Car Advice

[The Wizard of Moz]

Need some car advice. Very important right off the bat I hate cars. I view it entirely as an expense thing and there isn’t a car out there that I could “fall in love with.” The entirety of the decisions I want to make are pretty much only based on cost and reliability

So the situation is my car broke down twice last week. It’s a 2007 Honda CRV with 160K miles on it. First time it broke down I was on the highway and came to a stop because of a lane closure. I went to get in the other lane and when I hit the gas, nothing. Didn’t move. Turned the car on and off and it was stalling out starting.

Took it to the shop. They said I was extremely low on oil and needed a new starter. Got refilled and a new starter but they said to keep an eye on it because they weren’t able to replicate an oil leak so they weren’t entirely sure what was going on

Next day drive probably 8 miles and when I get out smoke is coming from the hood. When I start it it again won’t let me hit the gas. Got it towed back to the shop

Now they’re saying there’s a coolant leak and though they can’t say with certainty they think there’s a blown head gasket and apparently the mechanic thinks it needs a new engine (though apparently they can’t test that specifically without addressing other problems first)

He said he didn’t want to see me throwing money down a rabbit hole if it ends up needing a new engine because the cost could get up to 4-6K. I wouldn’t replace the engine in the car, but I’m tempted to fix the coolant leak and head gasket and see what happens (looks like north of 1K for this).

Any advice on what to do with the CRV?

Also if I scrap it, I need advice on a new car. Everyone said Honda is so reliable and then after 160K miles my car craps out. So whether it’s an anomaly or not, not interested in another Honda. Only criteria are reliability and price. I want this next car to last 15-20 years (225-250K miles) and my budget is under 30K (would prefer under 25, I fucking hate cars)

Thanks for anyone who can help

 

[bob2the2nd]

If you expect a vehicle to last that long you better be taking damn good care of it and anticipate expensive fixes to keep it going

In today’s world pretty much any vehicle will get you to 100-150k miles without much issue. Beyond that however will definitely require good upkeep on the car.

 

[The Wizard of Moz]

So I’ll supplement by saying for how much I hate cars, I took good care of mine. Always kept up with oil changes, inspections, tire rotations and alignments Etc

Which is why it’s even more frustrating that it crapped out

 

[Jack Brickman]

Get a Buick. Those mother fuckers never break down.

 

[inliner311]

Need some car advice. Very important right off the bat I hate cars. I view it entirely as an expense thing and there isn’t a car out there that I could “fall in love with.” The entirety of the decisions I want to make are pretty much only based on cost and reliability

So the situation is my car broke down twice last week. It’s a 2007 Honda CRV with 160K miles on it. First time it broke down I was on the highway and came to a stop because of a lane closure. I went to get in the other lane and when I hit the gas, nothing. Didn’t move. Turned the car on and off and it was stalling out starting.

Took it to the shop. They said I was extremely low on oil and needed a new starter. Got refilled and a new starter but they said to keep an eye on it because they weren’t able to replicate an oil leak so they weren’t entirely sure what was going on

Next day drive probably 8 miles and when I get out smoke is coming from the hood. When I start it it again won’t let me hit the gas. Got it towed back to the shop

Now they’re saying there’s a coolant leak and though they can’t say with certainty they think there’s a blown head gasket and apparently the mechanic thinks it needs a new engine (though apparently they can’t test that specifically without addressing other problems first)

He said he didn’t want to see me throwing money down a rabbit hole if it ends up needing a new engine because the cost could get up to 4-6K. I wouldn’t replace the engine in the car, but I’m tempted to fix the coolant leak and head gasket and see what happens (looks like north of 1K for this).

Any advice on what to do with the CRV?

Also if I scrap it, I need advice on a new car. Everyone said Honda is so reliable and then after 160K miles my car craps out. So whether it’s an anomaly or not, not interested in another Honda. Only criteria are reliability and price. I want this next car to last 15-20 years (225-250K miles) and my budget is under 30K (would prefer under 25, I fucking hate cars)

Thanks for anyone who can help

Is the mechanic you took it to a honda guy? If I'm getting engine work done to that extent and I'm not going to do it myself, I'm getting a specialist. Some general mechanic isn't use to doing that kind of stuff and it will just cost you more money because they won't get it fixed the first time.

You were probably losing oil because of the head gasket in the first place. The question now is if you warped anything by overheating it. Your mechanic is probably right that they won't know the extent of the damage until they take off the head of the engine. You could have burn out the Piston rings or warped some valves, or the whole head itself.

A good honda guy might be able to figure all that stuff out with using a camera and putting it down each spark plug hole. That person would have to be real experience though with engine internals.

I think it would be worth it to get it towed to a honda specialist or a engine specialist.

 

[Lee]

So I’ll supplement by saying for how much I hate cars, I took good care of mine. Always kept up with oil changes, inspections, tire rotations and alignments Etc

Which is why it’s even more frustrating that it crapped out

Why was it low on oil? That is the ultimate sin to an engine. If you had an oil leak and didn't notice, then the engine is most likely toast. Honda usually is solid, but not if it ran out of oil, no engine can run without oil.

As for new car, would need a budget.

 

[The Wizard of Moz]

Is the mechanic you took it to a honda guy? If I'm getting engine work done to that extent and I'm not going to do it myself, I'm getting a specialist. Some general mechanic isn't use to doing that kind of stuff and it will just cost you more money because they won't get it fixed the first time.

You were probably losing oil because of the head gasket in the first place. The question now is if you warped anything by overheating it. Your mechanic is probably right that they won't know the extent of the damage until they take off the head of the engine. You could have burn out the Piston rings or warped some valves, or the whole head itself.

A good honda guy might be able to figure all that stuff out with using a camera and putting it down each spark plug hole. That person would have to be real experience though with engine internals.

I think it would be worth it to get it towed to a honda specialist or a engine specialist.

Exactly what I was looking for thanks for the advice

Why was it low on oil? That is the ultimate sin to an engine. If you had an oil leak and didn't notice, then the engine is most likely toast. Honda usually is solid, but not if it ran out of oil, no engine can run without oil.

As for new car, would need a budget.

It’s very odd because they put dye in the new oil to see if they could find where the leak was coming from and after a few days saw no leak.

Absolute max out the door cost 30K

 

[el_capitan]

I've always had good success with Mazda's, they are extremely fun to drive and very reliable in my experiences.

 

[Lee]

Exactly what I was looking for thanks for the advice


It’s very odd because they put dye in the new oil to see if they could find where the leak was coming from and after a few days saw no leak.

Absolute max out the door cost 30K

If you are not a car buff, I have had good luck with Hyundai's. They have a 100k power train warranty which includes engine and transmission, or they expensive stuff.

If you like small SUV's, they have 2 options, the brand new Kona, or the slightly bigger Tucson. I recommend the Tucson, and depending on equipment, you can get it out the door for under 25k easily, maybe closer to 20k.

I had a Santa Fe I just retired at about 190k miles, so they make a solid SUV.

At 160k miles, a new engine will cost 5-6k and that's if you go junk yard, which isn't worth it for a 12 year old car.

 

[inliner311]

Exactly what I was looking for thanks for the advice


It’s very odd because they put dye in the new oil to see if they could find where the leak was coming from and after a few days saw no leak.

Absolute max out the door cost 30K

Did they check for oil in the coolant? With a bad head gasket, oil will contaminate the coolant alot of times.

I feel like if you spend 30k on a car and want it to last 15-20 years, you are going from a new car to a decent used car to a POS at some point. I would rather spend 10k on a car have a decent used car for a while then do the same thing 8-10 years down the road when it becomes a POS.

 

[The Oi]

I also hate cars and for that reason, as well as because of a lack of respect for you I have no advice for you.

 

[The Wizard of Moz]

If you are not a car buff, I have had good luck with Hyundai's. They have a 100k power train warranty which includes engine and transmission, or they expensive stuff.

If you like small SUV's, they have 2 options, the brand new Kona, or the slightly bigger Tucson. I recommend the Tucson, and depending on equipment, you can get it out the door for under 25k easily, maybe closer to 20k.

I had a Santa Fe I just retired at about 190k miles, so they make a solid SUV.

At 160k miles, a new engine will cost 5-6k and that's if you go junk yard, which isn't worth it for a 12 year old car.

Was actually looking at the Kona, Hyundai is having a spring fever sales event so this is good to know

Did they check for oil in the coolant? With a bad head gasket, oil will contaminate the coolant alot of times.

I feel like if you spend 30k on a car and want it to last 15-20 years, you are going from a new car to a decent used car to a POS at some point. I would rather spend 10k on a car have a decent used car for a while then do the same thing 8-10 years down the road when it becomes a POS.

They didn’t say but I will ask when I call them back.

I’m nervous about a used car because I don’t know the warning signs to look for that say “you’re being sold fool’s gold”

I feel like it’s a risk for a scrub like me who knows so little about cars

I also hate cars and for that reason, as well as because of a lack of respect for you I have no advice for you.

I hope your seagull gets rabies

 

[Lee]

Was actually looking at the Kona, Hyundai is having a spring fever sales event so this is good to know


They didn’t say but I will ask when I call them back.

I’m nervous about a used car because I don’t know the warning signs to look for that say “you’re being sold fool’s gold”

I feel like it’s a risk for a scrub like me who knows so little about cars


I hope your seagull gets rabies

You might get out the door for about 20k on a Kona, I will say you should always use synthetic oil from the beginning because it prevents issues like you are having in the later mile stage. Kona looks cute, I wouldn't get the smaller engine though unless you could care less about power. 144hp is not enough to me, but 178 is enough if you don't care about speed.

 

[macbdog]

If you had 150k on it you are probably burning oil. My old car would eat a quart every 1k of hard driving when it was in that mileage and a 93 Accord in the family does the same thing. Over 100k I start checking the oil every fill up.

A head gasket will run you more than a grand once they pull it apart bc when the gasket goes so does other shit. I would personally move on unless you cant afford a replacement vehicle.

You might get out the door for about 20k on a Kona, I will say you should always use synthetic oil from the beginning because it prevents issues like you are having in the later mile stage. Kona looks cute, I wouldn't get the smaller engine though unless you could care less about power. 144hp is not enough to me, but 178 is enough if you don't care about speed.

Ford dealership basically threatened me when I went to synthetic in my car on my first oil change bc the 'recommended' was their synth blend. Was bizarre, I've never had them passive aggressively threaten my warranty because I went to a better oil.

 

[Lee]

If you had 150k on it you are probably burning oil. My old car would eat a quart every 1k of hard driving when it was in that mileage and a 93 Accord in the family does the same thing. Over 100k I start checking the oil every fill up.

A head gasket will run you more than a grand once they pull it apart bc when the gasket goes so does other shit. I would personally move on unless you cant afford a replacement vehicle.

Ford dealership basically threatened me when I went to synthetic in my car on my first oil change bc the 'recommended' was their synth blend. Was bizarre, I've never had them passive aggressively threaten my warranty because I went to a better oil.

Or in this case, oil they don't make as much on.

I was forced to get the stupid oil package through my dealership to get the better deal on the car, but I am going to cancel it and get my remaining cash back and pay for my own oil changes. Dealerships make more in the service and finance area than on the actual cars these days, I almost don't believe any dealership tells me anymore.