Advice needed!

[OxmanWI]

Right now my family has three cars. The Ford Thunderbird (Play Car), Chevy Cobalt (My DD) and Acura Integra (Wife’s DD). My wife and I are going to sell either the Cobalt or Integra and replace it with a newer SUV. I’m leaning towards keeping the Acura, but I’m still on the fence. Any advice would be helpful.

Thank you,

Josh

2006 Chevy Cobalt LS 2 door coupe:

Value: $3000 (With salvage title and body)

Pros:

Great fuel economy, I’ve recorded 34 highway when I used to work at Volk Field. Newer technology, digital dash and info center. Only 7 years old (13 for the Integra). Good acceleration up to 60, better than the Acura. Remote keyless entry. Good snow driver.

Cons:

Not really fun to drive. 108K miles. Underbody rust is really starting to show. Rusting steel wheels. Needs new tires. Salvage title, it was in a front end before I bought it back in 07’---It was a rental car. Frame is strait, but since the air bags deployed it’s a salvage title. Roll up windows. Needs body work. No trunk space.

2000 Acura Integra LS 2 door hatchback:

Value: $4500

Pros:

Fun to drive, takes the corners like a champ. 82K miles. One owner before we bought it. Alloy wheels. Moonroof. Power locks and windows. Very to little or no rust on the under body. More trunk space with hatchback. Body is in good shape.

Cons:

Does not have good acceleration up to 60. Gets poor fuel economy for a 4 cylinder, I’ve recorded 26 highway on road trips. Honda parts are expensive. Older technology (Drive by wire). Horrible to drive in the snow. No keyless entry. 13 years old (7 for the Cobalt).

[PureSound15]

I'd keep the Acura and buy some snow tires for it.

[Prince Valiant]

I'd stick with the cobalt...no timing belt to worry about, easier to work on, get a better downpayment toward the SUV out of the acura.

Given the expected life out of either vehicle, even if you expect the older acura to last as long, you'd get a better value out of the cobalt that's only worth 3 grand and gets better mileage...on top of getting a few bucks more for the SUV downpayment.

When you get the SUV, it'll be the "nice" car anyways...

Also, don't really think there is a *wrong* choice here...

[Yooformula]

dump the acura. poor gas economy, more expensive to repair but still worth more. cash it out and drive the cobalt till the wheels fall off because that salvage title will most likely hurt any chance of a decent sale price. you'd get more for the acura to put towards the newer, nicer vehicle.

[Waver]

Dump the acura, you would get a lot more money for it that with the Cobalt.....that title brad will kill you

[Wagonbacker9]

Assuming time (takes a while to sell a salvage branded vehicle) and money are of no object to you, I'd keep the nicer one. The acura should run forever, but if untilitarianism is overriding that, then as has already been stated, drive the wheels off the salvage branded car and pay next to nothing for operation costs.

[BoosTT]

Sell the acura. Its 13 years old and worth more...

[JC70SS]

Chris I do not believe 4 cyl Honda/Acura use a timing belt. 6's do for sure.

[Wagonbacker9]

Chris I do not believe 4 cyl Honda/Acura use a timing belt. 6's do for sure.

I think you're wrong.

http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&sa=N&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&hl=en&biw=1193&bih=680&tbm=isch&tbnid=ztZLTs9-0uWZAM:&imgrefurl=http://www.siouxfallsracing.com/Forum/viewtopic.php%3Ff%3D16%26t%3D40684&docid=FVepOsqFZIgTYM&imgurl=http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn83/93civichb/0830091530a.jpg&w=640&h=480&ei=BW3UUaX0K8afyQGqvYGACg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=109&page=2&tbnh=142&tbnw=176&start=25&ndsp=32&ved=1t:429,r:50,s:0,i:237&tx=109&ty=83

[Prince Valiant]

2000 Acura Integra LS's use timing belts and have a 90,000 mile change interval.

The K series is when they switched back to chains. I was a little hesitant to buy my 2000 honda insight since most of their engines at the time used belts, but was relieved to find that the 1.0 3 cylinder used a chain. Still, at 180,000 miles a service writer erroneously tried to convince me I needed my belt replaced, lol.

Got a free service appt out of it...

[OxmanWI]

I'm really hating on the Cobalt right now. Those little hockey puck bushings that sit in the front lower control arm are toast again after replacing them about 10K miles ago. They are supposed to last at least 50K, now there is a loud clunking sound in the front every time I go over a bump. It's just one thing after another with the Cobalt. Don't get me wrong I love the car, it's been really reliable for the most part. The only major work is I changed out the alternator, starter, shocks/struts and now the A/C condenser since I've owned it in 2007. Other than that, oil-filter-plugs-tires on the recommended schedule. Thank you for the impute, I have to sit down with the wife and talk some more.

[stealthy1ss]

Something is wrong with the control arm or whoever put the control arm bushing in last time messed it up. There is no way that should ware out in 10k.

[spooln30]

? Older technology (Drive by wire).?

I don't think you know what this is. Drive by wire is electronic throttle control and conventional would be a throttle cable. I owned a 99 Integra years ago and I could easily get over 30 mpgs highway. Even with my 95 Civic auto I could get over 30.

[spooln30]

Oh yeah, the noise in the Cobalt is probably the sway bar end links or the strut mounts. Very common on the throw-away GM cars. Well all American cars.

[OxmanWI]

Something is wrong with the control arm or whoever put the control arm bushing in last time messed it up. There is no way that should ware out in 10k.

The control arm is fine, it's that rear vertical mount bushing that failed. I replaced the whole arm as a unit. There is play on that end of the control arm causing a clunking down the road. I just replaced the shocks and struts along with front sway bar end links. I didn't go with lowering springs, decided to keep it stock.


? Older technology (Drive by wire).?

I don't think you know what this is. Drive by wire is electronic throttle control and conventional would be a throttle cable. I owned a 99 Integra years ago and I could easily get over 30 mpgs highway. Even with my 95 Civic auto I could get over 30.


Oh yeah, the noise in the Cobalt is probably the sway bar end links or the strut mounts. Very common on the throw-away GM cars. Well all American cars.

Yes I meant to say "Drive by Cable", the wire is newer stuff. I have the LS non vtec, my wife and I have done several road trips with it and I've always recorded 26 highway.

[lilws6]

Sway bar bushings is another culprit for loud clunks on the cobalt and ions