Advice on a used car...

Diz · Post by **Diz** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 1:28 pm

Here is my dilemma guys, I have a 88 Camry that I DD with 124k on it. The car runs great engine and transmission wise but the heater is out it leaks power steering fluid and a little antifreeze. I estimate that for about a 750 or so and a days work with a buddy I could have this car rolling with no problems.

Here is the other situation my buddies mom just got a new Cadillac and she is selling her 98 Contour. Now this car has only 48k on it and its the V6 SE with all the options. Only known problems are the cd player is broken and the sunroof doesn't open anymore. It KBB for private party at 2780 and dealer priced at 4140. I was expecting a price around 2500 for the car with the known problems and since i've known my buddy since kindergarten. His mom was cool with that but his dad for some reason decided he wanted 3500 for it.

Question would you pay for the Contour, or would you get the parts for the Camry and hope that nothing else happens for awhile?

andyjt · Post by **andyjt** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 1:37 pm

Diz;185100 wrote:Here is my dilemma guys, I have a 88 Camry that I DD with 124k on it. The car runs great engine and transmission wise but the heater is out it leaks power steering fluid and a little antifreeze. I estimate that for about a 750 or so and a days work with a buddy I could have this car rolling with no problems.

Here is the other situation my buddies mom just got a new Cadillac and she is selling her 98 Contour. Now this car has only 48k on it and its the V6 SE with all the options. Only known problems are the cd player is broken and the sunroof doesn't open anymore. It KBB for private party at 2780 and dealer priced at 4140. I was expecting a price around 2500 for the car with the known problems and since i've known my buddy since kindergarten. His mom was cool with that but his dad for some reason decided he wanted 3500 for it.

Question would you pay for the Contour, or would you get the parts for the Camry and hope that nothing else happens for awhile?

Staw AWAY from it. Keep the camry.

Diz · Post by **Diz** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 2:01 pm

Are those Contours that bad? I guess I should have posted as well that my wife and I are expecting in about 6 weeks so I need the car to be safe and reliable. I dunno how safe the engineering was 21 yrs ago. But I still think that 3500 is a grand to much for that Contour.

Waffles · Post by **Waffles** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 2:20 pm

The contour will have wiring issues(I have even seen a few catch on fire due to this)

RyanA · Post by **RyanA** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 2:38 pm

Hands down. Keep the Camry. The Camry's are known for going forever. Contours are known for draining pockets forever. Camry should easily hit 300,000+ miles with only regular maintenance. Contour will be lucky to hit 100,000 without some sort of pocket draining failure.

Also, not sure where you are getting $750 in parts to fix the Camry. If it's just a coolant leak and a non-functional heater, I can't see more than a few hundred in parts and that includes replacing every rubber hose and belt on the engine. I'd see if there is a valve that turns the coolant flow on and off to the heater core. IF there is, verify it's hooked up and actually functioning. More than likely, the heater will be a pretty simple fix (coolant valve or damper door)

RyanA · Post by **RyanA** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 2:40 pm

BTW, here are a few reviews on the 98 Contour.

http://www.carsurvey.org/reviews/ford/contour/1998/

Waffles · Post by **Waffles** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 2:42 pm

Side note I loved my 87 camry, I sold it at 200,000+ miles. The person that bought it ran the piss out of it an it finally broke a little over 300,000 when he shattered the final drive dumping the clutch at 5k RPM.

The only real money i put into it was a new clutch and regular maintance.

Diz · Post by **Diz** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 2:56 pm

So far the only thing I have done to the Camry in the yr and a half of ownership is change the oil and add power steering fluid and antifreeze. I only paid 400 bucks for the car so I got a steal. The reason why I was estimating 750 or so for parts is because I would like to get the car resprayed as the hood and roof are losing the clear coat so the car looks burgundy and white.

delslo · Post by **delslo** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 3:18 pm

yeah, keep the camry. the countour is a shitbowl. I actually dated a girl with a 98 countour and it was BAAAD. tranny was super crappy

luvmyhondas · Post by **luvmyhondas** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 4:02 pm

+289047948579845458 on keeping the Camry.. Contour is a pile that will only stink worse the longer it's around.