Yes Texases I actually do agree. I do know about the motor and transmission mount as well as transmission bearing that need replacing (right where the axle mounts on each side of the transmission). And all of that stuff will cost a fair amount of $$$. It has taken me some time to think about it and I don’t want those darn payments but I need a daily, dependable car which means a newer car that is easy to get parts for. I am thinking a slightly used, low mileage Toyota/Scion or Honda.
Toyota Crolla, Matrix, Scion XD, Honda Fit, Honda Civic, maybe even Camry. Those would be my top picks for a slightly used, low mileage car that would be very reliable, good on gas, easy for mechanics to work on, and easy and cheap to get parts for. There is a reason I won’t go for Acura or Lexus as they are quite a bit more expensive to repair and get parts for. Although, they are of course, excellent cars in their own right.
And yes, I still prefer a manual transmission over an automatic. That would be nice but may still have automatic since it is hard to find a good, used car with manual. Most people buy them with Automatics which I still wonder why people think an Automatic is so important to them. The only time I see an advantage with that is in heavy, stop-and-go traffic.
My daughter in law had one of these. After a major repair (>$2500) it was involved in a minor accident which totalled it mercifully. She had inherited it from her mother, and the maintenance had been lax.
Yeah, Docnick, this was a similar story. Right before it was given to me in January my mom had it and was just about ready to get rid of it. Really she spent way too much to do maintenance and minor repairs it needed right before I got it (and I told her it was too much but she had already spent the $$$). Anyway, since she was nearly getting rid of it she had let the maintenance go on it for a while and it definitely was showing. An old car is fine if its reliable, well maintained and not too hard to get parts for. Well, this one still needs a number of things done. As I mentioned before, even though it has had a tune up not too long ago one of the cylinders still misfires and I think whichever one it is is probably low on compression too. It probably needs a ring job, bearings, head gasket, etc. There was no way I was gonna too anything that major. Also, the transmission fluid is pretty darn dark with some black instead of Red like it should be so I figure even though it works the transmission has a limited life left in it as well.
Go to this site, there is a ton of information there and some very knowledgeable guys. BTW, these cars are enjoying a pretty high resale value now so don’t junk it without a good evaluation.
http://www.tercel4wd.com/index.php
db is right about the front control arm mounts, its not just rust either, they can crack due to flexing from miles and age (metal fatigue), even without any rust on the vehicle at all. Once they crack, the car is pretty much toast except for parts. The front turn signal lenses can only be obtained from another 4wd so they are pretty valuable.
Back to your original question though, I use a 6 point socket on a breaker bar to loosen those bleeders. You will have more trouble with the rear wheel cylinders than the front calipers. Rear wheel cylinders are cheap though.
These are expensive to maintain if you don’t do the work yourself. But the car is pretty simple to work on, the site above has just about all the information you will ever need to keep it running and is a good car to learn on. But at 62 HP, it’s never going to be a pocket rocket, especially with an automatic transmission.
@jkeelsnc
Are you aware that Acura and Lexus are just more luxurious Honda and Toyota?
Maintaining them shouldn’t be that much more expensive, I would think
If you’re looking for at stick shift vehicle that’s decent on gas and easy to work on . . .
late model Ford Ranger
4 cylinder
base model
short bed
stick shift
manual windows and locks
As long as the power steering and ac work well, maybe that’s all you need and/or want . . .
Brakes are nothing to mess with. It sounds like the fix is too expensive for the car. You could have a complete system replacement on a car like this as old as it is. Plan on getting what ever you can out of it… IMHO, it wasn’t much of a gift if it was dangerous to begin with. The giver knew the situation.
I guess if I had this car sitting in my driveway I’d put some thread penetrating fluid on all the bleeder screws and let it sit for a few days, then, with a properly dimensioned, undamaged tool, I’d try to loosen the bleeder screws. No go? I’d put some fluid on the threads again, wait another two days, try again. Still a no-go, the bleeder screws broke off? Then using the Rock Auto website, I’d pencil out what it would cost to replace the affected calipers, wheel cylinders, and rubber brake hoses. The Tercel was such a popular car the replacement parts shouldn’t be overly expensive, so it might still be economically worthwhile, depending on the condition of the vehicle otherwise.
OP said he’s only getting 20mpg
The brakes are extremely questionable at this time
By OP’s own description, it’s already rusting
It’s clearly underpowered
By virtue of its age, it’s not worth much
More food for thought . . .
I don’t know about that neck of the woods, but around here scrap cars are going for 180 bucks a ton. Maybe it’s time to load that one up with all kinds of metallic debris and head for the hydraulic stomping grounds…
The age, miles, iffy brakes, rust, trans fluid going black, and especially that wonky left and right darting (possibly ball joints, etc) would make me a bit antsy.
“I mean that you step on the gas and it pulls to the left a bit… Let off the gas and it darts to the right.”
My '88 Accord did this and it was a dry ball joint, broken rubber boot.
This is one topic where db and I will disagree. Do not junk this car. Go to the website I posted the link for and join, then post it in the cars for sale section. You will get more money than you will get from a junkyard, even if someone only wants it for parts.
BTW, Coca-Cola makes a good rust remover and thread penetrant, but don’t leave it on for long, it will dissolve the bleed screw in a couple of days, or less. A few hours should be enough.
Well, two weeks later and problem with the brakes is solved. Actually, the mechanic was giving me the run around. At first, he acted like the bleeder screws would be awful to get off then I told him to try and he called back 2 hours later saying, " OH yeah, all 4 of them came right off!" rolls eyes. How lame is that? Anyway, the brakes are good now and the master cylinder has been replaced. The mechanic I used has acted like this thing shouldn’t be worked on each time it came in. Anyway, I am going to be looking for another car. Which brings me to a point.
I have been considering a car from an estate sale recently that I went to. It was an old man’s car which is a 2000 Buick LeSabre. Nice driving car except the one alarming thing was that something is up with the transmission. When you put it into gear the car shudders a bit and enough to be noticeable. Also, the car shudders a little when shifting gears. So I thought, I better test this thing real good. So I stomped on the gas with the rev’s climbing to 3 to 4K and the transmission was all over the place, shuddering, slipping, engining revving up and down and the car shuddering. I thought “Well this is definitely not right”. I am aware that a common problem with the 4T65-E transmission can be the Pressure Control Solenoid and also the Transmission Pass Through Connector. I intend to have a mechanic look at this car to see what it would cost to fix. Is it even worth considering? Everything else mechanically with the car appears to be OK. Price he will be asking originally around $3500 but I think he should come WAY down with the transmission problem. Could it be simply a transmission fluid and filter service would help? I looked at the fluid and realized it had been changed before but it was a little brown. The car has 88,000 miles by the way. It had about $2000 worth of various work done last fall before the guy died.
In defense of the mechanic, old rusty cars tend to be a real pain. You end up spending extra time and hassle on everything. You try to fix one thing and another breaks. Customers blame you, etc. And this is often coupled with the idea that such a car is not worth fixing, so what is the point anyway? It can becomes all hassle.
On the LeSabre, the 4T65E is great when it works. When things aren’t working, forget about it. Few, if any, shops want to deal with them. Expect the “diagnosis” to be that you need a rebuilt unit ordered for it. Figure you’d be in it for another $3-4,000 after you buy it. Personally, I’d call it a $500 car.
That said, many things make a mess with electronically controlled transmissions. Did you check the fluid? Wonky speed sensors, throttle positions sensors, MAF & MAP sensors, even EGR valves, etc. can all make for control side problems.
I’d avoid any used car with transmission problems. Estate sales cars can be a bargain, or they can be a disaster due to little/no maintenance for years. I’d keep looking.
Now, I see why a friend of mine who knows cars better than I do points out that he hates all the solenoids and electronic controls on modern cars. PITA to fix and diagnose. LOL
The asking price for the Buick is astronomical, considering the transmission
In my area, that Buick in fair condition is worth roughly $2500 private party sale, according to Kelley Blue Book
They don’t even have a value for poor condition cars
So $3500 definitely a crack pipe asking price
If you offered them $500 - $1000, they’d probably not consider it, because it isn’t anywhere near what they’re asking
In my opinion, cars that are priced way too high to begin with, aren’t worth bargaining for, because the seller isn’t being realistic.
Sounds a bit overpriced to me but the part I would be concerned with is the transmission fluid. If the fluid has been changed and is a little brown now, then one has to wonder if it was a lot of brown before the fluid change.
“So I stomped on the gas with the rev’s climbing to 3 to 4K and the transmission was all over the place, shuddering, slipping, engining revving up and down and the car shuddering.”
Run away, and don’t look back