# What to do with old car that only sort of runs? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 11, 2015, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-car-that-only-sort-of-runs/734381 "2015-10-11T23:54:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2015, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-car-that-only-sort-of-runs/734381/21 "2015-10-12T21:35:53Z")
FWIW, unless you really need the money or you just like the mental exercise of maximizing your profits, don’t screw around parting it out or hunting high and low for the best deal. _Find a junk yard, take their offer and be done with it._ How much time are you really interested in spending to get a few extra bucks? What is that time worth to you personally? ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2015, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-car-that-only-sort-of-runs/734381/22 "2015-10-12T21:53:52Z")
> [@arseNal](#): > > Which raises the question, how does the program know you didn’t deliberately mangle a couple O2 sensors in your beater to make it fail a smog check? It doesn’t know and it doesn’t care. My friend used the program to get $1500 for a VW cabrio that was constantly in the shop for everything BUT smog problems. To fail the smog, she just asked the smog tech to fail it for her. I think all he did was loosen the gas cap so the check engine light came on. ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2015, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-car-that-only-sort-of-runs/734381/23 "2015-10-12T23:40:51Z")
> [@DadWagonDriver](#): > > Where’s the fun in this thread? Part it out? _Donate_ it? Pah! Have a little fun with it: > > [Enter it into the 24 Hours of LeMons!](https://www.24hoursoflemons.com/) > > If you’re not familiar, it’s a series of 24-hour endurance races for cars worth less than $500. It’s pretty common for the cars to break down long, long before the finish of the race, but teams put some hilarious liveries on their cars. > > Think of all the great times your car has given you! Well, it’s a Saturn Ion, so… think of all the mediocre times you’ve had in it! You’ve gone from Point A to Point B; you’ve even gone from Point B back to Point A! Why, I bet you’ve even gone to Point C at some point in the ol’ gal! > > Give you [strike]iron[/strike] plastic steed one last hurrah and let it go out with a bang! (And a cough, sputter, wheeze, clang, whomp-whomp-whomp, gasp, thud). Enter it into the 24 Hours of LeMons! OK then save it and be buried in it and safe money on a coffin. ---
**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-car-that-only-sort-of-runs/734381/24 "2015-10-13T06:23:52Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > It doesn’t know and it doesn’t care. My friend used the program to get $1500 for a VW cabrio that was constantly in the shop for everything BUT smog problems. To fail the smog, she just asked the smog tech to fail it for her. I think all he did was loosen the gas cap so the check engine light came on. It’s tempting, but really the engine is fine. There’s no check engine light because (presumably) it’s a manual, and all the problem lies in the clutch mechanism. As long as you don’t try to shift out of neutral it runs like a champ. I’ll probably have to go the Craigslist route or donate it, depending on how close I can get to my deductible this year. Either that or just hope that a broken clutch somehow increases smog output! ---
**Author:** ![48Willys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/db5fbb/32.png) [@48Willys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/48Willys)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-car-that-only-sort-of-runs/734381/25 "2015-10-13T08:29:26Z")
Seriously, Google “auto recyclers” with your zip code. Call one or two of them. Ask them the same question you asked us. Most of them will pick it up & write you a check. I would drive it in to their yard. I get about $50.00 more for it that way. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-car-that-only-sort-of-runs/734381/26 "2015-10-13T17:36:50Z")
> [@slash2k](#): > > Actually, around these parts the junkyard much prefers that the tires be removed and the fluids drained (and the gas tank punched). YMMV. Huh. Not sure where you are located, but every junkyard I’ve sold a vehicle to wanted the vehicle to be complete- tires, fluids and all. They drain and recycle/resale the fluids and tires on site (yes, you can buy used antifreeze in clear, 1gallon jugs. Ugly looking stuff). In fact, if the vehicle doesn’t have those things they will pay much less. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-car-that-only-sort-of-runs/734381/27 "2015-10-13T18:43:38Z")
> [@audiobottle](#): > > I am in California, actually, but my car passes smog tests just fine. Shame, as that would be a great deal for me. I’m in California, and when my 14 year old Saturn needed more repairs than it was worth, I donated it to KQED. It passed the smog test just fine. One of my daughter’s friends had a Saturn also, and before they came to get it I swapped my good tires for her Kojaks. Added bonus - she learned how to change a flat really well as part of that process. Paperwork is really easy. And you’re not even lying to the government. Wasn’t a big writeoff - I did much better when I donated my horse. ---
**Author:** ![DadWagonDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@DadWagonDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DadWagonDriver)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-car-that-only-sort-of-runs/734381/28 "2015-10-13T20:50:27Z")
> [@purplehearingaid](#): > > OK then save it and be buried in it and safe money on a coffin. That type of thing is reserved for [Ferraris](http://jalopnik.com/a-texas-woman-is-actually-buried-in-her-ferrari-250-gt-1687091845). 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-car-that-only-sort-of-runs/734381/29 "2015-10-14T23:24:38Z")
You could give the car to me and I’ll add it to my fleet of old cars that kinda run, sometimes. I don’t have a Saturn. > [@DadWagonDriver](#): > > That type of thing is reserved for [Ferraris](http://jalopnik.com/a-texas-woman-is-actually-buried-in-her-ferrari-250-gt-1687091845). 😃 Oh My God! :eek: That is the most horrible thing I’ve ever read!:mad: I’m so hoping this is fake! ☹ ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2015, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-car-that-only-sort-of-runs/734381/30 "2015-10-15T00:44:13Z")
> [@audiobottle](#): > > It’s tempting, but really the engine is fine. There’s no check engine light because (presumably) **it’s a manual** , and all the problem lies in the clutch mechanism. As long as you don’t try to shift out of neutral it runs like a champ. I’ll probably have to go the Craigslist route or donate it, depending on how close I can get to my deductible this year. Either that or just hope that a broken clutch somehow increases smog output! It being a manual I think changes things a bit. A car with a busted manual is going to be a considerably hotter commodity on craigslist than one with a busted automatic. That’s partly just because there is a cadre of manual fanatics who tend to be cheapskates that drive old cars (or perhaps I’m just projecting) but also because manual transmissions from the junkyard are really cheap and generally a safer gamble than junkyard automatics, making it a pretty nice project for some ambitious DIY-er. Incidentally, what was the $1,700 estimate for? I just assumed that was getting a used automatic put in, but that seems steep for a used manual. Was that for a rebuild and a new clutch? ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-car-that-only-sort-of-runs/734381/31 "2015-10-16T00:07:40Z")
> [@GreasyJack](#): > > Another option is if you can drive it to a junkyard, they’ll usually give you something for it. At the very minimum they’ll pay you the scrap metal value, which is usually around $150 these days, but if you get the car there under its own steam they might pay a bit more. Years ago, I had a Volvo that ran fine, but had leaks all over the place. I called a junkyard and they told me that I would have to remove the gas tank before bringing it in. So, remove the gas tank (don’t know how I would have disposed of THAT) and tow, at my own expense, the POS into them. Uh, excuse me, if I could/hadtheinclination/time to do all of that shit, I would have repaired all of the fucking leaks. ---
**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-car-that-only-sort-of-runs/734381/32 "2015-10-16T04:04:33Z")
> [@GreasyJack](#): > > Incidentally, what was the $1,700 estimate for? I just assumed that was getting a used automatic put in, but that seems steep for a used manual. Was that for a rebuild and a new clutch? Rebuild and new clutch, yes. Labor and parts. Parts were ~$800-900ish, and labor was similar. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-car-that-only-sort-of-runs/734381/33 "2015-10-16T16:07:23Z")
I had an old Ford pickup that ran, but needed a whole lot of work. The front brakes were bad but the whole front end was so rusty I could not get the brakes apart to fix them. Among other things, the interior lights and dash lights did not work. I contacted a auto junk yard and they said they would come and get it and pay me 150.00. A co worker said he would give me that much, so I sold it to him. No guarantees or warranties. I didn’t even guarantee him it was red… He spent 600.00 getting the brakes fixed. A couple of weeks later he cut the head off of a 1/4 inch bolt and put in in place of the dash lights blown fuse. That night it caught fire as he was driving it home for a total loss… ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-car-that-only-sort-of-runs/734381/34 "2015-10-16T17:49:35Z")
> [@audiobottle](#): > > Rebuild and new clutch, yes. Labor and parts. Parts were ~$800-900ish, and labor was similar. Well so another option is to put in a junkyard transmission and reuse the clutch if it looks okay when they pull it out. You should be able to get a used transmission for $200-300 and like I mentioned junkyard manuals are usually perfectly safe bets. With major swaps like this it can also be worth calling around, since some shops are better set up for them than other. Sometimes the junkyard itself will have a little shop that does nothing but engine and transmission swaps for super-cheap. The car will be worth a lot more if it’s driveable, so if you can get it back on the road for less than $1000 or so it’d probably be worth it even if you are just going to turn around and sell it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-car-that-only-sort-of-runs/734381.md?page=1)