My new econobox! (2000 Kia Sephia 1.8I4 16V DOHC 5 Speed)

[dirtydave]

I am kinda torn. I like this POS ... I really do. I love driving a car that most people would have scrapped a while ago.

And my wallet tells me to keep it. I still have an unknown thing dragging. Wait until I start getting pay checks in and I can take it to a shop and have them fix what ever is dragging.

Cv axle? Wheel bearing? rear wheel bearing? Unbalanced tires? I don't know. I don't drive too much ATM. My new commute will be 22 miles round trip of 45MPH. 6 days a week. so i will need a car. ( I start on friday)

At least I fixed the starting problem (coil packs, 0-20 oil) and got my group24 mounted in and she does start first crank.
I will fix it. I am just in over my head and not sure where to go or what to do...
I have been unemployed for ~3 months so yeah the stack of bills is high.


I would love to say fukk it and get a 15' Mirage. But I think not. I don't think I will. I can fix all the problems on her with what two payments would be on that. Not to mention increased insurance and a fat downpayment.

Yeah I think I will fix it. Why not.
I love the screeching of the alternator belt, 3KRPM P&G , the subpar blower motor, the lack of power steering, house speakers in the back seat, the way the rain will leak into the car and get the seats all wet, or drip on my shoulder like some korean water torture, I love the weak brakes that I never use, The blown motor mounts, 75PSI junkyard tires, the slide lock holding the glove box shut, zipties holding the dash together, taking it to the valet parking at rams head live, never having to lock the doors and leaving the keys in it, playing bump-scrape with the crownvic's in the city, holding up traffic, going 45 in a 55. pissing off white america, going into the city and bumping wu-tang. never buying gas, the list goes on...

I love this car too much to give it up. Its like stockholm syndrome.

How do you un-retire a vehicle? Yeah I need to do that.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by dirtydave

I love this car too much to give it up. Its like stockholm syndrome

Comment of the Day right there!

[jcp123]

That is indeed a great line!

I kind of feel the same way about the Echo. It's paid for and excellently reliable, so I'm happy to toss parts at it as needed and take care of little issues here and there. But the car is so beat up that any catastrophic failures will send it to the junkyard - I'll never get much more than $1000 out of it no matter what.

I kind of almost wish I had a need to buy a car - found a nice '03 Camry LE (base model, I think) with stick (!) and that luscious dark green I like on these. Only 121k miles for $5400. Bet I could use stick against them and bargain it to $5k?

[Fat Charlie]

No. Stick is worthless to a wholesaler, but an individual looking to buy it already knows how to drive it. Can you see someone in your driveway saying "I haven't the foggiest idea how it works, so can you knock off a couple hundred bucks?"

[dirtydave]

Cash talks brother... go show up with a smile and $5k cash!

[dirtydave]

[MetroMPG]

It's alive?

[dirtydave]

Yep, had a bad brake caliper.

[dirtydave]

I need to take the front bumper off to remove the AC parts / power steering and make a better grill block / air dam, install extra high beam lights.

Think it would be a good idea to wire up the AC fan to turn on the same time as the cooling fan?

[dirtydave]

New blind spot mirror.

And don't worry the car in front of me will be gone later so I can roll out