A few weeks ago my Grandson's '07 Pathfinder had a CEL come on. My daughter and him drove back to the house and shut it down. It ran real rough the next time they used it and found the catalytic converter overheated and parts were ingested into the engine and ruined it. We found a re-man engine and had it installed at the dealer in Baton Rouge...son in law and I picked it up yesterday and now it runs like a champ. 85K on the Pathfinder and we're hoping it will last my Grandson untill college. Thursday son in law and I are heading to Chattanooga to pick up a custom made building and haul it back. Taking his Ecoboost and the 16' trailer for this 1,100 mile round trip. Time to get out of this 95 degree heat anyway!

 

What a bootyful day. 3pm and 71 degrees! Did a couple service calls, came home and mowed front and back yard, washed and waxed the truck and gave the cavalier a bath. Trying to figure out what else I can do

 

Went and filled truck up at shell. Entered my Shell rewards and it knocked off 25 cents! Still payed 2.50 a gallon though

Shell loves their supreme prices around here

 

 

The SIL asked if we want buy or take over payments on her Focus Hatchback . Same as with the impala a couple years ago. 2013 64k miles, Standard Transmission. It's pretty good shape and she owes around 9k on it. Sure would be a nice alternative to the cavalier.

I kinda like having a cash car beater around as the cavalier. Not real sure I can drive the focus the same as I do the cavalier. I'm afraid I'll start babying it and it won't end up being drove

I'm thinking I can possibly get 1800 for the cavalier so that puts the focus around a 7k daily driver.

But then again I could take that 9k or so in a few months, trade in the EB and have a new 2016 or 2017 f150 EB (depending on 2017 prices) . Decisions decisions

 

Got it on just in time for the rain

 

For the way you have gone back-and-forth about keeping an extra beater around the last few months I think I'd just stick with the Cavalier. I think you've almost gotten rid of it two or three times in the past year -- easy to do if you ever decide to pull the trigger with a paid-off Cavalier, but not as easy to do with a car you have a note on.....

 

Rolled 80,000 miles on the Cavalier today -- I picked it up in June of 2014 with 31,475 mile on the odometer, so that works out to 48,525 miles it has kept off my other vehicles over the last two years!

Most of that mileage would have gone on the '09 Ranger, so right now it would be sitting at around 85,000 miles (instead of 37,000) if I hadn't gotten the Cavalier. Buying that little car has paid-off many times over just in the wear-and-tear it has kept off my "babies".....

 

Plus you collected about 25,000 on the mileage. That is about 17,000 gain!

 

Only thing with that is with 181k how much longer will it go? That's why I'm thinking of getting rid of it while it's still running fine. It could last another 200 miles and may last another 100k miles. I'd rather get rid of it while it worth a Lil bit instead of waiting till something major happens and I have 300 dollar yard art.

If I do the focus I won't have a note on it. I'm not for payments if I can help it. I made payments on the impala for a while and hated it until I finally said screw it and paid it off, then sold it a few months later for a profit.

I'm not even sure how much the focus is worth, if it's a great deal to me then I may do it. First she needs to find a damn house before worrying about a new vehicle. Been the worst month ever

 

Ah yes -- the perpetual dilemma with a high mileage vehicle -- when do you pull the plug!

I'm having the same issue with the wife's '05 Escape right now -- do I sell it while it still runs great and everything works, or do I keep it and run the wheels off of it to "cash in" on the great maintenance I've given it since we purchased it new?

Well, if your intent is to definitely keep a daily grinder long-term, then the Focus might not be such a bad investment.....???

 

I wouldn't touch a newer Focus if it has the slush box auto in it. Worst part about the new Focus

 

Well, the flood of inspection requests has tapered off this week, so I am going to take advantage of the situation and burn a week of vacation next week! I'll be out in the garage if you need me.....

 

Son in law and I took a quick trip to East Ridge, Tenn. to pick up a kids playhouse thats to be raffled off. 1,100 miles in two days on his 2013 Ecoboost and 16' trailer. We split the driving.




Now we have to paint it!

 

One more view of the front.