When It's Time To Say Goodbye -ETCG1 

1969 Dodge Charger. 175,000 miles, been through a few engines and transmissions. Won't ever let it go because it was my grandfather's first car, he bought it at 21. He passed away and I want to keep his baby alive.

I can still remember two vehicles I really had a hard time letting go of. The first was a 1978 Mercedes 240D Non-turbo 4 cyl. diesel. Had 500,000 miles when I bought it and I drove that thing everywhere! It had been to Mexico, Canada, Alaska, and about everywhere in between. When I finally scrapped it it had been through 4 engine rebuilds, 3 odometer clusters, and more than TWO MILLION miles! If it hadn't been so rusted out I'd have thought about rebuilding it again. The other vehicle was a Toyota pickup I bought for $500 which had around the same mileage on it. I thought it was going to be a cheap one year beater just to hold me over till I bought another Benz diesel. It turned out to be the rusty but trusty truck that refused to die. About 3 years later I hit a deer and mangled the front end. I then committed it to an off road rig and beat on it mercilessly. I upgraded a few things like a 3 inch lift kit, 33" tires, and a snorkel kit made from PVC pipe and a few fittings. I continued driving it like a rental car for a good many miles. Submerged it in mud up to the roof, flipped it on it's roof 3 times, and finally took it to Moab, Utah and snapped the passenger frame rail on Hell's pass. I limped it back to the hotel, pulled the bed right in the parking lot, found a piece of log the right size, stuffed it inside the frame rail to hold it then wrapped it with 4 rolls of duct tape, threw the bed back on, and drove it home to Indiana. Used it to haul firewood around the farm for another year before finally turning it in for scrap.

If you do a majority of you're own work it's never time to say good bye!

When someone else decides it's time to say "goodbye," I say "hello."

Sentimental value is something built up with a vehicle over a long period of time. Real enthusiasts do not care about the value of their vehicles or repair costs. In a lot of cases that I see, they actually welcome problems so they can start rooting at the vehicle and talking about it. Places where they have broken down are landmarks. Its all about the love of motoring.

I purchased a 1993 civic last summer for $400 with a ton of problems. It needed to have the engine rebuilt, new axles installed, transmission fluid etc. Although it cost $2000 in parts, it enabled me to learn about vehicular maintenance and repair, which I had no previous experience in. I learned a lot from the experience of rebuilding the engine, and though I sold the car for $1500, taking a loss, I learned much from the process. It always costs money to learn, and this experience empowered me to learn about vehicle repair. Thank you for your well produced and well written videos.

I had a beautiful, 1986 Tornado Red VW Synchro wagon with 5-cyl engine. The thing was a fun vehicle to drive, when it ran. At least once a year a major repair expense popped up. Then, in 2001, I had to fork out $1,000 for a rebuilt injector unit shipped in from Germany. That was my final wake-up call to get something much more practical. I studied as many car reviews as possible then decided to buy a used Toyota Camry. In September of 2001 I traded the VW for a 1999 Camry CE (base model 4 cyl 5 spd tranny) I still drive that Toyota daily. I've only had to replace the starter motor and the coolant pump in all those years. After 150,000 miles the car still feels and looks brand new. I will need to replace an exhaust pipe after hitting a hidden speed bump at 15 mph. I anticipate enjoying the Toyota for at least a few more years.

In microeconomics they have a term for how much satisfaction you get out of something. They call it "utility." I love that concept. Also there's a value in owning an older car and that is cheaper registration cost and cheaper insurance. And the third one for me is what kind of modifications and upgraded you have to do to a car to make it work for you- for me that's tint, tires (to suit a purpose), tool storage, lighting, and whatever electronics are needed for towing etc.

My first car was a 1995 Chevy Lumina. I literally was getting something fixed every pay check. Eventually dumped it while it was still running because I was just tired of dumping money into it. Ended up buying a low mileage 01' Nissan Altima, drove that baby up to 150k before it's first major repair (catalytic converter), I loved that little Nissan! Just brakes, oil change and gas. Life was great.

That acura is a prime candidate for a $50 rustoleum spray paint job, would love to see an ECG video on that.

You know, This same argument can be made for disposing of a dysfunctional wife. You know, she's getting old, costs more money to keep her operational, she keeps breaking down and VERY unreliable, she's cranky, creaky and very hard to start. She's getting a lot of dents and wrinkles and leaves you stranded at the most inconvienient times. She's got cracks in her seat and a horrible noise coming out of her rear end, When you try to turn her to your side of the road you get a horrible squeal, She takes up too much room and has way too many miles on the odometer. Trade her in for a newer model, sleeker, sportier, stylish! With four on the floor and dual airbags. Problem is your insurance rates go up.

Point to a 'van' that an owner can work on, yeah, a van, I use a wheelchair, my van has a wheelchair lift, I have a 99 E350, real joy to work on, so I bought a 73 E100, been driving it more than the 99, doing work on it, even if I had to, putting an engine and transmission in that 73 would be cheaper than rigging a newer van with handicap equipment.

The only time I've ever walked away from a car, was my first car, a 2000 Plymouth Voyager fleet spec special (zero options base model.) I loved that stupid van, but the rust from 13 Adirondack winters got so bad that my mechanic legit told me to drive it straight to the scrap yard when the steering rack sprung a power steering fluid leak from a rust hole. It's still sitting behind my parent's garage.

i had one guy ask me why do i keep my old junk ,, he was later in the area and needed a oil switch for his old street bike , it was leaking all over the chain and his shoe , i know you might say great his chain was being pre lubed , oil was being thrown from the chain onto his jacket , so anyway we had a look and found an exact part with the exact same thread from an old dodge colt 4 cylinder ,, hoarding saved me many times from spending a whole day going to town for a 5 or 10 dollar part and he now sees the importance of organized hoarding

love your insight Eric!

I like vehicles with problems. it gives me a new skill to learn

It's sometimes just getting hard to drive in modern traffic in older cars.

This is one of the most useful videos I've seen, thank you! I am in this exact position and this video helped me make up my mind! 93 GMC C1500 SLE, 415,000 miles original motor, trams rebuilt 15 years ago. Trans is starting to go, maybe a year left on the motor. The problem is she is otherwise mechanically sound. I am a tradesman with tools and work space, other than pulling a motor or trans, I have done all my own work. I am pricing out the trans and motor swap vs a car payment and it looks like keeping her is the more cost effective option. Thanks again Eric!

My mom bought a Camry in 1994 (I was 12 years old), a year later the rear driver side door wouldn’t open, that lead me to figuring out how to get it open, then disassembled, and finding why the door broke. That was the first time I fixed a car, and it felt so good making something work again; that Camry is the reason I am a mechanic today. 26 years later: the Camrys’ drivetrain is in perfect shape, the body is starting to show rust bubbles under the paint, but mom is still driving it. Then one day she runs over a rock the size of a grapefruit that was in the middle of the highway, which bursts the tire and the tire shreds whip the hell out of the fender and front bumper and sends a bunch of trim pieces flying, the rim of the wheel gets ground away by the asphalt. But I can see that all of the damage is repairable, it’s only the bolt on parts that were messed up, no structural damage at all. Insurance company totals the whole car. Yes it’s easily fixed, but the cost of a new matching alloy wheel, tire, fender, wheel well liner, front bumper, and the labor cost of the paintwork is twice the estimated resale value. That car has been a part of my family over a quarter of a century. So many memories are in that car. I feel like a part of me is being torn off.

i plan on driving my 92 astro van as long as possible. videos that you put out can help people keep thier car that much longer by doing there own repairs.

Muggles! haha I love this channel! I hadn't watched your repair channel in a long time, I kind of outgrew the basic stuff but I really like hearing what you have to say on these topics.

Solid point Eric, I like it. This video reminds me of when I decided to let go of my first car which was a 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser. Purchased by my grandmother in 2008 to replace her 1991 Dodge Shadow, which she decided to save for me. Well, due to a few health problems, I wasn't able to get my driver's license until 2010 and by that time, my grandmother was diagnosed with Dementia and later passed away. Ended up taking the PT Cruiser and sold the old Dodge for obvious reasons such as it being a much newer car with fewer miles and in better shape, even though the Dodge was very well kept with only 90k. Anyway I enjoyed the PT Cruiser for almost 3 years until I sold it in September of 2013. Overtime it had some issues that were common with those cars (which don't have the greatest rep) and one or two that were unexpected. It never left me stranded, just things that seemed to wear out sooner than they should have. Found out when I traded the car that it started it's life as a RENTAL vehicle before my grandmother bought it. Anyone who knows rental cars knows that they tend to have very hard lives due to people beating on them and the companies not having a care in the world. So when I got rid of it, it still needed a few things (tires and control arms) and by that time the car had grown really old to me so it wasn't hard to let go of even though it was my first car.

My first car was a beat up powder blue '67 VW Beetle. I love that car, but what I loved most about it was working on it. Once I had fully restored it, I drove it, but I never enjoyed it as much as I did when it needed something done to it. It also had little heat, no A/C and I live in south Louisiana, so as I got older that became an issue. For me, part of fixing a car was the enjoyment of the hobby. I now own a '97 Honda CR-V and I have never owned a cooler vehicle. It has a frickin picnic table in it! I bought it in 2000 from the original owner. It was a great price and ran and still runs like a top. It also hauls everything I've ever wanted it to haul. A few years ago it turned 20 and the suspension was shot all the way around, then the steering rack started leaking, tires started wearing, you name it. So we decided it was time to keep driving it and come up with a plan B. We bought a much newer Subaru Forester, which we hate (there is so much that needs work on it) and it just isn't a gen 1 Honda CR-V. As I contemplated what to do with the CR-V people started asking me at gas stations if I would sell it to them. It's not for sale, BTW. So I looked into fixing it. Having someone fix it was out of the question. Labor would have cost more than parts, and the parts were worth the value of the car. I retired and needed something to do with my hands. I've always done some work on my cars and now that I wasn't working in a lab anymore (and thus needed something to fill that) I decided to fix it myself. I knew it would take me a lot of time, I would run into other things that needed fixing as I performed repairs I already knew about, and it would be a big learning curve. Fantastic! I get to work with my hands again, and I don't have to do it when I'm not up to it. I did the rear suspension during the summer of 2020 and I enjoyed it. I had to take a long break to care for my mom after her hip surgery, so I didn't get back on things for about a year. I just finished 2 months of solid daily work on my CR-V (Jan 6 - Mar 6, 2022). I changed the entire front suspension, brakes, steering rack, other power steering components, and changed the transmission fluid. I'm about to tackle more power steering issues like changing the oil tank, flushing the system, and replacing the return O-ring at the pump before I change the pump. It does okay until it warms up completely, then it whines a little. It seems starved for oil. I haven't finished checking all the return lines. I changed part of the bottom hose when I installed the rack. The hose was cracked and cutting it off didn't provide enough length to hook it up so I changed that section of hose. I changed the pressure line b/c I had to destroy the fitting to get it off. The rack took me 3 weeks working on it 2-4 hours a day most every day of that 2 months. I didn't work on it when it rained or was really cold (by our standards), but the weather was perpetually nice most of the time, so few days off. I'm female and over 60 so I'm not nearly as strong as I used to be so a lot of things were much harder than they would have been for a lot of other people. I decided to do the rack now before I had the stolen catalytic converter replaced, one less thing to have to drop. I did have to drop the RWD transfer case which was really scary at first, but ok. I got it back together and it shifts better than it has in a long time since I changed the trans fluid. Had I only had to do the suspension I would have been done in a couple of weeks. My worst problems on that were taking it apart. Some things were so stuck I had to rent tools to separate them. The drivers side lower ball joint was stuck to the knuckle so badly that I had to use a large ball joint pickle fork and hammer on it for about an hour. That was after hammering on it for 3 days to get it apart, and some guys I know also hammered on it for up to an hour each. I was scared I'd have to buy another knuckle, or more likely borrow a Sawzall to cut it off. I also had a hell of time getting the drivers side CV axle out of the intermediate shaft. I ended up borrowing a slide hammer with an axle puller attached. Several hours of hammering didn't get it to budge, but the slide hammer had it apart in another hour. I also ended up taking the intermediate shaft and new CV axle to a transmission guy to get it to go together. I put the two attached pieces back in about 20 min. I worked on that for a couple of days and decided it was a lost cause to keep at it. He filed all the splines on the intermediate shaft to get them smooth enough to slide into the CV axle. The learning curve part was a lot of figuring out when to try another route through a problem. I got much better at deciding I had been at something long enough and it was time for a change. I still have one oxygen sensor to install. The muffler shop guy wasn't the brightest bulb in the box and didn't get a sensor with an OEM plug on it so I told him to take off for the sensor and I'd get one and install it. If there is a problem with the old plug I know how to fix that. I am planning to get two new front tires and an alignment this week before I continue with the power steering. I also need to change the shift cable. Pieces of it were falling on my head the entire time I was working under the car. When I grabbed it, it was crunchy with rust and has a hole in the rubber covering. After all this work, it is due for a new timing belt and water pump, the valves may need adjusting, and I may go to the junk yard and get a couple of new bumpers. The old ones have been beat up in parking lots. I also noticed the lower air box on the passenger side cracked and a piece fell out. It could use a major interior and exterior cleaning, too. The important thing is it will give me something to do pretty regularly.

Thanks for this video! I remember you talked about this before but I can't find that video anymore. My 2001 volvo S40 is acting up again. Sometime in August this year, I spent around $2300 fixing various engine problems and body work. Now, the ABS light is on, brake failure light is on, check engine light is on. Went to the dealer for a quote and its $1200 to fix the ABS, and another $1200 to fix the pcv breather box. I think it's time to say goodbye.

a great topic, sir! I have a story to share. It involves a car you probably do not even know exists. I come from the Czech Republic, we have a Volkswagen Group car manufacturer called Škoda. They have a solid lineup of cars now, from urban micro cars, compact cars through family sedans and estates all the way to SUVs and executive fleet barges (in European scale at least). Back in late 90s they made a cool little car, the Fabia. Mine was made in 2001. It was my mother's originally. I bought it off of her and put a decent 100 000 miles on it. It had 5 seats, front wheel drive, 5speed stick shift, 1,4 liter 8 valve chain driven sohc gasoline 4 cylinder. In 2013 it was still running like a champ. I had relocated to Germany and had bought my BMW E46 coupé that year. I was thinking about keeping them both, but then the steering wheel started to vibrate in left hand turns. I thought I'd carefully drive it 300 miles back to the Czech Republic, fix it cheap and sell it there, cause Germany is way more expensive. Then it came to me: I love the car, but I don't need it. Nobody drives such cars for more than a decade and mine had had its best days counted. As a result of that epiphany, I took it to the wreckers to have it crushed. In Germany it means you get nothing and you pay nothing. Guess what happened AT THE PARKING LOT AT THE WRECKERS! Having signed all the paperwork, I went to the car, started the engine one last time, to drive through the gate and then give them my key. Engine started as always, put it in reverse, drive out of my spot, put it in first -BANG- there goes my CV joint. The car broke down literally at the gate of the wrecking yard and had to be pushed. One last revv, bashing the limiter, turn it off and good bye. Killing the car was a good decision.

i own a 1993 nissan 240sx, the first car ive actually loved. Iv'e already been through a motor and 2 transmissions on it but when you know the right people and have good friends with the same car parts come cheap. Ive learned so many things working on this car since i do most of the work myself. I'm really attached to it.

I follow the same logic as you, investment and return. There's no point in pouring money into something that is on it's last leg. Spending more than the vehicle is worth on repairs is a great indicator that it's time to say goodbye. I really appreciate your advice on Googling potential problems by make and manufacturer. I never thought about that. Man you're really smart and extremely helpful.

Great topic. It can be tough to say goodbye, but it is different for every car and every person. Well put, Eric.

I had a 96 explorer for 11 years she was my baby did lots of repairs over the years, replaced a cracked head , fuel pump TONS of suspension work, AC but the final ending was the torque converter was going and she had to finally go to the scrape pile, was a very sad day for me. Lots of memory's and learned a lot about working on cars through trial and error with her. P.s as always love your channels

My 1985 Toyota pickup is rusted through the frame at the drivers side rear wheel and the thing still runs fine. Spent a lot of money over the years but frame work is the last straw. 4x4 still works great too. I guess my brother is needing a small farm truck and he will probably weld in a few plates as the frame rusts away and it will probably serve him well for years to come. Shucks, I just recently figured out a starting issue I've had with the truck for over five years too. That's fine, my brother won't have to worry if it will start for him I suppose. Thank you Ericthecarguy for this video. It should help out a lot of people.

Read a book many years ago written by a used car salesman. One idea he had stuck with me. 10 cents a mile. (Other than gas, tires and oil.) When purchasing a used car or repairing one already owned, use 10 cents a mile as a guide. For a repair, say new A/C system costs $750.00, You are obligated to yourself to drive that vehicle for another 7500 miles to recover the costs of the repair. If you don't think the vehicle will last that long then don't repair it. When purchasing a used car for say $8000.00. You need to get 80,000 trouble free miles out of it to get your monies worth or a combination of mileage and resale value that equals $8000.00. It's simplified my decision making for 40 years.

College man? I don't know if you're college man on RU-vid as well, but thanks for such a good topic. The video alone was worth it and the memory's shared of beloved cars and the reading of it was priceless!

I own a 2006 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor with 272k km on it and it runs perfectly. I've only had a few small problems that were easily fixed. I'm sure it'll last a long time.

thanks eric, today is my birthday :) my dad just sold his 2004 gmc sierra 2500hd, was the first vehicle i ever drove, took my drivers test in it, had lots of memories in that thing I guess you really wouldn't consider that "old" but it was pretty much a beater work truck. it had almost 200,000 miles, was burning oil, transmission was slipping, interior was a complete mess with seats down to the foam, dents everywhere, tires were bald, overheated, and yesterday, without warning, my dad just showed up at home with a brand new 2016 toyota tundra, surprise. And even though it wasn't mine, i was really sad to see that old truck go.

Cool video! Excellent information and well delivered. I said goodbye to a 1993 Chevy Cavalier that I drove from 1997 until 2011. It was a tank! Bullet proof in all its hideous glory. The frame was so rusty I was expecting to simultaneously climb in with my brother and break the thing. I drove it far longer than was likely safe but in the end I got $300 for it and it went to a community program where they stripped it, sold anything remotely useful off it and gave the money to a local shelter. Win win!

Eric, I'm from Pittsburgh and now live in Phoenix. Why this is important will soon become evident. When I lived in Pittsburgh cars died because the floors in them rusted out. A car died because the body became Swiss cheese. Here in Phoenix I've had a 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix since September of 1997. It has never been in a garage. IT HAS ABSOLUTELY ZERO RUST ON IT. The underneath of the car looks like it just came off of the car hauler. In short the body is perfect. My dad had an expression with respect to changing out engines and transmissions. He called these types of repairs nuts and bolts. To him if a car required nuts and bolts you did it. Where my dad drew the line was when the word WELDING came into play. If you need to weld on new quarter panels and floors. Kill it. I intend to keep my Grand Prix forever. If it blows and engine (the truly worthy 3800) I'll put another one in it. If it needs a new 4T65E. it's going to get it. It has 230,000 miles on it and runs perfectly. I've changed out a ton of parts (myself) in it and I'll change out a ton more if needed. If something nuts and bolts goes wrong with it there is no doubt I'll replace whatever has gone wrong. My 1995 Chevelle that lived it's entire life in Pittsburgh had 60,000 miles on it. It had no floor, and no trunk. Had to scrap it. As pop said nuts and bolts no problem, WELDING = PROBLEM.

I remember how upset I was when I had to let my first car go. It was a 1993 Honda Accord. It'd been driven by my great grandma all the way through me. It was my grandpa's favorite car and it always made me remember the good times we had together. But it was time for it to go. You couldn't drive it in the rain because it would fog up. It would get scorching hot in the summer and freezing cold in the winter. If you didn't drive it for a month you'd have to jump the battery. It got crashed and it wasn't worth repairing. I still miss it but it was time to go.

The HVAC blower door motors will probably be the death nail for my 2001 Sierra with 320k miles.From what I've seen the entire dash has to come out. It's a shame because its 5.3 runs like a champ and gets decent mpg. I can do a lot of things but Idk if I'm willing to tackle that one. If the heater core fails it will DEFINITELY be history. Great video, kinda relevant in the hopefully NOT so near future! Love your work Bud!!!

I can't stop watching the Elvis clock on the wall doing his Jailhouse Rock hip jirations!!

This hits me super hard man. I bought my first car back in August of 2020, just go my first ever job, saved up, bought a 2005 Honda Civic EX. Drove it a bunch, and then started to notice a weird noise idling in neutral and sometimes on acceleration. Your videos showed me it was my input shaft bearing, so I bought a used tranny and rebuilt it, then swapped it into my car along with a new clutch. The day after I finished that up, the engine spun a bearing and is currently parked in the back part of employee parking with a engine I got from a junkyard from an Acura EL, just waiting for me to install it. Up until I found that engine for sale I was planning on parting out the car and getting rid of it, but I’m already so financially and emotionally invested in this car that I decided it deserves a second chance

I have a 2003 325xi and every time a repair comes along I go thru the logic you just outlined.

Just watched this, as I'm trying to catch up on ALL the EricTheCarGuy videos, ETCG1 videos, etc. that you've ever produced (maybe get your "views" up and encourage you to keep going, I dunno). I found it amusing when you said that maybe the thing to do is to just get another vehicle, and put the broken one aside. I did just that a few months ago, when my trusty 2002 S-10 suddenly developed a really sickeningly odd and loud noise in the front (4WD) axle after being driven for a few minutes. So, I went out and got me a brand spankin' new 2017 Toyota Tacoma 4x4, with a 6 speed manual (I REALLY wanted a manual transmission - just personal preference, and you can't get a stick in many new trucks except in the really cheapest base model - sometimes not even in a 4x4 at all!). Anyway, I digress, (as I often do). A few hours online, a few more hours in the dealership, and 40 grand later, I drove home my new Tacoma 4x4 TRD Sport and parked it in the driveway next to the S-10, which was by now up on jackstands, as I contemplated what I was going to do about it. Somebody offered me a hundred bucks for it, but I declined, as it was worth more than that as scrap. I don't know if he knew what was wrong with it, but it had to be worth more than a hundred bucks. To make a long story short, I DID get to fixing it - I thought I was going to have to put an front axle or maybe a transfer case in it, odd thing was that it NEVER made the noise in 4WD, ONLY in 2WD, and only after being driven for a bit. I should note that I'm a car guy, but not for a living, I'm an Engineer of a different sort altogether. But - I understand how things work, and by watching videos from you, and from South Main Auto, and from a few other channels, I came to understand how the 4WD system, specifically the front hub engagement system, works on my S-10. Turns out that there was a vacuum leak INSIDE the switch that mounts on top of the transfer case, letting PARTIAL vacuum PARTIALLY engage the front hubs - of course, not being in 4WD at the time, and not fully engaging the hubs, it made a loud noise. Putting it into 4WD let the hubs engage fully, thus no noise! The cure was a $15 vacuum switch, but I never would have guessed it without the help of the videos that you guys post. So, now I've got the old S-10, which i drive just about daily, and the $40,000 Tacoma, which gets driven occasionally. The Tacoma is real pretty, though. I'm glad I didn't "say goodbye", just yet...

You are correct sir! I tend to "get rid" of vehicles while they are still running. It's a lot easier to sell a running vehicle than a dead one.

95 civic hatch cx model, engine blew when I didn't have money for a good swap, swapped in the same motor. New motor is beating the transmission up. Gonna rebuild the trans next asap. Love that thing. I wanna get as much out of it as if I bought it new in 95 lol

I got a free '84 s10 Blazer last year when i was 16. The big issue with it was the vacuum hoses to the 4x4 crumbled to bits so it had a huge vacuum leak and the t5 in it was blown up. it would stick in 4th gear.. so i rebuilt it. i got a cheap harbor freight press, and a $90 rebuild kit. I rebuilt the 5 speed in my grandpas woodshop and so far when everything is said and done i have about $600 wrapped up into my free car. it was a fun experience and I'm hoping to keep driving this for a while

Well said Eric. You hit it.I have had to go from no car payment to a car payment and still ended up paying for repairs on the car I just bought.

Our shop calls this an "Economic Total" We advise the customer that this repair exceeds the value of the car and they need to decide how much longer they intend on keeping the car because they may need to invest this money in something else that will yield more return. Totally agree with your method.

I miss my 02 chevy cavalier. It's what made me decide to do all of my own work. Like each car I've had, each one taught me something new.

I wish you were closer to me to be my mechanic! I just bought a 95 civic ex that I wanted since I was a kid. It needs some love for sure but to me it'll be worth it

This was a GREAT topic. I kissed my /05 lancer good bye last year. Loved it, but it was the right decision.

I think we may have been too hard on Eric when we were complaining on the promotional video. I don't want Eric to resent his own subscribers or feel hurt by things that were said. I don't know how we can make it up to Eric. But i do enjoy your videos Eric and the relationship that is built through your videos. It helps me to have a place to go when I run into my own DIY projects and need someone to relate to. It's also just nice having someone around who shares a common, interest, hobby, enjoyment or struggle. Anyway thanks for the video Eric.

Something else I consider is learning experience. I've had a $500 1989 Saab 900 for 2 years now, and parts and repairs have been relatively cheap. I've done everything myself, and I see it as a learning experience. If I screw up on it, it's a $500 car. But what I learn from it I can apply to future repairs. It also is a lot cheaper than going out drinking. At least I have something at the end of the day.

Been there lol I brought an '86 Holden VK Commodore that had been sitting on someone's lawn for six years. Body was made of rust and primer. Engine had some 'go faster' bits and pieces (valve & head work) that first attracted me. But I needed a daily driver, and that thing was a rolling $400 fine from the local plod, plus sometimes the ignition switch would slip out (and stay out) of run. One hand shifting gears, one on the wheel, and one holding the ignition in the run position didn't do it for me... had to let it go as I didn't have the space for two cars. Hopefully it made someone a sweet project car :)

One option I wanted to touch on is a place we have here in indiana. "Pick a part" Once a year they have what is referred to as a "pullathon" you bring your own tools, pull your own parts, and whatever you can carry across a 20 foot long line you get for $50. Limit 2 people per load ($100). And of corse core charges apply for alloy wheels, cat converters, radiators, and such. When your car needs multiple parts but is fairly common like my '92 Ford Ranger, this is by far the best way. Take a backpack, and a few ratchet straps and you can get everything you need to keep your car on the road for cheap. As well as pick up some cool upgrade pieces from other similar or newer models.

My first car.. "time to let go" was when the rack and pinion was leaking like a siv, oil pressure light came on at 225k so im assuming the oil pump failed or there was no oil.. clutch was finished. Needed brake hoses, an altornator, and a battry... and the body was finished in ways only Quebec could rot out a shell... took what i could off it, and somberly sent it on its way..having already bought a second one in the same color.

Right now I`m considering selling my POS to buy some newer, less fatigued car (previous owner didn`t pay much attention to my car since he didn`t want to and didn`t know how). Header sealing is about to replace (after 60 KM/ 38 ML I have water in my engine oil), injection sealing and exhaust seals are also up to change. You know what makes me consider changing? The difficulties in unscrewing 25 years old bolts. No penetrator came me in handy. After 2 days in my garage I threw up a towel and I`m about to drive it to my friend mechanic- I`m curious if he can do it lol Thanks for the video Eric and good day to all people who has at least 20 year old car.

If you can't work on your own car ,,, buy a low mileage used car that still has warrantee

I've never owned a car newer than 1990. If you can fix things yourself they can last quite awhile. Good tips Eric.

i had a 1972 dodge half ton , had transmission problems many times , i stopped being so hard on it and no more problems , also had electronic module problems , put the exact part number module in and no more problems

Biggest mistake made is to not value the time to do a repair.

My first car was a Fiat 128 sedan that was sitting on my grandpa's farm for 6 years without running. I was sixteen and bought it from him for $100... (I know, he should have just given it to me, but I guess it was a lesson that I needed to learn.) Anyway, I payed a neighbor to tow it home for me. Another neighbor came over and showed me how the engine works and what is needed for it to run. Thankfully all it needed was a tune up and some tires. Unfortunely, the subframe was cracked from it being in a frontend accident, needless to say I went through a lot of tires because of that. I was so interested in how the engine works that I rebuilt the engine and afterwards boy did it run great. I ended up selling it because that engine frame crack couldn't be fixed. I tried welding plates in on the frame, but the back and forth motion of the engine would break the welds and I would be stuck with same problem. There's a lot more to this story I just wanted to share my experience of letting a car go. Thanks for reading. :)

I still have my first car 12yrs later. 1987 Lincoln Town car love it love it love it. I firmly Believe cars can be rebuilt over and over if need need be..its how Ive learned and been able to help others/ Make side money

I bought the last of the AMC CJ7 back in 1986. Nicely equipped Renegade. It was the vehicle of my youth. I was 20 years old when I acquired it. Had it for eight years. Never loved a vehicle so much. Towards the end it needed everything. As much as I tried to keep it functioning it was no can do. I put 157,000 miles on it and the body was rusting badly. The intake manifold had a crack, problems with the T5 transmission, electrical problems. Aside that in a year I was getting married. It broke my heart to sell it. I ended up buying a 94 Mitsubishi Mirage which wasn’t a bad car. For years I’d take out my CJ windows sticker and think of better times. Last year I took the window sticker to my local Jeep dealership and used it to match a new Wrangler Unlimited Sport S. I matched the paint and seats as best as I could but a manual transmission is difficult to get. Yeah my JL has more options than a CJ every had but my heart is healed. I’ll drive a Wrangler forever more.

I will never give up my 81 c20 it has been a great truck all these and will be for many years to come!

I have a 2000 Chrysler Concorde with 216,000 miles and it's never let me down and surprisingly the only thing that's ever been replaced on it in over 17 years is the alternantor and regular maintenance things like tires and batteries. It belonged to my grandmother who passed away in 2012. She bought it new and it's been in my family since new, I don't care what I have to spend on it in the future, it's all I have left of my grandma and I remember riding in it when I was a baby

your clock is awesome, also i learned a lot thank you for your videos, man you the man

My mechanic told me that there was rust on my '94 Toyota Celica, and perhaps I should say goodbye. Instead I took it to a body shop and they replaced part of the inner and outer sills. That was about 4 years ago, the car continues to pass the MOT test (UK annual safely inspection), it still looks fantastic and drives fantastic. I've now had that Celica for over 20 years. It was well worth the small investment in getting it repaired.

I have a 1991 and a 1992 Jeep Wrangler both with 4.0 liters and both I own. I daily drive the 92 and the 91 sits outback as a project trail rig. My 92 has a rusty body but solid frame and tub mounts. The 4.0 which is fuel injected has around 197,300 miles and it always starts and goes down the road with no issues. It's great in snow and mud. It's hot in the summer, cold in the winter, noisy as hell without carpets and a magnaflow cat back exhaust system. It rides like a Mack truck but I would never part with it nor stop driving them. Jeep life. A Jeep never dies and you never get rid of them you just rebuild them and that's why it's hard to find a Wrangler in the junkyard.

I've always been slow to walk away but i've gotten a lot better over the years. Since i do most of my own work when i get tired of fixing it over and over and over... its time to look around. Eventually things break, i get that. But when you're like me the tendency is to hold on til you squeeze that last drop out. That kind of mindset can backfire... i've had it happen x 1 out of 3 cars

When people are emotionally attached to an object or they miss something they once had, I tell them that it's the memories that are important. Sometimes we have to make tough decisions to get rid of an item if it is less useful than it once was and is holding us back from our other goals.

first car i ever had, 2002 Hyundai elantra GT manual. with all the upgrade options interior and feature wise. bought it used off an old man down the street when i got my license at 16 for $800. that car lived another 14 years with a few minor repairs here and there. and then it threw a rod on my way to the cottage. i had the car from 40,000 miles to 685,000 miles. i said goodbye to it earlier this year. i loved that car to death. was always reliable.

The feeling sux when you have to walk away.. Lol my headache was a 1998 Cadillac Seville sls.. Blown heads... Went through 3 motors.... Just had to junk it at the end of the day it was a learning experience

I love your Elvis clock

I bought a 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage that had little over 132,000 miles on it. In eight year I’ve put right at 100,00 miles on it. Original engine and transmission. Replaced fuel pump gas tank, shocks, radiator, tie-rods, ball joints, AC system..and still runs to this day.

I know someone who learned to drive a mid-sized tractor age 5, about 50 years ago. He still owns this tractor and know every single bit of it like the back of his hand. Sometimes emotional value is worth more than monetary.

I had this same dilemma a few years back, I had just moved to a new city packed up almost everything I owned in my 91 4Runner. This car was my Mom's daily driver for so many years, long story short she rear ended a corvette and totaled the runner. It ended up sitting for 5 years so I started to wrench on it here and there to get it back up and running for her (It had AC and her Samurai Didn't) and not more than 1 month I got everything squared away I totaled my VTEC Prelude. Mom ended up giving me the Runner as she didn't need 2 cars. This was the Car: I learned to Drive stick with Took my DMV Driving test with @ 16 Learned how to 4 Wheel with Pulled buddies stuck Jeeps out with. This truck never let me down but things started getting expensive, in 1 year I had replaced Timing Chain/Water Pump/Belts ($1200) Tires ($900) Then it started using Oil and blowing Blue smoke, Failed smog test and my mechanic at the time told me an engine rebuild was in order $3,200 not surprised since it had 310,000 Miles on it. Being my sole vehicle I needed something reliable as I drive a lot for work, plus I didn't have a garage to wrench on it so I was at the mercy of a mechanic ( a rare thing for me). I really miss that truck but a new to me 06 Tacoma 4x4 filled the hole I had in my heart. +ETCG1 you rock dude

I say it depends if you can fix it yourself or do you have to take it to a shop will from experience doing it yourself you can keep a car for a long time

My first one I had to let go was a 1981 Dodge Omni my high school auto tech class built. It was cobbled together from a Dodge Colt, an Omni as the base and a Plymouth Horizon. We called it The Stunt Dodge. The passenger seat was held in by... a bolt. The passenger door didn't really latch unless it felt the need to, so we called the passenger seat "The Ejector Seat". The rear shocks did a convincing job of being made up of matter and appearing to serve some kind of function. The charging system could ALMOST keep up with the sound system I installed. I drove that thing until it had a 50/50 chance of getting me two miles to work before I gave up on it and donated it back to the auto tech class. Despite that it was a rolling death trap... I have some of the best memories of life (and near deaths) in that car. If I found another Omni or Horizon in good shape and had any money I'd own another because... I just like off beat cars. I put a full size pickup brush guard on it and when I wass cart pusher at the local grocery store I used to to push carts in deep snow. Have someone out front steering the carts while I peered through the 2 inch by four inch clear spot the defroster gave me. Whatever it's been recycled into... maybe someone is having as much fun in it now as I did back then.

I have a gmc g2500 van a 1995 its got about 300thous miles on it runs great i have replaced everything except the motor and trans, but if either goes i will replace or rebuild it needs quite abit of extensive rust repair subframe ect...but i,ve had this van since i bought it off the showroom floor 22 yrs ago and its been paid for for 17 yrs and ins is cheep its still very usefull never getting rid of it.

I've always said, take a years cost of repairs, divide by 12 - that's what it costs a month to stay on the road. Most of the time it's cheaper than a new car payment. Just don't push the boundary of miles or age.

Thanks it is my bday hope you have a good day too!

My first car I actually drove for more than a month, is my 1991 Toyota Celica GT. I have spent so much time fixing the issues that came with it to get it to the point where it is at now; running well. It has 211k on it, but still going strong. I still need to change the timing belt, but if the engine were to need replacing/rebuilding, I will swap the engine. I really want to keep this car for a long time. So many nights staying up, losing sleep, the frustration, the dirt and grime I was covered in after completing a job. I think it would be hard to let go if the repair is the value of the car. I actually have plans to get the dents out, get new side skirts and have it painted.

I was the lucky one to drive an inherited 1991 Ford Ranger. It was a great truck for the time that I was driving it. The only gripe I had about it, was the transmission. When it was brought home from my grandpa, it already had a rebuilt tranny in it. Then in 2003 or 2004, overdrive exploded. Shortly after it was rebuilt for the second time, it when out again. It was at that time, it was discovered that the flywheel was bent. Never knew how or when it was bent, but it explained why we had to pull the torque converter forward and shim the starter bolts. But like in this vid, we reached the point of letting it go. Happened a couple years ago on a road trip. Transmission gave out again and barely made it to the hotel I was staying at. I didn't really want to let it go, but sinking another $1500 or more into a truck that wasn't worth it, just wasn't gonna happen.

I remember as a kid(yes I'm really young) seeing my grandpa getting rid of his yugo. for some strange reason he loved it. he then bought a used 1991 geo metro which in my opinion was basically the same thing. after ten or so years he got rid of it when it developed a rod knock . he for some reason has refused to get rid of his '94 Chevy lumina and has in the last 10 years put a new engine, new. a/c system new doors and who knows how many tires and batteries in/on it despite the fact he hasn't driven it more than a few hundred miles since 2011

I had to let go of my 98 Peugeot 306 LX. It was bottom of the range and 8 years old when I bought it and I had it for 9 trouble free years. It never once leaked or creaked or smoked or had any cabin malfunctions (windows, doors, sunroof, seat, dashboard etc) but after 17 years, It epically failed its MOT on two wheel arches, the exhaust and the chassis was universally rusted. As I couldn't afford to have it repaired, I drove it until the MOT expired and I sent it off to the scrap yard with a last meal of £10 of super unleaded. Its the nearest I've come to loosing the family pet. I currently drive a Peugeot 207 and although it excels at being newer with fewer miles on it, the cabin is filled up with airbags and not even enough room in the glove box to put the manual whereas the 306 had two glove boxes and pockets on the back of the front seats. It appears that modern cars are built to a budget not a standard so I'm of a mind to track down one of the last of the top of the range 306 and get my smile back. Lets see if all 306s are built the same.

Your subject matter had me scared for a minute! Got it. :)

I sold a 96 NPI Mustang GT with 102k miles on the odometer, and it was too soon. Just replaced the intake manifold with one that had metal around the thermostat, would've lasted another 100k if I held onto it. Now my daily is an 06 G35 with 85k miles, and I don't see myself saying goodbye anytime soon. The engines regularly last til 200-300k miles. The transmission is manual and I haven't even replaced the first clutch yet. All the fluids are on the recommended intervals. Biggest concern is rust in the northeast, but I've been giving it a Fluid Film treatment before each winter. So hopefully it has a lot more winters to go!

Depends on the vehicle- for my day-to-day main, when costs would exceed point of ‘you know what, this just ain’t worth it’, time to cut bait & go …. for my ‘72 CJ5, I’m keeping it for the duration, got it specifically as a just for the fun of it, warts & all vehicle & knew from the get-go it would need regular upkeep

As a DIYer, I am able to buy what people deem as junk because it is in need of repair but I can do it at the cost of parts and not the labour cost. A $1000 shop repair may only cost me $100. I have only bought what I have cash for. I don't do payment plans. If I have to spend $500 a year to repair a older car, it is better than paying $350-$400 a month on a newer car. Plus, no one wants to steal an old clunker!

I will never say goodbye... I've owned my C-class for 7 years now. She has been with me through everything. Happy moments, sad moments, motivation, depression, good times, bad times. I have modified her. Got her more power, an AMG bumper, bi-xenon headlights, new head unit, new taillights. Doesn't matter what I buy, what I sell, I will keep my C220 forever. I could never leave her to be crushed and turned into a washing machine. She was once a billion Euro Mercedes project. Tested all over the world, made sure to withstand going to hell and back. Designed to race at autobahn speeds for hours without issue, designed to handle every type of road. So much love, passion and energy has been put into designing that car. Throwing her away would be the worst thing you could do to her. Now I have a company car, a 2007 E420 project car and an E24 635CSI (also project car), so now my C-class gets an easy life as a garage princess/ weekend car. Just what she deserves after everything she's done for me.

Dealing with that right now with a Grand Caravan that I really need to sell for financial reasons. Now I often need a second vehicle to haul larger items - but there's the twist, this is a rear access handicap van. Suddenly the market value of this 2002 GC just tripled. My issue is not knowing when to just hang a for sale sign on it vs. fix some little thing, and another, then another.....

My limit was always 6 monthly car payments to fix and 1 payment to maintain per year. After the initial spree to bring the beast back up, if done correctly, a car will last a tremendous amount of time especially when timely regular maintenance is conducted properly. Also, the type of repair is a big determiner of cost vs. benefit ie: Regular wear versus neglect and/or abuse. For me, those former figures are for the parts only because I pull my own wrenches. Thanks, ETCG1.

I have a 91 volvo 240 wagon, 270k miles on original motor and transmission. mechanically it's 200% maintained meticulously all its life and it's two previous owners both had garages lessening the winter corrosion. It has all of its paperwork including a service history dating back to 1991. The engine barely burns any oil (about 1/2 a quarter every 3000k miles) so it's in great shape. Only issue is that the transmission leaks out of almost every seam, synchronizers are getting weak, and the m47 is notorious for having bearing failure around 300k. It's not hard to replace the transmission (took me and a friend 4 hours to do the clutch) but I'm stuck with replacing it with a used transmission for a couple hundred dollars and facing the same issues, dropping almost a grand on a rebuilt transmission/rebuilding my transmission, or doing a Mustang 5.0 t5 swap. which I don't have the tooling to do myself. This car is my dream car, I worked 2 jobs to buy it, Doing 50 hour weeks all summer (I'm 17, 16 when I bought the car) and I don't want to sell this car and where as its almost rust free and mechanically sound other than the transmission I don't want to get rid of it but unless I buy another m47, which isn't the best transmission to begin with, I really can't afford to be out of my car for more than a weekend or to pay a shop to do a custom swap. Looking like I'll have to save my pesos for a while and find a friend who can take me to work and school.

My parents bought a 82' Mercedes 240D beige 4spd, when I was 4 yrs old. I remember riding in it when my dad test drove it and fell in love with it. Fast-forward to the early 2000's when I got my drivers license, it was my first car. I sadly had to part ways with it around 2005 when the drivers side frame was almost completely rusted out. It was sent to graveyard heaven with 265,000 miles on it. I still today sometimes search car sites for it's twin.

Don't really consider myself as a car hoarder. But I do have a problem with letting go of vehichles I get attached too. Still have my first truck, a 57 Dodge 100, the whole family pitched in, built in early 80's on a tight budget. 69 Fury front clip to get torsion bar suspension, 340 out of a totalled Dart. Still gathering parts for my 80 Clubcab Powerwagon. Really miss my old 67 Dart GT that the ex got in the divorce settlement. My 99 1500 was stolen just before xmas..Recovered same day. Insurance wanted to write it off. Couldn't let go of it, insurance agreed and paid me out. I get way to attached to my vehichles

living on a farm is a way to never have to let go ,, i have my own personal vehicle grave yard ,, i was just joking about the not letting go part ,, some vehicles just are not worth looking at anymore and hold no real personal interest ,, or the frame is sooooo rusted you are scared to sneeze in the general area of the vehicle ,, its getting hard to find older vehicles that are not rusted beyond repair

I have a 2004 Honda Civic EX with 325,000 miles. I replace the timing belt and every belt every 100,000 miles. I blew a head gasket at around 200,000 miles, never having replaced a head gasket before, I just looked up ETCG on how to replace a head gasket and replaced it slowly but surely. At around 300,000 an oil leak developed coming from the oil pump 'o' ring. The 'o' ring cost is less than a dollar, but it took 2 days to access the old 'o' ring. I researched RU-vid on how it can be fixed and again with a lot of cursing' it was replaced. I probably spend $1,000 once every 5 years to keep my civic in good running condition, its worth it, comes to about $200 a year. I swear every time something breaks and I have to work on her I keep telling myself I'm shopping for a new car, then I get it fixed and become a proud Papa again. I hope to keep the Civic for 1,000,000 miles if she lets me and nothing really drastic breaks.

Iv got a 95 saturn ls2. With 145k on it and love it never had a problem the only thing was a fount fan motor. The transmission does odd things every now and then but that's all

This is the video that I needed, your right eric I probably can put a used engine into my ram 50, damn thing spun a bearing 3 months after i got, or i could cut my losses and look for another vehicle. I wonder how much i can get for the damn thing?

The car I miss most is my first, a 1988 Buick Regal. I miss that beast :(