91LuminaEuro Posted April 3, 2010 Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 Ok, so here is my conondrum..and i'd like to get some input from you guys.. My car is starting to show its age more rapidly now..the pain is beat to hell, there are small surface rust areas beginning to show up everywere...the interior is less than desireable (but not horrible)... Most of all, its still got an intermittent issue with the idle/running.... I use my care a-lot...i drive a lot..its just a fact, and i was really hoping to buy a new(er) car this summer...but it doesn't look like that is going to be much of an option for me... so here are my ideas... Idea 1 -Fix whatever is wrong with my care as far as the engine goes (although its been 2 years and i can't figure it out) -Sand the paint down, prime it and spray paint it flat black.. -Drive it until its more realistic for me to buy a new car... Idea 2 -Look into another car for cheap...i.e. another mechanic my dad knows has a 94-99 VW Jetta....(mileage/eng/trans unknown as of now) but it doesnt look to be in bad shape from the road... i could get it for cheap (i.e. <$500) and DD it for a while until i can buy a new car... (providing its in good shape) or find another car similar to this situation.... -Sell/scrap/part out my car... -My car's motor has ~40k on it..its a Jasper engine..so some one else can fix whatever issue and it'll be a great engine/car etc.. Idea 3 -I have a used car lot/mechanic friend who would sell me a car for very reasonable, and take very reasonable payents -I could possibly make this work but it would be stressfull very very stressfull Feedback? Ideas? Im stuck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mra32 Posted April 3, 2010 Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 I would just fix the lumina. Thats what I have done. You'll probably see more problems with that jetta than your car has. It sounds like your car wont have much value, so its worth more to hang onto and throw the occasional part at it than to get a new/different-old car. At least thats the way I see my car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91LuminaEuro Posted April 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 Yeah but its going on 2 years with the same problem with no idea how to fix it..im thorwing $$ at it trying to fix it.. as well as time...and i know its causing my fuel economy to go down the drain.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOT2B GM Posted April 3, 2010 Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 keep driving the lumina, investing only what you need to keep it going Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White93z34 Posted April 3, 2010 Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 I say fix the loomina. If you need a hand there are a couple guys about 40 minutes north of you that can lend a hand or parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91LuminaEuro Posted April 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 Thanks for all of the encouragement guys, i honestly would prefer to keep the lumina until i can upgrade, rather than side-step.... but i just need to get this thign running properly...and its no realy reliable right now which is what i want.... If i can get it to run right, i'll sand down the clearcoat thats peeling, fix the couple surface rust spots, spray it with some etching primer and then rattle can it flat black...and call it a day.... but i wont bother with that until she's running better.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3pt1lumina Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 Don't side step, I've done it, and been miserable doing so. Just fix what needs to be fixed and run it until it wont move anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tornado_735 Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 I vote to keep the Lumi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91LuminaEuro Posted April 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 UUggghhhhhhhh....for now im gonna keep bouncing my head off the wall and trying to figure out why this thing wont run right.....if something comes along that i can't pass up, i'll take it...but for now I'll continue... Its just a pain in my butt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 I definitely say keep the lumina, at least you know the problems/issues and should be able to fix it.....getting a new beater means getting a new set of unknown problems which definitely could be worse then what you have now..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91LuminaEuro Posted April 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 Yeah, the VW was kind of, i drove by a garage my dad is friends with, saw the car for sale and knew i could get it for cheap from the guy, and out of frustration i made up the idea to try to get it from him.. I would really like to stay in a W, either in the form of a GP, MC or Impala of the 00+ variety (gp 98+) I found a s99 GP which looks to be an SE local for under 1k with like 80k miles on it...but they say it has a blown head gasket? I'm not sure if thats actually the case, if they respond i may take alook at it becausue if its Intake gaskets i could easily repair it, or if its got a 3100 in it, i've got one from my brothers old car that i know is in good shape i could throw in the car. All providing its for the right price. If i can beg, borrow and scrounge up the money tog et the car, i could sell the lumina and a couple other things i've got laying around and only come out a few hundred into the car and have a nice DD for a while.....thats IF they respond and the car isnt a pile, i only saw one pic and it wasn't good quality.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IRONDOG442 Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 See you at the crossroads... crossroads! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryk2003 Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 See you at the crossroads... crossroads! that being said, i agree with jeremy...keep the lumina because at least you already know what you have instead of getting into new problems... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted April 5, 2010 Report Share Posted April 5, 2010 How come i don't know what issues you are having with your car? I don't recall seeing this. I'll ask if you've: done an injector inspection including an OHM check had the fuel pressure tested. new pump time? changed fuel, air filters, plugs, plug wires.... verified spark from every coil... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z34guy Posted April 5, 2010 Report Share Posted April 5, 2010 Just keep your Lumina. Trust me, age doesn't matter with cars and you'll be a lot happier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91LuminaEuro Posted April 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2010 How come i don't know what issues you are having with your car? I don't recall seeing this. I'll ask if you've: done an injector inspection including an OHM check had the fuel pressure tested. new pump time? changed fuel, air filters, plugs, plug wires.... verified spark from every coil... I have a thread in the Powertrain section, i could use your insight posibly! http://www.w-body.com/showthread.php/44876-Rough-Idle/page2 Plugs, wires and coils are all good. I have checked the injectors numerous times. And the fuel filter was recently changed with no result. The air filter is new too. The idle is rough, (not a lot) all the time, but at times the idle just goes insanely crazy, causing the car to stall etc... i have found no pattern to when this occurs, its just usually when starting and after just being started, i havent really noticed a definitive pattern on weather it does this more when hot/cold but recently it seems to occur during hot re-starts (so after making a short stop and starting the car again).. And like i have said before, i love my car, it looks like crap but thats not a huge concern, i want a reliable car, and right now this just isnt cutting it, i either need to make this car reliable, or move on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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