Vent- so frustrated with my van!

[Lisa_M]

Well it's going back to the shop today. The cooling circuit fan again. I'm out another $100 for a rental car for a few days. It desperately needs 3 tires and an inspection in a month that it won't pass without at least new brakes and tires. If I could talk DH into trading this puppy in, I would do it in a heartbeat.

Can I trade in a van that needs work or do I have to fix it first?

 

[1PrincessMomma1]

You can trade it in but they will depreciate the value by the work needed and then some.

 

[Lisa_M]

You can trade it in but they will depreciate the value by the work needed and then some.

trading it in is just wishful thinking on my part. DH would NEVER let it happen, but I appreciate knowing it is possible

 

[Sweetfamily]

I think you are liable if it has something really wrong like bad brakes. If you trade it in to a dealer, they will fix it before they sell it, or send it to auction as is.
We were going to trade our old van in the day I made the last payment, but my husband and I decided that $300 to fix the brakes, and suspention was better than 5 or 6 years of $300 payments. We will probably get one at the end of the year, but I have been able to pay down one of our credit cards, pay bills on time, and stay afloat these past few months. Even though I hate the caravan (it's a 2000), I like not having the payment. Our goal is to completely pay off the cards, catch up after disney, pay for another giant tank of propane ($800!), and then get a new car!!! I only hope that they have another great deal on minivans when we go to buy. The last incentive was for $8000 off of a Kia minivan. We heard that if you buy the base model, they don't have too many problems. Also, they come with a 10yr/100k mile warranty.
Good luck.

 

[Lisa_M]

I need to go meditate or something, I am seriously frustrated. The dealership we bought it from can't even look at it for a week. So I called a smaller one 30 minutes away and am going to drop it off today. The cooling fan is $260 and is on backorder with the manufacturer. It will take 10-14 days to get it in. When I think of 2 weeks of rental, $260 for the fan, plus brakes, plus tires, plus labor $$$$$$$$ Ugh. This is why we can't get ahead. I got some summer hours approved so we'll have some extra money and it's all going to go to this van.

Oh and our Vibe is still in the body shop from when that lady hit DH. I'm going to go back to buying clunkers.

 

[1PrincessMomma1]

What kind of van is it?

 

[Lisa_M]

What kind of van is it?

Chrysler Town & Country

 

[1PrincessMomma1]

nm

 

[Lisa_M]

Ah. I had an 03 that was a LEMON. I have an 08 Gr. Caravan that is going bye bye this week. I love it but not the payment anymore so it's going for something I can pay cash for and I'm taking the rest and paying medical bills.

Ours is a 2006. We bought it June 30, 2008, so we haven't even had it a year.

 

[ceecee]

My Windstar broke down last May and they said they couldn't get the part until September!!! Ford previously made the part plastic and they warped so they redesigned them in metal (this was the 3rd time in 5 years I had this problem) so long story short after a call to Ford they found a part and fixed it I was without a car for over three weeks though.

 

[Lisa_M]

Just for the heck of it, I called the credit union to see how much our payoff is and the lady mentioned that their auto loan rates have lowered to 4.25% for new and used...Our rate is 6%. I think we're pretty close to owing what the car is worth. If I can get DH on board and get a trade in for at least what we owe, maybe a new to us car would be in our future.

 

[Lisa_M]

My Windstar broke down last May and they said they couldn't get the part until September!!! Ford previously made the part plastic and they warped so they redesigned them in metal (this was the 3rd time in 5 years I had this problem) so long story short after a call to Ford they found a part and fixed it I was without a car for over three weeks though.

Geez, and I thought my part would take a long time. That is just ridiculous!

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

Chrysler Town & Country

Shocker.

Been there, feel your pain! Used to own a dodge grand lemon, er, caravan.

Just fixed the fan control module in my mazda by myself, the part was 27 bux. If I had sent it to the dealer the fix was $90+$27 for the part.

I'd call around to an independent fix it shop, the price they quoted you seems really high...