Very interesting scenario… good luck with it. Sounds like you’ve got a handle on it.
Yes. I think it’s worth updating the outcome in 6 months just to see if that solution really works. There’s a lot of older cars out there that might benefit from this second opinion! I know I was surprised by the outcome so far. I was sure it needed a new trans…and if it were a newer car might consider it; but as other commenters said the repair cost more than the car value. In my case $3500. is almost 2x Kelly Bluebook. Of course without rebuild it’s in the hundreds. Probably donate it at that point.
Never spend money on a car you’re going to sell. Only get it fixed if you plan to keep it.
You are 100% right and I appreciate the reminder. I don’t want to sell the 1999 Camry. But the idea of spending $3500. on a transmission rebuild was not in the cards even if I meant to keep it after. As suggested by a few contributors, this is also a mistake: to spend more on it than it’s really worth. The fix that the transmission guy came up with works for me to keep my car going for awhile and at only around $66. every 6 months or so at this stage in the Life of the Camry. (read my previous post about the trains specialist’s solution if interested.) Otherwise with known trans leak I’d have to sell it for next to nothing and would but actually donating it down the road a couple of years from now is fine with me. I bought it for around $5,000 over 8 years ago so it’s served me well. No car payments!
Depends on what needs repairing. If I’m a perspective buyer and I read things like “only needs to have the A/C recharged” or “CEL on because of bad O2 sensor” or “only needs paint”, then I’m going to either A. Pass on making an offer or B. Deduct the retail cost of the needed repair from my offer. If a seller tries to justify his/her position by stating that the repairs are minor, then I have to ask, “if they were small or cheap repairs then why didn’t you have them done before you tried to sell the car?” Likewise there are some things that are red flags to me; mismatched tires (different brand/model) tell me that the owner was/is cheap and might be inclined to cut corners elsewhere. Look at the oil filter, it’s a cheap or white box filter, then again it suggests that the owner is minimizing the ownership costs. Or if the driveway of the owner’s place has oil stains but the car has a freshly cleaned undercarriage, that’s a reason for concern as well. Of course it’s always best to have a mechanic look over a used car you’re considering buying, but there are certainly things that the consumer can do to see whether or not the car is worth taking to the mechanic for inspection in the first place.
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You are right FoDaddy. All those tips are great. I am one of those people who would tell you what I know about the car. Not worth having someone mad at you over something like that. I have bought all my cars used and always take them to a mechanic and it’s saved grief in the long run. But the tips you gave are great to review before the trip to the mechanic like you said. The days before everyone was savvy to the damaged/flooded/trashed and bandaged car and a rebuilt registration you never knew what you’d get. These days it’s easier to find car history online. I like your tips about the driveway, and the seller avoiding cheap repairs…tells you a lot about how the car was NOT cared for, right?
You’re one consumer though. When you’re selling a car privately, there are lots of potential buyers, and you’ll never recover the sunk costs by selling the car for more than it’s worth unrepaired. It’s simple math, especially on a car this old that needs a major repair.
In the OP’s case I agree, it’s not worth putting a rebuilt or probably even a junkyard transmission in it. He would never recoup the costs for the car is going to sell for. But if the car just needed something like a missing wheel cover or a new thermostat, if I were selling the car, I’d probably do those small, inexpensive repairs before trying to sell it.
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