There comes a time when the thought runs through your mind, “Am i just dumping money into an endless pit.”. Right now it seems like I am spending a couple hundred dollars every month or so to keep my current suv (2001 honda passport) running. I am not a mechanic but i can do basic stuff i have replaced a lot items, alternator, starter, clutch fan and such. This weeks issue is the neutral start switch and intake manifold gaskets. These issues are above my pay grade so i have to take it to a certified garage, more money. A couple of hundred dollars is easier to come up with to fix issues then coming up with thousands to buy something different. But when is enough, enough. money is tight and i don’t have the best credit so buying a car is going to take a lot of saving, sacrificing, and determination. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated thanks in advance.
@hounch101
That Does Seem Like A List Of Repairs That Are Not What I Consider Ordinary.
How Many Miles On This Car?
How Much Rust Is Lurking Underneath?
CSA
It’s a 15 year old truck . . . probably has a fair number of miles
And let’s remember it’s a rebadged Isuzu, AFAIK
I’m not entirely sure, but I’ll assume that Isuzu reliability is a little worse than Honda . . .
Those items OP replaced don’t seem to point at a bad vehicle. Stuff wears out
A neutral safety switch is not a big deal, for example
Intake gaskets on a 15 year old truck are obviously going to cost some money, but it’s not the end of the world.
If the truck is in great shape otherwise, not rusty, and has been very well maintained, it might be worth hanging onto for awhile
The devil you know . . . 
190000 miles and plenty of rust a lot of rust.
that was very important information
How bad are the intake gaskets leaking?
Is engine oil or coolant leaking externally?
Is coolant getting into the crankcase . . . or vice versa?
If it’s not too bad, I’d be tempted to ignore it for the time being. But monitor the various fluid levels
A rusty truck is not really a keeper, IMO
Does your state have a vehicle safety inspection program?
If so, the truck may fail, anyways
Perhaps throw a neutral safety switch at it, and drive the truck, until it fails a safety inspection
And try to save money for another vehicle, with less rust 
Thanks db, i have had the frame welded with some new steel to help hold up in spots.
I know that parts wear out and i can deal with some repairs it just seams i fix it breaks i fix it breaks.
Check engine code 0300 random misfire i changed the plugs and it is still acting up. So if the spark is good its got to be sucking air and that is why i think it is a manifold gasket. I could be wrong so thats why its going to the shop.
This is the Passport with the broken rear suspension, you had it repaired? Did you attempt to have the recall repair for frame rust performed? I thought this might be a way out of the vehicle if the repair cost exceeded the value of the vehicle.
For $3000 to $4000 you could buy a newer vehicle that consumes half the fuel of this one.
I spoke to honda about the recall. I was told the passport had been repaired in 2011 through the recall and that a second repair would not be covered. When I asked if the repair was made to last the lifetime of the vehicle i was told that it was just a coincidence that it rusted and broke at the same exact spot. Hondas customer care center and my local honda dealer both told me there was nothing they could do.
Had two of these things(first one was new -a real lemon ,second one the wife bought for some reason ,a real bad vehicle ) time to move on ,you will be money and aggravation ahead ,a good used Pathfinder would a reliability upgrade , but probably use the same amount of gas .
It’s time to move on. The repair bills will just get higher as time passes.
CSA asked:
“How Many Miles On This Car?
How Much Rust Is Lurking Underneath?”
@hounch101 answered:
190000 miles and plenty of rust a lot of rust.
“when is it time to throw in the towel?” Before it gets that rusty and right around 185,000 miles. This thing is dangerous and you are throwing good money after bad.
CSA
“when is it time to throw in the towel?” Before it gets that rusty and right around 185,000 miles. This thing is dangerous and you are throwing good money after bad.
CSA
Yep. Not another $.
190K miles and a lot of rust really means this car is at the end of its useful life. You can do some minor repairs, but anything significant isn’t worth it. It is time to save your money for another car over putting more money into this one.
The rust is really the critical factor. You’ve already welded more metal onto this thing so it must be pretty badly rusted.
The rust is the dealbreaker to me. Peripheral stuff like the starter, alternator, etc. can be readily replaced, but rust is cancer. For every bit you can see, there’s a whole lot more hiding, and rot can make a vehicle unsafe.
Time to go shopping. You have a good excuse to buy that new Porsche now!
In years past…I’ve sold perfectly good running vehicles because of major rust. Just not worth it.
Yup, mechanicals can be fixed (maybe not cost effectively) but when rust takes over, its time for the scrap yard. In addition to rust, I’d throw in electronics/electrical issues that can be too hard to correct and too costly to repair.
Agree! Don’t fix a rust bucket unless it has a FRAME and appearance and state inspection are not an issue.
Agree! Don't fix a rust bucket unless it has a FRAME and appearance and state inspection are not an issue.
Or it’s a rare classic that’s worth spending THOUSANDS restoring.
Guys–This is the same extreme rust bucket that the OP posted about in a different thread:
http://community.cartalk.com/discussion/2306994/honda-passport-exhuast/p1
He found a mechanic who is apparently a magician who can weld onto frame rails that are totally riddled with enough rust to resemble advanced lung cancer.
No matter how many ways the OP asks, or in how many threads he asks the question, the only appropriate response is going to be the same, namely–send this hulk to the junkyard before you wind up killing somebody!
Based on what I read here, my guess, it’s time for the OP to throw in the towel. It’s a natural order of things that monthly car maintenance repair expenses go up as the car ages and gets more miles on the meter. This is balanced against the expense of buying a replacement car. So as long as the owner can do most of the needed work, a person can keep a car for a long time and still make it economically viable. But at some point – sooner if the OP can’t do the work themselves – it doesn’t make economic sense to continue.