I'm Getting the New Car Bug

[DBMaster]

This is getting to be a pain now. I replaced the rack and axles a couple of months ago. I had the oil pan gasket replaced back in April. Now there is a new oil leak. The shop told me that the oil pump seal was leaking, but that it would be fine to leave until the next timing belt job as it is not serious.

I also saw some coolant on the floor in the garage this morning. Just a couple of drops, but you know coolant leaks don't "heal" themselves. I replaced the radiator with a brand new one just three years ago. If it's the source of the leak I guess I would have to get with the company that sold it to me and see how to redeem the lifetime warranty.

I don't want to get to the point of having to mess with the car every month. I can easily afford to buy something in the $18-20,000 range. I was just enjoying the fact that our Odyssey was paid off and I now have NO car payments.

It's weird. I have had this car for 14 years (as long as I have been married). I almost feel like I'm married to it!

[k-roy]

Wow. Thats a long time to own one car. You should drive it to a dealership and find a salesman. Point to your car and say "Another one of those, only new". But don't trade it in. You really shold fix whatever the coolant leak is and sell it to some teenager for a few hundred bucks.

[NXRacer]

your coolant leak could be from the water pump. They are made to leak when they go bad so you know when to replace them.

[blazin3gen]

Originally posted by DBMaster
$18-20,000 range.

KIA Rio :super: lol

get a Dodge SRT4

[hkplayer]

Congrats on paying off the odyssey, glad to hear its a honda as well! Perhaps it is time for you to move on for another new one? What about keeping this old one stored and then play with it when you have time in the future after buying a newer car? Wait a sec, I think I just shared what I wanted to do...but like i can afford a 20K car anytime soon.

[DBMaster]

I doubt it is the water pump. It is coming right from the area of the splash pan under the radiator. I replaced the water pump only about 30,000 miles ago with a genuine Honda part. I even replaced the pulley because my original was not running "true."

The car is actually worth more like a couple thousand bucks. Just ask Kamikaze about the condition it is in.

I just have to resist the urge to be impulsive. I need to let some money sit and earn while I pay the $400 I was using for van payments into a mutual fund account. The longer I wait, the closer I get to paying cash for my next car.

I guess it's another holiday weekend spent gettin' dirty!

[k-roy]

Are you sure its not the hose? I say you should fix it and drive it a few more years. You can get a color dye and put it in the cooling system. Then use a blacklight to see where the leak it. I did that once and it saved me from buying a new radiator for a year.

Since your car sounds like it is in excelent condition you should keep it around. When it comes time for a new one you should sell it on the street. You can get more money for it that way. Then you can use that for a down payment. I say put money into the mutial fund and don't touch it. Put at least something in it every month. Then way down the line you can use it for your kids college or even retirement.

[DBMaster]

Well, it is the radiator for sure and it looks like it has been leaking for a while. There's a lot of crusty pink (I used the orange coolant) stuff around the solder joint holding the lower tank on (this is an aftermarket all-metal radiator). It is on the opposite side of the radiator from where the hoses connect and the hose side is dry.

I guess I am going to see how easy it is to use the lifetime warranty on this puppy. Worst case, I guess I am out another $100.

Oh, and I put $100 every month into BOTH kids' college funds. I have accumulated about $11,000 for my daughter in six years. She still has another seven years to go before college. By then I may have enough to pay for one year! :)

Looks like I am going to keep driving it for a while!