No more turbo. Sad day in the neighborhood

[97TurboAstro]

The CARS program [a.k.a. cash for clunkers] is more than I could handle...

It was my tax money to begin with, so I want some of it back. There is no way my Astro is worth $4500 any other way... hail damage, dent in fender where my wife backed into it, AC is out, and doesn't have the sexy front end.

I have had the van on craigslist for a few months with the turbo still installed. I got exactly zero responses. I decided to remove the turbo kit, and just sell it as a normal van. Then the CARS program was announced...

Friday evening, Saturday morning, and Sunday evening were spent removing the turbo kit, plugging the hole in the oil pan, welding exhaust pipes, and removing all the stuff on the top end.

I got everything back together this evening and took the van for a ride up the street and back. The van no longer pulls like a mule, and that whistle sound is gone. Now there truly is no reason to keep it

If I'm going to do the CARS thing, I want to spend as little as possible. I found the Hyundai Accent and Nissan Versa to be the least expensive vehicles with a manual transmission and AC only. Only problem is that it's really hard to find one, because other folks are looking for the same bargain.

Anyone have comments about the Accent or Versa?

Anyone interested in an Astro turbo kit with no instructions?

[trybe13]

Ron, I am really saddened at this news, but you've got to do what's best for you and yours.
My wife is looking into a new vehicle due to the clunkers program. I won't have anything to do with it. I don't believe in car payments! Too many good used cars out there just waiting to be had, as opposed to paying on a new one for the next 5 yrs. But hey, she gets up and goes to work everyday just like me and if she wants her name on a car note I guess that's her prerogative.
Hope all is well with your family. Maybe if you still have that turbo unit for sale come time for my birthday I can drive out and have you install it. (November).

[ihatemybike]

Damn, that's the second forum van I know of heading to oblivion. I don't blame people for taking advantage of it, but I really hate this program.

Wish I had the money to grab that turbo kit off you.

[ihatemybike]

Have you looked at the Saturn Astra?

[97TurboAstro]

I don't believe in car payments!

Me, neither. That is exactly why I'm looking for the least expensive car on the market.

The replacement will be the "spare" we keep around to use if one of the other vehicles in our fleet breaks. We also loan the spare to folks from church that need a car for a few days.

My Astro has dead AC. That could cost quite a bit to fix. Not too many folks want to borrow the spare in August if it doesn't have AC. I can imagine if I have a brand new spare, they won't mind driving that

Too many good used cars out there just waiting to be had, as opposed to paying on a new one for the next 5 yrs.

I don't plan on dragging-out payments more than a few months or so.

Plus, the cost to repair the AC and other minor issues would probably be more than this van is worth.

Maybe if you still have that turbo unit for sale come time for my birthday I can drive out and have you install it. (November).

I was just thinking about that. I doubt the exhaust would be a big issue, but that intercooler and piping may not fit in the 1st-gen vans.

[97TurboAstro]

Have you looked at the Saturn Astra?

It's quite a few more dollars.

For example. The Nissan Versa 1.6 w/ AC and manual tranny is $11875. The Astra starts at $15875 without AC.

Hyundai Accent is $11985 after $1500 rebate.

Last week, the Kia Spectra was cheaper than the Rio, because it had a $3000 rebate. I see today that the rebate has expired. bummer

I need the least expensive car I can find.

[LaGrasta]

At least you saved the turbo set-up. I'm not in a position to buy a new car and I'm not sure if I would even if I could. So many great used car bargains. Nearly 7 years ago instead of spending $20k on a high mpg jelly bean car, i bought a 1963 Ford Falcon, hot rodded it out and now use it for my daily driver. I get 20mpg give or take.

One thing I don't understand about this clunker program is why it doesn't state, U.S. made cars for purchase only. What good does it do for the U.S. or the struggling U.S. car makers if you crush your U.S. made and maintained Astro and buy a Toyota?

[Rileysowner]

One thing I don't understand about this clunker program is why it doesn't state, U.S. made cars for purchase only. What good does it do for the U.S. or the struggling U.S. car makers if you crush your U.S. made and maintained Astro and buy a Toyota?

Probably because many of those "foreign" cars are now made in North America. Within reasonable driving distance from my house there are not only car assembly plants for Ford and GM, but also for Suzuki and Toyota. Even more than that, there are parts manufacturing facilities for more than just the big 3 as well. If one wants to stimulate the economy it would not be wise to cut out all those people working for none big 3 companies who are still US or Canadian workers.

[Kidhauler]

A lady at my work had a versa and had many problems with it from day one. It would stop running if it went up a hill that was too steep even with a full tank of gas. It had many other engine problems and after 18-20 months of owning it she traded it in just to get rid of it. I would look somewhere else for a car and steer a wide berth around the Versa. Plus the back seat is very tight in it I sat in the back once and my knees were firmly pressed into the back of the front seat. If you have kids or friends they will hate riding there.

[Smiliesafari]

Remember the old saying.........you get what you pay for? Don't expect too much from the cheapest car you can buy. As has already been stated there are a lot of really good older used cars available. Now, don't laugh, but one of the most reliable cars I've owned was a 1978 Plymouth Volare. That thing went 232,000 miles before the engine quit. And everything in the car still worked. Including the AC. I bought it for $500 and drove it for 10 years.

[ihatemybike]

So how much are you looking to get for the turbo kit?

[97TurboAstro]

I'm working on the "what's in it for me" side of this CARS deal.
Let me think on paper, here...

If I sell my van outright, I'll be lucky to get $2500. Slight
hail damage, dent in fender from wife, busted AC, sealed-beam
headlights, 162k miles, and it sets a "random miss" code.

If I use it as a CARS car, I can get $4500 toward a new car.

New Versa is $11000
tax is 6.25% of (11000 - 4500) = $406.25
title fee is something like $40
registration is something like $70

That would put my out-of-pocket at $7116.25, plus whatever the
dealer feels he needs to as "document fees" etc. Let's round
it up to $7500... not including any finance fees if I decide
to finance it for a few months.

I could be happy with my $7500 Versa, and enjoy getting 36 mpg
and letting folks from church beat on it... But.. I really don't
need another car, and I really don't need the cost associated
with that...

I could attempt to re-sell it...

If I decide to turn around and sell this "new" Versa, I'd need
to sell it for $7500 + $2500 = $10000 just to come out the same
compared to selling the Astro for $2500.

Hmm... Would someone buy my a "new" $11,000 Versa for $10,000?
... considering the fact that I wouldn't be willing to carry
a note for someone...

Is it worth all this trouble?

I'll have to drive over 100 miles to get the Versa I want.
I'll have to sit for who-knows-how-long at the dealer for paperwork processing
I'll have to find someone to buy that Versa.

Doesn't sound like a great idea any more, does it?

Looks like I'll just wash/wax the van and try to get $2500
for it. That way I can still say I've never bought/owned a Nissan

[ihatemybike]

Yea! No crusher for your Astro!

[astrofun69]

what wood i have to buy to put that turbo in my 2000 astro and how much do you want for what you got

[crash]

One thing I don't understand about this clunker program is why it doesn't state, U.S. made cars for purchase only. What good does it do for the U.S. or the struggling U.S. car makers if you crush your U.S. made and maintained Astro and buy a Toyota?

Probably because many of those "foreign" cars are now made in North America. Within reasonable driving distance from my house there are not only car assembly plants for Ford and GM, but also for Suzuki and Toyota. Even more than that, there are parts manufacturing facilities for more than just the big 3 as well. If one wants to stimulate the economy it would not be wise to cut out all those people working for none big 3 companies who are still US or Canadian workers.

thanks for posting that Jim. many people still don't get it. if they wanted to stop this "foreign" buying .. they should have started in the 70's.
the not so big 3 probably contain the least North American content of the top 6 car makers. i still want to walk up to everyone I see sporting their 'out of a job yet? keep buying foreign' bumper stickers and ask them: what kind of cell phone do they use? who makes their dvd player? ... or why they are shopping at wal-mart? .. but that's a whole other rant.


as for the van ..

Is it worth all this trouble?

I was really trying to figure out what all this was about. thanks for explaining it. buying a new car to flip has got to be one of the worth ideas (I don't mean to sound like I'm bashing, sorry if it sounds that way). nothing depreciates faster than a new car. this would have been a feasible idea if you were the only one offered this cash for clunkers incentive... but everyone is.

might as well reinstall that turbo setup, give me the keys to your van and ship it to me. don't buy a new car and we'll call it even. by the time it's all said and done.... it'd work out to about the same loss I'd bet