Yesterday (July 5) my 1998 Ford Taurus overheated and blew a gasket. The minimum estimate to fix this was given to me by the local, trusted, mechanic as $940 for labor and $350 for parts.
I’m thinking that rather than spend $1300 for a car that might not work for much longer, I should buy a new car instead. At the moment, this car won’t even start. How should I go about disposing of the car? Can I get any money for it? Should I try to trade it in? Donate it? Where do I leave the car while I make this decision?
Put an ad in the newspaper selling it as a “parts car”. If nobody calls, look up the number of a tow shop that will take it away for free.
Nobody is likely to want a Taurus on its last legs as a donor, and the IRS won’t let you deduct it beyond what the donor recipient could sell it for. It’s also unlikely anybody would want it as a driver. Personally, I don’t think it’s worth hassling with. Others may disagree.
- mountainbike
The Salvation Army will take it and haul it away, running or not…Scrap metal has value…
Is there a slight downhill slope and a cliff nearby?
Well, the cost to repair might be enough to pay the taxes and destination charges on new car.
If the transmission is good repair the car if its questionable don’t.
Whats the opinion of the said trusted mechanic. he is in the best position to answer your question.
There are many charities that take cars. Call around, or check the paper for ads.
How many miles are on this Taurus? It may still be worth fixing. I’m assuming that you are speaking of a CYLINDER HEAD GASKET. Is it the DOHC engine, or the OHV engine? If it’s the OHV, I have three good engines that would fit it, one with only 61K miles. Where is it?
The Vulcan engine may be only slightly more complicated then a lawnmower engine, and is definitely reliable. Probably the easiest V6 to work on in a FWD car. You can probably pick up a good used engine at the junk yard for like two or three hundred dollars.
I’m happy to see the one about the Salvation Army. If they won’t take it and nobudy takes it for free, then it costs about fifty dollars in Ca. to get an automotive recycler to take it. Junkyard. Popular cars that they can unload in a hurry will be taken for free. There are so many other things that could need attention on an old Taurus, it makes me sure that you have the right idea.
Put it on craigslist.com as a free item, I am sure someone will come after it.