What would you do?

N

nissanh

Senior Member
The T4R forum is a part of my day now. I start the day with it and end with it. So here is my question to you all.

I have a 92 Geo Prizm (Toyota Sprinter) which I bought exactly 10 years ago for $500. I did 100K miles without any issues (except struts, radiator, T-belt and CV's) it still drives like new. Currently it is sitting at 265K miles. No oil drops anywhere. Been with my family all this time I feels it is like a part of my family.

With the age, it really needs a paint job. The best quote I have is $2000 from a local auto body shop. Have a dent (parking lot hit and run) and few other minor things.

I have additional spare parts for it including 5 speed gear box, control arms etc. The car is super reliable and for the past 10 years it has never let me or family stranded at any location.

I plan to keep it with a new paint job. What would you do? I told the paint guy, that I will bring it tomorrow.
 

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Not having an emotional attachment nor any particular interest in that kind of vehicle, I'd sell it and find something more interesting to spend my money fixing up.

But, if you like it and plan to keep it... it's tour car and your money. Fix it up and enjoy it!
 
maaco, seriously. spend $1k and get a 10 foot paint job. it'll be a huge improvement and being as old as it is, no one will care its not perfect. if you can do some of the prep work yourself, it'll come out that much better and be somewhat cheaper.
 
Honestly, I'd sell it so as to avoid the property tax, registration, insurance premiums etc, then take the two grand and deposit it into my Roth IRA. Thats just me though
 
2 avenues of thought:
Sell it as you are clearly putting in way more then it is worth

OR


Plastidip it yourself for cheaper. Definitely a change up for you vehicle, but not as costly.
 
So you want to pay $2000 for a paint job on a car that cost you $500? Like stated above, do the prepwork yourself and save some money.
 
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Plastidip. Pep Boys usually has specials on basic white or black,last time I purchased some (black) it was buy 2 cans get a third free

But if it were mine,Id leave it as-is.
 
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I say full restore and keep it till you croak!


Or


Sell it to someone that's very excited about having cheap reliable transportation
 
Thanks for all your input. I think the roller idea is not too bad. Believe me, I can do almost anything that has to do with wrenching but paint is something that is not for me.

I am for sure going to keep the car for life like many of you said but will forget the paint job for some time.
 
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nissanh said:
Thanks for all your input. I think the roller idea is not too bad. Believe me, I can do almost anything that has to do with wrenching but paint is something that is not for me.

I am for sure going to keep the car for life like many of you said but will forget the paint job for some time.
Click to expand...

If you're going to keep it, then I'd drop the money for a decent to good paint job/body work. At this point, resale is not a concern. It'll still cost a ton less than a new car and will look nice (which could lead to you taking even better care of it - making it stay nicer/last longer).
 
Not that it matters....sounds like you have your mind made up. I would spend that money on anything else but that car. I would spend it all on beer and pee it down the drain....and drive that car as is was daily to get more beer. Or do something responsible like invest it.....nah I would buy more beer.
 
Cheaper paint job, so you feel better driving it. Don't fix the dent. Do polish those headlights.

You're a little too emotionally invested already. Take a breath.
 
If you clean it up really nice as it is, you could get your $500 back. But if you do a $1k or $2k paint job will you get that money back on the car if you choose to resell it?
 
This car has given me the opportunity to explore into mechanics. When I blew the HG (my fault with a fully stretch drive belt that runs the water pump), a mechanic quoted 1250. I said no and tried my own for the first time with the cost of $250... after 40K miles it still runs good with nothing leaking.

I feel like I should try the paint job on my own too. Will see.
 
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