Fix my car or get another one

[Smallpotatoes]

OK, the "Kick me" sign is on.
I was able to get through that rough patch in the spring of 2011, when it was in the shop five times in six weeks, including twice for a transmission.
Today, the Dodge Neon has 106,800 miles on it. I have 14 months left on the loan, owing $2,700.
A few days after getting a tuneup two weeks ago, the check engine light went on. I took it back to the place where I got the tuneup and they told me it needed a new catalytic converter, which costs anywhere from $600 to $1,000. I can't afford it right now but I have until the end of October to either take care of it or get another car because that's when it needs to pass state inspection.
This weekend, I looked into getting another car, a 2009 Nissan Altima, but I would have needed a five or six-year loan to get it. I decided to pass.
The Neon is worth $1,600 at most. Would I be better off getting it fixed and driving it into the ground or rolling the balance of the loan into a loan for another car? Neither option is particularly appealing to me, but I don't think there are any good decisions that can be made in this situation.
All right, go ahead and have more laughs at my expense.

 

[Uncle.Ruckus]

I'm so excited, I don't know where to begin ...

 

[Uncle.Ruckus]

You could **** your car in the ass.

 

[Uncle.Ruckus]

Get it fixed. Just make sure they include the good, green stuff with the catalytic converter.

 

[Uncle.Ruckus]

Honestly, you should set fire to your car, push it off a cliff and punch yourself in the balls repeatedly. You'll end up better off that way than you will if you do nothing or try to buy a new car.

 

[Uncle.Ruckus]

OK, I'm done for now.

 

[joe]

Get a second opinion on the catalytic converter. Ignore the check engine light for now; chances are, it will go off by itself. If all else fails and it's still running by the time the tags are up, take it to another place that ain't gonna check the converter.

Pay it off and drive that ****er into the ground.

 

[Stitch]

Get a second opinion on the catalytic converter. Ignore the check engine light for now; chances are, it will go off by itself. If all else fails and it's still running by the time the tags are up, take it to another place that ain't gonna check the converter.

Pay it off and drive that ****er into the ground.

Get the error code reset.

 

[YankeeFan]

Wow, Ruckus really was excited.

I don't think we've seen five posts in a row since I blew my load on a Sarah Palin thread four years ago.

Well, or on my mixology thread on a daily basis.

 

[Uncle.Ruckus]

I almost had my first cigarette in 14 months.

 

[User 11148]

Don't know where you are, but many of the big car-part retailers -- e.g., Advance Auto, Auto Zone, etc. -- will do a "Check Engine" scan for free. Alternatively you can buy an OBD scanner for around $60 to $100. Either way, find out exactly what the trouble code is. It'll be something along the lines of "P0420 Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold (Bank 1)". Come back here and post what that code is and I might be able to guide you.

BTW, the code won't go away. Your car's power control module is basically a big computer that stores what's happened. You can reboot it -- disconnecting the negative battery cable for a minute or two works wonders -- but that won't get you through inspection because the car has to be driven some distance -- usually 60 to 100 miles -- before the computer reports "Ready." If there really is a problem, as soon as you hit that magic mileage that light's going to pop back up. And if the computer reports "Not Ready" they won't pass you for inspection.

Lots of times these emissions control system errors are really easy (and cheap) to fix. For example, my Kia minivan reported any number of emissions malfunctions, but ultimately all that was needed was some duct tape over cracks that had opened up in the hose from the air filter to the throttle body. The wide variation in oxygen content as a result had the computer going haywire.

 

[dreunc1542]

I let out an audible "Yes!" when I saw this thread. I'm not kidding.

 

[Uncle.Ruckus]

I let out an audible "Yes!" when I saw this thread. I'm not kidding.

Right?

 

[Stitch]

Clearing the code won't hurt, though. My light came on during a cold day last winter. Wired until the weather warmed up a bit and disconnected the battery. The light didn't come back on and I passed inspection.

 

[dooley_womack1]

Care Bear just did a happy dance and doesn't know why.

 

[Smallpotatoes]

Don't know where you are, but many of the big car-part retailers -- e.g., Advance Auto, Auto Zone, etc. -- will do a "Check Engine" scan for free. Alternatively you can buy an OBD scanner for around $60 to $100. Either way, find out exactly what the trouble code is. It'll be something along the lines of "P0420 Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold (Bank 1)". Come back here and post what that code is and I might be able to guide you.

BTW, the code won't go away. Your car's power control module is basically a big computer that stores what's happened. You can reboot it -- disconnecting the negative battery cable for a minute or two works wonders -- but that won't get you through inspection because the car has to be driven some distance -- usually 60 to 100 miles -- before the computer reports "Ready." If there really is a problem, as soon as you hit that magic mileage that light's going to pop back up. And if the computer reports "Not Ready" they won't pass you for inspection.

Lots of times these emissions control system errors are really easy (and cheap) to fix. For example, my Kia minivan reported any number of emissions malfunctions, but ultimately all that was needed was some duct tape over cracks that had opened up in the hose from the air filter to the throttle body. The wide variation in oxygen content as a result had the computer going haywire.

Before I went back to the place that did the tuneup, the first place I went was the Auto Zone across the street from where I live.
They couldn't narrow it down to one thing, just four or five possibilities and then they told me to see a mechanic.

 

[User 11148]

Before I went back to the place that did the tuneup, the first place I went was the Auto Zone across the street from where I live.
They couldn't narrow it down to one thing, just four or five possibilities and then they told me to see a mechanic.

I'm really curious as to what the DTC (Diagnostic Trouble Code) was. If you go back, they'll scan again. I may be getting played for a fool here, but if you get that code I might be able to point you in a much cheaper direction.

And BTW, if you're getting your car "tuned up" you are really getting taken for a ride (HA!). Cars don't need tuneups anymore ... well, certainly not to the degree that they did way back then.

 

[User 11148]

Clearing the code won't hurt, though. My light came on during a cold day last winter. Wired until the weather warmed up a bit and disconnected the battery. The light didn't come back on and I passed inspection.

You're right to a degree. Some things are just hiccups and you can use one of those scanners to clear them. Sometimes the temperature will read funny -- probably what happened in your case -- and clearing it will take care of it. If it's an emissions thing, though -- especially if it's the catalytic converter et al. -- you won't be able to pass inspection because you're deleting the memory the inspector's computer wants to access. As soon as that memory gets repopulated, bingo, there's your trouble code again.

 

[murphyc]

Sometimes the code can come on because your gas cap isn't screwed on tight enough. We had that once with our Malibu.
Getting the codes read and listing them here is good advice.
Of course, also make sure the transmissiony thingy is working correctly.

 

[Care Bear]

Care Bear just did a happy dance and doesn't know why.

It was a full-blown orgasm. I'm not even reading the legitimate responses. Thank you, Ruckus.