One pickup truck today can cost $48,000 dollars, he has 2 cars for that. I would say that isn’t off the wall, still it is a lot of money, but if he drives a fair distane he needs a reliable car.
Today there are no back lot mechanics who will fix your car cheaply. If you take your car to a person who has no computer skills and little training working on the model of your car you will get stung.It isn’t unusual to pay $75. to $100 dollars an hour to have your car worked on.
When your car stops today there is little sense in raising the hood , there is nothing there that you can do, Just call the tow truck another $ 200 shot to hell.
My wifes old car became unreliable it was a Buick Roadmaster from 1994, I bought a new Toyota Venza that isn’t m,oaded with goodies and has a 4 cylinder. The old Roadmaster —Heavier, bigger, powerful 350 LT engine,got better gas mileage. I almost cried.
When your car stops today there is little sense in raising the hood , there is nothing there that you can do, Just call the tow truck another $ 200 shot to hell.
I used to think that. Then I discovered, back in the early 90’s, the computer codes. Every car I’ve had since then (except one) has been a Chrysler product. They all allow you to see your codes without any tools.
I had a mid 80’s Omni that simply stopped running one day. I discovered the codes as it sat in the garage for a couple of months. Nothing would give it spark and I had pretty much given up. I checked the fault code and it said some electrical part was bad. I found the part (looked like a little relay under the hood), paid the $19, installed it and the car started right up.
Then, a 1987 Reliant. Stranded my daughter at work. Code said “bad map sensor”. I got one for free from the junk yard. Installed it in five minutes and it started right up.
2001 300m: Starts missing bad. Fault code says bad coil on number 5 cylinder. I replace the coil ($45). Problem fixed.
For most problems (even transmission related), modern cars tell you what is wrong with them. If your “check engine light” is literally your car telling you there is a problem and it pretty much knows what it is. It’s just waiting for you to ask.
Today there are no back lot mechanics who will fix your car cheaply.
There were few in Seattle, where I used to live. They are all over the place where I live now, central Kentucky.
And again, the computer stuff is easy. It tells you what’s ailing it. ‘Course, it may be telling you that you need a new transmission...