Well guys, today is a sad day. My good ol reliable 89' buick lesaber Custom finnaly gave out. I'll have to bring the V10 out of its life long vacation untill I find a good replacement work car. The ol buick made it 272,438 rounds. I was driving to work this morning and the trans finnaly let go. Cost of replacement or rebuild could be as high as $1500 which is a lot of money considering I Only paid $352 for it. It served its time well as an alternative mode to get to work and back and saved me a pile of money and let the ol V10 rest up for those camping, hunting and fishing trips.

On the brighter side I may have already found a replacement. I've got my eye on a 97 Monte Carlo with 120k on the clock. its got leather and all the goods but need a new hood and front bumper cover. Total cost out the door $1500. I can drive ti the way it is but the hood has a pretty good bend in it.

Well hopefull better luck tomarrow!

 

well that sucks that you lost a cheap transporter, but you knew you was dancing with the devil driving a chebbie,,,,,,yuck, yuck,

"there was this old woman, she was walking down the road when she saw an injured snake laying just off the road",,,,,,,,,,,,,, sound familiar ?

BUY A FORD !!!!!!!!!!!!



6 to go, then what ???? well guys ???

 

SLE, I sure envy how you can park your truck. I average about 22-25K per year. When gas prices were crazy, It was costing me $550 per month. $50 more than the payment.

I got to live closer to work so I can get a ole beater.

 

Yeah I also drive mine on a daily basis, about 19K a year. StevenG

 

Nope, not here. the truck sits in the heated shop and I pull it out when I feel like it needs a little work out. Heck I only put like 6k on last year. at this rate I'll own a ten year old truck with 70k on it (had few when I bought it) and it''ll just be broke in, lol. I drive 35 miles one way since I live in the middle of no where so having a good gas mileage car for me and a good reliable new car for the wife is kinda a nesseccity. those fuel bill would kill me. I do have to say that driving the truck is like a treat when I do drive it. and JFYI its been over two weeks since it was last started. in that time I added courtousy lights to the doors, changed the fuel filter and wiped down the engine bay.

 

The reason your Buick LeSabre (made in Buick City, MI otherwise known as Flint) made it that far was because of the motor in it, the 3.8L that was made at GMPT Flint North, Factory 36. If the Monte doesn't have the 3.8L it won't go nearly that far and be that trouble free. Unless the Monte has the 3.8L your best bet might be to repair the transmission, which was still the weak link in my father in laws's 2002 Grand Prix GT when it went at 24k miles, replaced under warranty of course.

 

Ha. I also have a V10 and and an '89 Buick 3.8L LeSabre Custom. It was one of the first fuel injected computer controlled gassers I think, and it STILL gets 27 mpg on the highway, about three times my V10! I guess since it only has 120K I'll be keeping it a while, particularly since I commute with my truck and the Buick doesn't get much use.

 

if your going for a car that gets good milage why don't you try to find a foxbody mustang with a 4 banger and a stick. mine that i used to have got around 30mpg on the highway with 4 people in it and running 85-95mph. they aren't the fastest thing on the planet but i know of people that get 300,000 out of them and they are some of simplest cars to work on, that is as long as you don't get a 92 or 93. hell even a v8 gets good gas milage as long as you keep your foot out of it, but who can resist the temptation

 

Um, since when was the tranny NOT a weak-link in a GM front-wheel driver?

or a Ford for that matter?

 

That's one of the nice things about working from home. I don't need a commuter vehicle that gets good mileage plus I don't put any miles on the truck.

 

Those older Buicks are tough to beat for general to and fro driving use. Great mileage, comfy ride, and great reliability. The older Crown Vics also serve this purpose well.

 

Previous to my 2005 v-10 I had a 99 5.4 f-150, great truck. It just wasn't big enough for what I needed to tow. I also had a 1989 honda accord which became my car after wifey bought her new accord. Anyway to make a long story short I never liked that old accord. Even escorts looked like they had a 4 inch lift when I was beside one at a light, and it wasn't very comfortable. Lifes to short to be driving a vehicle you don't like even if it's just to work. Yea it cost more on fuel but I really enjoy my superduty and I'll be darned if I'm not going to drive it! I only have 12 miles to work one way. 12 mpg mixed if I stay out of it.

 

Well the 12 miles wouldn't be to bad but since my daily average is around 70-80 without running any erands that adds up to around 500 per week! When I can drive a comfortable car that has no front or rear driffs, no transfer case, no front hubs to worry about, and my truck holds its value alot better saving 500 miles per week and of course along with 3xs the fuel mileage I figure it doesn't take long to make a cheap car pay for its self. Its also nice to have an extra car for when one of the three needs a little fixing or servicing.

The Buick wasn't worth $1000-$1400 when I bought it and thats what a tranny is gonna cost. remember its got over 270k on it so its had a good run and is time for retirement. The monte with a 3.1 will last for dang near ever. I know this for fact as me and dad have a combine total of 450k miles between two of them. I sold my cutlas at 200k and it was still running strong and his grandprix has 250k on it and he still drives it regularly although the rest of the car is junk. The other reason I kinda want this car is the wife drives an 01' Lumina which is the exact same car as the monte plus 2 doors. I know that car inside out, I know the common problems and I can fix them my self with relitive ease and fairly minimal cost. At 124k on the monte it should have a good 75k left in it and it would suprise me one bit to see it go 250k. It'll also get 28-31mpg as every 3.1 my family has owned (3 so far) has had no problem making this mileage on a regular basis. The best part remember its a 97' that other than the hood is in good condition and I can buy it for $1500. Where else is a guy gonna get a late model car in good cond. with only 124k miles (lol), leather int. decent tires, Alum rims for that cheap, good luck. I do need something half way comfortable since I sit in my car for 1.5-2 hours a day so the monte fits the job.

 

Talking about yearly milage. I average about 45k a year thats why I broke down and bought a diesel

 

I don't blame you for that one, If I was driving that kinda mileage on a truck each year I probably own a diesel too but thats not to say that I'm not kinda partial to my V10. I figure my truck will still be in good condition in 2010-2011 which'll be about the time I'm ready to upgrade again. heck I bet I won't have over 60k on it and it'll be 7-8 years old; like I said before it'll just be gettin broke in. It'll make someone happy when I retire it and it should have a good chunk of its life still left.