laird asked:


I want a car talk type answer.

I have a 1999 Chrysler Town & Country. Fully loaded. Runs well. Outside is fair, inside is good and mostly fully working well.

Problem is the car is worth about $3000 give or take. But I just had a $1000 brake job. And then to compound it, I had to have it towed and I added another $1500 for a hydraulic brake hose repair. (Im in NYC so I didnt have other options, what with alternate-side-of-the-street-parking.)

While under the car, the repair guy was freaked by the corrosion and rust. (Which was why the repair was so expensive.) Seems like my years of leaving the car at my country house parked on gravel has caused all the rust.

I asked him what might go next and he said, well I can tell you it seems safe to drive.

The car has 109000 miles. It had a transmission replaced at 60,000. It had a front end collision 5 years ago, well repaired at $10,000 under insurance. Its got lots of dents, scrapes and rust showing over one of the rear wheel fenders.

Its probably only worth $3000 to me, because that’s what I just put into it.

I need it as a second car at my country house. Also useful to transport, very very occasionally large things like beds–(my kids are still needing transport that I occasionally provide), the very very occasion large groups of people, to act as a first car while my 140,000 mile Subaru gets its periodic repairs.

We’re retired, but have some money. I dont want to buy another car because it will probably be a Prius (we travel 300/wk to-fro our country house in Upstate NY) and it doesnt have all wheel drive like the Chrysler does (which I need to get up/down my country driveway), and I really really want another AWD minivan, even though my wife hates minivans (she’s never been a Hockey Mom). (I got the minivan when I was still working, but I struck a deal with my wife and got it 1 year used.)

If I bought another used Subaru (the one I have is 2001), that would cost maybe $15000. The wife might agree to that.

The question: Do you advise me to keep the Chrysler (think safety and inconvenience) or sell it for the price of my repairs and buy something else.

Cars

Andie asked:


I’ve heard the Europe they have has higher car emission standards then the United State. Now on average in the US our cars get 10-30 mile per gallon. I heard that in Europe their cars have way better gas milage.

Cars

mark c asked:


im just learning about cars and kno alot about them..but does anyone have some like technical words they can share and explain them..i mean like really into parts of a car..

Cars

ron j asked:


lets say a car is traveling from New Youk to Los Angeles.
YOu are assigned to design this car so that it makes it to Los Angeles. YOu are only allowed 10 gallon tank of gas to start and thats the only gas you are allowed to have for the entire trip.

Your car design must be for an electric car that will therefore be able to generate power while it travels from solar energy, using the wind, plus any other innovative ideas you can come up with.

Could this car be designed. HOw many different power sources can you imagine creating as the car travels?

Cars