Sell, fix or let sit

[stevengerard]

After 10 years and 95k miles my MM engine needs some care:(. I went out and test drove some Challengers the other night, wow nice cars. I'm sure part of it was that they are new cars. Makes me really think twice about a 14 Challenger. I got back in my MM and it did feel old, but today I pulled it out and really enjoyed it.

The engine could use a rebuild, I'll start looking for a used block I can rebuild but it is a tough decision. Spend more money on a 10 year old daily driver, buy a new/used fun car like the RT or get a Ford Fusion (for my wife). Hard decision when I have two kids in college. Do I dump a bunch in to it at once and continue to have no car payments or do I finance a newer car much cheaper up front but 5 years of payments. Hmmm

The trans was rebuilt a year ago, I have new 31 spline axles, new tires, never had any drive shaft vibrations, body needs some TLC but if you look at my sig the car has lots done to it. I'm sure plenty of others have come to this bridge before. What makes it more difficult is I still have two younger kids we taxi around all the time and 4 kids total. The extra doors make a really nice fun and practical car. So do I sell, trade it in, or fix it?

[MERCMAN]

you won't get diddly on a trade in. What you need to do is keep it, buy a new one and fix up the MM as time and money allows. Just my .02

[Bigdogjim]

Yes once there gone it all over. Keep it and repair it when life allows:)

Mine been out of service for over 2 months now.:mad:

[Motorhead350]

Fix it........

[Jeronimojc]

With two kids in college I would prefer to not get into financing a newer car. I am too cheap I guess, but I hate paying the interest rates. That's just me though.

Rebuilding the engine may be less costly than what you would end up spending for a newer car. You may want to get some quotes for rebuilding. If you do, please share the info.

If you were to sell the car you may not get much considering it needs work.





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[Jeronimojc]

How about buying an inexpensive CV as a DD while you fix the MM? Once your MM is fixed, detail the CV and sell it. ?


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[345HP87SSAC]

I feel your pain. I ditched the car payments three years ago and went to cars like the Rauder, but smoked the engine at 51000 miles. We had to decide if rebuild or replace was better. I can tell you a quality rebuild is expensive and since you are boosted I assume that is your plan. Pm me if you want some cost figures.

[345HP87SSAC]

I can tell you I almost sold it for parts, but my wife really likes it so no PPV Caprice in our future.

[boatmangc]

Put the new motor build on a low interest CC. get it built, drop it in and looking at your numbers turn the wick up a bit add some more BOOST, and Methanol or NOS.
Monthly payments for a good power upgrade with new internals on a CC still lower than on a new car, kids will be out of college eventually and the MM will be badder than ever.
The grins per dollar will be a much better investment than on a RT.
My 2 cents

[sailsmen]

First use the Edmunds True Cost to Own® (TCO®)
http://www.edmunds.com/tco.html

[J-MAN]

Why not PM Zack and see if he has some advise or can do the swap?

[Zack]

I've seen under your hood Steve....it's not pretty.
Not bashing you, it just looks 'tired'
As for the rest of your car, it too looks weathered. I know you use it all the time and the kids had their paws all over it too.

I say let it go.

It would take cubic dollars to restore it to it's former glory

[Zack]

Oh wait, you could sing the blues and maybe the site will sponsor you a new everything

[BUCKWHEAT]

sell the tired MM. get a lower mile CV/GM for cash & get the kids thru school. When you are old like me, you can buy all the go-fast cars & parts you want.

[J-MAN]

Oh wait, you could sing the blues and maybe the site will sponsor you a new everything

"Nobody knows the trouble I seen"

[lji372]

"Nobody knows the trouble I seen"

Tell Timmy to shut up! :lol:

[stevengerard]

Yeah, its tough. I take no offense to what Zack says - he speaks the truth, but I do know most "vintage" cars ended up in the condition of my car eventually, before they came back to life. Now I have no false hopes that one day these cars will be a "vintage classic" but I do like how as each year goes by you see less and less of them and me being an original owner makes it more sentimental.

I guess I also need to consider how very lucky I am to have a 70 442 W30 convertible as a fun car. I drive it way more than most folks would. That's what these cars are for. I appreciate the show cars, and those that can keep their car "mint" but the MM is a DD, though a fun one at that - the 442 is my garage queen:D. I'd say I'll sleep on it but I have been thinking about it for a while now.... at this point the car may make up my mind on its own. :rolleyes:

[mnrauder]

I want a challenger too but I got a baby seat in the rauder

[stevengerard]

sell the tired MM. get a lower mile CV/GM for cash & get the kids thru school. When you are old like me, you can buy all the go-fast cars & parts you want.


yep I think that too. In 10 years I can either get what I want (within reason) or won't care by then. As mentioned I have been fortunate to own some great cars. I can do without a cool daily driver for a while. Occasionally I even think I should dump the 442, that thing would cover a lot of expenses - then I get sane again.

[martyo]

yep I think that too. In 10 years I can either get what I want (within reason) or won't care by then. As mentioned I have been fortunate to own some great cars. I can do without a cool daily driver for a while. Occasionally I even think I should dump the 442, that thing would cover a lot of expenses - then I get sane again.

I'll store and maintain the 442 for ya!

[stevengerard]

I'll store and maintain the 442 for ya!

Which one:rolleyes: Please don't ask the wife she may agree:mad:

[J-MAN]

Tell Timmy to shut up! :lol:


I only hope that he doesn't see this. Chances are 50/50 what with having only one good eye. :alone:

Has INS showed up at the shop yet? Just to be safe at least a few of your workers should learn English. Having them chewing bubblegum and wearing baseball caps won't fool the INS for long.

[stevengerard]

Did I mention I have new floor mats still in the box, that has to make rebuilding the engine worth it right there. What is that? A 10k bump in value once I install the new floor mats?

[MarauderCyclone]

With a 442 as a Fun Car in hand....and a Marauder in the twilight of it's life needing a complete makeover as it sounds , my bet is taking some cost effective lumps on a newer DD , selling the Marauder outright Vs. getting ***** on a trade in scenario.

Maybe a Crown Vic or Grand Monkey with low mileage is exactly what the Doctor ordered till you get the kids through school. Low interest loans , credit card debt for a car already in great decline with no real prospects of ever being a quote "Collector Car" is senseless. Going deeper into debt with the Kids lined up in a row for college is even crazier , unless you are independently wealthy? Which by the way this thread reads , you are not.

Most people would be thrilled to have a 442 in the stable....you can afford to be a bit conservative on the DD and nobody in thier right mind would think any differently about you.

Face it....How many people smile and wave when you cruise in the 442? How many does the Marauder have the same impact on? Cut your losses and readdress a second Hot Rod after the Nest Empties out.

Good Luck on a hard to make call.

[martyo]

Which one:rolleyes: Please don't ask the wife she may agree:mad:

Good point ! And what's Mizz Steve's number again?

[wickedmerc]

Steve, I "was" where you "are" a few months ago. I have kids, I already have a toy and the MM was costing me a fortune (new motor, new axels, wacky wiper fix, HVAC crapped-out, etc....). I sold my MM and with the $$ + a little, I bought a car that is 5 years newer, has more "bells and whistles", still has 4 doors, and, for me, considered more reliable (and my wife will actually drive it).

My vote would be to clean it up and sell. Once the kids are edumicated, get a DD toy....maybe even revisit a MM. Try to find something zippy for a few years that gets better gas mileage and doesn't need premium. I'm sure with some TLC, you could get a few bucks for your car. You'll get bonus bucks for being orig owner, and I'm sure the S/C won't hurt :cool:

Good luck.

[Odinson]

Important questions.

What's the worst short term case scenario if you get stranded?
If it catastrophically fails will you need to replace it with a newer car? Do you have the cash to do that?
How many spots do you have to store cars? aka: Does it cost you anything to keep it off the road?
If you didn't have the time to do the little things before, will you be getting more time in the future?

[RubberCtyRauder]

Not trying to be a downer here, but I'm trying to sell a perfectly running vortech supercharged one that only has 2000 miles or less on a brand new supercharger kit, new tires, brakes etc. and no one seems to be buying. My miles are not high 77k. My price really isn't out of line and I'll listen to reasonable offers...So selling a boosted car that needs an engine? I wish you luck..either fix it or take the blower off and sell as a used kit and put a reman in it and sell it then (providing you have the stuff to make it original again)

[stevengerard]

Really appreciate everyone's insight on this. I know its my decision, but it is good to get perspective on it. I prefer not to sell it but I do not want to be penny wise and dollar foolish. I also don't really care about how valuable it will be in the future. I bought my 442 decades ago because I liked it not as an investment. Fortunately that has turned out to be a good buy but I'm not planning on selling it anytime soon (ever, really).

I can see myself 15 years from now cruising comfortably in a 25 year old MM. I have just enough space I can probably hold onto the MM rather than "give it away." I got lost of positive feedback from folks on here about the Fusion. Get that for my wife, I drive her Suburban and fix the MM little by little. In a few years, the twins can use the Suburban (big and safe), my wife has the Fusion and I use the MM again. That's one option.

[bugsyc]

It's funny that I came across this thread.I was going to start one very similar...What is the concensus among MM owners?Will these cars ever go up in value?I think they should,ofcourse I'm biased...Really considering the rare-ity in the future,with the numbers still going down,they should by all rights go up in value...Might take 10 or more years but,I think they will be sought after in the near future....It's really amazing,I too was considering a Challenger...I guess brilliant minds think alike
My Marauder needs some body work and paint that,I've been putting off...That's where the fix,sell and/or keep came in......
What I've decided to do is....keep it..Fix in the near future...No challenger...The MM is my fast car...I also have a Dodge pick up and my classic is a 85 El Camino (fully restored by me)...I'm thinking of getting the new Cadillac ATS coupe when they come out...Should be late summer according to GM....
The Marauder is an investment that will eventually reap rewards.Meanwhile I've enjoyed driving it and modding it and of course being a member of this elite bunch...:coolman:bugsy

[dj_pizm]

Almost same scenario for me also except only 2 small kids. I think sale the MM, put half as down payment on the FF for the wife and buy a cheap reliable daily driver with rest of money. :banana2:

[Mebot]

Almost same scenario for me also except only 2 small kids. I think sale the MM, put half as down payment on the FF for the wife and buy a cheap reliable daily driver with rest of money. :banana2:

this is truth

[stevengerard]

Ford Fusion and Ford Focus have 0% financing - that's about the only time I would ever buy new but over the last 15 years that has become pretty prevalent. So no real reason to put money down. I just helped my son pick out a Ford Focus SE, I'm surprised how nice they are, how nicely optioned they come and how nice they drive. I bet the ST is a great car.

We test drove a few Fusion Hybrid's as well for the fun of it, boy have they come a long way. At 47/47 that's a huge difference than the 8 mpg I get in the 442, 11 in the Suburban and 12 I get in the blown MM around the city.

I'm leaning on fixing the MM little by little as money allows. I am one to think they will never be a "true collectors" car but will have at least some collectors draw. Too few of them made and surviving to not at least start leveling off in value. I'll keep mine because I truly do like the car, its pretty unique and you see less and less of them. Besides, hearing the whine of the SC from down the block never gets old - its so cool to see my daughter or wife cruising in it.

[TAKEDOWN]

Good call on keeping it!