Hmmmm..., To keep or not to keep, that is the question Options

[jtmlb3k]

So I'm moving to Philly to start a new job in mid-August, and am trying to decide what to do with the Celica. It's 16 years old, has 130xxx miles on it, and while I've kept it in as best shape as I can (3500 mile oil changes, new fluids whenever needed, a car wash and vacuum once a week), some things are starting to go.

Brought it by a mechanic today who quoted me for the following:
New front rotors and pads (old ones are warped)-- $180
Power steering pump-- $125
Transmission flush-- $150


Not sure if this includes labor or not, but I'm looking at a decent chunk of dough for those repairs. And that's not to mention the new bumps, dents, and peeling clear coat the car has acquired over the last 6 months (when my sister drove it). It's not looking good, but it still cruises on the highway and it's paid off, which is a big factor-- and plus, it's my first car.

So my question to you guys is: what would you do? Would you pay the money to fix it up and hope it lasts a couple more years (would be huge to not have a car payment to worry about in addition to college debt), or would you say sayonara and go trade it in for something more reliable (my commute each day will be roughly 40 miles, so that is a concern)? And are any of those repairs things I can so myself with a mechanic's wrench set and very limited knowledge of cars?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[azian_advanced]

you'll obviously get biased responses but i say keep it. the car will last a long time and just needs basic maintenance and replace wear & tear parts like the brakes. unless you're having terrible brake squeal or vibrations from braking, it can wait a little longer. the power steering pump and transmission flush can definitely wait until the money is there. doing a transmission flush is really easy to do and not worth paying someone $150 for and can be done in 15 mins with a ratchet and 3 sockets if i recall correctly. brakes are really easy to do too. what you're spending here is essentially how much it would cost you every month for new car payments, so keeping the celica is a no brainer. people with little to no mechanical knowledge are often tempted to buy new cars because it's the easiest decision, but definitely isn't the cheapest option. so rather than paying someone $50/hr and up rates to do easy jobs for you, buy the tools you need which costs just as much as half the jobs on your list and do the job yourselfs. you'll be happy that you did and i'm sure other members can vouch for this. also, the fulfilling satisfaction of completing a job and knowing you saved $XXX is a bonus.

This post has been edited by azian_advanced: Jul 23, 2012 - 12:29 AM