People aways look at what is currently happening and quickly forget the past and don't consider the future.
The wagon is paid for. Yes it is currently soaking up some money for fixes, but what about after the fixes are completed correctly? Many years of trouble free and payment free life.
Yes, the wagon might set you back $1000 now, but after that $1K, what's next? You buy a car that you'll have to make payments on, it is going to cost you way more than a $1K initial payment. Then what happens when that new/used vehicle needs repairs? It gets compounded with the payments/ins/repair bill.
If you still like the wagon and still like being seen in the wagon, then I'd suggest sticking with it. Moving away from the wagon for financial reasons is an invalid reason, IMO.
People aways look at what is currently happening and quickly forget the past and don't consider the future.
The wagon is paid for. Yes it is currently soaking up some money for fixes, but what about after the fixes are completed correctly? Many years of trouble free and payment free life.
Yes, the wagon might set you back $1000 now, but after that $1K, what's next? You buy a car that you'll have to make payments on, it is going to cost you way more than a $1K initial payment. Then what happens when that new/used vehicle needs repairs? It gets compounded with the payments/ins/repair bill.
If you still like the wagon and still like being seen in the wagon, then I'd suggest sticking with it. Moving away from the wagon for financial reasons is an invalid reason, IMO.
The previous vehicle I drove cost more every time it went into the shop than my Wagon cost to buy. For what that cost me I could have bought used civics, driven the hell out of them, abandoned them on the side of the road when the first trouble showed up four or five times over AND STILL be in better shape financially than with an aging US made minivan. And that is not mentioning what the car payment and full coverage insurance cost.
Make mine Civic.
And about that horse-hockey about a car from twenty years ago not being as "safe" as a newer car, well, let's say I don't agree. The single most important thing to safety in any car is the driver's attitude and awareness.
Coming from a guy that owns both a wagon and a CRV, i will just simply say the CRV is a great car, and i love it to death. However, its no wagon! If you never drove one before, i suggest you do so before to make sure you like it
Either way, i would SELL the PT, and get a Honda. Like the other members on here mentioned, the wagon is most likely the most cost effective (and fun) that you'll have.
It's great hearing from everyone. It's always encouraging to have other rally around you. Gonna get the garage cleaned up and demo and dry wall out this week. Then going to bring the car home and work on it. I have a friend that is gonna come down and give me his opinion on it. Either way I would have the wagon in my garage sometime this upcoming weekend. If I'm keeping her I need to get a home for the PT quick!
My buddy is coming by to pickup all the left over dry wall and lumber outta our garage from the remodel.
Then I need to make room for her to be worked on.
I am planning on picking her up one evening this week or this upcoming weekend.
My good friend that is amazing with Hondas is gonna come over and help my tear into her and access all that she needs.
My big hurdle is getting the PT gone.
I have it for sale locally for $4500 which i way under book and should meet my payoff, these cars are just hard to sell and it being a 5-speed narrows the market even more.
Aiming for saturday or sunday to get the wagon to the house on account of not getting any work on the garage last night and having company over for dinner tonight.
Pictures will be posted at the beginning on the week if I get her this weekend.
Thanks for following this thread, i'm very excited and I think my wife is warming up to the idea.
My sister gave me a Birthday card years ago that said:
"Guess What?"
Then on the inside it said "Chicken Butt"
Which is AWESOME, but I guess that depends on your expectations.
Sunday at 9 oclock in the pooring rain we set out, she died once not a mile from my In-law's.
Had to drag him down the hill in the rain to jump her.
I started not to trust her so I was given a proper escort home, with my wife up front in her prius and my fatherinlaw in the rear in his new f150.
She smoked like a diesel, barely had enough power to make it up hills (probably on account of the fact that she is running at least a quart of oil too much! And the spark plug channel for the 2nd cylinder keeps filling with oil... oh my)
By the time we hit the highway she cleared up smoking, but her temperature gauge was almost in the red, so we kept our speed down around 40-45 in a 55 in hopes of making the next 15 mins home without blowing her up.
I felt like Richard Hammond on Top Gears cheap car challenge, I remember just begging the Wagon to make it, reminding her of all she had been through and her obvious will to live.
Now within 5 mins of home and off the highway she was in the red on the temp gauge with no odd smells mind you but I felt like if we made it was only going to be barely.
Had to stop at one more stop sign and she almost died, pulling out she trembled and had no power, then she hit, spark, and off she went!
I yelled "Go little donkey, good little donkey!" (reference Richard Hammond Top Gear) as I pulled her into the alleyway to park her behind the garage.
Felt like victory, I was over the moon.
Snaped this picture this morning with my phone, seems kinda surreal having her at my house.
Hope to clean up the Garage a bit tonight to get her in there to first drain some oil off of her then start inventorying problems.
Thanks for sticking with my guys... this picture may not be much but I humbly submit it as promised as a thank you for always being encouraging, for letting me vent and bring back my dormant thread... here she is for a 3rd time, here she is.
Felt like work just getting it home, I feel like I need a nap ;-)
Also talked to a buddy, he wants me to pull the engine and do everything and priced me $1500 in work and parts... I intend to be much thriftier about any type of mechanical rebuild than that... we shall see I will update as I figure things out.
My 4 year old son has been a big encourager with the wagon.
It's 90% of what he talks about.
Last night he helped me sit out the ramps for when the wagon is put in the garage.
He also helped me pull the battery using his tool set and hook it up to the battery charger.
He was so upset when we couldn't pull the wagon into the garage but thats what we will work on tonight.
Battery was fully charged this morning so I took it off the charger and I explained to him on the way to school that we would need his tools again to install the battery and that he could sit on my lap and help me drive it into the garage and up onto the ramps.
More updates to come, will try and get a crappy cell phone pic at least tonight.
Wish us luck, need to get all this extra oil drained off of her before anything else.
It's alive!
Bub's and I got the wagon in the garage and up on the ramps.
We cleaned up the oil on the plugs, double checked the dip stick and drained over a quart of oil outta her.
Now she is right below the full marker, geez, actually had the do the same thing last time I got her back. Nothing like the first time your child locates the drain bolt on the oil pan to make a daddy's heart skip a beat!
Bubs and I pulled the plugs, two of which were really locked in there.
All four were absolutely soaked in oil, blah...
I can see with a flashlight down into the 2nd cylinder from the dizzy and it has oil in it, the rest look ok, probably was burning it faster than it was leaking on those.
Bubs wasnt having it not being able to start the wagon, so we picked up so super cheapo walmart plugs and fired her up.
Didn't sound too bad and wasn't smoking much at all, so we called it a night friday.
Got to run out and mess around again late sunday night.
Started her up, was gonna let her burn some oil off that one cylinder, not much smoke going on oddly enough.
So I poped the radiator cap off before she got warm and started adding coolant...
Then she started pooring white smoke!
We've got ourselves and blown head gasket for sure, so I called it a night.
Time to regroup.
At this point, and I'm sure this is what everyone has been waiting to hear, I plan on keeping her and rebuilding.
New pistons, rings, bearings, gaskets, timing belt, water pump, the works.
Probably best that the PT hasn't sold yet.
Will need transportation while I'm rebuilding her.
Want to start the tear down this week.
I hope to post a few shots during the work.
Thanks again for the encouragement, i'll probably need somemore soon.
Hoping to get some feedback from everyone.
Began the tear down on the motor last night (sorry it took so long but the flu got me and kicked my butt)
Anyway, I'm trying to decide for sure what course of action to take, here are the options:
1. Tear down and partial rebuild with honda oem parts and have the block rebuilt with rings and bearings and new head studs $ 969 (fingers crossed the head isn't cracked, warp or valve work needing done)
2. Do the same but with aftermarket parts and kits for a discount and also new pistons with the rings and bearings and new head studs $ 520 (same as above, fingers crossed the head isn't cracked, warp or valve work needing done)
3. Buy a sohc ZC jdm motor with low miles and bolt it on $ 818 (shipping included)
Just trying to see what others would do in my situation and why, the motor currently has 235k miles on it.
My plans after it's running right are to replace the front struts, service the transmission, paint and bodywork, then work on the ac.
Let me know, just bouncing ideas back and forth over here.
If it was my money and all else being equal I'd be planning on option 2 and trying to find out how I could afford option 3. Since I'm not a Honda OEM fetishist I probably wouldn't be considering option 1.
If it was my money and all else being equal I'd be planning on option 2 and trying to find out how I could afford option 3. Since I'm not a Honda OEM fetishist I probably wouldn't be considering option 1.
I'm with you on that, quality aftermarket is the only thing that makes sense given buying another complete motor is a good amount less expensive.
Might do option 3...
Haha, well my intial thoughts were the same but that motor is more expensive and the single slinger will fit better with no exhaust mods, but i've had a dohc zc car before and it was a pretty great motor though very thirsty :-) or was that my right foot, sometimes i call my foot 'motor' by mistake
Should only be a couple hundred more? Regardless, option 3 then. Keep it original, all the way. As good as rebuilds are and all, nothing beats original factory.
glad to see this lil red wagon back into your hands ....
ive decided im not selling Scrappy for any amount of cash ...
Good for you my friend, it's been a wild ride having the wagon selling it buying it back working on it selling it buying it back now working on it...
Haha, man just reading that... I've really got some issues...
Anxious to have her up and running with the new motor, called the company this morning, they were super helpful, might order it this weekend, need to find an engine hoist...
That said there is no big hurry here, she's safe in the garage and the funds are there whenever, my buddy that was gonna help me is gonna be outta town for 2 weeks so I might hold off for a bit.
Comments
The wagon is paid for. Yes it is currently soaking up some money for fixes, but what about after the fixes are completed correctly? Many years of trouble free and payment free life.
Yes, the wagon might set you back $1000 now, but after that $1K, what's next? You buy a car that you'll have to make payments on, it is going to cost you way more than a $1K initial payment. Then what happens when that new/used vehicle needs repairs? It gets compounded with the payments/ins/repair bill.
If you still like the wagon and still like being seen in the wagon, then I'd suggest sticking with it. Moving away from the wagon for financial reasons is an invalid reason, IMO.
Make mine Civic.
And about that horse-hockey about a car from twenty years ago not being as "safe" as a newer car, well, let's say I don't agree. The single most important thing to safety in any car is the driver's attitude and awareness.
Either way, i would SELL the PT, and get a Honda. Like the other members on here mentioned, the wagon is most likely the most cost effective (and fun) that you'll have.
Peace!
If you had to choose between the two it would be for aesthetic reasons only. They are on the same pedestal in my eyes.
My buddy is coming by to pickup all the left over dry wall and lumber outta our garage from the remodel.
Then I need to make room for her to be worked on.
I am planning on picking her up one evening this week or this upcoming weekend.
My good friend that is amazing with Hondas is gonna come over and help my tear into her and access all that she needs.
My big hurdle is getting the PT gone.
I have it for sale locally for $4500 which i way under book and should meet my payoff, these cars are just hard to sell and it being a 5-speed narrows the market even more.
Also fixed two bikes that had flats.
Hopefully will be making more room tonight or tomorrow.
Anxious for the weekend to hopefully get the wagon in the garage.
Will post pix if I do.
Pictures will be posted at the beginning on the week if I get her this weekend.
Thanks for following this thread, i'm very excited and I think my wife is warming up to the idea.
"Guess What?"
Then on the inside it said "Chicken Butt"
Which is AWESOME, but I guess that depends on your expectations.
Sunday at 9 oclock in the pooring rain we set out, she died once not a mile from my In-law's.
Had to drag him down the hill in the rain to jump her.
I started not to trust her so I was given a proper escort home, with my wife up front in her prius and my fatherinlaw in the rear in his new f150.
She smoked like a diesel, barely had enough power to make it up hills (probably on account of the fact that she is running at least a quart of oil too much! And the spark plug channel for the 2nd cylinder keeps filling with oil... oh my)
By the time we hit the highway she cleared up smoking, but her temperature gauge was almost in the red, so we kept our speed down around 40-45 in a 55 in hopes of making the next 15 mins home without blowing her up.
I felt like Richard Hammond on Top Gears cheap car challenge, I remember just begging the Wagon to make it, reminding her of all she had been through and her obvious will to live.
Now within 5 mins of home and off the highway she was in the red on the temp gauge with no odd smells mind you but I felt like if we made it was only going to be barely.
Had to stop at one more stop sign and she almost died, pulling out she trembled and had no power, then she hit, spark, and off she went!
I yelled "Go little donkey, good little donkey!" (reference Richard Hammond Top Gear) as I pulled her into the alleyway to park her behind the garage.
Felt like victory, I was over the moon.
Snaped this picture this morning with my phone, seems kinda surreal having her at my house.
Hope to clean up the Garage a bit tonight to get her in there to first drain some oil off of her then start inventorying problems.
Thanks for sticking with my guys... this picture may not be much but I humbly submit it as promised as a thank you for always being encouraging, for letting me vent and bring back my dormant thread... here she is for a 3rd time, here she is.
Felt like work just getting it home, I feel like I need a nap ;-)
Also talked to a buddy, he wants me to pull the engine and do everything and priced me $1500 in work and parts... I intend to be much thriftier about any type of mechanical rebuild than that... we shall see I will update as I figure things out.
Do work yourself, son! Haha
It's 90% of what he talks about.
Last night he helped me sit out the ramps for when the wagon is put in the garage.
He also helped me pull the battery using his tool set and hook it up to the battery charger.
He was so upset when we couldn't pull the wagon into the garage but thats what we will work on tonight.
Battery was fully charged this morning so I took it off the charger and I explained to him on the way to school that we would need his tools again to install the battery and that he could sit on my lap and help me drive it into the garage and up onto the ramps.
More updates to come, will try and get a crappy cell phone pic at least tonight.
Wish us luck, need to get all this extra oil drained off of her before anything else.
Agreed, I have not intensions of doing what he proposed, it's a complete rebuild with top shelf components, talk about budget buster!
Bub's and I got the wagon in the garage and up on the ramps.
We cleaned up the oil on the plugs, double checked the dip stick and drained over a quart of oil outta her.
Now she is right below the full marker, geez, actually had the do the same thing last time I got her back.
Nothing like the first time your child locates the drain bolt on the oil pan to make a daddy's heart skip a beat!
All four were absolutely soaked in oil, blah...
I can see with a flashlight down into the 2nd cylinder from the dizzy and it has oil in it, the rest look ok, probably was burning it faster than it was leaking on those.
Bubs wasnt having it not being able to start the wagon, so we picked up so super cheapo walmart plugs and fired her up.
Didn't sound too bad and wasn't smoking much at all, so we called it a night friday.
Got to run out and mess around again late sunday night.
Started her up, was gonna let her burn some oil off that one cylinder, not much smoke going on oddly enough.
So I poped the radiator cap off before she got warm and started adding coolant...
Then she started pooring white smoke!
We've got ourselves and blown head gasket for sure, so I called it a night.
Time to regroup.
New pistons, rings, bearings, gaskets, timing belt, water pump, the works.
Probably best that the PT hasn't sold yet.
Will need transportation while I'm rebuilding her.
Want to start the tear down this week.
I hope to post a few shots during the work.
Thanks again for the encouragement, i'll probably need somemore soon.
Began the tear down on the motor last night (sorry it took so long but the flu got me and kicked my butt)
Anyway, I'm trying to decide for sure what course of action to take, here are the options:
1. Tear down and partial rebuild with honda oem parts and have the block rebuilt with rings and bearings and new head studs $ 969 (fingers crossed the head isn't cracked, warp or valve work needing done)
2. Do the same but with aftermarket parts and kits for a discount and also new pistons with the rings and bearings and new head studs $ 520 (same as above, fingers crossed the head isn't cracked, warp or valve work needing done)
3. Buy a sohc ZC jdm motor with low miles and bolt it on $ 818 (shipping included)
Just trying to see what others would do in my situation and why, the motor currently has 235k miles on it.
My plans after it's running right are to replace the front struts, service the transmission, paint and bodywork, then work on the ac.
Let me know, just bouncing ideas back and forth over here.
DOHC ZC.
End story!
I'm with you on that, quality aftermarket is the only thing that makes sense given buying another complete motor is a good amount less expensive.
Might do option 3...
You WILL need to rework the head. that adds 3-350 to any rebuild option. Last I checked around here you could get a d for 600.
glad to see this lil red wagon back into your hands ....
ive decided im not selling Scrappy for any amount of cash ...
Good for you my friend, it's been a wild ride having the wagon selling it buying it back working on it selling it buying it back now working on it...
Haha, man just reading that... I've really got some issues...
Anxious to have her up and running with the new motor, called the company this morning, they were super helpful, might order it this weekend, need to find an engine hoist...
That said there is no big hurry here, she's safe in the garage and the funds are there whenever, my buddy that was gonna help me is gonna be outta town for 2 weeks so I might hold off for a bit.