Is it time to sell?

[nmestormchaser]

Hi I'm new around here! I've been looking around the forums and I'm certain someone here can help with this little problem of mine. Sorry to say though I'm joining just in time to maybe say goodbye to my Lebaron. It's been a good little car what little time I've owned it (a little over a year now) but some things have come up that make me question keeping it. The body is still in good shape with just a couple minor dings and the door is needing new hinges. The problems lie under the hood. A couple months back the car started overheating and having a problem with keeping the battery charged. Well first the battery lost charge so I replaced that, but then it kept happening. Then one day the car overheats and I have to put water in it to get home. So I decided to take it up to have it looked at, but it overheated so badly getting there that on the way home-even though I put water in it-it died completely on the side of the road. Come to find out it needed a new radiator, but when it died, it may have done in the valves or blown the head. I still don't know the answer to that, because it's not getting compression AT ALL. Popular opinion now seems to be I may need a new engine.

Now comes the hard decision. Should I keep the car and fix it up or sell now? With 150+K miles on it, there probably wasn't a whole lot of life left in that engine anyway, but I was surprised it went so fast. The overheating really sped things up. While the car was on hold, the tags expired, so if I keep it those will have to be done, and for that I would need to of course get it inspected, which I can't do unless it's running again. Catch 22. Add to that the place I'm staying is on me for having expired tags and it makes the whole situation an immediate fix that could be easily cleared up by selling the vehicle. I checked into it and I have an offer for $500 as is. I'm tempted to take it, but is it the best idea? What with the problems I've mentioned, is this car on its way out with or without me?

What do the board members think about this whole thing? I don't really want to have to sell my only ride, but right now it's more like a dead stick than a car to me. Any suggestions and constructive opinions are welcome on how to get out of this! Thanks very much!

[drgreenthumb]

I blew my engine too, head gasket went. I replaced the engine and it took 21 hours straight, pure backyard mechanics style. The engine, with 120k on it, only cost 900 bucks and came with the turbo too.

I've been having mad problems since then, you know, this goes, that goes one thing fixed, three things break. But its an old car you have to expect that. I wanted a project car and I got one. By the time I'm done it'll run 11's.

If you want a project car go old if you want reliable, safe, economical, go new. Theres not really a half way about these things.