Help with my car situation please!

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MrsRoos
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Help with my car situation please!

Post by MrsRoos »

I'll be retiring my 2007 Subaru Outback with 195,000 miles on it as my trustworthy mechanic has told me that the car may need a new catalytic converter and the cost of the repair is about the same as what the car is worth. A warning sign came up on the dashboard and my mechanic had read the computer code. The BHers on this forum always have such insightful ideas, so maybe it'll help me decide what to do with my current car situation.

I've just ordered myself a new Subaru Outback (for under MSRP!) but the estimated delivery date is January 2022. My current 2007 Outback's registration is due 11/18/21 and requires a smog test for renewal (I'm in California). The DH has a stick shift car but alas, I don't know how to drive one. I could learn but he works nights sometimes and I need a vehicle that I can use in case of emergencies as we have an infant at home. I've got my money's worth driving my Outback for the past 12 years, so I don't really care about what I can get for it now. FYI, I had received an online quote of $1,200 (dealership) to $1,600 (CarMax). Below are some options that I've thought about and questions:

1) Should I sell the vehicle now or can I wait until a few days before the registration due date to sell? I'm unsure but I believe the registration has to be current in order for it to be sold in California.

2) Try smogging the car in hopes that it will pass smog. If it passes, then I pay my registration renewal and get to use the car until my new one arrives. If it fails, then it is recorded by the state of CA and the vehicle now might not be sellable, which means a donation for a tax deduction, and I'll need a car to use to bridge the gap.

3) Even though the registration is due 11/8, the registration renewal notice states that I have until 2/18/22 to pay my renewal fees but with a late charge of $70. Can I ignore the 11/18 due date, continue using the car and then smog it closer to when the new car arrives? Am I reading this correctly or is this an offense?

4) What should I do to bridge the 2-3 month gap of having no car to use? Rentals in this area are about $40/day. It's a hassle but I could rent a car only on days that DH has to work at night.

Please help me decide what to do!
“Anyone who believes in indefinite growth in anything physical, on a physically finite planet, is either mad or an economist.” - Kenneth Boulding
averagelonghorn
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by averagelonghorn »

I do not have a solution for you, just some random thoughts.

Given the Carmax valuation you have gotten, I'd avoid selling until you have a new car.

Have you inquired about trade-in with the dealer? (Chance you could get similar to the Carmax value, or at least enough to not worry too much about it.)
It isn't THAT hard to learn to drive a standard, and even in the best of times, there could always be a time when your automatic is out of commission, so I'd make the effort to learn to drive one, even if only in case of emergency.... but that might be easier said than done, I learned on a standard as a teenager.

Sounds like you might have a mechanic you trust.... I'd ask them about whether it would pass inspection in it's current state... that would be the best outcome to me, get it re-registered (if it will pass) drive until you have new car, sell/trade in/ donate at that point.

All that said, I've been known to drive a car for a few months past the inspection/registration date.... got a ticket once many years back it wasn't so big that I don't still get lazy sometimes. (not that I'm saying that's the best course of action for you!)

Congrats on getting a car below MSRP! This is a temporary situation, and you'll be past it in a few months.
averagelonghorn
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by averagelonghorn »

Oh and I'll say I have no idea about how things might be different in CA vs TX.
phxjcc
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by phxjcc »

Familiarize yourself with the “referee” process.

Max repair/diagnostic cost is $650 (from a quickgoggle check). Just find out who your local referee is and GO TALK TO HIM/HER. Any smog shop can tell you the contact info.

I dealt with one on an older car—and he was very accommodating.
tibbitts
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by tibbitts »

I'm not understanding the infant-at-home issue and how it relates to needing a car. If you're saying there is some unusual medical condition involved and the infant could experience a medical emergency, I'm not sure I would want to drive myself and the infant anywhere, since I couldn't monitor and/or render assistance and drive at the same time.
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burritoLover
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by burritoLover »

Unlikely you will pass vehicle inspection with an emissions-related trouble code present - especially in California. It used to be you could with only 1 present but that has quickly gone away as of late. And you can't clear the codes and then go to the station as there has to be enough driving completed to pass the "readiness" tests. I would imagine you probably have a P0420 code.

If your mechanic is a dealer, you are most certainly paying a lot more than you need to - they are likely replacing the cat with a brand new one. You may want to go to an independent mechanic if that is the case. There are different options for replacing a cat, including a used one that may be cheaper. That all said, sometimes it is not the cat that is the problem but something else, like a secondary O2. Once they replace the cat and clear the codes, you have to drive enough (multiple drive cycles) for the test to run to know if it is actually fixed.

It is crap-shoot but they do have fuel system treatments to help you pass emissions - you could try it for a few tanks before the inspection and hope the light goes off right before it (without replacing the cat).

There are certainly a lot of people driving around without up-to-date registrations. Usually the fines are not too bad as they would disproportionally impact the poor. It might be $100 or something. Check with your DMV. It might be worth it just to let it expire for a few months.

That all said, I've ordered a number of vehicles from the factory and they don't always come in on time. Sometimes they are weeks or months late. One time, another salesperson sold my car as it was coming off the truck. I would not rely on the Jan 22' date a certainty.
carolinaman
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by carolinaman »

Fixing the car would solve your problem and may add to its value, assuming it is the range another person stated. Keep in mind that there may be delays in getting your car, possibly several months which would exacerbate your situation without a car.
sailaway
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by sailaway »

Nearly incomprehensible bit deleted ...
tibbitts wrote: Sat Oct 16, 2021 12:59 am I'm not understanding the infant-at-home issue and how it relates to needing a car. If you're saying there is some unusual medical condition involved and the infant could experience a medical emergency, I'm not sure I would want to drive myself and the infant anywhere, since I couldn't monitor and/or render assistance and drive at the same time.
It is a common American myth that cars will resolve emergencies. I am not sure if others have a different sense of what constitutes an emergency or of what a car can accomplish, but those considering becoming one car families are also told think of the emergencies.
Last edited by sailaway on Sat Oct 16, 2021 12:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
tibbitts
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by tibbitts »

carolinaman wrote: Sat Oct 16, 2021 8:28 am Fixing the car would solve your problem and may add to its value, assuming it is the range another person stated. Keep in mind that there may be delays in getting your car, possibly several months which would exacerbate your situation without a car.
It would definitely add to the value of the car to have it pass inspection, however I think the critical issue with an older and higher-mileage car is the degree of certainty of resolving the problem. I know it's somewhat of a foreign concept to Bogleheads but it's not unusual for someone with a $1-2k car to end up chasing a problem, maybe with multiple shops, and be $3-4k into it without the problem resolved. You spend $500, then it only makes sense to spend another $300, then you're $800 in and probably another $700 would fix it... on and on. It just depends on the problem, how accurate the diagnosis actually is (vs. might be claimed to be), and what else might be wrong with the car.
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Sandtrap
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by Sandtrap »

Is it possible that the dealership where you bought the new car could give you a loaner for free or for a very small fee since you have a car on order and paid for it?
Certainly wouldn't hurt to at least ask.
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Watty
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by Watty »

MrsRoos wrote: Fri Oct 15, 2021 11:58 pm ....but the estimated delivery date is January 2022. My current 2007 Outback's registration is due 11/18/21 and requires a smog test for renewal (I'm in California).
In many states you can get a temporary operating permit for a lot of different reasons. I would suspect that not passing a smog test would be one of them so that you would have some time to get the car fixed.

It was in a different state and a long time ago but I vaguely recall a guy in college who had a beater that he had problems with registering. Every 30 days he would go down to the DMV and get a new 30 day permit.

I have also heard of people who knew they would be selling a car or moving out of state soon that got a temporary operating permit instead of paying the fees to register the car for the next year.
FeelingSociety
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by FeelingSociety »

I just went through the same situation with my 2003 Pontiac Vibe. I had a P0420 code 2 months before my smog check/registration renewal was due. I took it to a trusted mechanic who had a sophisticated scan tool and he was able to monitor performance in real time. He told me that the numbers were marginal, but we might be able to get it to pass and we should try that before replacing the cat (which would cost about what the car was worth).
So, he cleared the code and I bought a bottle of Cataclean fuel treatment. I applied the fuel treatment as directed and then ran the car through what seemed like endless drive cycles until I got the OBD to show that the cat was ready. I then hurried to the smog check and it passed. I'm good for another 2 years.
Ask your mechanic if he thinks it it worth a try.
Outer Marker
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by Outer Marker »

MrsRoos wrote: Fri Oct 15, 2021 11:58 pm ... A warning sign came up on the dashboard and my mechanic had read the computer code.

....Try smogging the car in hopes that it will pass smog. If it passes, then I pay my registration renewal and get to use the car until my new one arrives. If it fails, then it is recorded by the state of CA and the vehicle now might not be sellable, which means a donation for a tax deduction, and I'll need a car to use to bridge the gap.
I think you have a duty to disclose this known defect to a potential buyer. Whether they smog test it or you do, if its a material defect, its going to affect the value of the car. As others have suggested, I'd try trading it to the dealer who make be able to fix it and resell at less cost. I would not want to undertake potentially expensive repairs, nor would I want the liability or feel good about selling it to an individual.
valleyrock
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by valleyrock »

Consider Uber or Lyft if there's an emergency that does not require calling 911 to bring the EMTs and an ambulance?

If that works, sell it to CarMax or the dealer asap in case something else goes wrong.
stoptothink
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by stoptothink »

sailaway wrote: Sat Oct 16, 2021 8:46 am What kind of infant energy occurs at night that eod.be better served by paying a driver?
tibbitts wrote: Sat Oct 16, 2021 12:59 am I'm not understanding the infant-at-home issue and how it relates to needing a car. If you're saying there is some unusual medical condition involved and the infant could experience a medical emergency, I'm not sure I would want to drive myself and the infant anywhere, since I couldn't monitor and/or render assistance and drive at the same time.
It is a common American myth that cars will resolve emergencies. I am not sure if others have a different sense of what constitutes an emergency or of what a car can accomplish, but those considering becoming one car families are also told think of the emergencies.
Yeah, the fact that OP's husband sometimes works at night isn't a reason to get another car if they don't have to. I'd start with learning to drive a stick. FWIW, Two profession household (I WFH now, previously walked) with two young kids and we've shared a single car for 5.5yrs; we've needed a second car zero times. I wouldn't be concerned at all going to a single car for 2 months or so, granted, our situation may be different than OP's.
jmw
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by jmw »

The justification for a brand new car near MSRP is extremely weak. And it's a horrible decision if you are financing the car. However, if you buy a beater automatic transmission car for $7k as a quality of life improvement, I think that's an OK-ish decision especially given the other car is a stick shift.

Not that I don't trust your mechanic, but if the mechanic told me to replace the cat and didn't tell me what else he checked, then I would probably fire him. This code is often not the cat and it does ring alarm bells in my head if he didn't explain proactively (without me prodding for more explanation) why it's not other things. If it is the cat, I might replace it given the stupid high prices on cars if the rest of the car is in good shape. [OT comment removed by admin LadyGeek] Finally, I'm not optimistic car prices will go down anytime soon.

No guarantees, but I think you can get away with driving with the old sticker until Jan 2022 when you stick out like a sore thumb to the cops with the wrong color registration tags. You need to pay the reg fee before the due date because penalties are high even if you haven't passed smog yet. It's fine to pay the reg fee without passing smog.
NYCaviator
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by NYCaviator »

burritoLover wrote: Sat Oct 16, 2021 7:16 am There are certainly a lot of people driving around without up-to-date registrations. Usually the fines are not too bad as they would disproportionally impact the poor. It might be $100 or something. Check with your DMV. It might be worth it just to let it expire for a few months.
This would be my first choice. It would only be about ~ 2 months expired by the time you get the new one, and most states have grace periods anyway. I've seen a ton of extremely expired plates and temp tags this last year (started around the beginning of COVID) and no one seems to care.
simpleman357357
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by simpleman357357 »

Me personally I would go to the local Mexican repair shop and give them 100. If your nervous about doing that I would just drive it with expired tags it's a 120 dollar fine we're I live. Don't put anymore money in the car.
neverpanic
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by neverpanic »

MrsRoos wrote: Fri Oct 15, 2021 11:58 pm registration is due 11/18/21 and requires a smog test for renewal (I'm in California)

1) Should I sell the vehicle now or can I wait until a few days before the registration due date to sell? I'm unsure but I believe the registration has to be
current in order for it to be sold in California.
You CAN sell a car in CA without current registration, but not your car, because......

You CANNOT sell a car in California without a smog certificate.

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicle-r ... ate-party/
2) Try smogging the car in hopes that it will pass smog. If it passes, then I pay my registration renewal and get to use the car until my new one arrives. If it fails, then it is recorded by the state of CA and the vehicle now might not be sellable, which means a donation for a tax deduction
Most places only charge $30-65 or so to do a smog check. That's a small gamble on the off chance you could pass. Also, getting the check done demonstrates intent to comply on your part, so you should do it. If it does not pass, you don't actually care, because you were replacing the car anyway. And they'll normally give you a free re-test within 60 days.
3) Even though the registration is due 11/8, the registration renewal notice states that I have until 2/18/22 to pay my renewal fees but with a late charge of $70. Can I ignore the 11/18 due date, continue using the car and then smog it closer to when the new car arrives? Am I reading this correctly or is this an offense?
The late charge is your indication that it is an offense, but FWIW, as long as your premiums are paid, you'll have insurance coverage. If you drive a vehicle with expired tags, you do risk being ticketed. I can't advise you to skirt the law. Only you and DH can decide whether the risk is worth the small fine you'd pay if pulled over.
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DoubleComma
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by DoubleComma »

Try to smog it. CA smog has been a visual inspection and OBD2 readout for over a decade. Nothing actual measures the exhaust at the tail pipe any longer. You don’t say the dash light code was related to emissions, if it was this might not work, but if not it shouldn’t matter.

Unless you sell to a dealership, in CA the Seller has to provide the buyer a smog certify any way, so it’s not going to be easier to get past this.
Nohbdy
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by Nohbdy »

MrsRoos wrote: Fri Oct 15, 2021 11:58 pm I'll be retiring my 2007 Subaru Outback with 195,000 miles on it as my trustworthy mechanic has told me that the car may need a new catalytic converter and the cost of the repair is about the same as what the car is worth. A warning sign came up on the dashboard and my mechanic had read the computer code. The BHers on this forum always have such insightful ideas, so maybe it'll help me decide what to do with my current car situation.

I've just ordered myself a new Subaru Outback (for under MSRP!) but the estimated delivery date is January 2022. My current 2007 Outback's registration is due 11/18/21 and requires a smog test for renewal (I'm in California). The DH has a stick shift car but alas, I don't know how to drive one. I could learn but he works nights sometimes and I need a vehicle that I can use in case of emergencies as we have an infant at home. I've got my money's worth driving my Outback for the past 12 years, so I don't really care about what I can get for it now. FYI, I had received an online quote of $1,200 (dealership) to $1,600 (CarMax). Below are some options that I've thought about and questions:

1) Should I sell the vehicle now or can I wait until a few days before the registration due date to sell? I'm unsure but I believe the registration has to be current in order for it to be sold in California.

2) Try smogging the car in hopes that it will pass smog. If it passes, then I pay my registration renewal and get to use the car until my new one arrives. If it fails, then it is recorded by the state of CA and the vehicle now might not be sellable, which means a donation for a tax deduction, and I'll need a car to use to bridge the gap.

3) Even though the registration is due 11/8, the registration renewal notice states that I have until 2/18/22 to pay my renewal fees but with a late charge of $70. Can I ignore the 11/18 due date, continue using the car and then smog it closer to when the new car arrives? Am I reading this correctly or is this an offense?

4) What should I do to bridge the 2-3 month gap of having no car to use? Rentals in this area are about $40/day. It's a hassle but I could rent a car only on days that DH has to work at night.

Please help me decide what to do!
1) How far are you from the fire department and the emergency room in minutes and miles? I noticed you said that you need the car, but this question implies that you do not. IF you have the option to sell it, then I think selling it now is the smart financial move…and this IS a financial advice type of forum.

2) I would sell the car if that is an option. $1200+ in hand vs a set of variables and hassles.

3) I think it might be cheaper (and probably more legal) to register the car non-op and leave it in the driveway for emergency use only. You should check with DMV for yourself. You can sell a non-op car as-is but I would expect a buyer to pay way less so you will probably want to register it in order to sell it for anything close to what a running car is worth. Donating (writeoff) it non-op in 3 months may also be an option.

4) See &1 for my perspective on this. I would take half of the $1200 and get a bike with a kid trailer and a cargo rack. That may or may not work for you.
l8_apex
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by l8_apex »

Go to an independent mechanic and explain the situation. Ask about getting a used part installed. Here is a new universal catalytic converter for $45: https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Cataly ... UTF8&psc=1
Reamus294
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by Reamus294 »

I can’t speak to the rules of your state but if the car has the check engine light on for emissions I can’t imagine they would pass it.
Is it the dreaded 420 code that subarus are known for? I have had this code pop up and after erasing it might not come back for months to years. Did your mechanic erase it to see if it came back? A $20-$30 scan tool can read and erase it easily. You can’t erase it then immediately get it inspected. Some sensors show when it is ready to test for inspection.
It could be the cat, an O2 sensor, a bad tank of gas, or it could be many other things if it is the 420 code. There is a real good thread on the Subaru Outback forum (by cardoc) about this code that goes into great detail if you’re interested.
I’d try to learn a stick shift for a day or two and see if you pick it up quick. I’d also call carmax to see if they will buy a car after not being registered, they have to get that all the time.
Good luck.
basspond
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by basspond »

May need a new catalytic converter? I have a code reader and the codes are very specific of what is wrong. I’ve had to replace a sensor or two which were very cheap or had a check engine light appear when I floored the vehicle while pulling a trailer. Reset with the later code and no issues. I bought the reader after I was charged $50 to read the code and the fix was to tighten the gas cap.
suemarkp
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by suemarkp »

Reamus294 wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 9:58 pm I can’t speak to the rules of your state but if the car has the check engine light on for emissions I can’t imagine they would pass it.
Is it the dreaded 420 code that subarus are known for? I have had this code pop up and after erasing it might not come back for months to years. Did your mechanic erase it to see if it came back? A $20-$30 scan tool can read and erase it easily. You can’t erase it then immediately get it inspected. Some sensors show when it is ready to test for inspection.
It could be the cat, an O2 sensor, a bad tank of gas, or it could be many other things if it is the 420 code. There is a real good thread on the Subaru Outback forum (by cardoc) about this code that goes into great detail if you’re interested.
This, and the previous answer that CA smog checks are scan only and they don't stick a probe up the tail pipe. I've had multiple cars where they have some problem, but if you erase the code it takes a few days for the light to come on. Some codes require the engine to be started a certain number of times with the issue present before turning on the code, so that's another reason to erase the data as it resets that counter. I just keep the scan tool connected on the way to the smog check, clear all codes before I get there, remove the scan tool, and pull in for the check. Heck, it was sitting on the passenger seat at one inspection and they didn't bat an eye...

It was an intermittent misfire code that prompted me to do this. Car had a bad design for spark plug wires. It was fixed once under warranty but it was a 4 hour job. Same thing happened again about 4 years later and it was out of the emissions warranty. I cleared the code to buy me time. I couldn't believe it would take 4 hour to change plug wires but it actually took me 6. Half the intake manifold had to come off, and I had to cut a wrench in half in order to reach something (instead of buying the $80 special tool...).

Everyone should have a scan tool. They are about $50, but it is much more convenient to read the code yourself and see what a problem might be (e.g. loose gap cap fix for evaporative emission codes) than to go drive to a mechanic or auto parts store for a scan every time you need it. A 2007 car probably won't have the sophisication of today's systems, so a simple code clearing should work if the light will stay off for 10+ minutes of driving.

Hard failures (sensor broken/missing) will have the light come on almost immediately. Those require something to be fixed. But cat problems most likely take a while to display.
Mark | Somewhere in WA State
egrets
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by egrets »

tibbitts wrote: Sat Oct 16, 2021 12:59 am I'm not understanding the infant-at-home issue and how it relates to needing a car. If you're saying there is some unusual medical condition involved and the infant could experience a medical emergency, I'm not sure I would want to drive myself and the infant anywhere, since I couldn't monitor and/or render assistance and drive at the same time.
I understand the OP. I have pets, and long enough so that some serious stuff has arisen. Stuff can be serious get to the medical person but not 911 serious.
stoptothink
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by stoptothink »

egrets wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 2:46 pm
tibbitts wrote: Sat Oct 16, 2021 12:59 am I'm not understanding the infant-at-home issue and how it relates to needing a car. If you're saying there is some unusual medical condition involved and the infant could experience a medical emergency, I'm not sure I would want to drive myself and the infant anywhere, since I couldn't monitor and/or render assistance and drive at the same time.
I understand the OP. I have pets, and long enough so that some serious stuff has arisen. Stuff can be serious get to the medical person but not 911 serious.
I guess everyone has to assess their level of risk. I have two kids, we've shared a single car for almost 6yrs and I haven't had a car at all for about half of my adult life, and I've experienced zero such "emergencies". Furthermore, if it's not "911 serious", is it "call or knock on your neighbor's door serious"? To me, the chance of something arising where there is no suitable transportation option in the next 2 months or so while OP is waiting for their ordered car is almost non-existent, but I am not the OP.
RudyS
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by RudyS »

basspond wrote: Tue Oct 19, 2021 1:27 am May need a new catalytic converter? I have a code reader and the codes are very specific of what is wrong. I’ve had to replace a sensor or two which were very cheap or had a check engine light appear when I floored the vehicle while pulling a trailer. Reset with the later code and no issues. I bought the reader after I was charged $50 to read the code and the fix was to tighten the gas cap.
AutoZone and likely other parts stores will read the code for free.
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Sandi_k
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by Sandi_k »

Sell it for $1200 now.

Then use that $1200 on the occasional days when you need to rent a car for $40. You can rent a lot of car time for $1200. (And try Costco - I hear that they have a cheap rental rate).
Olemiss540
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by Olemiss540 »

With these crazy market times wouldnt be surprised if the car is worth 3500 or 4000 on craigslist once the cat is repaired. Can fix it and then sell it on Facebook in Jan?
I hold index funds because I do not overestimate my ability to pick stocks OR stock pickers.
Shallowpockets
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by Shallowpockets »

basspond wrote: Tue Oct 19, 2021 1:27 am May need a new catalytic converter? I have a code reader and the codes are very specific of what is wrong. I’ve had to replace a sensor or two which were very cheap or had a check engine light appear when I floored the vehicle while pulling a trailer. Reset with the later code and no issues. I bought the reader after I was charged $50 to read the code and the fix was to tighten the gas cap.
Yeah, check the codes. Perhaps it is not the converter, may be the O2 sensor which should be cheaper to replace.
tibbitts
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by tibbitts »

RudyS wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 9:52 pm
basspond wrote: Tue Oct 19, 2021 1:27 am May need a new catalytic converter? I have a code reader and the codes are very specific of what is wrong. I’ve had to replace a sensor or two which were very cheap or had a check engine light appear when I floored the vehicle while pulling a trailer. Reset with the later code and no issues. I bought the reader after I was charged $50 to read the code and the fix was to tighten the gas cap.
AutoZone and likely other parts stores will read the code for free.
Yes, just be prepared for a wait. In my experience it's been faster to borrow the reader from Autozone since you're just in line at the register with the other customers and they seem to (understandably) prioritize that. You can keep it for a while and at least the most recent one I borrowed was a slightly above-entry-level model (forget exactly which model it was now.)
superskyliner
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Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2020 12:48 pm

Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by superskyliner »

I have a CA Smog license. Sale or installation of used catalytic converters has been illegal since October 2007.
Used catalytic converters will fail visual inspection.

What general area in CA are you? I can help with any questions you might have specific to your cars mechanical condition. I can help reviewing the trouble codes and confirming catalytic converters function.
superskyliner
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2020 12:48 pm

Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by superskyliner »

l8_apex wrote: Sun Oct 17, 2021 1:16 pm Go to an independent mechanic and explain the situation. Ask about getting a used part installed. Here is a new universal catalytic converter for $45: https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Cataly ... UTF8&psc=1
That cat does not have an Executive Order number. Illegal to install as it has not been tested by the California air resource board / epa and been proven effective at reducing pollutants to the same standard as original pollution control device originally on vehicle.

Catalytic converter falls under California anti-tampering law. The law is designed to prevent tampering with pollution control devices on California vehicles. The anti-tampering law is Vehicle Code Section 27156 and covers all pollution related systems and devices on a motor vehicle.
runningshoes
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by runningshoes »

For everyone recommending that the OP not buy a car, based on numbers, financials, etc., you might have missed the part where she posted the car has almost 200,000 miles and it's a 2007, so roughly 14,000 miles a year. Not sure how many miles the other car has, but that's a pretty good use of a car over that time frame. Holding a car that long and getting 200k miles out of it is not a bad financial decision any way you want to look at it, even compared to buying a used car.
wander
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by wander »

What is the computer code?
MrsRoos wrote: Fri Oct 15, 2021 11:58 pm A warning sign came up on the dashboard and my mechanic had read the computer code.
What code does the OBD reader show?
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AllMostThere
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by AllMostThere »

l8_apex wrote: Sun Oct 17, 2021 1:16 pm Go to an independent mechanic and explain the situation. Ask about getting a used part installed. Here is a new universal catalytic converter for $45: https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Cataly ... UTF8&psc=1
Per Link - "Non CARB compliant ( illegal for use in California )", but the point is very clear for OP. Look for aftermarket Catalytic Convertor on Amazon and RockAuto. I would not be surprised if one can be found for < $150. Maybe another $150 to install. Be creative, as car with this level of mileage and age does not need OEM parts. OP, These Subaru's go on forever, no reason you cannot get another 3-5 years out of it. Or, fix cheaply and sell after new car is available. :beer
It is not about how much you make; it is about how much you keep and how well you invest it. - Author Unknown | Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if you’ll die today. - Author James Dean
bloom2708
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Re: Help with my car situation please!

Post by bloom2708 »

I would replace the catalytic converter today.

You will get most of it back on resale.

Easy choice.
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