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#1
14th November 2015, 03:29 PM
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Replacing a radiator
Hola, compadres. My car has got big probs this week, so I'm trying to cut down on my bill at the mechanic by doing what I can myself. I'm leaking coolant from somewhere, but when the mechanics checked it they couldn't find where. It's obviously disappearing, I put almost a gallon in it over the last few days. I assume the radiator has gone rogue, and I can get a new one for about a hundred bucks. I put a can of stop-leak in it as a last hail Mary, but I do not have high hopes. So, car people:
1. Is a new radiator likely to fix my problem, or is there somewhere else it could be leaking from that my car guys overlooked? I cleaned it all up and looked for coolant pouring from hoses and saw nothing, so I'm assuming it's pouring out of the radiator while the car is running, or it's leaking onto something and evaporating. 2. Can I reasonably do this myself, and has the guy in this video got pretty much all the steps? 3. Is there some other not-easily fixable issue I may run into while doing this that may end with me walking to work the next day while waiting for another part to be shipped? 4. When the video guy says to refill with half antifreeze and half water, I assume it's also ok to get pre-diluted stuff and just use 100% that. Yes? No? 5. Should I also just go ahead and replace all the hoses and clamps while I've got them off? Any help would be hot. It looks like I'm having the transmission rebuilt here in a week or two, which I certainly can't do myself, and the rear struts replaced, same deal. But I feel like the radiator isn't too hard, right? RIGHT? ETA: This is not my own personal engine, but it's pretty much exactly what it looks like. It's pretty similar to the one in video guy's tutorial, right? Last edited by Radical Edward; 14th November 2015 at 03:34 PM. 
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#2
14th November 2015, 04:43 PM
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#3
14th November 2015, 04:52 PM
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Replacing the radiator is doable, but it's a bit more involved than it looks at first blush. The actual radiator isn't too bad, it's all the miscellaneous crap that you have to take off (and put back on after) that causes most of the grief.
Odds are good that it is your radiator because since they started building them with plastic headers they have a bad tendency to leak there and the only remedy is a complete replacement. Although I have had some short term luck with stop leak. One other strong possibility is the water pump. If your water pump bearings are going out, as they are wont to do after a while, radiator coolant will leak out around the pump shaft, but only when the car is running and the engine is hot. You can check the engine for signs of leakage around the shaft. If you have a transverse mounted engine like the one in the photo, the water pump will be on the side with the belts. I'd think your mechanic would have checked it, but sometimes mechanics will overlook inexpensive repairs and focus in on the ones where they make more money. This might not be the case for you, but it's not unusual. For that matter, any decent mechanic should have done a pressure test to find the source of the leak instead of just guessing that it's the radiator. Check your water pump before you go out and buy any new parts. I'm sure there's a video of it on the intarwebz somewhere. And good luck!
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#4
14th November 2015, 05:10 PM
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There's a lot of places water can be coming from. Before spending a C note on a radiator I'd make sure to know where the leak is. First check the oil for water. Drain some from the pan too. Then check under the dash around the heater core. Also check the heater core on the firewall. Get the engine clean and run it till it's up to running temp. Leave the engine running and inspect the entire engine inch by inch with a good bright flashlight. Look for freeze plugs, cracks in the block, header gaskets, all hose connections, hoses, front and rear main seals and the entire radiator itself. Also check the exhaust for steam. Go slow, take your time this is where your mechanic falls short they don't take enough time.
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#5
14th November 2015, 05:38 PM
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Thanks for the info, guys. I will definitely make sure I figure out where it's leaking from before ordering any parts, although given the age of the car (93 Dodge Shadow) I will at some point still have to replace the radiator.
In fairness, they did pressurize the system with the air pumpy thing at the shop, but couldn't find anywhere it was coming from. They actually spent two hours, cleaned up the bottom really good and raised it up overhead with it running so we could watch, and at the end there was a nice puddle of transmission fluid, a few drops of oil, and no apparent coolant. It sounds really rough, if that's a symptom that's related, though I'm assuming that could be a result of the transmission problems.
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#6
14th November 2015, 06:00 PM
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In a vehicle of that era I'd be much more concerned about water pump than radiator. Radiator leaks are pretty obvious, if the car is up to operating temps you'd be seeing the coolant leaking out and dripping. If it's a water pump it'll dump right after you shut the car off, so look for that. Water pump will also make the car make horrible noises too.
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#7
14th November 2015, 06:19 PM
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Quote:
FYI, don't even think about getting a used Japanese engine. Japanese air pollution laws require a new engine every 30,000 miles. Everyone knows this, and so the oil literally never gets checked or changed. I have looked at the inside of three used Japanese engines so far and they've all been completely thrashed. Bearings wiped down to brass, cylinders scored, baked on varnish, oil pump shot, etc etc. They are no bargain in spite of the cheap price. At this point with engine, transmission, and rear suspension work on the calendar, it's time to think about a replacement car. For about what you're fixing to spend you could get a good running 2005ish hatchback with 100K miles on it. Sorry. Maybe you can have a ceremony and put a bullet in the engine before they haul it away.
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#8
14th November 2015, 06:34 PM
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*snorts Xanax*
Shit, motherfuck and good goddamn. The only thing that doesn't jibe with your analysis is the "slow leak" part. I put maybe a quart of antifreeze in the radiator last night, drove it to work this morning, and then put maybe another half quart in it after work before I drove it home. Went to AutoZone and bought the Stop Leak and when I got it home and cooled off for an hour, had enough room to pour most of the bottle in. It's a fast leak and I'm trying to stay on top of it. I'll take it back up there Monday afternoon and have them check the head gasket, water pump, etc. I don't want a new car. ;_;
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#9
14th November 2015, 06:44 PM
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Head gasket failure has several different modes depending on where the gasket is breached. One mode is that coolant gets into the engine oil and turns it all into what looks like a gross melted chocolate milkshake. Another mode is the coolant gets blowed out the exhaust by the quart, which means you go down the road overheating with a huge rooster tail plume of steam coming out your tailpipe. And sometimes you just get constant overheating and coolant loss with no clear idea of where the fuck it's all going--I think Subarus are the champs of this failure mode.
And I hear you about not wanting to go deal with a new car--I felt the same way last year when Agnes booted her transmission and I spent more than I should have trying to get a new/used tranny bolted on her but it never did get done and I ended up having her hauled off anyway. Now I have a new/old Subaru Legacy and I'm pretty happy about this new Agnes. Sometimes it's just time, y'know? 
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#10
14th November 2015, 06:54 PM
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NO IT IS NOT JUST TIME AAAAUUUGGGHH
This was my very first car. I've tried to take care of it as best I know how, and for the money I know I could buy a newer car... but I could also spend it on this car and get more years out of it. I don't want a new car. I don't want a damn cd player, I don't want seat warmers that are going to tear up or electric windows that are hella expensive to fix. I don't want a fucking GPS or television built into my dash board, I don't want little bobs on my rearview mirror telling me what direction I'm driving in. Most of all I don't want a GODDAMN KEY FOB with some bullshit remote that's going to have its battery die and cost fiddy million dollars to replace. I don't want to have to worry about scratching it or denting it or getting dog hair in the seats when I go to the vet. Google tells me that a head gasket will cost me about a grand, the rebuild on the transmission will probably be about that if not more. The rear suspension is about two hundred. Did I mention I had the front suspension done yesterday? That was $300, so I've already committed some money to this. Also, I stopped at the Dodge place Thursday for fun, and to beg for parts, and they actually won't sell me a car. Apparently since I've never bought a car I have no car-buying credit, so that's a big fat NO. And used car places are shady as fuck, I'm just sayin'. Don't want a new car.
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#11
14th November 2015, 07:36 PM
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Boopity boop.
- checked the oil, it looks normal - looked at the exhaust while it was running, it looks gray/blue but isn't excessive - have seen no signs of actual overheating, but the thermostat could be bad - poked around with a bright flashlight (it's dark out) and found a wet pipe under the alternator If the water pump is in the vicinity and that pipe has a tendency to be hot, could not the antifreeze be leaking onto it and evaporating before dripping onto the ground? I'm still taking it back to the mechanic on Monday of course, but I really really want this to be the case. Q: if the head gasket turns out to not be ruined, can I follow this guy's instructions to help prevent it? He's perky, I like him.
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#12
14th November 2015, 09:11 PM
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OBTW, I'm sure you know this but it's good to say once in awhile. Antifreeze tastes slightly sweet and animals love it. A fatal dose for you is about two ounces if you were to drink it. A fatal dose for a cat is more like a quarter ounce. So keep the varmints away, wash off your shoes, etc. And if you open up the cooling system, have five milk jugs and a drain pan and catch as much as you can. It's bad for the fish too and it can be recycled.
The wet pipe under the alternator sounds promising. That's in the general neighborhood of the water pump. However it could be wet with oil not water. One way to tell is slide some clean cardboard under the engine and run it for awhile. Question; when you fill the radiator and then run it, when you shut it off is the expansion tank filled to overflowing? Exhaust leaking into the cooling system can lift the radiator cap at 16 PSI and blow the coolant out the expansion tank. It looks like a mystery leak because nothing is leaking. The cap is supposed to lift like that. A blown head gasket will leak more under pressure, so sometimes it doesn't happen unless the car is on the road. This scenario would be basically pressure from the engine pushing coolant out the overflow. The youtube guy is mostly correct. Sealers are intended for small leaks. They can do stuff like plug pinhole corrosion pitting. However none of that has much to do with head gaskets blowing. That is usually the result of overheating. I'm pretty sure your car has an aluminum head, and some of them won't put up with much overheating at all. Once the head is warped it generally won't stop leaking until it's pulled and decked flat again. Basically the head gasket lasts forever unless it gets abused. Sealant isn't going to prevent that. FYI, I have never succeeded in plugging a quart a day leak with sealer. Don't hit me.
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#13
14th November 2015, 10:20 PM
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Hey, it was five bucks and worth a shot, right?
The expansion tank. The plastic overflow tank thing? It's always empty. If I pour antifreeze into it, it's empty the next day. On Monday I'm going to drive to the Dodge place and have their service department do a full inspection and give me a list of what all it's going to take to keep this car on the road. Depending on what number they come up with, I will consider retiring the Shadow and looking for a nice used car. If, however, the engine is good and there are no other pressing problems than the transmission rebuild and the struts, and they can find the antifreeze leak, I feel like it would not be a bad investment to go ahead and fix it. Maybe I'm being stupid because I'm attached to the car, but isn't dropping a couple grand better than having a car payment for the next five years?
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#14
14th November 2015, 10:51 PM
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That's the one, the plastic tank thingy. First off, unless your weather is freezing stop pouring antifreeze into it, you're killing the fish. Just use water, distilled or purified if you have it. Try filling up the radiator and the expansion tank to the line. Then warm the engine up while watching the expansion tank. If it pushes out a bunch of water while running, and then after shutdown sucks the tank dry while cooling, that's a strong indication. You may have to drive it around a little to make it happen.
But the compression check is the one. They take out the spark plugs and use a pressure gauge to see how well the cylinders are making pressure. A typical healthy number might be 150 to 180 PSI, but the main thing is they should all be close to the same. If there's a blown head gasket one or two will be way down. They can also do what's called a leakdown test. Instead of a pressure gauge they screw in an air fitting and blow in air through a flow meter. With both valves closed the cylinder should only leak a little bit. They can listen at the air intake, the exhaust, and the crankcase to see where the air is leaking. Usually if there is a blown head gasket the leakdown test will blow bubbles into the radiator. Or out the exhaust, or into the crankcase. If it's blowing into the crankcase they should be able to tell because it will blow back out the oil filler tube and you can hear it. Both of these tests are basic wrenching techniques. Any shop should be able to do both for you in an hour. If the engine passes the compression and leakdown tests then the head gasket is probably good and we have a mystery. The head gasket could also leak water out directly without going through the engine. That's theoretically easy to see coming out the gap between head and block, except that's usually buried under every damn thing. I solve the car payment problem the standard guy way, by buying an old beater and then spending night after night in the garage replacing every moving part. I kept a trusty old Chevy pickup running for almost 300,000 miles. But finally admitted defeat when I could see botts dots through the floor, the engine was drinking oil, and the rear end went out. Last edited by Jaglavak; 14th November 2015 at 10:57 PM.
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#16
15th November 2015, 05:04 AM
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Jag, my friend, have a little faith. I stopped putting antifreeze in it a long time ago. Per my Awesome Stepdad's instructions, I never put anything in either the overflow tank or the radiator except 50/50 antifreeze mix. But yes, that is what I mean. There are no obvious cracks or holes in it, and I've never seen coolant leaking from it. I fill it up, then it is empty.
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#18
15th November 2015, 09:27 AM
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SOME NEW INFO
Was at Autozone, looking for one of those chemical testy kits for the head gasket. They didn't have one, but car dude was looking at the engine and happened to touch the radiator cap. It was stone cold. I had just driven it all the way from work, about 25 minutes, and let it sit running for about 10 minutes while he had been looking at it. And the radiator cap was cold. I felt it too, and it should have been boiling lava hot, but it was not. It was as cold as if it had been sitting overnight. Google and AutoZone guy say that this is indicative of a circulation problem, which is indicative of a water pump failure. According to the Haynes book, the water pump would be leaking into the timing cover on this particular car, so I wouldn't necessarily be seeing antifreeze running out anywhere. They told me of a mechanic shop nearby who works on Dodge exclusively, and does not actually work for Dodge. I'll take it to him tomorrow and let him check it out, since he won't try sell me a car like Dodge will (even though they already said they won't sell me a car). AutoZone guy also checked the oil and exhaust, and said that neither one indicated head gasket problems (but that it still needed to be tested by a professional). I have high hopes that it is indeed the water pump. *hope*hope*hope*
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#19
15th November 2015, 09:28 AM
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Quote:
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#20
15th November 2015, 09:50 AM
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That sounds promising. If the pump is not circulating water, now is the time to be real careful not to let the engine overheat. That is the typical way to get a blown head gasket. Something goes wrong with the cooling system, it boils over, and the head gasket gets toasted.
There should be a small tube going from the radiator cap area to the plastic tank. On a lot of cars it goes through the cap of the plastic tank, so taking off the cap also removes the tube. But on your car the tube might connect to the plastic tank through a fitting instead. I was going to suggest disconnecting that tube, but it sounds like you have a better idea. I'll be interested to hear what the shop has to say.
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#21
15th November 2015, 09:58 AM
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Someone with more knowledge than I should chime in, but it is always recommended that when replacing a timing belt you should also replace the water pump. Is the reverse also the case? Because if you are up around 60 or 70k miles or more with no change of timing belt, you may be running on borrowed time.
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#22
15th November 2015, 10:12 AM
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Ok, my tube goes right to the side of the tank. I just filled it up for the hell of it, so I'll check it after a while and see how long it takes to get empty. It doesn't appear to be leaking, as I said, but here's a theory: I fill it, drive it somewhere, water pump leaks while driving, then when I park and it cools down while I'm at work or in a store, the radiator sucks enough coolant to fill itself back up, making it appear that the overflow tank is leaking but the radiator is still full. (Or is that even a thing that happens?) Then I stop filling the overflow tank, and when I do my Sunday fluids check notice that the antifreeze is really low because now it can't suck any and fill itself back up.
I just made all that shit up.
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#23
15th November 2015, 10:13 AM
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Quote:
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#24
15th November 2015, 10:15 AM
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Does timing belt = serpentine belt? Because I've changed that twice since I've had the car.
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#25
15th November 2015, 10:21 AM
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This is separate from all your other problems, but the blue tint to your exhaust is probably some oil being burned. This happens in older engines and as long as nothing else is going wrong it can be ignored for a while. Just make sure you're checking your oil every 1000 miles and adding a quart as necessary.
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#26
15th November 2015, 10:39 AM
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I have an alarm on my cell phone to remind me to check fluids every Sunday at noon. It's hemorrhaging transmission fluid so these days I'm checking the fluids every time I drive it, hence the impending rebuild. The regular mechanics have done what they could for it and conceded defeat, so the time has come for AAMCO to do that thing they do.
What can I do to stop the oil burning? After this is all over, of course, and assuming I don't wind up with a new car.
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#27
15th November 2015, 10:54 AM
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Quote:
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#28
15th November 2015, 11:05 AM
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Ok, I'll have them check that too. Might as well make a list of shit. I need a new blinker switch, a new fan for the radiator, and one of my radio preset buttons is stuck (that's the real tragedy here).
Someone many moons ago told me I should have the air conditioner unit taken out since it's disconnected, to help the gas mileage. True or false?
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#29
15th November 2015, 11:29 AM
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Problem with removing the a/c unit is that your serpentine belt is measured to account for the pulley on the unit and if you yank it you'll have to replace it with an idle pulley that isn't attached to anything but keeps the serpentine tensioned correctly. If no such item exists, you will be hating life trying to figure out a workaround.
I don't think you mentioned what engine it has in it, options are a 2.2 or 2.5L 4 cyl or a 3L V6--this makes a difference in trying to figure out what's up with it. For example, a transverse mounted 4 cyl is about 99% certain to have a timing belt that needs changed every 60K miles whereas a 3L V6 might very well have a timing chain that doesn't need to be replaced and it will be less likely to be transverse mounted, which changes how much your water pump is going to cost and what the failure mode would look like. I'm assuming one of the 4 cyl since the mechanic thinks it's leaking inside a cover--in which case it's pretty remarkable if you've never changed the timing belt. 
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#30
15th November 2015, 12:03 PM
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3L V6
The actual engine:  Yes, that is fucking saran wrap on the overflow tank. You'd think a cap like that would be pretty generic, but nobody's got one. I have no idea what happened to the old one, it was just gone one day about six years ago.
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#31
15th November 2015, 12:22 PM
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Okay, that explains why you've never had to change the timing belt! Here's some more info on that particular engine with a diagram--from what the parts store guys are describing I'm pretty sure I can see where the water pump is and that would explain why you don't see a lot of spillage from it. Using this repair estimate site (and plugging in a zip code from Birmingham, since I dunno where you actually are!) gave a repair estimate range from about 450-600 for the water pump replacement. As usual, the pump itself costs just about nothing, it's all labor. While they're in there, have them check the timing chain too, just to make sure it's still solid.
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#32
15th November 2015, 12:32 PM
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Fuck, so even if it's not the head gasket I'm looking at quite a few hundred. Oh well, we'll see what they say tomorrow. I'm looking at my poor worn out Haynes book and you're right, the pump is in the shittiest place they could have possibly put it.
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#33
15th November 2015, 02:28 PM
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So you're looking at a vehicle that's basically worth nothing that needs a tranny rebuild (at least a grand) and a water pump likely (600) and even then it's burning oil and isn't going to stop doing it absent a complete rebuild on the engine--that's lotsa money right there. There's also the possibility that a strong new transmission could cause some more problems on the more worn out engine. So ask yourself, if you're looking at spending a minimum of 1500 on this car, can you do better? For a couple grand, could you find something a little newer, with better mileage, that doesn't need all this work done? Answer is--I bet that would be a big old yes. I realize you're invested in the car and all, but at the end of the day it's a really old Dodge. Heck, I have a '92 Dodge Dakota I picked up for $1400 with only 132K miles on it and mechanically in nearly perfect shape. I think you ought to open yourself up to all the options before you get really sunk into this one.
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#34
15th November 2015, 03:28 PM
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I understand the words that you are saying, but my brain can't wrap around the idea of driving another vehicle.
I guess I'm looking at taking a gamble. 1. Spend the $1500 and hope I get another few years. If so, that's a decent investment and it beats having a car payment or dealing with shady used car salesmen. Maybe in another couple years I'll be able to comfortably afford the engine rebuild if it needs it and if I still want to keep it. 2. Hope I can get a really good deal on a nice used car that isn't a piece of crap. This one has been really sturdy because it's been taken care of carefully, but not every used car has been. I've never bought a car before, new or used, so I basically don't know what I'm doing and there's the danger that I'll spend money on something that'll tear up in a year and either need major work done or become undrivable. 3. Find a co-signer to help me buy a shiny new one, at great cost with a bunch of extra crap on it I don't want that probably won't last nearly as long as this one has and I won't like and it'll probably have a GODDAMN KEY FOB which I will get angry with and flush down the toilet.
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#35
15th November 2015, 03:31 PM
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Quote:
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#36
15th November 2015, 03:47 PM
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Ed, just chiming in to say that engine looks impressively clean. Particularly the battery and posts, which often (IMO) look like Omaha Beach at low tide. Apart from the makeshift cap on the overflow, that's an awfully purty V6 ya gots there.
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#37
15th November 2015, 04:04 PM
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Okay, one thing that helps is that if you're looking at a car that's '96 or newer it's OBDII, which means it's super simple to hook it up to a diagnostic computer that can tell you if it has EVER thrown a code. That rules out a lot of stuff. When my daughter bought her '99 Subaru Forester I checked it out first and took it to my mechanic who confirmed it had never thrown a code of any kind. She bought it, and it's still running strong lo these ten years and many miles later. I just bought a '99 Subaru Legacy that has high miles but also has a super clean code history too--I just made it throw its first code ever, a misfire on one cylinder that was due to mismatched spark plugs. That's corrected and it's running smooth like buttah. Is this a guarantee of perfect future performance? Heck no, but a misused vehicle is pretty likely to have thrown codes and had them ignored so one that's clean and always has been is a much better bet than an older car that you can't check at all. I spent 2K on the Subie and fully expect to drive it for a good long time.
Another big advantage of OBDII vehicles is that pretty much any decent car parts store can and will check codes for free, on the not unreasonable assumption that you'll then buy any needed parts from them. This sure cuts down on spending for mechanic time.
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#38
15th November 2015, 04:06 PM
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Aw, thanks Zeener, that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. This may be stupid but I actually clean the stuff under the hood a couple times a year, once when I prepare for summer and once when I prepare for winter. I haven't winterized yet, but it's due for a good wipedown maybe next weekend. Assuming it still works next weekend. I like to be able to see what I'm doing, and you can't if it's all covered in grime and nasty.
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#39
15th November 2015, 04:10 PM
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You wipe it down every year? You're a far, far better
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#40
15th November 2015, 04:14 PM
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You got a point Aleq, and if I start looking I'll probably want to pick something around 2000 or later--in other words, no more than 15 years old. High mileage isn't a problem for me if the car has been well kept and had its oil changes and things. I've looked at a few things on AutoTrader, just to prepare myself, and there's a few used car lots here that have some decent looking cars. I'd like to have a small truck, if it comes down to it, but those are hard to find. A cute little Datsun would be ideal, but probably the folks who own those are hanging onto them for dear life rather than selling.
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#41
15th November 2015, 04:18 PM
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Quote:
 PS: I clean the battery terminals, posts and wires and scrape the wires good until they shine, then replace the little felt rings and red greasy gunk and tighten it all back up good. Started doing that a couple years go when I got off work at midnight and it was 20 degrees outside and the car wouldn't crank. The battery was ok, but the connection was not, so I had to be jumped. Ever since then it has never failed to start, and I get the battery tested at the oil change place every fall. PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE
Last edited by Radical Edward; 15th November 2015 at 04:24 PM.
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#42
15th November 2015, 04:55 PM
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Perky mechanic guy replaces a water pump. Holy crap, no wonder it costs so much. The actual part is listed at fifteen bucks.
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#43
16th November 2015, 02:28 PM
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Congratulations, Jag, you win the thread!
I do indeed have a blown head gasket, which is repairable to the tune of $1600. I will also need a new radiator, fan and thermostat and they will replace the timing chain while they're at it. Apparently the original problem was that the thermostat went wacko and the car has been running really hot for a long time because the radiator and fan are old and have lost efficiency, and I didn't know anything was wrong. So head gasket + transmission + radiator + fan + thermostat + rear suspension = kill me now. My plan is to start making payments on a decent used car and park this one in the back until I can get all the funds together to fix this one. That'll give me time to decide whether or not I really want to spend that much money on it while still getting me to work, and if I do fix it all then I'll have a backup vehicle as well. I know that reasonably, once I've parked my car and started driving a new one it'll probably never see the road again. I'll find other things to spend that money on and gradually my attachment to it will wear off. So I test drove a 2007 Suzuki thing today and fuck that shit. It had all this crap on the dashboard I don't want, electric fucking windows, electric doodads to adjust the mirrors. It has a fucking tire pressure warning light. WTF. They have an older Honda Accord that's probably a better option, but I'm waiting to see what I can get financed before I go test driving things willy nilly. Now I'm going to bundle up in bed and feel sorry for myself for a while.
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#44
16th November 2015, 02:59 PM
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The other stuff you want -- non-electric everything -- you can probably find but at this point it's probably on the lowest of the low-end cars, and I'd be careful about buying a used bargain-basement vehicle. If they couldn't afford power windows, they probably couldn't afford regular oil changes either.
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#45
16th November 2015, 03:08 PM
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What if they were like me and just didn't want power windows?
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#46
16th November 2015, 04:06 PM
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That is possible, but not likely.
I'm not a fan of power everything, seems like more things to stop working to me, but most people don't feel that way.
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#47
16th November 2015, 04:13 PM
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I would be less offended by the power doors if the mirrors weren't also powered.
I just want something with a good solid engine, a good heater, and a radio. The Suzuki did have a cool feature, a USB port you could use to play mp3s. Other than that I severely disliked it. I drove it to my car guy and he told me not to buy it anyway.
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#48
16th November 2015, 04:17 PM
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#49
16th November 2015, 04:22 PM
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Yeah, I'd be a little leary of Suzukis, they were partnered with GM on several models and there were endless bitches about them. One car you might want to take a look at is the Pontiac Vibe, which is actually a Toyota Matrix in disguise. Exact same car but lower price. Look at Subarus, which have excellent crash test ratings, AWD, super good visibility, very comfy and they run for-freaking-EVAR if you just give them basic maintenance. They're also not real big on doodads for doodads sake although you're gonna hunt in vain for non power windows. Considering you have dogs, the fold down seats and cargo area are a super good idea, especially since the older wagons are also very low to the ground so easy for senior dogs to get in and out. Just avoid anything with the 2.2L engine like home grown plague. The 2.5 boxer engine is just fine though.
Sorry your Shadow is all broke, but you got plenty of good use out of it!
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#50
16th November 2015, 04:38 PM
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Before you deal with car dealers at all, visit your bank and see if they'll finance you. They may not, but it's free to check. They'll tend to have lower rates. If they won't finance you now, they may agree to do so after you've had the car for a few months and made on-time payments. Recheck then, because it can save you a bundle.
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