No One Cares as Much as You Do
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- Опубликовано: 16 ноя 2024
- I loved my first car, and just about every vehicle I’ve owned after that. However, not everyone has felt the same way about my vehicle choices, including some of the people that worked on them before I became a mechanic.
My point in this video is to illustrate that no one will care as much as you when it comes to the care and maintenance of your vehicles. You see them with different eyes than the rest of the world does and that’s OK. It doesn’t mean that those people working on your vehicle aren’t going to do a good job, it just means that they likely won’t go about it in the same way you would.
I hope the video makes all of this more clear.
Thanks for watching!
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I so agree on this. I am a boat mechanic and when ever I’m in a boat that is unloved 😵💫I just do what I’m hired to do. They don’t care and it’s better to spend that energy on boats that are loved👍
I spend way too much time saving unloved vehicles. It's a hobby of mine.
I see your point but I’m with Eric.
We should be friends then.
I used to enjoy that, but with modern vehicles, I hate it. I lost my fire!
All my toy cars are “rescues”. My Miata was a $1000 beater with rocker panels full of spray foam and bondo. My e30 was a “parts car” that someone had smacked up the front end under the back of a truck. My ‘76 GMC squarebody was an honest old truck, but with the amount of rust it had most people would have scrapped it.
Yep And I'm the idiot who buys car that I think will last and end up junking them. Lesson learned.
It’s my hobby to throw good money at bad vehicles!
sounds like you have meet your dear friend chevrolet
It is my life's work.
It’s my hobby
@@Niklez7 sounds like you're a hater that drives a Ford
I dont even like American brands. American brands here in EU are crap. when you have 2 year old Ford KA and the hole exhaust system falls underneath. its just completly rusted out throw.
i dont even consider rent an American brands when travel i want to get point A to point B. without hikup
I have mostly owned Japanese cars and same Germans ones.
I had a similar situation where I was assisting my cousin with her car. She was running it into the ground and it really bothers me when ppl neglect cars. So I offered to fix things for free. I made a few repairs under the hood. But one day I had to stop myself and realize that it’s not worth my time to work on it because she doesn’t care for it.
Free work rerly gets apprisiated, unfortunatly.
Same here. I haven't given up on vehicles so much as I've given up on their owners. Most of my friends have learned that when I point to a problem and say, "You need to take care of this most scoshi" then they either do or they'll be coming back with hat in hand. "Yeah, you told me so. Can you fix it?" About half the time I'll say no.
Ya, cousin's are like that. Just take you for what they can.
There are some older cars that are worth saving if you know how to fix them, but most people don't want to commit to that. We lose a lot of gems in the process.
Amen to that
It's easy to throw money into bottomless hole when starting to repair/restore a car that is close to being scraped, so it's pretty easy to see why most people won't or simply can't do it, especially since most people aren't mechanics or even know a mechanic that might give them a good rate.
@@uselessDM All a person needs to do to start, pick up a book and buy one that is broken and read and go from there! There is simply nothing more to it, last I checked, reading is free!
@@watup110875 reading may be free but parts and tools aren’t 😂
As the owner of 2 late 90's Camrys I would attest to that. DIY is only way to keep these vehicles on the road. That & Toyota brilliance :)
I bought a $700 Chevy Astro 4 years ago that had a rotted frame. I was obviously told it wasn't worth fixing, but I got a junkyard frame and did the swap, replacing all the front end parts and some other things with it for about $2000 overall. It was a lot of work, but worth it because it was low-mileage and otherwise in good shape
$2700 and a lot of time for a Chevy Astro? If it makes you happy, then good for you. I think in general for the general guy who's a little handy around vehicles it usually isn't worth your time even if your time is free. Of course you can probably sell that for at least what you have in it, in today's market.
Those old Astro vans are heavily sought after where I'm from because contractors want them for work vans. That's been the thing lately with anything that has some utility use that I'm starting to see mid to late 90's minivans equipped with ladders and trailer carrying lawn equipment.
@@dekoldrick same is true near me too. I've seen them for sale asking 10k with a ladder rack and low miles because they're a good size for work, cheap to fix, and reliable
Eric, I'll forever be grateful for the inspiration you gave to me personally and to many thousands of others in life in general. The 2016 meetup was the final catalyst for me to start my own RUclips channel following your success, your advice, your inspiration. This is something that should never be underestimated in life. THANK YOU!
I'm honored. Thank you for making the trip and for the comment. Good luck with your channel.
Well spoken 👏
Eric and Bogdan are the reason I started to work on my car (exactly same as AA MDX). Thank You to Both
I had a 65 vw squareback that I had cobbled together from various cars. Shaved the door handles, lowered, built the engine myself. And even though it was not painted it was clean, like show car clean. I pulled the engne every other week just to clean it and check everything was right. I have always kept my vehicles cleaner then factory and I mean in ways any mechanic would see. You get under my cars and everything is painted and so clean that you cant get your hands dirty. Anyway this vw had electrical issues with lights, and lights al must work perfect. at the time it was over my head so i took it to a shop... The electrical shop owner was so impressed with the love I had put into this car that he completely rewired the entire vehicle custom show quality wire job with all the bells and whistles including things like a quick connector for the engine so I could pull it all the faster and just have one plug to plug in... and did it all for a hundred bucks so basically just the parts and no labor cost....
Hey Eric, I had a 1995 Ford Escort 4 door hatchback I bought from an elderly lady that had only 46,000 original miles on it. However, it did sit outside so basically the brake lines from front to back had to be replaced along with the master cylinder. I felt this car was worth it and the underside had only surface rust on the suspension components and floor pans still had factory primer on them and still solid. I drove the car for about five years without any problems except having to replace the timing belt and water pump. My mechanic had the car up on the lift one day and showed me that there was no more floor pans up front on the driver and passenger sides. He felt the car wasn't worth fixing anymore due to the structural integrity of the vehicle. I really didn't want to junk the car because in over all it was still in pretty good shape. I found a Mexican body shop that bought a '96 Ford Escort (same body style as mine) from Arizona for $300. It was just the body as everything else was stripped off of it. He cut out and welded in all the rotted body parts on my Escort and painted the whole car $2,000. Now I only have about $3,000 invested in the vehicle and still right around the total value of the vehicle. The guy at the body shop said the same thing. He wouldn't have gone through all that work if it wasn't for the fact that I loved the vehicle and that there was still a good amount of life left in the vehicle.
Holy! I just left a paragraph like this about my 1993 Escort 3-door (2-door hatch) Mine was a replacement engine that I threw way too much time and money at lol. Something about those Escorts, just don't wanna put it out to pasture, it's like a family dog. I eventually did though, 4 years later the trans went and I just couldn't keep trying with it. I drive a much more sophisticated car now, but crazy how much I still miss that Escort...
Rust issues aside, Escorts were a great package and decently reliable. Fuel efficient, available in a wagon and with a manual transmission. I like their simplicity and the spaciousness of the interiors compared to Cavaliers and Sunfires.
My mom had 2 escorts a 91 2 door hatch and a 97 4dr sedan. The 91 was the biggest piece of junk ever and the 97 ran great even being a previous flood car til it was crashed by my sister.
That's quite a story, I get it though. I hope you enjoy your Escort for years to come!
@@questioner1596 funny that you mentioned cavalier. I have a z24 that I saved from the scrap yard. It is my work car/ gas sipper. I also have a 2016 f150 that stays in the driveway most of the time because gas is expensive right now. Anyway, I replaced engine and transmission, axel, and all around struts and brakes. Friday it broke down for shift cables (5 speed) otherwise it has been very reliable. But I get what you mean about space.
Good topic! I never can give up on a vehicle as long as the engine will turn. My attitude is that as long as it will spin and compress air, then I can get it to run. I love the shift in your channel content toward keeping the old stuff running. That situation is where I live….
I had my heart broken by a 1999 buick Rivera. I fell in love with that car. I drove it everywhere and the engine was bulletproof. One day my mechanic that I take things too that I don't want to or can't fix told me that the frame had a hole rusted in it and it needed too go... I thought no way, if you won't fix it I will. He said because of safety concerns he couldn't do it. Well I don't need too be all the way safe all the time...but when I got into it the front suffrage and frame was rusted away so bad it truly did have to go and that truly broke my heart. I love my cars, I try and take as good a care of them as can be and I'll never forget that car.
About 7 years ago I bought a 1995 Dodge Dakota with a 5.2L 318 in it. We only bought it to make trips to the dump and transport furniture. It was trashed but the engine was running well. I was retired and decided to make it look a little better.
I replaced the headliner, recovered the sun visors, put in new carpet, a bench seat from Pick and Pull, a new seat cover, took off the door panels, cleaned them up and painted them and cleaned up the dash.
Once I got started I couldn’t stop. I rebuilt the heater box, got a cheap paint job, cleaned up the engine compartment and put new brakes on it.
Since then I have replaced the rear main seal and oil pan gasket, a new starter, oil pump, AC compressor, intake manifold gasket, completely redid the front suspension had the transmission rebuilt and much more.
I bought the truck for $2500. I have probably spent another $7000 fixing it up. I doubt I could ever get $10,000 for it. The only labor I paid for was the transmission rebuild. Every time I spend money or time on it my wife says “But it’s a dump truck”.
But, I’m retired, enjoy working on cars and now the Dakota is my baby. It runs and handles like new. It looks pretty good. Is it worth the money and time I put into it? No. Is it worth it to me? Absolutely.
Holy moly, you are the man.
Clifford is the man how is port albernie treating you?
I had 2 95 Dakotas. One with the 3.9l the other with 318. Both 4x4. Loved those trucks.
My '94 Chevy K2500 1 ton 4WD Suburban looks like it's one step away from the salvage yard, even with a totally straight body(late 80's thru late 90's GM paint was garbage), but it is mechanically very sound and is an absolute beast of a vehicle, especially as a tow rig, with a 454 engine and 4L80 HD trans, and a free flowing Flowmaster exhaust. The front & rear A/C even works great after I rebuilt the entire HVAC system in the truck. With 153,000 miles on the vehicle(original engine that burns no oil), it has lots of useful life left in it with the mods I did to the trans & rest of the powertrain, and it will tow its own weight no problem.
Do regular maintenance on your rigs and they will last almost forever! The "rust belt" areas would be a limiting factor though, but no rust issues here in AZ!
Eric. I've been a Michigan Master Mechanic since 1982. ASE since 1985 (I've let my certs lapse since then). Stop making excuses. No more excuses. You are an amazing Mechanic and Professional Diagnostician. I've followed your vids since the beginning. Prayers and good vibes for you to keep up what you want to do to make you happy! Got my respect Eric. I will always follow...
Here in Canada, I remember a TV personality in Toronto who had a goal of owning a Rolls Royce. Years later on a TV quiz show, he was asked about it. He just sighed and said 'they rust,,,they all rust', much to our merriment. Cheers.
Do you have a link to that video?
@Laurie Seto, Do you recall his name?
It happened frequently back when I was involved in air-cooled VW repair. The total cost to make a car safe & road-worthy was far beyond the customer's ability/willingness to pay. I, on the other hand, having access to a salvage yard of spares, the knowledge, and the time to do those repairs, would occasionally purchase their basket case & repair them. Fix 'em, drive 'em, and eventually sell 'em.
I'm going through this right now with my 2001 Pontiac Aztek. This car has been in my family since it was new and today has over 269,000 miles on it. I remember when I was three years old and this thing pulled up in our driveway for the first time. All the family road trips that we took growing up. Jerry rigging a TV and our old PS2 up in the back between the front seats to play games on those road trips. Getting hot chocolate with my mom and sister while my dad changed the tire in the snow. I learned how to drive with this car. This car took me to my first job in high school and got me through the last two years of high school and all the way through college. Yet, just like in Ohio, Maryland loves to put salt on our roads during winter, especially a salt brine solution to pretreat the roads. Rust has taken over the rear passenger side rocker panel and pinch weld. I didn't catch it in time. I went to lift the car one day and heard the crunching. I can no longer use the recommended jacking point to lift the car. I got quotes to get the work done, and I was quoted an astronomical number, which just broke my heart. I love this car. This car has taken me everywhere, high school, college, seven jobs, and countless road trips. But even I know that its time is coming to an end. On top of the rusting issue, she's also got transmission issues, and the possibly a cracked engine block. If money wasn't an issue, I would get her fixed to new condition. But that's simply not the world we live in. I was able to find another Aztek just like her down in Virginia with only 95,000 original miles and plan on carnivalizing my original one for parts, but even then, it's still hard to let that one go.
As I get older, my time gets more valuable and I have less patience for cars that always need work. It's not that I WON'T take on a project, but it has to be a particularly great value proposition.
I thought is was just me who thought that way....
I just start to loose patience for the ones I have to fix at work. I still love fixing my own stuff.
Because I was told one time my car is scrap and the other I had a bill over £500 for a brake repair, I started my own diy to the point I am now changing engines on Minis and selling them forward. I do agree with my former mechanics but I love cars too much to let them go and I love to repair things that have value. I sold a car the other day and the customer had such a happy smile when she picked up a 2001 mini after a reconditioning, that’s irreplaceable.
Look up Gene Kim
I have a strong sentimental attachment to my truck and I’m going to keep that thing running until the day I die. Even if it takes a full restoration and thousands of dollars. Even if the tyrannical government completely outright bans gas powered vehicles I’m going to keep it.
Don't worry, that won't happen in your lifetime, nor in the next generation's lifetimes.
@@mcanderson3511 hopefully not. 👍
Mark, I have the same truck. Brought it back from the dead, 24 years ago, and still driving it today. It’s called Frankentruck because I’ve used parts from so many sources to keep it going.
same here, 2002 tacoma. I will slowly but surely rebuild every inch if need be.
That's what the horse and buggy people thought when Ford introduced the Model T. But the Government never banned the horse or buggy. By the way, people used electric cars before gas powered cars were invented .
I completely agree and we, those that take pride in our vehicles, love when a mechanic goes the extra mile for us knowing that we love our vehicles! So Eric, we appreciate Master Mechanics like you! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
You are right on point.
"We can fix anything, some thing's aren't worth fixing ".
I worked in a shop... in the snow belt.. This guy came in with a 15 year old car for inspection.
I put the car up in the air and where ever I looked I saw rotted panels. Of course it was a unibody.
I would not pass the car for inspection. The shop owner told the customer that the car was beyond repair when he came to pick it up and didn't charge him.
The owner of the car got all pissed off and said we were wrong claiming that we just didn't fix old cars.
We lost a customer and the next shop he went to was honest with him and said the same thing...
SUVs are the boxes that attractive vehicles are shipped in.
My 01 Civic EX had a bad head when i got it, I made it work for 100k miles, then did a head job on my own and the car stills runs great. Have i spent way more money that the car is worth...YES. Is worth it to me, i believe that if you buy a car and finish paying it , there is always maintenance cost if you want to keep it running and reliable. With now 297k miles, i can jump in my civic and drive anywhere without thinking twice. Thanks for the videos.
In my experience, if you have the time, everything you want is worth fixing.
Most of those things are not worth paying someone to fix.
Great video Eric. My wife and I were just talking about this yesterday. She has a 1998 Ford Expedition that she is in love with; but it is slowly rotting away (here in Wisconsin) and would like it restored. I told her that, if by chance we would ever win the lottery, sure we'll do that.
My friend had a 30 year old Toyota 4-runner that was falling apart. It served him well and he kept fixing it just because he loved it and didn't want to let it go. I can see that it can be hard to get rid of a very dependable vehicle. It becomes a part of your life and a part of you.
I had a customer come in asking me to do some work on his 2007 ford escape, I told him what it needed and with the 200k miles on it the repair would be as much as the thing was worth. He said just go ahead and do it, so I did, 2,200 for labor and 1,500 for parts later it was good to go, he loves it, so as long as they know going into it I'm ok with it.
In 2015 I witnessed a 2010* Ford escape in North Dakota that was totaled from the rear shock mounts(s!) both rusted out.
I’m so thankful I don’t live in the rust belt. It’s a darn shame when an otherwise good vehicle has to be scrapped because rust has eaten the undercarriage.
@@ghostwrench2292 thats true but I live in Texas and it can happen here
@@fastinradfordable we repaired one like that for inspection. It didn’t take long.
Very good advice. My Grand Son flipped my Mazda MPV 4 X 4 on it side on a off road accident and the side door to the rear quarter panel had extensive sheet metal damage. However it still drove. I proved too much after spending hundreds of hours . I am sentimental and the old gal was great for off road camping trips in the local mountains and deserts and I finally came to reality that the time and money was not worth it. However, a local junk yard will have many good parts to pick from. Nothing lasts forever.
Your Honda content matters.. I follow and do some of same repairs with your ideas and suggestions of great help 🦾
Eric is king !!!! very honnest guy , great videos.. wish you well !!!!
I took a wrecked "97 Ford Ranger destined for the scrap yard. Repaired it and dropped in a "66 289 V8 with all kinds of goodies. I love my hotrod truck. I'm also in Ohio on Lake Erie.
Brilliant topic, I still have my first car and keep it as mint as I can, I do all the work myself and I spend far more on it than its financially worth but that's not the point for me!
I’m the same way - I just keep my cars a long time. I’m a mechanic, so I have the skills and tools to perform any necessary maintenance or repairs. I also detail cars as a hobby so my cars shine, even my 18 year old, 162k mile Mini that lives outside in the Arizona sun. I get excited when I see other older, high mileage daily drivers that are well kept and if I’m working on one of those, I go the extra mile to do my very best work.
@@ghostwrench2292 that's fantastic. Mine is a 1999 Toyota yaris, bought it at 110k miles and it now has 234k and going strong!
I wish I had my first car, 89 CRX. But the first one I drove on the road legally, 88 Mazda 929, I’m glad I don’t have. The rear blew up (it had sawdust in the rear to keep it quite) and I had found out that parts were impossible to get for it cause they only made 5000 of them. They aren’t worth anything, then or now because no one wanted them when new.
I relate to this, not only from a shop perspective with what you were saying regarding well taken care of customer cars, but also from caring about a car that others see as a lost cause. I'm currently working on repairing the rear strut towers on a family members buick century, W body cars are notorious for this. I've had multiple friends tell me to look for a car, and I have, but I have a big interest in welding, and with budget constraints, I'm opting to repair than to replace the car, I've done a bunch of work on it in the past and recently, and for what I can afford as a replacement, I truly feel this is my best course of action, plus it's an excuse to buy a welder and gain some experience. If I were to have someone else do this repair, it would be majorly cost prohibitive, but I have the luxury of having some free time and the person the car is for is in NO rush, so I don't see why not. Man oh man do I hate road salt with a passion.
Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Jerry took his car to Tony the mechanic who had an emotional attachment to Jerry’s car and was pissed that Jerry wasn’t taking good care of the care
Classic!😂😂
Never saw that episode will look for it
@@EveryDollarMade 🤣🤣😭
2007 civic with 150, 000 kms. Was giving to me a gift from mother in-law , took it to mechanic he said isn't worth fixing it it , did the suspension work myself , then took to another shop and it passes , I have had the car for 2 years now still running strong
I have been on all sides of this. Value is based on perspective. I've saved some, I've scrapped some. Don't let your emotions drain your time and your wallet unless its truly worth it to you.
My issue is 2 things- 1 I fall in love with my vehicles very quickly (I won’t buy them if I didn’t love them) and 2 by the time they are at that point that’s it’s decision time, they are either too expensive to replace or I’ll never find anther like or both.
I have 3 vehicles. Each one of them have jumped in price since I bought them. My Jeep has doubled in value in 3 years. My z28 has tripled in 13 years. My AMX has gone up so much that I couldn’t get a bare engine block for the car for what I paid for it 21 years ago. Body Shells are getting near the $10k range. Complete? $14k easy. Really nice? Starting at $35k for a base model.
I totally get it. It's for the reasons you mentioned that I do virtually all the repairs and maintenance myself. And I find it truly rewarding.
I had a 1999 GMC Sierra, the new body style for 1999, that I really loved, it was quick and fast for a pickup truck, and I really loved the truck. But a lady pulled out in front of me and I broadsided her and taking it into the body shop I was hopeful it could be repaired. But once they started getting into it, they said there is too much damage and they totaled it. But because I liked it so much, I considered just paying to have it repaired. But in the end, I, regretfully, just decided to let it go. That truck will be one of my most favorite I've owned.
Thanks Mr Eric for this video. I struggle with the same sentiments, albeit on a smaller scale with small engines: lawn mowers, weed trimmers, chainsaws etc. It's clear which owners care about their equipment, and I'm often just fixing the problem, and nothing else, because they just don't care. I've watched you for years now and still enjoy your valuable insight. Cheers!
Good day Eric I experienced the same thing I have a 1996 Lincoln Town car the body the paint the interior are in excellent condition however I live in Rochester New York the rust belt yes lol and I got an oil change beginning of summer and the person noticed part of the frame was rusted on the right hand side passenger The car only has 76,000 mi on it and I took it to a welding shop who was experienced in this exact repair I guess it has something to do with the air conditioning leaking and there's no place for the water to go and so settles inside the frame but the car was well worth fixing because I worked so many years to keep it in nice condition
I agree, when you are capable of doing quality work you have to gauge whether it's even worth doing quality work or just good enough work. You can apply this to other industries and careers.
When you only need to pay for parts, and not the labour + profit, a lot of times it makes sense as a DIYer. One really needs a lift to address major issues though, which unfortunately I'm lacking so can only do so much from the ground. That Pilot is a great content generator and your vids are appreciated. Thank you.👍
Just bought a 2002 MDX with a blown transmission that “totaled” the car. I rebuilt it and I’m selling it to a family friend who will go on to raise their kids in it. I won’t give up so easily! Love the videos!
Some shops now these Honda 5ATs well and rebuild them better than oem. Those MDX are pretty solid other than the trans
Watching your repair videos makes me appreciate living in and driving a FL car. My 2004 Element undercarriage looks pretty much like it did in 2004. So grateful as I replace my aging suspension parts.
Eric i live just down the road i run a snow removal company been dealing with rust from salt my whole life . My trucks are 1989 and older i just keep repairing them i have a whole shop just to maintain them . I find the old fords just keep running .love the channel cant wait for the new shop i believe i have plowed them in the past.
I drive a 2011 Ford Taurus. No turbocharge. The more repairs I do myself the more I own it. I plan repairs like belt changes well ahead of manufacturer's recommendation. I bought Michelin tires as the best I could afford because ETCG said you can't go wrong with top of the line tires. I installed top of the line drilled/slotted rotors and matching pads from Rock auto using 3M copper and lube. I trade 'labor' cost for the best parts and supplies. When I'm set to do something I've never done with this car I check all the sources available-especially how mistakes are corrected. At 71 I don't do as much-but I ain't dead yet, just a little slower.
It's nice to know you totally understand this topic. After working on a car for years and having something plow into it, the insurance said it was totaled. I totally disagreed and repaired... Only I would of done this for this car.
You aren't wrong Eric. My '99 Tahoe is a vehicle I love. 22 years old and still drives. It's showing its age, it needs a suspension, it needs body work, it needs engine work. It's worth about $2K as a "trade in", $4K (latest I was offered for it) private, and it needs probably $5K of work. If I had a garage where I could just leave it on stands for days/weeks at a time I'd tackle it. I want to do it, but everybody says "Scrap it". I can't...i've considered it dozens of times, but I just can't do it. I just wish I had a place to do the work when I wanted to do it, not "Get it done in 2 weeks in my spare time".... I care about it, nobody else does.
Eric, you are so right. I bought a 2005 Lacrosse for my Sister in law in Hamilton, OH about 5 years ago. I bought it in the Augusta, GA but it had bubbling rust around the rear wheel openings so I knew it came form the north. I got it completely sorted out so it ran and drove perfectly. Each year since then I replaced parts as needed and bought new or southern used parts. Last year her mechanic told me, "This is a great car but it is getting so rusty I am afraid to put it up on Jack Stands. I immediately began searching for her a true Southern car to replace it. After much searching, I found her a good clean candidate and replaced all the front end including Struts, Brakes & Rotors, CV axles, Ball Joints, Lower Control Arms, Bearing packs, and sway bar links. Now she has a completely sorted out 2006 Chevy Impala LTZ with every option and NO RUST.
Four years ago I bought a '97 Prelude as my first car. It had some structural damage in the front end and my local body shop told me to get rid if it, because it was too expensive to fix and that I'll never get through inspection with it. So I took it back home, fixed it by myself, saved money and it still runs great to this day!
I gave my dad and old 1990 f250 I had. Lived it's whole life in the salt belt. The body is super rusty. The cab is rusted out quite badly in the usual places, and the bed is so gone it just needs to be removed. Frame still has paint on it though. Its not a primary vehicle, doesn't need emissions testing anymore due to is age, and the state it lives in does not have inspections. We've found it's worth fixing for the occasional truck usage needs. But a sane person would scrap it.
3 months ago I bought a 1988 Bronco. It didn't drive, didn't start, and the entire interior and some of the actual drivetrain were in the back cab area. Well after 3 months and about double my expected repair costs later it runs and drives. The PO clearly was leaving it to rot as it had been sitting in his yard for 2 years being used to keep the snow off his lawnmower. My wife told me it wasn't worth fixing and it was a terrible buy. She was right on the latter part but now that it is streetable it is a lot of fun to drive. 86000 original miles ex police Bronco from the South. You can't just let that die.
I have a 2002 Acura TL-S. I bought it in 2011 with 110k miles on it for 4k. It has a factory spoiler but no OEM body kit sadly. I also checked for the small blue mark on the transmission showing it had been replaced under warranty. Fast forward to 2021 - 168k miles, 2 new sets of tires, full brake kit, brake line, wheel speed sensor, cat back exhaust and regular fluid changes and this thing won't give up. I do almost all the work myself and have watched many ETCG videos on how to do basic stuff like full brakes and exterior door handle replacement. There's a bunch of body damage from the previous (abuser) owner but that's ok. The car is a blessing since it's all I have after losing my job a year ago. It's been through blizzards, ice storms, blinding rain, wicked heat and even...Philadelphia. It carries my family around all over the great states of PA, NJ, NY and DE and I love it. Cars are only worth money if you're willing to sell them. Otherwise they are priceless. My 02 TL-S might be old but I love it and it loves me back.
100% agree with what you are saying Eric! I only make time to help friends who have something special that they love or are between a rock and a hard place. Both really appreciate my assistance.
I have the same issue with HVAC equipment. Some people want to keep their 50 year old furnace running forever even though it's not safe or efficient
I replace my 50 year old 1970 American Standard gas furnace with a new American Standard furnace with no change in my BTU/gas bill. The new will certainly not last even half that life.
@@muziklvr7776 if your gas bill has not decreased your furnace is not operating correctly. A 50 year old furnace is 20-40% less efficient.
Eric has been my favorite online mechanic for many years now and i am truly grateful for all of the videos he has on both YT channels.
Thank you ETCG, your the best imo!
Good point Eric. I take my vehicles to a mechanic I trust. I have talked to a few people that use the same shop/mechanic. One lady has a 90's Camry. She said the car has 300,000+ miles on it and can't afford to buy a newer car. Another guy brings in an Oldsmobile Toronado (remember those?). Again he can't afford another car and it is his only car. Both
cars are loved and the mechanic figures out a way to keep them running. The shop has had a multiplicity of cars in there, Ferraris, classic cars, etc. You are correct, if a car is loved, the mechanic will find a way to repair it and possibly with minimal cost.
Totally agree. I’ve worked on cars now for about 10 years (at a Honda dealer for about 2) loving the 3.5 Rering jobs… thanks for the great content!
I keep having to make this argument to myself with my old S10. LOTS of miles and a little rusty, but I want to keep it going.
square body, if so they are worth it
There is a fundamental difference between people who own vehicles, or even any sort of equipment, stuff, etc.
You have those that see a vehicle as transportation, and the means to an end. It gets them to work, hauls their groceries, takes their family on the occasional trips.
Then, you have those that view vehicles as an experience, a piece of your memories. It's not just the trip to your vacation spot that you remember, it's the road trip in that specific vehicle that you have the best memory of.
I remember riding in the backseat of my grandfather's 87 Buick, on the rare trips we took to see them. I remember how proud he was of the only brand new car he ever bought. I remember how lucky I was to get that car, after they passed on. I remember taking my driver's test in the middle of a snowy cold December with that car. I remember borrowing my mom's minivan for a semester at college while I swapped in a whole new drivetrain when the original engine failed. I remember learning how to work on cars because no one else cared about grandpa's Buick than I did.
I also remember having to park it in our garage, after the rust finally got the better of it. And how one freak winter storm collapsed our old garage on top of it. Though damaged but not destroyed, it still sits covered up in the driveway, waiting for the time, funds, and a repair space where I can attempt a restoration. No one else would bother. But then, no one else has the kind of history and attachment to it that I do.
Good question, Eric. I personally liked to resurrect wrecks no matter the condition. Of course every car needed more repair than I had planned, but I just wanted to complete the job, not because I had had great love for the car, but rather that I wanted to finish the job. You might say that I had a love for doing and completing the work.
I understand Eric. I LOVE my vehicles and am very picky about who works on them, and I make sure they understand. Big Al.
I agree with this based off my own personal vehicle as well as customer vehicles. Worked on many that were abused vehicles. I never would’ve thought some cars could smell so bad on the interior. And be full of so much trash
This hits me hard living in central Canada! I’ve lost a few vehicles due to corrosion. Even my rsx now is developing cancer and it sure disheartens me when in working on it. Thanks Eric for the great content!
This is why my cars get annually undercoated. Plus I'm just really good at finding rust-free or damn near rust-free cars for cheap
When my mechanic refused to work on my 2001 4Runner because of rust on the undercarriage? I fired up RUclips, watched & learned, bought the necessary tools, and did it myself. So 4 years later I'm still driving the truck. 🤷🏼♂️
Exactly my point. No one cares as much as you do. Well done BTW.
I am a gearhead and auto enthusiast but I rarely get sentimental attachments to vehicles. Maybe if it was handed down from a parent or sibling, or I have owned it for many years, that would be different. But generally I see vehicles as either tools or toys (sometimes both), they are to be used and enjoyed and eventually parted with, for one reason or another. So it's easy to decide not to invest in a vehicle or even to get rid of it entirely. Out with the old, in with the new!
Having said that, I usually hold onto my vehicles for at least 6-8 years and still I've only had attachments to a couple:
The green 1972 AMC Gremlin I purchased from my grandparents, that was my first car and actually a very cool ride despite popular opinion of those early AMC models. Put 100,000 miles on it with zero problems of any kind. I missed that car but did see it running around town for a few years afterward.
Also my current Tacoma, have owned it for 12 years, it's a fantastic little truck and I know every inch of it... 172,000 miles and runs perfect. I plan to drive the wheels off this thing and when it does eventually leave I may be a little sad. Maybe.
Thanks for the good video... keep up the good content brother!
May God continue to bless you Eric. Love your videos.
I’ll say, my 81 d150 was my first car and she’s had many engines and whatnot keeping her in the road but after 3 years of Jerry rigging I finally parked her and she needs everything, fuel system, brakes, drivetrain, a cab roof and the list goes on but I’ve been saving parts to build her better than ever even though to anyone else she’s only worth her weight in scrap
I'm in IT as my main trade, and I bump into this all the time with people's computers. They want to fix it, but I can never just reinstall the OS because nothing they have is backed up properly. So the labor for me to "fix it" without wiping it clean is way more than just buying a new computer.
I recently bought an old, neglected Mazda RX-7. I've been going over it the last few months nearly every day after work and on weekends, fixing big and little things, replacing missing or broken parts, and working it over to bring it back to its former glory. I'm easily in double what I paid for it in terms of parts and labor but it runs and drives, and I just got my plates for it. It's been a headache and a hassle, but jumping in it and firing up that rotary engine just makes me happy. Its still got a long way to go, but I love that car. It's not about the money, it's about pushing your limits and expanding your knowledge. It's about preserving a part of the past, and proving that some things are not beyond redemption. It's about having fun and enjoying the experience. Or, you know, rotary go brrrap.
Just sometimes you get lucky. My mechanic trained on late 90's Camry Toyota and I have two. He shares my enthusiasm, he knows I DIY everything I can but invites me to ring him anytime for advice about mechanical procedure. I tell him I need to do timing belt soon. He says he will get me kit at trade price plus 10%. This mechanic is my own personal champion.
I’ve been restoring a 1979 Corvette L82 4 speed that otherwise would have been a parts car to the majority of people. After using it to propose to my now fiancé, it’s just one of those things where there is no repair bill that could total it out in my eyes.
Rear wheel drive + V8 + Manual Trans = Always worth keep or repairing. Like a Corvette, Camaro, Mustangs, Trucks… All others are recyclable vehicle.
Agreed. Today, few do rust repair, and if so only on collectible autos.
1999 Monte Carlo - 1st car. Bought off a friend for $500. (Before I knew anything about cars) It was cosmetically in rough shape, but the powertrain was good.
Drove it for a year with serious clanking noises when turning.
Eventually took it to our mechanic who told me the bushings on the front sub-frame were practically gone and he wasn't even sure the car would be safe to drive home.
He also had to convince me that the car was not worth fixing (which it was true), even going as far as spit-balling $10k to get it properly repaired.
He did clarify that if the car is worth that much to me, then maybe its somewhat reasonable to repair it, but if not, I should scrap it.
I drove it home and eventually sold it to a junk yard.
I've learned a lot with repairing cars ever since, yet I don't think I would repair that particular vehicle myself if given the choice today. (Though, I'd probably park it at home and pretend I would repair it someday.)
"This pilot isn't a true SUV which in my opinion makes it worse..."
That made me chuckle, I have to agree with you there.
As for my experience, I have 1 car that I truly love and it was absolutely not worth the money it took to restore it, so I did it myself! Top to bottom and front to back, nut and bolt restoration. And now I love that car even more, I know every part of it like the back of my hand.
Totally agree, had a car for 14 years and as much as I loved it to bits having changed rear suspension, breaks, brake pipes, break shoes .ore or less the whole back end except the axel at a cost of $500 in parts it passed every test and still had it for another 3 years. Still do the same with my current car.
i got tired of the cost of vehicle repairs, gas, insurance and all....you fix one thing and you feel good about it and something else craps out..you fix that feel good and something else breaks...same rotation over and over so i bought a dual sport and havent looked back
Thanks for the wisdom. I need to take more of your advice. The support is solid and sensible.
I’ve tried to keep some serious junkers on the road simply because it’s the only transport I’ve got. My current car isn’t anything ‘fabulous’ but it’s only 3 years old, ridiculously dirty but she gets looked after properly because she’s a good, solid little car.
Some people, unfortunately, struggle to understand that there is a ‘point of no return’ where the vehicle cannot be saved!
I live over in the UK and any vehicle over 3 years old is Legally required to have a thing called an MOT Inspection Certificate, (MOT for short), every 12 months. A very strict inspection that is supposed to stop vehicles getting to a state where they need this level of repair!
My father purchased a Saab 9-3 convertible in 1999. He had a very distinctive license plate “MRMOVI” with his (& our) relationship with the cinema industry. He was very fit, but ended up suffering from a particularly nasty brain illness that ultimately (but slowly) took over his body. He eventually couldn’t drive & passed away in 2019.
The car was junk by that stage. There was more water in it than out of it.
However, for the funeral I spent $4k to get the car looking pristine. (With the broken roof down). & proudly parked it outside the funeral. The reaction was great. People thought I’d purchased another car & stuck on his plates.
It meant & means a lot to me. The car is in storage & I’ve recently purchased a replacement roof + mechanisms. MRMOVI will ride again! No financial sense. But important to me.
If I can't get someone to fix something, I own tools. There has also been a time when I was quoted over $1500 to replace 3 engine/transmission mounts. I did it myself for less than $300 and that included BUYING THE TOOLS to do the job. Life isn't about what we love/unlove as much it is about what we need at any moment in time. Worry about the needs, enjoy the luxury when you can, and treat your customers how you'd want to be treated, always. If not, they'll just be like me, and go buy their own tools and parts and do the job themselves.
I feel like mostly classic cars would fit this category. I have seen people spend thousands on an old satellite just to keep it on the road and running which I think is awesome because if there aren't people willing to do that these old classics will fade into history.
Great content Eric does not matter if they say “its not worth it”, I would also tack on the challenge no matter if it cost me. Do it if you love it, if it costs too much, save up to get it fix if you love the vehicle!
I had that happen with my first vehicle. Was a '83 Dodge Ram van. Rear driverside rail was gone. So the leaf spring was being stopped by the fuel filler neck.
That one was a good reason... even tho I wanted to keep the van. I feel you ETC1
I was an auto detailer and I know that very well seeing cars come in and not be cared for to make them perfect again knowing it’ll be back it’s a shame it’s the same on the mechanical side But I also know when you love your vehicle you’ll fix it no matter what I’m guilty of that
Had a 98 Accord that my wife bought new - about 3 years ago threw
way more money at it than it was worth. Gained a ton of knowledge working on it though which to me was worth every penny. I work for NAPA in counter sales now. Have also done a similar project to my 02 CR-V which is my daily driver.
My first car at 16 yr old working as a porter at a car dealership near Chicago was a 1986 Mazda 626 Turbo. It had a new crate engine installed before I bought it for $3500. I poured lots of money into that car, but eventually the rear strut mount got rusty and started to rip. But there was a dealership customer that raced cars and his daughter had my same car. So he bought my car for parts for $2500. It was a good ending.
The cars I've worked on have had more work and money put into them than others would do because of their monetary value. They still got me to work. They still got me more enjoyment and pride in not giving up on them. I also sold them later on and they live on in memory and value put into the next car.
I just finished a 2002 wrangler rebuild. It was truly to far gone. I bought it for $600 because it needed a new frame. Welp I got into and we'll all said and done I'm in this wrangler for $6500. I ended up buying a used but good frame for $1500
Got deeper and had to find a tub blah blah so on and so on. I built it for my personal use. Thing is now that it's completely done up and everything is brand new you can't buy a wrangler tj for anything close to what I'm in it for. So for a vehicle that was to far gone it truly has to be a labor of love.
Oddly enough, I have a 2012 Ford Focus (One of the worst years of the Focus) I bought it from a used dealer for what at the time seemed like a ok bargen. It has been in a minor accident but everything else checked out. After buying it and driving it for a few weeks It ended up needing about 3000$ in repairs.. Rear main, Dual Clutch system, Cat (One of those next to manifold so its a full replace as its to close to cut) Valve cover (plastic) had a micro crack that could not be seen but leaked oil out it and a few other odds and ends. On closer inspection I found the car was half arse repaired by the body shop after the accident and need attention there also.
Between the price of the car and now repairs I was over the value of the car by a substantial amount. I thought about just selling it but I could not in good mind send these problems on down the line to another owner and It was a decent little car so I did not want to crush it. So, I got to work. I put her up on jackstands and started repairing problems one at a time. I was able to fix everything the right way but did have to outsource the Rear main and dual clutch replacement to the dealer as I was not equipped to do such work.
Now that the work is done I could sale her and at least get some of my money back, But I won't. I have developed a liking to my little Ford Focus thru all the swearing and long nights working on it. I now know she is put back together correctly and purrs like a kitten.
This is where I agree with Eric, No one will EVER care about this car as much as I do....
Those last gen ford focus are pretty cheap used , scares me as they arrnt old.
My wife had a 2010 Explorer with a 6 cylinder. Back in 2018- she went to start it and the timing chain snapped & seized the motor. A mechanic wanted $8k to buy & swap in another engine. I bought a wrecked 2015 Ford van for $2000. My dad & I swapped the V8 & transmission (with less miles) in the Explorer- which took a couple of week ends....my wife still drives it to this day...
The “no one cares as much as you” really hits home for me and my 1996 mercury sable. Got it last year as my first car so there’s the sentimental value, along with the fact that it introduced me to the dead company of Mercury. With having the sable I wouldn’t be into mercury as much as I am now. Numerous classmates and coworkers have told me to scrape because of what it is; a 96 mercury sable. And honestly I almost caved in when it gave out on me going to work. But here I am after the problem has been solved still loving the car to death
Don’t worry about what your friends think if it. First off it’s your first car. Very few people had cool cars as their first cars. If it runs good, be happy. My friend had Geo Tracker as his first car. Anther had a Cadillac Cimeron (a first Gen caviler with leather). He later got a 93 explorer. He hit a bump and radiator fell out of it. I towed him home with my Bronco II. I had an 89 CRX (should kept that one) that I traded for an 88 Mazda 929 poop brown. Then I had a 86 Century in gold.
My high school parking lot was full of late 80s 4 door sedans. For most of high school I had the fastest car in the lot (not that it was hard to do). I worked my butt off and progressed through one junker after anther until I could afford to buy a cool car. Nothing made me happier then driving to school on graduation day in my 73 AMX.
And all those junkers (not one cost me more then $500 to buy) taught me how to work on cars and do it on a budget. It lead to me becoming a mechanic and it saved me a fortune not paying a shop to fix my vehicles.
@@CamaroAmx this is a story to inspire, and inspire it has. My sable may not have been the car I wanted as my first, but man I’m glad I was able to get it. Now I have my sights on a 67 cougar.
True about owning a business, and the expectation that your employees should care more than you about your business.
Your right in regards to equipment, I get trash all the time. It's wonderful to do free work, so they can trash it again.
One of the hardest things to tell a customer is their car is no longer worth repair. I show the records of the repairs I done it and how much they spent so far. Then I go over how much it will cost to make the car safe. I tell them I’m no longer comfortable taking money to repair this their. It’s always hard for them to hear
No my own fleet of cars I will repair no matter what but I’m not paying for labor
This hits home. I have a flood damage 99 Ford escort with 250k miles on it. Love it to death because it’s always taken care of me and was my first car. I’m currently repairing and repainting it after a hail storm also destroyed it but my biggest motivation is the fact that no one thinks it’ll see sunlight again. Hopefully by next summer it’ll be back better than ever
In the marine industry. These are words to live by. I don't ask many questions when some spends $20,000 on an engine that's going a boat that should've been drop off at the scrap yard. But it's the attachment they have to that boat that makes our job rewarding.
Love my truck...2000. Chevy 2500 Silverado. Tow package. 132k. 6.0.. it's my daily driver....iv had some work done to it..I'm in Florida and No rusty. Under carriage
Recently in this situation. I have a Subaru around the same vintage as your Pilot that had a rust hole in one of the front subframe rails. I would have most likely replaced the car, but given the state of the used car market, the vehicles in the $10k to $15k range aren’t much better than what I have. To my good fortune, a set of new replacement straight from Subaru only set me back a few hundred dollars and were simple bolt on parts. Obviously, your mileage may vary, but I have no regrets since it was a simple fix. Given that I’m flirting with 200k miles, I do plan to get a newer car in another couple years once the market settles down.