So buying a used car can make a lot of sense. Of course, I'm not buying a used Maserati. That's just stupid.
All of those things can happen on an older vehicle without a moment's notice, and besides the timing belt, none of them are commonly found on a scheduled maintenance calendar. Changing your oil only helps until that odometer rolls over 250k (for a reliable car) or even 90k (for a cheap econobox).
The point isn't "don't buy a used car", it's "don't listen to articles saying you should buy a car with a million miles for $1000".
One major reason for CV joint problems is the CV joint boot tearing allowing road grime in and grease out of the joint (they warm up enough that the lube becomes fluid and of course there is all the swirling which will happily empty a fully greased up CV joint in a few hundred kilometers). So you inspect those periodically and replace them when they have a large enough number of miles on them. Maintenance is everything with things that you use every day and that you depend on. It's like technical debt in software: you can ignore it for a bit but then you end up paying double or worse.
A CV joint is a wear part itself too, so if it has done its duty you replace it. (Not all that hard, but definitely not 'can barely replace a tire' territory.)
(for those commenting on the CV joint thing, this is what I was told by two licensed mechanics after they had inspected it. Thank you for prompting me to get another opinion though).
Everything in your car, you can say "if it has done its duty, you replace it". Sometimes that includes the entire car. That Silverado is still on it's original engine. Has that done it's duty? How would I know when I should replace the engine? The frame also has 357k miles on it. I know from inspecting it that it's rotted in certain spots. Has it done its duty?
You and I know how to inspect various parts of the car to see how much wear they have. Not everyone can. A CV joint might clunk or grind before it fails. A timing belt won't give you that luxury.
But back to the topic at hand, every repair manual I have seen has listed inspecting CV joint boots for tears every so often.
But back to the topic at hand, repair manuals are different from the manual you get included with the car.
That doesn't mean you can't do it yourself, just that that is not usual.
It's common knowledge, part of the most basic examination of a car. It's on par with noticing a crack in your sidewall or a badly frayed brake line.
I can't come up with any other reason why the passenger side wheel has an inch or so of play side to side when it's jacked up, or why it clunks when I turn left.
OH MY GOD. I created an account solely to comment on this.
CV joints have NOTHING to do with retaining the wheel, holding it in position, or anything else of the sort. NOTHING.
Your ball joints are shot (and/or your hub). If you're driving that vehicle, YOU ARE RECKLESSLY ENDANGERING YOURSELF. Pardon the caps, but seriously, you appear to be unaware of the danger you're creating for yourself and others.
A timing belt won't give you that luxury.
I don't know why you're going back to timing belts, as they are scheduled replacement items.
I don't use that word lightly, the wheel is going to eventually detach from the vehicle, quite possibly when travelling quickly or making a turn.
http://www.wikihow.com/Check-the-Constant-Velocity-Boots-%28...
Your CV joint is quite possibly fine (though it might be shot, only way to be sure is to lock one side and then to try to move the other along all axis of freedom and restraint to check for play) but you're on the edge of either an accident or a catastrophic breakdown, visit a garage with someone who actually knows what he's doing before you find out which of the two options makes your lucky day.
Timing belts are wear parts to be replaced at fairly exact mileages whether or not there is visible damage or not does not factor into it. Some cars have chain drives (Mercedes for instance, and almost all big trucks) which are installed for the life of the engine.
I don't particularly care what your 'licensed mechanics' have told you, if you have an inch of play it could be any one of the following:
- worn splines on the diff
- shaft retainers about to go
- bearing housing worn out / bearings shot
- ball joints worn
- carrier arm support bushing gone or badly worn
It could also be a combination of the above with marginal parts and then all the bits of play adding up.
It's your life, not mine but I would take anything that has to do with the front-end very seriously. You don't always get to do a do-over after you've learned your lesson, and an inch of play is something to stop driving your car over until it is fixed.
FWIW when I was poor (which wasn't all that long ago, but that's a totally different story) I drove a 500 euro VW golf, I clocked 50K on it in one year which is a fair bit of driving for NL and I did the maintenance myself. I would never ever think of getting into that car of yours without making a beeline for a place with a bridge and a budget large enough to get it fixed, you're endangering those on the road that do take good care of their cars as well.
I realize that car mechanics is not your forte but please take this serious and get it taken care of before something really bad happens. If you were living within a few hundred K of here I'd be happy to toss my tools in the car and drive over to get your problem fixed, that's how serious I'd take this but since you're on the other side of an ocean that isn't going to happen.
As for 'licensed mechanics', one day on a Jeep I owned there was a mis-alignment left front, I ended up with the local alignment gurus who said I just had to live with the mis-alignment because they couldn't fix it. After asking for permission I was in the pit in a heartbeat inspecting the front end with their very nice light setup and found a hairline crack in the front diff, which is why they couldn't align that wheel (it could basically freely move backwards and forwards in the diff, a mm there translated to 1/2" at the wheel). That would have killed me handily if it had seized up at highway speeds, the diff was entirely dry.
They were extremely apologetic that they missed that, which is nice but that was a major error on their part. To me if the car is out of alignment or there is something fishy with the front end you keep at it until it is a 'known quantity' and you really know what you're doing or until it is repaired. It's way too easy to have a major accident that way.
One reason to buy an older used model is that by that time, their average durability has been established. If you buy a brand-new car, you are buying a car whose long-term prospects have only been simulated.
Sure, a new car will have longer expected miles than a used car (and you'll premium pay for that). Your chance of a lemon-experience may be "low-ish" but it may still be higher than the chance of full breakdown with a model that's established its durability.
A gently used, inspected and certified Civic costs as much as a new. Efficient markets and transaction costs.
Currently, we operate two cheap vehicles, less than $10k between them. But I work from home, and my wife is part-time, so we don't put a lot of load on them. We also can easily handle one of them breaking down, both financially and from a scheduling perspective. I have the time to change a flat if needed.
Used cars make sense for me, but I'm definitely privileged in many of the ways Jack describes in the article.