jimisbell

The RX8 is a WOW car both in performance and looks. BUT that Wankel engine, that gives the fantastic power for weight ratio is so shorl lived that its just not practical. They are good for maybe 75K if you dont mistreat it at all...

Johnhav430

My aunt always has had "interesting" cars going back to the 70's, but she stopped around 2004.....so she had an Isuzu branded as Buick Opel around '79. Then she went to a Toyota Supra, Mazda RX7 turbo II, Toyota Supra Turbo, BMW M3, and BMW M3. She stopped with the 2004 M3. The one she had prior was an E36 Lightweight. All I can say is DOH!! Those go for about $100k today, very rare. It listed for around $40k when she got it in 1996, and had sat for over 1 year in the showroom, too expensive (and most people like to have a radio, a/c, sunroof, leather, for that much money)...

edit there's not much on it, but I guess my aunt's Buick Opel looked like this....

http://momentcar.com/images/opel-isuzu-5.jpg

Htony

I am sure your friend took care of the car very well too. Some people never do that. I am firm believer in preventive maintenance. I always try to keep our vehicles in OEM condition.

BradTank

Yes

Look at all the problems Honda/Acura had with their transmissions in the 2000s.
Basically everything with a V6 and an automatic transmission had to be replaced. It covered a lot of models.

Even the 2016 and below Acura TLX are also having major transmission problems, it made Consumer Reports list of "Used Cars to Avoid"

For whatever reason, the Honda brand has really had a lot of problems with transmissions over the years.

Johnhav430

Actually just remembered....my buddy with a 2013?? Honda Odyssey had a recall where the motor had to have its piston rings replaced....and there was a class action extending the warranty. I think the extended warranties are a farce, kinda like CPO cars. Like on the BMW forum you'll see people routinely stating turbos are covered 8/82 as a result of a class action, but then the fine print will say "wastegates" causing a turbo failure, not turbos for any reason. I think this kind of mumbo jumbo show how little the class action atty's cared about the class--if they cared they would have had BMW cover turbos period, not just one specific and limited failure.

Daspyda

iTrader: (1)

The 2000-02 Toyota MR2 Spyders had a common issue with oil rings leaking, which increased backpressure in the catalytic converter, which increased blow-back pressure, which eventually blew the engine.

Silent recall

jimisbell

Did his maintenance include the timing belt every 90K miles????

Doublebase

Yeah it's $45 where I go, in my state they can charge whatever they want but the going rate is roughly $40-$45.

And I suppose you're right, $1,700 isn't a lot when you consider how much new cars cost, but I just figured when you're talking about a car with over 200,000 and being ten plus years old...some would cut bait there. I appreciate the ones that don't and keep it running (I'm a high mileage fan). Love seeing people push their cars to ridiculously high mileage limits.

And it's funny you mention your sister in law...my brother in law is the same way. He dumps cars every few years because of "repairs that are going to be coming up". Makes me laugh, then he gets himself into a new car and "actually saves money on his monthly payment". What he's not telling you is he just extended himself for another five years, where as he only had a year left on his current note.

Jkallinen

So glad MN gave up the vehicle inspections after finding out it cost to more run then save. Was a money pit that the state could not afford. They build all
those inspection stations around the state only to sell them off, most of them turned into independent garages. This was back in the early 80`s.

Johnhav430

My cousin took their 2005 CR-V to the indie who did my timing belt, and they took a good look at it and put it on a lift to pinpoint a howling sound (much worse than my Xice 3's which I thought was a carrier bearing). Finally, they said it's the transmission, and not worth fixing, could be over 3k. Just drive it until it fails, could be tomorrow, could be 5 years from now, but it will fail. If a person knows their car, then probably 1, even 2k, is not a lot given how much a new car costs...

My sis in law just got a new 2017 Audi A4, wouldn't listen when I said you have to get the sport package with any German car, it's serious bang for buck (usually worth it for the sport seats alone, all the suspension etc. is gravy). Would not listen. Wouldn't listen on the stick either. And she buys, doesn't lease. I said 2 yrs. from now when you're getting rid of that car, I'll pay cash for it. Dunno why but I know they won't do it, they'd rather take what the dealer gives them than sell it to a family member for that number--I even offer to add the sales tax they'd save to the price. My hunch is the dealer high ***** the trade, and low ***** the discount on the new car. So my offer is really over wholesale, but below retail, fair imho.

You hit the nail on the head with something. 13 years ago all my coworkers were refinancing their homes like it was shooting fish in a barrel. I asked a mortgage banker, should I refinance? He told me it's up to you, but if it were my wife and me, no. You're only saving 0.75%--you have to crunch the numbers, but remember that you are paying fees plus title insurance. I said but my coworkers say they are doing no fee refinancing? He laughed, do you think the bank is paying the title insurance? Do you think I would pay your title insurance? They are likely rolling that into the principal, and calling it a $0 out of pocket refi. Every now and again you come across people in an industry who give you the real deal that may not be in their intersest of selling products. That's integrity.

I did come across a real no fee product, and we have that now. Our home has a 10 yr first lien position home equity, i.e. no mortgage. The caveat is that the rate is in-between 15 and 30 yr. mortgages, but is amortized over 10 years. Did this twice, and it truly has no fees except $68.50 for a county record. It has to be below a certain amount (maybe 150k?) and the borrower must be able to afford a 10 yr. payment. We have 7 yrs. to go. Sometimes I toy with the idea of selling my stock portfolio and being done with a house payment. If the market tanks 30% it would have been nice to have done that...just that it seems over the next 7 yrs., the stocks should average more than 3.37% annualized....one never knows....

edit--the point with the refi is that even though significant costs are rolled into the principal, the monthly payment goes down, causing the borrower to move forward with the refi, but the main reason is the borrower may have gone from 24 years, all the way back up to 30.....

2KHarrier

Can we at least make an attempt to keep the discussion on point, John? The title is ""2nd" most reliable car ever built?" Not Tips for refinancing...

XJSFan

The Saturn line of cars, I really never cared for but the Saturn Sky roadster is an interesting vehicle. I do own a 1990 Jaguar XJS with 33K miles and it has never let me down. Knock on wood... LOL. I do maintain it very well and it runs fantastic. Most people that had problems with the Jag V12's is because they did not maintain or drive them enough... The engine is built like a tank and if you want to find a place where we can drive our cars at a high rate of speed(over 130 MPH for hours on end), I will take up your challenge. LOL.

Johnhav430

one would think Honda or Toyota, but as recent posts have pointed out not all of them are totally reliable. It may be a year thing, cuz my 1998 Maxima is a rather tough act to follow. Based on what I have read thus far, it's more reliable than the LS430

jimisbell

My 88 XJS didnt get enough driving. too many cars. I gave it away.

Johnhav430

tranny went on my buddy's, it was a nice car, aluminum body if I'm not mistaken. Got rid of it for a Acura RL, and that may have been the worst car they ever got...back into an Audi. At least Audi gave them a loaner for almost a year due to the Takata airbags, save 50k+ miles off their own car, was dealer, not Audi that provided. Asking him what yr it was, guessing early 2000s