Large repair on recently-purchased 99 Outback Sport

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

I agree that is very possible - isn't it a little pessimistic,
though ?
I've had much better luck than that with many of my used cars,
and I wouldn't consider the luck I've had to be an example of
"great"... that is, I've definitely had my share of problems, and
probably more than my share - even so, I wouldn't characterize
things that negatively...




Fair enough - you're talking about the opportunity cost. I understand
how that works, but the reality doesn't seem that simple. I agree
that
the worst-case scenario definitely shines favorably on buying new,
but reality lies somewhere between worst-case and best-case, typically
at a point difficult to discern, which is why I'm asking for opinions.




Good point - thanks for pointing that out...




That would pay off only if the money you have to
put into it ends up being less than the sum of a
more expensive car (presumably in better shape)
and the money you'd have to put into _it_ to get
to an equivalent state of "wellness". This is really
at the core of the insight I'm requesting - where is
the point at which I am likely to pass from the
"bought-for-X-amount-and-spent-Y-on-repairs"
being reasonable to it being unreasonable. I don't
think its trivial to make generalizations about it...

I have had many used and 4 new cars. There are advantages both ways.
BUT, you never really have a 'new' car do you? The dealer does, but
yours is used the instant you take delivery. It depreciates by thousands
instantly. AND you may very well be shelling out 300-400 dollars each
and every month for 5 years even though it is running perfectly. Even a
1200 dollar repair once a year is cheaper than that!

Carl

 

[bigjim]

On a new car one may have payments for 4 or five years . However, the
warranty coverages insulates from a major repair and since you are
paying the same each month its easier to budget than say "I need $3000
for a new tranny this week!" Depreciation is meaningless if a car is
kept past payments. I usually keep a car for 8 years so I get 3 or
for payment free years and I have a car I know the history of. Once
major repairs or constant repairs crop up its time to get a new
vehicle. Whatever I earn on the car is all mine and makes a nice down
payment.

 

[aztek]

OK, so I finally got in touch with CCR, and here's what
they can do for me:

New motor: $2895 + $200 shipping
(shipping includes core return)

I talked to the owner, who was kind enough to
listen to my story and give me some advice.
She said that it is very rare for a valve guide
to drop on this model of motor, but not unheard-of.
She would tend to believe a Subaru dealership
mechanic if he said he pulled the Y-pipe, looked
in, and could see the valve guide had moved,
but she wouldn't feel good about repairing it.
Apparently, the head assembly is complicated
enough that a replacement is the best approach,
but replacing just the head, while expensive,
isn't good enough - it will be out-of-balance
compression-wise, and it won't be a matter
of "if", but "when" a variety of problems start
again. She said she would only trust a
mechanic intimately familiar with Subaru
motors, and even then would replace
more than just the head (I don't remember
all the details, but she mentioned the
"bottom" as well).

They do a 3-yr / 36K-mile warranty, and she
said that if their motors ever have problems,
its almost certainly in the first 20K miles, so
its covered - pretty much never after that.