Looks like i'm car shopping!

The other part of it is, im leery of any 9 year old cobalt that chewed a trans at 83k. I get the sense this thing is a lemon.

Our 9 yr old Cobalt has 30k more than that and drives like a 3 year old car - and that's not unusual, so maybe you're right.

Zomby Woof wrote: Our 9 yr old Cobalt has 30k more than that and drives like a 3 year old car - and that's not unusual, so maybe you're right.

I know plenty of people that have beaten them to death and back and they still go. Thats what gets me.

You mention a possible previous accident, was that a frontal accident? Could there be laten trans damage?
Did you drive it before it failed?

JohnRW1621 wrote: You mention a possible previous accident, was that a frontal accident? Could there be laten trans damage? Did you drive it before it failed?

Yeah i did. The trans wasnt right. Felt like it was slipping a bit. Then, it refused highway gear and spit out reverse on the way to vero beach. Could have been accident related, but based on the rest of the car and what has been replaced i dont think so. I think the thing was a rental slut and bought by a shady lot that slapped it together long enough to foist it off on swmbo. Idk. Ive never had a good feeling from it. I understand how and why she got it, but its....not good.

Buy basic tools at harbor freight. Get a used trans. Swap in a weekend. Drive the POS until financial situation allows you to buy a better used car. Or...hire a local mechanic to swap the used tranny in.

I've had two new cars in my life , both I very much underbought for my income level. Other than that I've fixed whatever I could actually afford. New cars are a luxury item in today's world.

The good news is she makes bank... She just doesnt have the capital right now to drop 2500$

lolwut

I sense way bigger problems than a broken E36 M3box car. Having said that, i would either spend $6-700 on a used trans and somebody to install it, or i would buy a $6-700 beater. If y'all dont have access to $700 either, i would seriously consider that you should have never driven yourself 1500 miles from home.

Buy a used one and find a mobile mechanic or something. Offer to help him for a discounted price. OR, get on a cobalt forum and find some locals willing to help with the install. OR, find a DIY garage that you can rent out the bay. How much can yall realistically afford?

Klayfish wrote: If fixing it is completely off the table, don't forget to pay a visit to Nissan. Don't even go new unless they're giving it away. I'll bet you can find a base model CPO Versa hatch for peanuts, and it's a much better car than the Mirage.

Don't forget base model fiat 500's......I swear those damn things are nearly free.

Aren't there much cheaper ways to build credit than overpaying several hundred dollars/month for a car? If you're trying to do a 2 birds/one stone thing, I'd just get a low-limit credit card designed to build credit, (like they market to recent college grads) and use it only for gas for a cheap beater. Pay it off entirely every month (just gasoline costs shouldn't be more than a couple hundred/month which is way less than your car payment scenarios, and shouldn't be difficult since she's making "bank"). It would probably be just as beneficial for her credit, and would be much less payout each month vs the new car payment + old car payment + Insurance for new car. Paying a bunch of money each month is only going to slow your long term plans.

TL;DR - Time to "suck it up buttercup" and sacrifice a little now to gain more long term.

WOW Really Paul? wrote:

Klayfish wrote: If fixing it is completely off the table, don't forget to pay a visit to Nissan. Don't even go new unless they're giving it away. I'll bet you can find a base model CPO Versa hatch for peanuts, and it's a much better car than the Mirage.

Don't forget base model fiat 500's......I swear those damn things are nearly free.

We talked fiat last night. She said no. Unless Abarth.....

mndsm wrote: We talked fiat last night. She said no. Unless Abarth.....

Well there's your problem, right there. The car is going to be easier to straighten out. ;)

In reply to Brokeback:

That is truly genius.

There are some sweet lease deals out there for under $200/mo.

In reply to mndsm:

Used Abarths can be had for sub $12k.....I'd just want to get at least one of the aftermarket warranties for it as those are generally out of factory warranty.

Used Versa Sedans are really cheap.

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/200x-classifieds/2002-toyota-echo/109004/page1/

Asking $1,300. A Saturday drive away.

In reply to Brokeback:

Ok. I must be tired, but how does this work exactly?

Also, fighting ex wife on divorce? I thought this was all her idea or something?

In reply to yupididit:

I just figured that the theory of a divorce was a lot easier than the reality of a divorce

I'm raffing so hard right now.

A Disney exec doesn't get a company car?

Otherwise you have plenty of options, but if she's willing to buy a ragged berkeleybolt but not a much better Fiat... That just speaks volumes about her decision making skills and why you're all in this place now.

Good luck and good night.

ok, my worthless 2 cents. BHPH screwed her, that's what they do. BHPH does not improve your credit so she didn't gain anything there. Credit sucks, car sucks, let the BHPH repo it rather than roll that waste into another loan. I rarely advocate the "bail on your debts" plan, but sketchy BHPH places are built on this concept so they are just waiting for it anyway. Tell em to come get their car, continue having bad credit, figure out how to get a REAL car loan on a real car that will help actually build credit again for her.

Stefan (Not Bruce) wrote: I'm raffing so hard right now. A Disney exec doesn't get a company car? Otherwise you have plenty of options, but if she's willing to buy a ragged berkeleybolt but not a much better Fiat... That just speaks volumes about her decision making skills and why you're all in this place now. Good luck and good night.

Not exec. Management. Looooots of layers. She bought the cobalt before we came together. We were looking at shifting it along anyhow. This just compresses the time frame.

JohnRW1621 wrote: In reply to yupididit: I just figured that the theory of a divorce was a lot easier than the reality of a divorce

This. She still wants me to pay on a lease for a place she tried kick me out of. It was her plan the whole way, but im not taking any chance.

oh and if you can get a loan I have a sweet 2012 Abarth I'll sell you for cheap ;)