Rear Main Seal Vodoo

[TheMeanGreen]

Problem is quite a few low mile used newer cars are used rental cars in lots straight from the auction

Some you can`t tell anything ever happened some are hack job specials that the average person may never notice


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I can`t tell you how right you are with what you`ve said……

[MattPersman]

I`ve been in the business for a while and some of the stuff you see on a regular basis makes me only buy or lease new cars now a days

It would just take too much time and effort or find a good used car.

You feel bad for first the buyer of the car at the auction but they just see make model price and profit potential then you feel even worse for the person who buys it down the road thinking oh it`s a CarHax car or it`s "certified" lol it`s great the commercial said so


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[TheMeanGreen]

I`ve been in the business for a while and some of the stuff you see on a regular basis makes me only buy or lease new cars now a days

It would just take too much time and effort or find a good used car.

You feel bad for first the buyer of the car at the auction but they just see make model price and profit potential then you feel even worse for the person who buys it down the road thinking oh it`s a CarHax car or it`s "certified" lol it`s great the commercial said so


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Agreed, I`ve spent my time working for a used car dealership that only sells cars made within the past few years. All jokes aside, if I were to write a book about the in`s and out`s of the used car market, I would literally fear for my life. All I can say is that if it seems too good to be true, it is.The one star reviews tend to be the most accurate review`s, ALWAYS ALWAYS get a pre-purchase inspection (PPI) by a third party, if the dealership won`t allow it, move on. Carfax`s can be manipulated pretty easily.

I scrutinize every vehicle that we purchase, if it doesn`t pass my initial inspection with the car staying on the ground, it`s a hard pass and on to the next one. But nowadays, it is so hard to find a decent used vehicle because vehicles are now treated as disposables.

[MattPersman]

Best is common around here. people buy the car THEN get the third party used car inspection. Lol. I don`t get people. Too late


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[Accumulator]

Just out of curiousity, how much do figure it takes to buy a decent (dependable, in my words) used vehicle?

I really don`t know as I don`t shop by price and don`t keep track of the market values of used vehicles. But paying hundreds of dollars a month for something you`re gonna give back to the dealer just doesn`t make sense to me *unless* the cost of that lease is so low you can simply not care about it. If the cost *is* that low, then sure..go for it.

I mean, even a decent-return investment would require tying up over $20K just to lease something cheap, and I`d sure think you can find reliable transportation for that much. A lease that runs $300 or more a month would require a lot *more* than that.

E.g., my current Crown Vic had under 18K miles (and low hours on the hour-meter), was in great shape (spotless undercarriage and engine compartment), still smelled new inside and had lots of tread on the tires. Only issues have been a recall for the front wheel hubs (model-year/production run specific), a slightly bent wheel (common with the police steelies), and minor cosmetics. Cost me $17K and it`ll be good for a quarter-million miles easy. That $17K, invested in a safe way, wouldn`t generate nearly enough income to lease anything I`d want to drive.

But OK, most people don`t want a Crown Vic, huh? I guess the point is that I *learned* everything there is to know about the exact right car for me and then I spent a while looking until I found the perfect example and got something that does the job for a cost I didn`t have to think twice about.

But OK#2, eh, I suppose a big part of my take on this revolves around my utter disdain for today`s vehicles. Basically don`t want *anything* remotely new regardless of the cost. I bet that `08 Crown Vic (basically the same as any older one) is the newest vehicle I`ll ever own. My wife won`t *take* a replacement for her `00 Audi, says it`s her "last car"; if it gets totalled she gets my `01.

IMO most people want vehicles that they really can`t afford so they either go in debt, pay outrageous prices to lease, or buy a used vehicle they can`t afford to keep up with (I go by the rule that if you couldn`t afford it when it was new then you probably can`t afford to maintain it when it`s used).

Heh heh, knowing how *every* leasor of my acquaintance treats those things, and how people generally treat rental cars, I wouldn`t want to go those routes either. I`m utterly astounded how people turn in leased vehicles in just *TERRIBLE* condition without being penalized. After they get away with it once they simply don`t care and the dealerships never say a thing. Like...don`t even run them through carwashes or ever vacuum them out..."the dealer does that when they change the oil".

[MattPersman]

You start running into problems of parts no longer available and or no one knows or wants to work on a 20 year old car or truck. Then there is rust too.

Safety advances are constant too if you have kids and drive them around rather have them in a decent crash tested modern vehicle

Cars and investments aren`t in the same category we could say all that money on detailing supplies each month should be invested too.


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[Accumulator]

You start running into problems of parts no longer available and or no one knows or wants to work on a 20 year old car or truck...

Yeah, that parts availability thing *can* be an issue! Especially with my Audis Some marques aren`t subject to that though; you can get anything for any Benz. As for servicing, that`d have to be taken into account anyhow; in my area there are *NO* Subaru dealerships that do decent work. None. And the nearest competent Audi dealer is well over an hour away (they come pick up the cars). Lots of service places for some things, none for others and I`d figure anybody would be factoring that in no matter what.

Then there is rust too.

IMO most of the time that can be headed off if you get the right vehicle in the first place (e.g., NOT that Mazda MPV I had! And that`s why I wouldn`t own a MOPAR LX-platform) and do what`s called for. Admittedly that`s a *HUGE* "if" though and I suppose most people aren`t gonna do all that.

Heh heh, but to prove your point has plenty of merit- note that I had to have all the brake/fuel lines fabricated for the `93 Audi because the original owner didn`t keep the undercarriage clean enough to prevent rust and the parts are NA.

Safety advances are constant too if you have kids and drive them around rather have them in a decent crash tested modern vehicle ..

I wouldn`t qualify that based on passengers (no one passenger/driver is worth more than anybody else IMO...sorry, that`s a pet peeve of mine; people thinking their "Baby on Board" is more important than somebody else) but *unless* the driver is awfully well-trained and capable that`s certainly a factor if the safety systems are decent (e.g., anybody who can`t outdrive most low-end "skid/stability control" systems shouldn`t be driving period, but I guess they do anyhow). And heh heh, my particular older vehicles are great at withstanding accidents so maybe I tend to discount that. Actually, that`s something that factored in when I was deciding what vehicles to own as keepers, haven`t bought *anything* that wouldn`t sustain a major hit since I was a kid.

Cars and investments aren`t in the same category we could say all that money on detailing supplies each month should be invested too.

Now on that one I definitely disagree IMO everything money-related is in the same category. I figure that nobody should ever spend a penny on detailing stuff (or other automotive extravagance) unless they already have enough $ that it doesn`t matter. No money should be spent on *ANY* discretionary expenditures until the household`s actual needs are properly funded. I wouldn`t borrow a cent for any vehicle on earth.

Oh, and I`m not being contentious here, hope I don`t come across that way. I find this an intersting topic for conversation as I know people who go every conceivable which-way on "what vehicle and how to fund it". And yes indeed, most of the people I know think I`m a Dave Ramsey-type nutjob when it comes to personal finances!


Eh, some boring, safe lump like my Tahoe or the Crown Vic would be easy-peasey to keep on the road forever with very little cost, but most people want something more special than that. Guess it comes down to "how special can ya afford"?

[GearHead_1]

Now on that one I definitely disagree IMO everything money-related is in the same category. I figure that nobody should ever spend a penny on detailing stuff (or other automotive extravagance) unless they already have enough $ that it doesn`t matter. No money should be spent on *ANY* discretionary expenditures until the household`s actual needs are properly funded.

Heck and I was just looking at a performance upgrade from tuner to heat exchanger and everything in between. Hate it when I`m reminded to be practical, I was looking forward to that.

[House of Wax]

I cringe at the thought of how much money I blew on cars and other b.s. in my younger/single days. I`m at the point now where I want to get our current vehicles paid off and drive them until it doesn`t financially makes sense anymore. Our Expedition couldn`t work any better as our family hauler, and even though my truck is 13 years old, it`ll do anything I want it to do.

[MattPersman]

Oh, and I`m not being contentious here, hope I don`t come across that way. I find this an intersting topic for conversation as I know people who go every conceivable which-way on "what vehicle and how to fund it". And yes indeed, most of the people I know think I`m a Dave Ramsey-type nutjob when it comes to personal finances!

"?

Nah I don`t think you are coming across that way. It`s good conversation even though we might be throwing the OP`s post in a direction he didn`t want. Sorry about that. Sometimes I can ramble on




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[JSFM35X]

I have 2001 qx4 that I am dealing with a rust spot on the hood. Same with the side step support brackets. She`s paid off a long time ago and I love it. Performs through anything. My rust must be from driving through the sandy flooded streets and not taking the painstaking strips to rinse. I was preoccupied with my house.

Rust sucks. If not for that rust it would still be perfect.

I lease my DD bc I driver 20-23k a year for business and I want comfort, reliability, modern safety, technology that is convenient and some sun factor. In 3 years and 60-70k it`s in good shaped but it`s been put through its paces.

[Swanicyouth]

So, I drove 168 miles since adding this stuff. Cleaned off the drip pan with brake kleen last night. Car sat overnight on drip pan

And....

This morning....

Not a drop...



Could this stuff actually be legit?

Will report back in a few hundred miles

[davidc]

Sounds and looks legit. I used some Lucas power steering sealer a few years back and it worked also.

Dave

[Accumulator]

SwanicYouth- HEy, that`d be *great* if you solved it so easily! Fingers crossed....

Matt Persman- Glad I didn`t sound like a [jerk]. Rust is a real wildcard, huh? I knee-jerk towards "you`ll never really stop it once it`s started.." but a few times I was able to do exactly that. Oddly enough those times were when I DIYed "the impossible" rather than paying a pro to do it.

So, given your experience in the industry (been decades since I had a used-car dealership..), what do *you* recommend for somebody who doesn`t want all of today`s bells & whistles? I mean..UNdefeatable Traction Control, connectivity like OnStar, airbag-equipped seats that can`t be removed/swapped...all that stuff that "modern" cars all have...

JSFM35X- Yeah, I too have been distracted from rust-prevention by things I had to prioritize

House of Wax- Yes indeed, !Oh the stuff I spent big money on! Live and learn, hopefully without digging that hole too deep.

GearHead_1- Heh heh, the trick is to make the whole Delayed Gratification" thing into something enjoyable. Or at least the kind of challenge ya don`t want to [mess] up...like, "I`m finally mature enough to wait for something I can`t currently afford". Eys indeed, easier said than done sometimes but that`s what makes it a test of one`s temperament.

[Setec Astronomy]

So, I drove 168 miles since adding this stuff. Cleaned off the drip pan with brake kleen last night. Car sat overnight on drip pan

And....

This morning....

Not a drop...

Outstanding.