The dealer wants my car back

[N-OS X-tasy!]

If you do decide to sell it back, make sure you profit handsomely. The dealer’s offer to buy it back for the same price you paid for it is insulting, actually.

[mrbigstuff]

macphanatic wrote:
[quote=Grateful11]
[quote=macphanatic]
Are people putting road diesel in them or use farm use or kerosene?

It's illegal to run off-road, red dyed diesel with no road tax at least it is in NC, in a road vehicle. I've watched the Highway Patrol checking fuel tanks around here. It's a huge fine.
It is illegal in most states. Highway Patrol rarely checks cars - they tend to focus on commercial trucks.

Edit: I don't own a diesel and wouldn't do this.
I've also never heard of any passenger cars being checked. But the savings is not huge at the moment.

[Racer X]

d4 wrote:
Current price of gas around me is about $4.85, diesel is $6.50. Diesel has been more expensive than gas for a long time. Over 10 years. Maybe 20?

Even most frugal people trade in their cars after about 12-15 years. Does it matter if the engine supposedly lasts longer? I guess it feels good to know..

there is a subset of owners who run something into the ground, and they choose a vehicle based on realistic life expectancy.

My former co-worker who commuted 200 miles 4 days+ a week usually got one owner AWD Subarus because he wanted the traction for the mountain pass on his commute. He ran those into the ground (not diesel) My partner's brother has co-workers who drive old Geo Metros with manual transmissions that get great fuel economy. That is the only consideration. You get some of these diesel PU trucks where the engine goes half a million miles, they just swap out the clutch, and do regular oil changes in the gear boxes and run them to death. Back in the 90s, the Cummings diesel put in pick ups came with a 300K mile warranty. But when installed at the factory, only 100k.

What kills old diesel cars is people using very poorly "refined" bio-diesel that destroys the injector pumps. Happened to my bartender's diesel stake-bed truck. Otherwise, we would have a lot more 300-500K diesel Mercedes running around, like they do in Europe.

[SteveG]

ask him if it's okay if it's a little dinged up

[Racer X]

Steve G. wrote:

ask him if it's okay if it's a little dinged up

on the plus side, with the body panels gone, easy to repair the drive train!

[decay]

Another thing that kills cars, diesel or not, is road salt and brine in states that get snow. Rusts and corrodes them from below.

[Racer X]

decay wrote:
Another thing that kills cars, diesel or not, is road salt and brine in states that get snow. Rusts and corrodes them from below.

Modern vehicles are protected far better, but the burden is on the owner, to clean the underbody well, and frequently. :jest:

owner of 3 50+ year old cars. The only one with issues was the one that was stored in a carport near the ocean for decades. I get it. Just the salt air did the damage.

[Buzz]

My sister (R.I.P. 1991) and an old college roommate both had diesel VW Rabbit's w/ add'l fuel tanks back in the day.
Those hoppers could go 1000 - 1200 miles between fill-ups.
Waiting in gas lines wasn't much of a problem.....

the problem was their stench.

I wonder what a dealer would pay for one of 'em now?
==

[Racer X]

Buzz wrote:
My sister (R.I.P. 1991) and an old college roommate both had diesel VW Rabbit's w/ add'l fuel tanks back in the day.
Those hoppers could go 1000 - 1200 miles between fill-ups.
Waiting in gas lines wasn't much of a problem.....

the problem was their stench.

I wonder what a dealer would pay for one of 'em now?
==

I had a co -worker in the early '90s with a diesel Jetta 5 speed. Even way back then it got 44 mpg on the highway.

The lure of a diesel is 2-fold. Because diesel fuel contains more energy per gallon than gasoline, and a diesel engine can convert it to work more efficiently, they get better fuel economy. And because they rotate more slowly, when geared properly, they last longer.

All of this is of course has nothing to do with emissions and drive ability. Purely mechanical efficiency.

[RAMd®d]

The dealer’s offer to buy it back for the same price you paid for it is insulting, actually.


Exactly.

The dealer buys it back for less than its worth, sells it for far more than their buyback, and profits off the sales, twice.

In the meantime the customer who sells his car back now has to find an affordable replacement.

If the customer buys a new car from that dealer, the dealer has profited of the original sale three times.

Good luck with all that.

I am one of those car owners who buys a car and drives it 'til it's ready for burial.

Keep it clean and running well until it's no longer economical or possible.