Over the last 10 years, I haven’t had a car that wasn’t in warranty. I haven’t replaced a single tire, paid for a single oil change, etc. I was trading my car at least once a year to keep me in the latest thing, in warranty and my mind at ease. However, that all changed last week when I bought this:
2009 Chevrolet Malibu with 86k miles. It has hit everything but the lottery by the previous owner, had multiple sensors that needed replacing in order for the check engine light to turn off, needed an alignment (bad) etc. I bought it for 3K and the local bank (Suntrust) let me finance my copious amounts of negative equity on it. I reduced my overall debt owed by over 22k, reduced my loan term by 4 years and kept my finance rate in check. For what mostly amounts to a personal loan that just happens to have a car attached to it, not bad.
You can’t tell from the shitty potato pictures I have posted, but there isn’t a single panel that doesn’t have significant damage. But the car runs, drives, and I can breathe again. It has to last me another 3 years or I’m walking. But I live within walking distance to work, so that’s not the largest problem. I have no idea how it was driven before me. But I’m going to baby it.
I fixed the sensor issue, alignment and am looking into struts. They knock and I have to believe that the ride quality will improve with a replacement. What say you, Oppo? Strut suggestions? Should I just deal with the knocking noise?
All of this was possible because great credit and Suntrust. I hate saying that because they’ve done way more screwing me than not in the past. But, honestly, they came through this time.