a valid point. Here in the rust belt your drivetrain may be sound but structural rust thru will knock you out of the game.
@@geraldc.37 that seems to be the consensus unfortunately. I’m curious if anyone has daily driven a car in the rust belt with any of the prevention methods that worked. It seems like no matter what you do the rust/salt eventually wins.
Spraying the frame and undercarriage with fluid film or something similar slows down rust.
I live in the rust belt. Found out if you run through the car wash and get the undercarriage blasted clean regularly makes a big difference.
@@dave3657 good idea! Do you do any rust proofing like fluid film?
I swear by electronic rust prevention. It's a small module that attaches to your battery and sends a tiny charge through the car that doesn't let rust start. I had one installed by the dealer when I bought my 2007 Subaru outback brand new. I had it for ten years and put nearly 400k kms on it and was 100% rust free. That car is still on the road with over half a million kms on it and going strong. That's 17 years of Canadian winters. I will have one of those units on every car I own.
2001 Toyota Sienna minivan, paid off many years ago. It’s got 356k miles, still on the original engine and transmission. It runs like a top and still gets great gas mileage. Yes, it burns a bit of oil (one quart every 1000-1500 miles) but oil is relatively cheap still. It’s had new struts and springs 150k miles ago and they are still going strong. It’s had some brake pads but is still on the original rotors (they are due to be changed). It’s had a few burned out light bulbs, an O2 sensor, and one engine anti-knock sensor that was a pain to repair. Even the original cat converter is still working and it passes California smog. But all in all, this van has cost a fraction of what it would cost to have replaced it even once, much less numerous times the way most people would have done.
@@576103 that’s awesome and a true testament to how older vehicles can be reliable. Fun fact, the V6 in the Sienna is the same engine in the Solara in my video.
I just recently bought a 2000 Sienna to live in, after being homeless since the pandemic. I'm happy with my purchase. It passed the CA smog test here in Los Angeles also.
That's absoluely cool! Hope it keeps running!
Wow that’s awesome! Just curious, often do you change transmission fluid? Hope you make it to 500,000!
@@LACEVH I go off the recommended intervals from the manufacturer. Each brand/car is different.
I have a 1998 Ford F-150 4.6 liter extended cab xlt 4x4 with off road package, 236,000+ miles. Still runs like a champ and never let me stranded.
Ah, back when trucks looked like trucks and didnt have that massive Mac truck grill and weigh 5500 pounds. Ford and Chevy both had cool looking trucks in the 90s .They look like mid sized trucks now. The 96 std cab 2 WD I have, I wouldnt sell it for 10K.
@@wrotenwasp yeah, I hate the big front ends trucks have anymore. I’ll have mine for the rest of my life or the rest of its life.
Better than my dads '06 F-150.
Yep. Have a 97. Put an engine in 2 years ago.
Wholeheartedly agree! I have an '03 Toy 4Runner, you really couldn't give me a new car, too much electronic nothingness and engine destroying emission controls. I'm 77 years old and plan to keep the 4Runner going for a long time, it only has 158K miles. I just put a new radiator in it last week, cost me about $200 and 8 hours work.
@@RonRussell-sj1zf that’s awesome! At 158k you’re just breaking it in! That 4Runner will go forever.
That is great! I have a 04, Toyota 4Runner V8, full time 4WD with 69K miles. Garage kept, serviced exclusively by Toyota, no accidents and pampered. I love it and it will likely outlive me.
@@fraservalley9027 Nice ride! I wish Toyota had made the 5th generation option with a V8. We have enjoyed the V6 so far. At 69K, your 4Runner is basically new!
@@atpgarageatl Thank you. It drives like new, quiet and smooth. You can barely hear the V8 engine running. I accelerate and brake gently and take it out on the highway for a run now and then. The service guys get excited when I bring it in for service. The exterior and interior look almost new. I am quite fond of the old girl.
@@fraservalley9027 That's what mine is too.
Cars built before 2010 are much simpler to repair at home. The fuse box on my 01 chrysler is near the steering wheel and every panel can be removed with a standard set of sockets. My grandfather had the same car for over 40 years and im hoping mine will last that’s long
We have a 2004 Grand Caravan with 300K on it and that thing just runs every time. Hardly ever needs anything but gas and oil and when it does need something it's little, like a blower resistor. It's just rusty and ugly but it runs every time without fail.
Why 2010?
@@ln5747 Why not, smartass?
@@ln5747 seems like 2010 was a tipping point where we went insane with emissions and technology, and quality in American cars just went to pot. I forget but that was probably around the time they got their bailouts and the Feds demanded all the changes. GM for sure has been garbage ever since. Ford, not sure. My kids each have 3.7 mustangs, a 2011 and 2013. They are great cars, rarely anything but oil changes. Wife has a 2015 sienna, it's excellent. But GM or Dodge? No way would I touch them.
@@AmandaHugenkiss2915 many cars were exactly the same in, for example, 2015 as 2008.
So true, I’ve had old Toyota’s + Nissan’s for 40 years. I drive them short distance in case they fail, it’s not a long tow home. All old cars need parts replaced + maintenance, more attention than normal. Something will eventually fail. Sure it’s cheaper to drive an old car but eventually I got tired of it and always had a newer car where everything works.
stop buying Chinese alternators !
Stop buying anything Chinese it will let you down . Its garbage
Those China parts can wreak havoc on issues with cars. Never ever *anything electrical* including spark plugs.
I agree. I had the alternator go out on my 2014 Honda. When I read the reviews for alternators sold at local parts stores I went to a Honda dealer to buy it. It had a made in Japan sticker on it. 😊
Lol aint no way your alternator should be dying 3 times. He should also test his battery/alternator regularly
When replacing anything in the electrical system, only buy OEM parts. The original coil on my van failed when the truck was 12 years old (to be expected) and then 5 more coils were installed, with each lasting between 3 to 6 months. The 5 replacements were made off shore. Finally, replaced the coil with the original OEM part, at twice the price, but it functioned fine for the next 10 years until I sold the van.
Just to let you know what I found with my 2002 Avalon that was going through alternators every 6 months or so: aftermarket alternators all seem to use some poor quality voltage regulators that have zero long-term reliability. I finally went to a salvage yard and found a similar Toyota that had the factory alternator and slapped the voltage regulator in my 6 month-old aftermarket alternator. Been running fine now for a year. Great video, sir.
100%. That's an item you should "buy once, cry once". I don't know why a 2000-ish Camry would be on its third alternator unless: 1) the aftermarket ones were badly made, 2) it's positioned under a leaky component (like the SC400's high-pressure power steering hose, as an example), or 3) someone is taking many very short trips and just wearing it out. My wife always runs with lights on and the years of sub-2-mile trips to take the kids to school finally wore out our 2012 Avalon's alternator after 10 years. That's a good run for most alternators but not for a Toyota. My 2000 Tundra still has it's original alternator.
@@sreginkc that’s been my experience as well. Each time the remanufactured autozone unit has failed it has been due to a bad voltage regulator. That’s a great idea on grabbing one from the junk yard.
@@koomo801 agreed learn from my mistake. I’m on my third alternator because the remanufactured autozone ones are junk. When the oem one failed they were the quickest option available to get the car back on the road but lessons learned should have got the Denso unit or one from the junk yard. Each time they failed was due to faulty voltage regulators. No leaks going on to the alternator.
Used parts are better than rebuilt junk pick and pull
Im not paying $30k for a new Corolla
@@it1988a I don’t blame you!
New Corolla LX is 24000
@@martyc2637 if you’re lucky! Tax, title, dealer fees and possible markups I’ve seen even the LXs out the door for $30k
not to mention the new ones are not built like the old ones. a friend purchased a 2021 Corolla ands it’s been nothing but trouble. new transmission at 6500 miles, water, pump and radiator before 20k? all repairs have been covered under warranty but that’s still inconvenient and doesn’t leave one with confidence regarding your vehicle. his old toyota truck had over 500k on it and was still his daily driver before it burned up in a wildfire that also took his house.
@@michaelbacigalupi5734 sorry to hear about the wild fire. Toyota has been struggling with quality issues lately.
I bought a brand new Nissan Sentra in 1993, had it Ziebarted immediately, paid it off in four years, and drove it for ten more years after that -- in the rust belt, no less. Finally, at about 220k miles, one of the shafts in the manual transmission started eating through the case. I traded it in, with the _original_ 14-year-old battery still in it. Ten years without a car payment on a daily driver was a pretty good deal!
My wife later bought a Nissan Altima, and it was a piece of crap! Go figure...😯
@@ttiwkram that’s an awesome run for a car and incredible it kept the battery that long. It’s a shame but Nissan has gone down hill. After about 2005 I can’t recommend them anymore.
@@atpgarageatlYep. After Nissan got involved with Renault, their cars turned into crap. I've a 2001 Nissan Sunny here in South Africa (called the Sentra here)140 Si, and it still runs great as a daily driver. I'm an ex mechanic, so I keep it in perfect running order. 😊
Was it cheaper to write a check for a transmission or an entire other car though?
Say the trans job was $2500, wouldn't you have bought that car for $2500 with a new trans or had to buy another one the same age and unknown issues for $10k instead?
Ziebart is bad. That stuff glues everything together and traps moisture.
@@manyhammers5944 Do you have any recommendations for rust-proofing?
Here in Southern Ontario, where rust eats up cars: A car can only go up to 20 years old at the maximum. Usually once the car gets to 15 years old it is cheaper to get something new instead of constantly spending money fixing the old car. By the time 20 years hit, rust has eaten up critical components holding the car together, and a wheel or two is about to fall off.
Depends on how much time and money you're able and willing to put into maintenance and repairs, but we're both driving 30+ year old cars that are in good shape.
Now granted, I put a ton of time, effort and not a little money into keeping them in good shape, but most of that was at the back end after years of moderate to severe neglect. There was a lot of rust, but very little of the structural kind, so the bodies are strong and intact.
Averaged over their lifespans, it's actually not a lot. I still need to put some more work into them to get them to optimum shape, but once that's done it'll be mostly routine maintenance and repairs, oil changes, coolant flush, new pads and rotors, etc., and touching up some rust here and there.
Cars today can last for decades if maintained properly. Literally anywhere.
Wash the car really well underneath and then spray the rusty areas with Fluid Film before winter. Don’t wash it again until Spring. You will be amazed at how it prevents the rust from getting worse.
@@montestu5502I agree. I put Fluid Film in the doors, rockers and anywhere that rust is likely to form. Doing the entire car would be better but I’m cheap.
@@CharlesCurran-m9p - I hadn’t even heard of Fluid Film until a few years ago after my cars were already rusty. They dump so much salt here in the winters that the roads are white. I did discover that Fluid Film seems to keep the rust that has already formed from getting worse so I just spray the rusted areas now.
Depends on what you buy/bought , I have a 2000 caddy that's all galvinized underneith? can't spell , an stainless exhaust looks the same as the day I bought it , and a 2000 porsche 911 , they don't rust at all , the 81 gm 1/2 ton gets a month of welding an tinkering every few years but paid for itself years ago and still makes money hauling scrap when I feel up to it , I'm getting older faster than it is lol an yes I live where you do
Done this for many years. The old stuff is simply better built than new stuff. A key element of this plan is to have more cars than drivers. Hopefully only one needs repairs at a time. Having one newer vehicle that seldom needs any breakdown repairs takes some of the stress away too. I've actually used the same strategy with business machines like printers and phones.
@@rbuswell it’s a good system to have. Keep one in rotation at all times.
I own an old Ford pickup in Texas. Every other male in Texas knows as much or more about my pickup than I do. Parts are available. Shops are knowledgeable. Help is sometimes free from a nostalgic old timer. If you want to drive an older car, get something that is very common in your area.
I am an old car owner. I am also getting old, so upkeep for car and body. Current truck, 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 quad cab. 76000 miles, repaint and transmission replaced at ~22 years. That’s it. Sold my 84 Nissan longbed to buy it , bought new, sold at 176 kmiles. Still had original clutch. 2006 Nissan convertible 350z, ~ 118000 miles, owned now for 4 years, replaced dual fans, one died, that’s it. 1972 CB750, bought in 82, was chopped, rebuilt it and redesigned into a single seat lowered beast. Still runs great, lots of general maintenance, never any major failure, biggest was replaced seeping head gasket. 4 fricken carbs😕. Even my sailboat was an early Chrysler 26. At least I can work on all these vehicles. Not sure I’ll ever buy another car.
The exception to all this was a 1988 Mercedes SL560 with 88 kmiles. Fun for about 3 years, then turned into a giant money pit. Plus you can’t really work on it. Started eating fuel pumps relays regularly, and smog issues. Sold and took a haircut, so watch what you buy, I did like the handling, power, and rag top. Plus finding a knowledgeable mechanic was problematic, only one in town, and he was getting long in the tooth.
@@kenschwarz9227 you’ve had quite a good selection of cars! Those Rams were the last of the good trucks.
Dang, I thought my 02 Ram Quad 4x4 was low miles at 157k now, ur not 4 wheelin' it enough!
My 08 Kia Optima doing pretty good at 65k, we got it as a back up and gas mileage at 55k a couple years ago for $8k
My '02 Avalon has 117,000 miles on it and it is the perfect car to own. My first expense has been rear struts due to a broken spring. I keep up the paint work and maintenance. I may keep it another 10 years as long as I can get parts or it. By that time I won't care as I'm 73 now
@@roysuomi9831 that’s a great car and at 117k miles you’re just breaking it in!
My brother bought a 2-year old Avalon (I can't remember the year) and used it as his daily driver (60 miles a day). When it eventually died it had 325,000 miles on it (engine bearing failure). He did his own oil changes but the rest of the work was by local auto shops.
I have a 15 year old truck paid off for over 10 years and a 8 year old SUV also long since paid off. They’re both almost like new as maintaining them in A-1 condition is my hobby and DIYing means nothing but money in my pocket. Every once in a while something comes up beyond my ability and I have to take them to a shop but that’s rare. Frankly I don’t care if I ever make another new car payment, there are so many better things to do with money than give it to a car company.
@@squangan right on! What brand of truck and suv do you have?
@@atpgarageatl F150 Supercrew and Escape AWD, Rockauto has become my go to for pretty much everything I need for them.
@@squangan great vehicles! Rockauto is awesome! Hard to beat their prices.
After 56 years of driving, I have owned 9 used vehicles. Have never purchased a brand new vehicle. The dollars saved over a lifetime is astounding.
@@chrisgraham2904 That is smart, it took me a while before I realized how much money I was flushing buying new vehicles unnecessarily.
alternators are built with the cheapest parts known to mankind. Take your dead alt to an electrical shop that does starters ect. You will have an alt that will last for decades. Same for starters.
It's true. However a recent vehicle and zero turn mower I got both had starters from a rebuild shop and both had starter issues (I spotted one of the repair faults).
So, unfortunately, our quality of work is heading down hill. Pretty sad..
I have a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 w/5.7liter Hemi that I have owned since new. It runs as quiet and smooth today as it did when it was new...never any issues, just basic maintenance required. Best vehicle I have ever owned...
Way better for the environment to keep an old car on the road than feed the machine that is new car manufacturing industry...
Up until recently I had a 1996 Ford Courier 4x4 cab chassis (Australian)...
Had it for 15 year's until it was stolen. In that time it had the motor, gearbox and diff (LSD) replaced, along with suspension consumables, all carried out by myself, and I am not a mechanic. I even upgraded the interior from bench to bucket seat's with centre console. One of the best cars I ever owned, even though it had nearly 600 thousand kilometres on the clock when stolen...
I have replaced it with a newer version of the same model, everything is the same except the cab as I know what to expect as far as maintaining the mechanicals and I know just how capable they are as an off road vehicle.
Sounds like it was a sweet ride! Sorry to hear it was stolen. I agree, keeping old cars on the road is better as it’s less resources and prolongs the resource used to produce the car. Keeping it out of the scrap yard
My old 2008 Lexus IS250 has been fully paid off for a while and runs great at 141k Miles. I hope she continues to run well as I maintain it on time. The last major work I had to do was a water pump and thermostat replacement, but either than that it runs great.
@@KingDrewPhilip awesome! Those are great cars and fun to drive.
I agree with everything you said in this video. For alternator on the Toyota, I strongly recommend you go with a Denso OE alternator. A lot of other alternatives are very iffy. Hope this helps!
When my alternator went out there was a guy that rebuilt the originals. So mine after 25 years is still the original one.
@@mds2465 I appreciate that and I definitely wish I had gone that route. The re-manufactured ones are not lasting.
@@dave3657 sadly there aren’t many people around anymore who re-build them.
My 1999 Camry is still running the original alternator with 320,000 miles. I would definitely buy another Denso if the original ever fails.
Also worth thoroughly checking body and engine earths, especially between the 2, and power connections between battery and alternator. Poor or intermittent connections on any of these can dry a good alternator prematurely.
Knowing enough not to get scammed is SO valuable.
I got my Crosstrek new and did my own routine maintenance, except for milestones just to save some headache and get more eyes on it. I paid for differential service (which I mistook for inspection until a change was needed)) at 35k and 70k, and at 77k my differential started to sound like a 2-way in tight turns after warming up. I flushed my fluid myself, and found that it had never been done. I had evidence that they opened the inspection hole, but never the drain hole, and went back to my invoices to see they had charged me for a flush both times.
A normal driver would have been on the hook for a full differential replacement, thousands of dollars, but I was able to get them to cover it, without admitting outright it was their lie that caused the problem. But first they tried to convince me there was no problem, then tried to convince me it was the CV joints, before finally quitting the BS.
This was the Subaru Dealer near Everett WA, that I had purchased the car from, that was ripping me off.
That was the last time I ever went there. Now, I stick with the small independent Subaru shop near me, and they are great.
@@LeftoverHamsters it’s sad that happened but it happens way more often than we realize. My local Toyota dealership almost cost me an engine because they double gasketed my drain plug on my GR86.
Crosstreks are fun vehicles! We miss ours!
3rd alternator wonder if that's a parts store brand reman. I trust the DENSO Reman alternators (they are about the same price as pos duralast alternator)and starters their radiators suck though
@@CRAPO2011 it’s an Autozone re-manufactured unit. Definitely not as good as Denso but it’s what was available in a pinch.
It's a lifestyle choice for sure. 35 years driving, I've never owned a new car. Newest unit in the current fleet of 7 is now 21 years old. Spare cars make it easy to take your time on maintenance & bigger repairs. My fleet is a mix of '80s/90s Japanese, a couple germans, and an OBS K2500.
@@d16a1 right on! That’s awesome! That’s my plan going forward! No more new cars. What’s your favorite car in your fleet?
@@atpgarageatlTough to choose a favorite since they all span a variety of utilization, but I'd have to give the nod to my '97 Toyota 4runner. Owned 15 years, now has 220k on it. I've never seen the check engine light and have done nothing beyond normal maintenance. That vehicle I can rely on to do anything & go anywhere anytime.
@@d16a1 right on!
Where you really save is on depreciation and insurance. You also save on interest if you have to finance the new car. The downside is the inconvenience and unreliability of the old car.
Lol. Not all older vehicles are unreliable
@@billrichards8931 I would agree on the cost savings of no interest and cheaper insurance but older cars can be reliable.
Agree with the above. You can find and build an older car that is far more reliable and less maintenance than a new car. After getting past the initial catch-up on repairs and maintenance, if you did it right, it should be like having a new car again, or even better than a new car if you're good at it. It's better not to cut corners or take shortcuts. Just fix it all, and fix it right. Don't shy away from the work, and don't nickel and dime it forever. You're usually saving $30k, $40k dollars, or more by fixing up an older vehicle. Don't feel bad spending a couple thousand the first year to get it reliable if it's a worthy candidate. It should be a car you really like.
Unfortunately, it does take research and years of experience to know what to get and what to do to it. Being a grease monkey saves tens of thousands of dollars over a lifetime, but it takes a lifetime to be a great grease monkey. The older I get, the better cars I drive with fewer problems, for even less money. But, I've had to eat a couple of lemons too. That's part of the learning curve.
@@lespearson3801 great points. It’s all about being open to learning. The good thing now is information is easily available and even some tools that used to be way out of reach like diagnostic tools have come down in price making it easier to diy older vehicles.
@atpgarageatl absolutely. I have a scanner that is BT for my phone that I gave $400 for. It is vastly superior to a scanner from just a decade ago that cost over $1500.
Mechanics gave over $10,000 for diagnostic computers in the 1990s and early 2000 that could now be easily replaced with a $50 scanner at Autzone. In fact, the Autzone scanner is doubtlessly much better.
Well said. I spend a few weekends/year on my back keeping the cars running. The challenge can be fun sometimes. Our oldest car is 20 years old.
@@Gr8thxAlot right on! Which cars do you have?
@@atpgarageatl A VW and a Honda. The Honda is much easier to work on. :-)
@@Gr8thxAlot right on! What model is the VW?
Was talking to my ex-wife the other day and she told me she bought a new car. She asked me if she got hustled. 2025 ford mustang at $690.00 for 7 years. I didn't have the heart to tell her.
Damn.😬
for 57,960 dollars is at least a mustang gt
@@johnmiranda1341 it's not a gt. MSRP showed $32,100.
@@word123456789100 wow i feel bad for her that's a lot of money well I hope it last a long time for her ..good luck w it
ex is an ex. just saying. i will talk to my ex just only for our kids. lol
From a DIY mechanic, this hits some points. I developed a whole channel on assistive maintenance on the majority of operations I've done on my own vehicle. I despise it when it's most inconvenient. With insurance, APR% being high, and modern car notes I just buckle up.
@@Coppercanic thanks for watching! As a DIY mechanic what’s your best guidance on owning a car for the long haul?
@@atpgarageatl Education of your vehicle, basic tools & equipment [OBD2 scanner, multi-meter, sockets, extension, etc.] & a whole lotta patience & discipline.
@@Coppercanic patience is probably the hardest one 😂
I have an 08 4 runner with 212,000 miles and a 06 Tundra with 233,000 miles. I only use factory parts when I can. Anything I’ve replace with aftermarket never lasts.
@@jonslyh2742 you’ve got two great vehicles! At those mileages you’ll have them for a long time!
The biggest cost of owning a car is NOT maintenance (even new cars need that). The biggest cost is Depreciation. The repairs on older cars will be significantly lower than the depreciation on a new car.
2000 Toyota Camry no regrets I have the time to tackle most repairs , two starters, heater fan control, rear trailing arms etc. Big jobs like timing belt off to the shop. 😂
@@ralger nice! I’ve done 3 timing belts on this Solara and it’s a huge pain so I don’t blame you for having a shop tackle it. 00 Camry is a great car! How many miles are you up to?
It’s a low use car , only has 200000 kilometres on it but up here in Canada we have long brutal winters and hot short summers so it’s hard on a vehicle .
@@ralger That is definitely something that gets overlooked. The environment a car is in plays a huge role in its longevity. Low miles/kilometers but in a harsh environment can be just as taxing as a car with high miles in a less harsh environment. Do you have any tips for rust-proofing your vehicle for the winters?
@@atpgarageatl don’t let the vehicle constantly be thawed out in a heated building then frozen again. As my high school teacher told me to get rust you need iron, salt,water and oxygen. If the car is frozen most of the winter it can’t rust anywhere near as much as being thawed out every night in a heated garage. If you do thaw it out then wash thoroughly and dry thoroughly to prevent rust from happening. I have an unheated garage and my car is just barely starting to rust in the right rear quarter panel only after 24 years in a very harsh climate with temperature range from 100F to minus 40 F every year .
@@atpgarageatl Oh come on, I did a timing belt on my 01 Camry with the 1MZ V6 and while it wasn't a piece of cake it wasn't a "huge pain" either. This was the first belt I have ever replaced and Toyota makes it so easy to keep everything in time so it was relatively easy.I bought the Asin kit from Rock Auto that had everything needed to do the belt and water pump. I'm just a shade tree mechanic not a pro by any means. The hardest part was getting the crank bolt loose, had to buy a stronger impact to get it off. Watched a TH-cam video and got her done!
We've bought new cars and kept them for a decade or more. We've bought good used cars and done the same. But I research heavily, and try to buy reliable vehicles. I maintain all myself and conduct most repairs. Saved a ton of money for us and kids rides. With no vehicle payments, it helped us become debt free at 43. Myself and buds have saved a lot of money maintaining good older rides. A good Honda or Toyota generally are great wealth savers, if maintained well ( minimal costs needed to do so). Good video. Good message to share.
@@billmcmeekin7909 thank you for watching and glad to hear someone else is having success driving/maintaining old cars!
having no auto loans is the BEST. been debt free for 7 years now! you can do it too!
@@Mazu762 that’s awesome! Nice work! What car do you currently have?
@@atpgarageatl 2017 Acura RDX, had a 2013 Honda Civic. honestly miss that car, looked nice, was dirt cheap to maintain and fill with gas lol also, insurance was super cheap too. might go back to a 2015 honda civic, i like that model year
@@Mazu762 great cars!
Great video! My newest vehicle is a 98, and I could probably replace the entire drivetrain for less than the average car payment for a year. Definitely less than the average car payment for two years. Couldn't pay me enough to drive something with driver monitoring built in. No thank you, at best that's like a HOA in your car.
@@om617yota7 thanks for watching!
I always buy older cars, always from private sellers and always pay cash for them. So the concept of a "paid-off car" is foreign to me. I'm currently driving a 1983 Chevrolet Celebrity. I fix what I can myself (always change my own oil, belts and hoses) and sometimes hire mobile mechanics. Only as a last resort do I take a car to a repair shop. Shop prices are now insanely high. So high, you may as well junk the car rather than have any major repair done. A shop wanted $4000 to fix the transmission on my daughter's 2004 Ford Focus. We junked it and bought a 2016 Kia Rio for $5000.
Nice! You don’t see many of those celebrities anymore. I think cash for clunkers took so many cars off the road. It is sad that shop prices have gotten so expensive it makes owning an older vehicle even harder if you aren’t diy everything.
I bought a 2004 Kia optima with 103,000 for 400.00 bucks. 5sp car looked like somebody couldn't drive in the snow every panel was dented what sold me interior looked showroom new.dude sole it because had a bad coil running on 3 at low rpm if reved it 4 kick in replace coil drove it for 6-7. Years hardy touches it oil changes tires had CV clicking replaced both.Struts all 4 supper cheap then I went after the timing belt. That's when it went downhill It's 0 reference motor got 4 or 5 timing marks all have to be dead nuts or your bending valves thats what happened sold car to scraper for 225.00 got value for my 400 investment
I have a 13 year old vehicle I bought new and paid off long ago. I can afford to buy a new one and pay cash for it but like you, I like to save money and really do like my older well maintained vehicle. Yes things break from time to time but I just order the parts and fix it. Thanks for a good video.
@@jivepatrol6833 it’s a solid plan! Thanks for watching
Life is too short for car payments.
Sometimes you have to pay for repairs but not all repairs require immediate and ongoing attention like a car payment does.
@@ultraneight exactly!
New cars scare me. After purchasing a Hyundai (ugh), I just bite the bullet and keep fixing my old ass truck
My condolences for buying that Hyudai
Bought a 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 4x4 in 2005 for $5500. It had 119K on the ticker. Retired it in 2018 due to excessive rust. Powertrain was still sound. Had 265K on it. Total of purchase price and unscheduled repairs was still under ten grand, or less than $770 per year ($65 per month, no money down).
Now, I'm driving a 2000 Dodge Dakota purchased in January of 2018 for $3800 with 114K on it. Today, it has 183K on it and has had about $1800 in unscheduled repairs. This amounts to $800 per year (January 2025) or $67 per month.
I'm also driving what was my wife's 2003 PT Cruiser. She bought it in 2011 with 75K on it, for $7,000. She upgraded from it in 2020 and I decided to keep it. Today, it has 177K on it and has incurred about $2700 in unscheduled repairs. That adds up to just under $65 per month over thirteen years and 100K miles.
I seem to be hanging in a pretty consistent range.
Cars have become too complicated and people have become too soft.
Stay frosty, spannerheads!
Great video! I own a 2004 Toyota Camry. 252,000 miles. Interior looks like the day I bought it 20 years ago. A/C still works great. The only components mechanically that I have replaced is the coil packs and spark plugs. I do all of my own maintenance, brakes, oil changes, air filters, etc. It does burn a quart of oil every 1,000 miles. Shocks need replacing. The car has been paid off since 2007. I would not sell this car even for $10,000.00 because I could not replace it with anything that is as reliable as this car has been.
@@sammyelliott5554 thanks for watching and great car! At 252k miles you got plenty of mileage left!
Amen to having a paid off car especially since most of the vehicles made today either are garbage or or spy on you
@@frommyangel thanks to Lexis Nexus most cars now a days know exactly what you’re doing at all times.
Finding one that has been well cared for can be a challenge, I'm on Subaru number two, first one was a 3 year old used car with a good history & serviced on time every time, it served me very well from 95 to 2014, it was traded on a brand new Forester, it too is serviced on time & everything is done regardless of low mileage, don't wait for the oil to go black & inspect the dipstick & coolant levels every week or two at least & take note of the colour. Oil is cheaper than gear boxes, engines & centre & rear differentials.Keeping it under cover helps too of course & we don't have winter road salting.
@@creditelectric nice! Is your Forester a manual or automatic transmission? Which Subaru did you have from 95 to 2014? What was the biggest repair you had during that ownership?
I have a paid off car. It’s a good feeling.
That it is! What type of car do you have?
@@atpgarageatl ct200h Lexus.
@@CaseyLouis Nice!
Preventative maintenance is crucial for maintaining a vehicle. Most people won't even check the fluids or air in the tires. They drive until the radio no longer drowns out the loud noises.
When someone says a new vehicle is $30,000 - its actually far worse.
Car $30,000
Warranty $4,000
Gap insurance $1,000
Finance charges $8,000 😮
You forgot insurance. In some places insurance is as much as the payment.
@quademasters249 definitely
@@quademasters249Or more. My insurance for a 2017 Lexus was $550 a momth when financed and now its $350/month now with just liability . When I financed my payment was $340 per month.
How is it that ALL insurances are able to charge that amount of money to subscribe to you using YOUR OWN vehicle?
Exactly! The price of the car is only part of the equation. Plus consumable items are usually not covered by the warranty so you still have maintenance costs to factor in on top of everything else.
@@atpgarageatl You deleted my comment? Awesome
I just had my 01 Suburban tranny rebuilt for $3k. I spend a year look for my gen 1 Tundra & paid cash. Both will get me down the road another 150K miles. Money well spent. 👍👍Thanks for the video.
@@ccsmith2937 thank you and nice rides! What type of trans is in your suburban? Did that come with the 4L60?
@@atpgarageatl yep. I ask my mechanic how the motor was before I rebuilt it & he told me these years of Vortex motors go to 300-450k he sees in the shop. He encouraged the tranny rebuild.
@@ccsmith2937 those can easily do that amount of mileage as long as they are maintained.
My 10 year old Corolla is paid off with 61k miles on it. I’m good
Sometimes those cheaper replacement parts just don't have the same longevity as OEM. Especially with alternators it may not pay off to cheap out if you plan to keep the car. Thanks for the videos!
@@hindflight agreed it’s best to buy oem when possible. Thanks for watching!
TBH, only people with basic mechanical skills, tools, and a place to work on cars should be driving these old cars and trucks. It also helps having an alternate means of transportation. My newest car (and daily driver) is 20 years old, but I’d never recommend it to anyone who isn’t comfortable changing out an alternator in a McDonald’s parking lot.
An old car can sometimes help you lose your job too :) I remember the days when buying re-tread 13" tires for my ride cost me more than a weeks wages. And anything more complicated - without a garage to work on it in - in the middle of winter? You might go weeks taking the bus (waiting to save up for the part needed and a window in the weather when you can actually get underneath it) - that's IF you have bus service in the area. If you're a student who has to work too, it may be more cost effective to make payments on that $18K Nissan Versa, and get to where you need to be before the warranty runs out - it may be more economically prudent so you can eventually get that job that gets you out of that hole. Then you can think about maybe owning two older cars - one daily and one backup. It all depends on personal circumstances.
@@ivantuma7969 personal circumstances definitely play a huge role in this. I just advocate avoid going into a ton of debt for a vehicle. If you have to take on a loan make sure you have a plan.
Owning a newer, tech-bloated vehicle today beyond the warranty period is risky. Quality/reliability isn't what it used to be (even for companies like Toyota/Honda I have discovered) & repairs are $$$$$, with so many different things that can go wrong. Even under warranty, automakers have trouble properly diagnosing & fixing problems in their tech-bloated garbage.
@@oligarchy-usa agreed. As we have seen recently even the mighty Toyota has made big mistakes with their new cars like the new tundras blowing up engines
Had my beater coming up to five years now, a £500 Alfa 147 is definitely not the default choice but so far my costs have been: rear brakes & top suspension arms (£120) when I first got it, then recently front brakes, new front shocks & bottom suspension arms (£300) plus yearly oil & filter (£20) not too bad to own an Italian classic with gorgeous red leather, great fuel economy, & puts a smile on my face every day, fantastic!
@@jacklee7104 that’s awesome! Hard to put a price on an affordable car that’s fun to drive
Paid off when purchased and running super strong after 17 years. Maint. is key plus NOT driving like a crazed lunatic.
And I just watched Cannonball Run!!!LOL😁
@@craigpennington1251 what make and model car do you have?
I bought a brand new Camaro in 2000. Still using it as my daily driver 24 years later. It has a 3800 V6 with 226,000 miles on it. I’ve always used synthetic oil and the engine has never been taken apart, runs great and still gets 30 mpg. The car has T-tops and a 5-speed manual transmission, which are all but extinct now. There are very few new cars that I would trade my car straight up for, let alone pay $40,000.
@@p4277 those are fun cars! Are you able to still buy parts for the car? I’ve noticed GM has started discontinuing parts even on newer cars.
Same. Except my new Camaro is an SS with the v8. Love this car. It is my summer car up here in MI with almost 80 gran on her. Zero maintainence so far other than tires and batteries and fluid changes.
@@jefffoster3557 nice! I need to add a V8 to my fleet at some point.
Wtf was this video
You make some good points. What I do is buy a new car that's highly reliable (2003 Tacoma), do regular maintenance, and keep it for many years. That old truck saves me a lot of money compared to a new car or truck. My next new vehicle will be either Toyota or Honda. I plan on keeping that for 12 to 15 years.
@@kenfrank2730 that’s a solid plan and a great truck.
Thinks tacomas are reliable 😂
@@MidnightPolaris800 They are. They have a long, proven track record of reliability. The early 00s gens had issues with rust, which Toyota eventually recalled and provided people with new frames.
Older, paid off cars are absolutely fine IF you know what to buy. Chevy, Ford, Dodge were worthless junk when new so they are eliminated immediately. European cars are just expensive nightmares and wholely unreliable. Early 2000's Toyotas that have been carefully owned and driven are the pot of gold. Nissans are crap, all of them. Newer KIA and Mazda are worth considering if lower milage. I buy nothing but Toyotas with rebuilt titles at super prices. Because of that, I have been able to easily afford cars for all 3 kids and still retire at 62. Maintenance has been no worse than normal.
@@rizzodrat3076 that’s awesome! I agree modern Nissans are not great but the older ones sub 2005 were great. The old maximas of the 90s would run forever.
Happy to be driving my 2002, manual transmission Saturn S car. Recently got 42 mpg on a mostly highway trip.
@@TheMrAshley2010 that’s awesome! You don’t see many Saturns on the road anymore.
I just found this channel. You might have found a good niche here. Owning a car. One that is licenced, insured and fit to drive. Not buying it. Not selling it. Not chasing fashion. Trying not to get ripped off and getting ripped off anyway and moving on from that. We should all have a service bay in our house that is not clogged with hord. Buy tools without worrying too much about the cost because one or two repairs will pay for them. Scream complaint about the government body even suggesting they have rights to tell us what we can do there. The horrible state of the car industry. To get a decent car person practically has to build it themselves anyway. What car is good? what car is reliable? If you need a car that will absolutely, positively, NOT! leave you and your family stranded? Would it be better to have a new 60K techno-marvel with a suspicious engine and transmission, or a 1000 buck toyota you just rescued and refurbished with your own fingers?
Even taking all the repairs to a shop is at least half of what a new car payment is. If you do your own repairs that's just icing on the cake.
@@mrlafayette1964 very true! Especially now with the average car payment in the US at $734 per month on a new car.
having old reliable cars and no car notes is my biggest flex.
@@RomeOpalec it’s a major flex. What cars do you have?
@@atpgarageatl 98 lesabre w/3800 motor and 93 mustang 5.0
Here in Michigan seems like pickups lasts longer. The car's rust out.
I did that for a long time. Held on to my '08 Accord for 15 years! After many diy repairs but also saving thousands in car payments, the time finally came to upgrade. I got a brand new Acura. Is it worth the cost? To me, yes!! 15 years is a long time to drive the same car and I saved a lot of money for a downpayment on a new car. My new Acura will be under warranty for several years and I plan to keep it for at least 8-10 years - maybe longer if the car is driving well. I have no problem driving an old car if well maintained. But after I pay off my vehicles I save the money for a new car so I can experience the best of both worlds. Being the sole owner of a well-maintained vehicle gives you a lot of confidence on the vehicle's expected longevity. Its been a year since the purchase of my car and I'm very happy with my decision.
@@MrSupernova111 that’s a good plan and part of what I preach. I’m not opposed to new cars I’m opposed to people going into enormous amounts of debt for them. Thanks for watching!
@@atpgarageatl . For sure! Cheers!
It's a great argument for always leasing a vehicle. The only advantage to owning a car is that you can use it as collateral for a loan, if needed. You never actually own it until it's paid off anyway, and by the time you do in 5 years, you're ready for another new one. And by leasing every few years, you get to take advantage of all the new technology. And i wouldnt even consider buying an electric vehicle. If you insist on getting one because you think you're helping the environment (which you're not), you definitely need to lease it. Replacing the batteries will cost you more than the vehicle is worth.
@@cydonian0417 leasing keeps you in the payment game. The goal is to avoid payments all together and the only way to do that is to own your vehicle. While they are mostly depreciating assets you can extend the length of time of this asset with maintenance.
What’s the point of changing your car to get new tech on the dash board if the engine, transmission, chassis etc is inferior.
@@rob-fb5xs not to mention you can add new tech like CarPlay to older vehicles.
I daily a 1987 Land Cruiser. My last alternator didn't last as long as the battery, but I love it
@@MoaByte-v2z those are great vehicles!
I used to have nothing but paid for vehicles, and I have two now, a 2013 Avalon which is giving us some serious issues and a 2004 tundra that only has 140,000 miles but needs some work, oil leaks and front end parts. Yes, it can be nice to own paid off vehicles because it frees up money to go towards house repairs, vacations, hobbys and ao on. The downside is the price of parts, the time and effort to work on it and the constant worry. I just purchased a 2020 Chevrolet Colorado with the 3.6 v6. I now have payments. That being said it has relatively low miles, it is very comfortable and ut gets really good fuel mileage. I'm almost 50 years old and crawling around on the ground working on these cars with little to no room around the engine sucks. Getting onto the ground isn't the problem. It's the arthritis in my hands, my knees are shot and I get very dizzy if I lay on my back with my eyes open for too long. I now take everything to the mechanic, and with these repair bills it can get very expensive.
@@Brett235 sorry to hear the Avalon is giving you issues. Hopefully you’ve found a good honest mechanic to help out with repairs.
@@atpgarageatl oh yeah, he's good. They're all expensive especially when it comes to Toyotas but he's very thorough.
I admire those who can work on their own cars. I never learned. I just wasn’t exposed to that growing up. I know I can dive in at any time and learn but the thing is, I’m passionate about other things. My take on car ownership and transportation: it just costs money going from point a to b. No way around it. So, you’re going to lose either way. I had a car that I bought used. Drove it for 10 years. I calculated the cost over that period and found, wow, the cost was on par with buying new- and even leasing if you got a good enough deal and didn’t put more than a couple hundred bucks down.
In this one case, it was like, wow, I drove what became a beater around for a few years - no a/c, power windows broken at the end. And for maybe $2k spread over 10 years, I could have had a better, more comfortable and more reliable car. For me, that is worth $200 a year. Ok, this is one case study, a limited perspective, but something to consider when you think about how you want to lose when you buy a car.
@@philipschwartz5465 that’s a great perspective. Not everyone is interested in cars and I get that. My angle is it’s a way to save money in a world with ever increasing expenses. I’m a bit surprised a paid off car over a ten year span mathematically cost the same as having a new car payment/lease payment monthly. In those instances it’s not worth fixing those cars.
I just put new tires on my 1998 Subaru and doubled the value of the car. I have spent very little in maintenance on it and I don't hesitate to go anywhere I want to go. It could use front brake rotors at some point. The radio is crappy. Some day I'll buy one from the wrecking yard for $20. I put a new starter on it once.
@@mikefrech1123 what model Subaru do you have?
@@atpgarageatl A 1998 Forester with 255,000 miles.
@@mikefrech1123 nice!
I agree with you and believe that you are $ ahead even if you have work done by professionals. I have a 17 Acura, a 12 Ford F250 and a 09 Benz E320 and do most work, but some stuff like brakes are so annoying to me with all the dust, etc, that I just take to a shop. Sensors and other electronic replacements are very satisfying by the amount of money saved for a few hours work even using OEM parts.
@@user-lr2lg6qz4e that’s awesome and nice fleet of cars!
My wife and I together spent five years paying off all our debt. During that time, we paid off the one vehicle we had that we'd financed, and immediately sold it because it had been so problematic during owning it. We sold it for $3500 to a dealership and then the next day for $3800 bought our 2003 4Runner. At purchase, it had 213k and now today, has over 294k. That vehicle has on average, for repairs and maintenance, cost about $1100 a year. I do most of my own repairs and even with one trip to a real mechanic, this vehicle has been very reliable and never left us stranded. Yes, due to miles and age, I have replaced the alternator, some suspension and steering parts etc. Our other two vehicles are a 2004 Tundra and a 2008 Honda Pilot. Both were purchased paid in full. The Tundra in the three years I've owned it, has averaged around $1400 a year in repairs and maintenance. The Honda we just purchased 2 months ago for $3000 and I've replaced a few things including the alternator. So far, it's been my go to daily driver. The Tundra is sitting at about 241k miles and the Honda has 284k. Like the video says, maintenance is key and learning your particular vehicle. I've chosen to stick with Toyota and Honda and that has proven to work for me.
@@toyotas4ever right on and nice fleet of vehicles! Thanks for watching!
Bought my '99 Camry 4cyl in 2000, been my daily driver. 356k miles, timing belts, valve cover gasket, IAC valve / throttle body service is all it ever really needs. Change my oil as soon as it becomes very tan in color. Last year did a compression test. All cylinders equal and well within spec. Yes every few years it needs a new radiator (I can do that myself in 30 minutes if I rush). Or something else fairly minor, 2x i have replaced all the tie rod ends, struts once, cooling fan motors once, a few bulbs, flasher unit once. Most everything besides the timing belt and tie rod ends, I do myself and its not a pain in the ass to work on. Yet modern enough that it has a ECU and can give trouble codes (not that it ever does besides the fuel evap that has been bad for 19 years. But i am in a no emissions testing state, so I live with that code and the check engine light on with a piece of black electrical tape over it. Which means the lights not really on and there are no trouble codes! LoL... Long Live Old Toyota's, easy to work on, parts are plentiful and cheap, new or used... It's also nearly as quiet on the road as a Lexus LS430 I recently drove for a week...
@@DaveGringo that’s awesome and a great testament to what maintaining a car can do! 356k miles is awesome
Older autos have just about depreciated as much as they can. I got 2004 Lincoln town car in perfect condition, garage kept, 116,000 miles on it..$5000.00. Love it!!! Not much more to say? Same car priced on internet $1500 to $ 7500. I am old man and trip to Walmart is about it. My son can't wait to hear my will read!
Bought a 07 RAV4 with 200,000 miles for $3,400 in Oahu. Thing is awesome! 2.4 doesn’t drink hardly any oil like everyone says. Only parts so far were motor mounts only $80 for all of them.
@@Fred_Amyett that’s awesome!
2001 Tacoma 245,000 miles still going strong, 2010 Silverado 2500 236.000 miles still going strong, it’s amazing what proper vehicle maintenance can do !!
@@tboneaja amen to that and nice trucks!
2008 4Runner 4WD with 250,000 miles, bought it 6 years ago with 134,000 miles, paid $11k cash. I do all the maintenance and the minor repairs the car needed. Everything works, and I enjoying working on it. At 65, I hope to reach 500,000 miles on this 4Runner.
@@pacoromero3430 that’s awesome and you shouldn’t have any issues reaching 500k miles if you stay on top of the maintenance.
One thing I learned about having an old paid off car is never let a mechanic talk you into having them install a used engine with 75k. I did this and after 20k on the vehicle the engine went bad again. So now I'm out $5k for that engine where if I would have paid $3k more at the time I never would have ended up with a bad engine. If it was they would have had to replace it under warranty. I questioned the mecanic at the time and he said don't worry it will be fine. The only time it's fine is when it comes with a warranty.
@@briannielsen7176 every time I’ve known someone to have a shop replace an engine with a junk yard one they don’t last. You’re better off getting a rebuilt engine or scrapping the car.
@@atpgarageatl I was going to sell the truck but my wife wanted to keep it so I ended up having a different garage put in a new Jasper engine with a 3 year 100k mile warranty in this spring.
@@atpgarageatl This garage said they don't even deal with used engines anymore because of all the issues.
@@briannielsen7176 right on! I’ve heard good things about those Jasper engines. I know they supply several part chains with their rebuilds.
I have a 2008 f150 4.6 2 valve 4 speed automatic. It looks great. Other than brake pads, oil changes, and the like, I've put $700 in parts and about 15 hours of labor into it in the last 7 years. It's never left me stranded and runs perfectly. It's a blessing from God. Most people are afraid to turn a wrench these days, and new cars are complete garbage. I'm glad I had to learn when I was young.
@@briagarri275 those are good trucks. The 08 doesn’t have the spark plug issues right? I think that stopped in 07. What’s been the single most expensive repair throughout your ownership?
I own 5 cars, two of which my kids drive. The newest is a 2010 and all run excellent because I do all the maintenance myself. All 5 cost less than $40,000, have minimal insurance and parts are cheap since the models I own were produced in large numbers. I’ve saved thousands over the years and I get that new cars are nice but they’re just not made as good as they used to be.
@@risinbison1106 that’s awesome! Which vehicle is your favorite out of the fleet of cars you have?
@@atpgarageatl wife has a 2000 Porsche Boxster S that I got for $13k. Can’t beat it for fun factor and she loves it . I have a 1997 Jeep Wrangler 4.0. Both these cars are easy to work on, yes, even the Porsche. Jeep parts are cheap and junkyards have millions of them. My neighbors new truck cost TWICE as much as all 5 of my vehicles, crazy.
@@risinbison1106 that’s awesome! Good balance of fun 4x4 and fun sports car.
I have had 1 brand new car in my life. After paying for 3 years, it had dropped $40,000 in value. Even at the supposed break-even point, it was still upside down. This was a decade ago before things got REALLY crazy.
I drove it until the engine was cashiered in a flash flood. Insurance finished paying it off. I paid cash for the next car like I always had, and always will. Lesson learned. A $40k lesson.
I now drive an E70 BMW with the M57 diesel. When I first got it, yes, it was a major headache. As with a lot of used cars, the previous owner had unleashed bole weevils under the hood, and sometimes, poorly executed maintenance is worse than no maintenance.
It took about 2 months, and 4 grand to get old Betty back to spec. It was more than worth it. I totally agree that you have to cut loses if you get a bad used car, and choosing the right candidate car is of tantamount importance. Also, knowing how to do your own repairs well.
It would have cost well over $12k to have a shop do all the repairs I did to my X5 for $4k in parts. I got her well under book, and even with parts considered, I could sell her right now for more than I have in it. A built X5 35d is very popular right now.
I've driven Betty for 2 years now with zero issues. I potholed and tuned it, so I have 400HP and 600 ft lbs of torque and still get 30+ mpg with a bullet-proofed 1 million mile engine. I have no intention of selling it. It cost me less than $300/month to drive. Just fuel and liability insurance now. It runs, drives, and looks better than it did brand new. It all costs far less than just the depreciation of a new car before even considering interest on a loan or full coverage insurance, which has both gotten utterly ridiculous. No one in their right mind would buy a new car right now. It didn't make sense 10 years ago, and it definitely is insanity today. I make well over 6 figures, and there's no way I'm wasting that much money on basic transportation ever again. I'll gladly lay my stethoscope on the coffee table and spend my weekend getting greasy in the driveway. In the end, I have an arguably superior vehicle to any current offering at a very small fraction of the cost of ownership.
@@lespearson3801 that’s awesome! If you’re in the US you may want to check out FCP Euro. They provide lifetime warranties on all their parts for BMWs.
@@atpgarageatl I use them regularly. They're great!
My 2002 Honda Integra (Acura RSX for the US) is still going strong, other than the usual consumables, the alternator only died last year. Unfortunately the clear coat started peeling off a few years ago, so will probably have to look into re-painting or vinyl wrapping it to extend it's life.
@@bobojerry1798 those are fun cars and surprisingly quick for what they are.
2007 Toyota Camry XLE V6 runs like a champ here in 2024. Glad I decided to keep it even while getting newer vehicles. I’m the original owner and have taken care of, and the dividends have paid off.
@@Mike_Stramaglio excellent car! How many miles does it have on it?
@@atpgarageatl - I only have 118K on it, which is not a lot given the age of the car. The V6 engine still has the power and the spunk to get me up to speed in a hurry. I plan to keep it as long as it doesn’t give me too many issues. So far, it’s just been basic maintenance and normal wear-and-gear part replacements, as expected.
@@Mike_Stramaglio that’s awesome and at that mileage you’ll get many years of service out of it just keep up with the maintenance.
@@atpgarageatl Thanks and keep up the good work on your videos 👍🏽. Lots of good info that makes sense.
I used to own a 2007 Toyota Yaris that I bought in 2012 with a salvage title for 4K Canadian cash and this car was good to me. I did the maintenance myself and it was pennies on the dollar compared to most cars. Worst thing that happened is the alternator failed on my commute and I simply replaced it on my lunch break.
@@mathieulevasseur4082 right on! What did you replace the Yaris with?
@@atpgarageatl You might be disappointed since it's a complete opposite of my previous car: a 2017 BMW M240i.
I am planning to keep it long term and offset the running costs with doing maintenance myself.
@@mathieulevasseur4082 those are fun cars! BMWs aren’t all bad. If you take care of the weak points like the cooling system you should be good. FCP euro is the best place due to the lifetime warranty on everything. Have you had any issues since you purchased it?
12 year old diesel here. I picked the car up at a price below market value and I bought it in cash, no loans or anything. I’ve probably spent £1200ish in repairs with half of that being the EGR valve being the bulk of it and the rest going on high performance tires + OEM quality bits like wiper blades and a battery. I own the car outright with no strings attached. The climate here is harsh on cars but I wash it by hand regularly and it looks great. I will be getting any corrosion sorted before it can spread. The annual MOT helps flag up such things and cleaning the car by hand helps a lot. You absolutely can keep old cars on the road for daily use but they demand respect and a bit of TLC.
Considering I have a 700 mile (highway speeds) range and acceleration is comparable to EVs with £60k+ price tags I think modern cars are a terrible deal. They cost more to buy and more to repair. They have more points of failure and you don’t even get so much as a more comfortable chair to sit in.
Save the old cars. Look after them. The government wants them gone and replaced with either walking or with joyless appliances packed with sensors and tracking devices that rob us of the potential to enjoy driving. It’s a shame so many cars are thrown away because of consumerism. People will regret it one day and it’s coming very soon.
@@vxvii9069 agreed! Consumerism is killing us!
@@atpgarageatl 3,500ish mile oil change
Frequent cleaning by hand (cheap wax and shampoo 2 in 1 works fine)
Transmission fluid 95-100k
Repair rust before it spreads
Pressure wash underbody to remove salt buildup in winter
Don’t rag the engine while cold but don’t sit around idling it
Give it some exercise when warmed up
Profit 👍😎
Denso alternator or an Auto Zone 90 day wonder?
@@ADBLOCKER4TH-cam unfortunately it’s a re-manufactured unit from autozone as I needed to get the car back up and running at the time and they were the quickest option having it in stock same day. I’ve now gone through 3 in two years. Wish I’d just bought the Denso. The OEM Denso lasted 240k miles. In the last 25k I’ve had 3 autozone ones. Each time autozone warrantied them out due to faulty voltage regulators.
Denso, AC Delco Gold, or rebuild your current one at a reputable local shop. Replaced 3 alternators on my Honda Pilot and Odyssey in the last 3 years. The AutoZone failed, got one rebuilt locally for $120 and paid $260 for an AC Delco Gold. Both working great last few months.
@@DearSX I've always gone with OEM. Who cares if Auto Zone or NAPA gives you a lifetime warranty if you have to keep replacing it over and over? I have original Denso oxygen sensors on my 98 Tacoma with 268K miles. Try that with Bosch or some other brand. Not happening. Same for the u joints. Never been replaced. Just greased liberally over the past two plus decades. I expect an alternator to go for YEARS. Same for the water pump, a/c compressor and power steering pump. Or let's say I measure the performance of the replacement unit by the original one.
@@DearSX where did you purchase the AcDelco gold?
Exactly what I was thinking!
Got an 02 f150 and an 08 VW jetta. Rebuilt transmissions in both. Regular maintenance and oil changes have kept them going strong. Cheaper than a car note 📝.
@@JoseDiaz-rh2vp nice! That F150 will run forever. What engine is in the Jetta?
@@atpgarageatl It's the 2.5 liter, 5 cylinder.
@@JoseDiaz-rh2vp nice!
474,000 miles on my 03 Grand Marquis, I've owned it since 86,000 miles and in the family from day one, original engine, transmission, axle, front end, pw windows, all original, has had a H2O pump, alternator, 1 alignment, 1 intake manifold, 1 AC pump...one thing I have run into now that my car is "old" is harassment by the police. 10 cars can drive by, but they pull out and pass others to get behind me, pull me over at night, never a ticket, but a disadvantage of older cars is police harassments. I have cops in my family and they even do this bx 95% of the time old "big cars" out at night have no insurance, drugs, alcohol, and warrants, etc.
@@freddyhollingsworth5945 impressive mileage!
I have a Suzuki Vitara that I bought new in 1991 and is still a reliable runabout today its my my go to car for runs to the shops or leaving in car parks all the regular maintenance consumables are inexpensive and its simple DIY
@@kisbushcraftdownunder nice! It’s always good to have the runabout car. Park at the shops are airports and not worry about door dings.
@@atpgarageatl Getting my new car dented when parked drives me crazy I just had my new Landcruiser Troopy damaged at my local shops, a very expensive carton of milk 😩
@@kisbushcraftdownunder ah that stinks! That’s my fear. No matter how far away I park I always find someone parked beside me when I leave a store.
I have a 86 Lincoln TownCar. Have owned it for 4 years. 1 wheelbearing replacement & oil changes. That is it. Looking at a 77 Thunderbird that is in pretty good condition. Both cars will last me the rest of my life with little to no issues.
@@richardisner3671 both are awesome cars. Those Lincoln town cars have the seats that feel like you’re driving a lazy boy recliner.
A new car may require maintenance but the worst part is the dealership has to manage the "warranty" repairs and it can be weeks before you get your car back.
BTW that full coverage insurance isn't working necessary when you own your own car.
@@iceman9678 very true about the warranty.
Im in the uk and at last have vehicles all paid for a 15yrs old mazda mx5 with only 14k on clock use most days to and from work by my wife she loves it i have a 15yr old vw t5 van/camper 160k on clock both these vehicles are maintained religiously also a suv vauxhall thats a low mileage run about that we bought mainly to get mother around in because she struggles getting in out of cars, all paid for and collectively didn't cost as much as 1 brand new suv ,weve wasted shed loads of money on cars but things more steady for last 9 years , maintenance is the key as soon as something goes wrong repair before it gets a bigger repair ?
@@grahamshaw9316 The MX5 is a great car. I’m curious, in the UK do they require safety and emissions checks on older vehicles?
@@atpgarageatl it's what's called an M.O.T. test here it's a general all over safety and emissions test on all cars over 3 yrs old ?
@@grahamshaw9316 Interesting! We have some states here in the US that have a similar process. Most places either only require emissions or nothing at all. It's kind of surprising. Do you feel the UK will continue to allow older vehicles on the road? It seems like we are headed to a place that could make it extremely hard to own an old car in the future.
It's getting more expensive with the road tax each year ,they really pushing the electric cars but it'll be years before petrol and diesel becomes a minority I hope they transition slowly and let it happen gradually , people need cars for all sorts of reasons and many can't afford to buy electric cars too dam expensive and our infrastructure is woeful