Repair cost for a few things?
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From: Japanabama
Repair cost for a few things?
Can someone tell me how much it would cost to replace repair some of these things that are on a car I'm looking at?... (in order that I can rememeber them)
1. Rear speakers (gone entirely, for whatever reason)
2. Ignition Switch (someone tried to hot wire it at one point)
3. Rusty sunroof (on the edges)
4. Rust on the doors, just where the window meets the door (the little strip of metal that's usually covered with a rubber liner, I *think*). I figure this is the worst part of the car.
5. Torn up leather seats (would probably just get a seat cover...lol)
6. Seriously dirty engine... It probably just needs a power-washing and maybe a chemical scrub, but it looks seriously weathered.
7. Dent on driver side door (maybe big enough to be suctioned out? It's not a ding, though... probably three by one-half inches?)
8. I think there's ONE half-inch rust spot under the car that I know of (near the engine bay I think)... I checked under it for rust and although I didn't take the covers off from under the wheel wells, I didn't see any outstanding rust. My mechanically-adept family friend I brought with me didn't see anything wrong with the body either.
9. Missing bolt on one side of the hood hinges? Ok, I'm sort of kidding, but it did make the hood kind of hard to close (although I guess some WD40 might help that?)
10. Almost certainly the battery...
11. Rear windshield wiper? The blade assembly is sort of just hanging on the arm, and ALL the wipers are rusty... but I guess that's nothing some grinding and some paint can't fix.
12. And possibly the bushings, suspension, and tires, but I can't be for sure (and the tires look decent, for a car that hasn't been touched in three years).
I noticed that the accessory pulleys would turn freely... is that a decent indicator of whether an engine is seized or not? I didn't try turning the main pully that's attached to the eccentric shaft.
I didn't get to look inside or try to start it up (no keys, owner wasn't there... just the owner of the house where it's at)...
No bondo or primer anywhere, and outside of being incredibly dirty, the paint job (as well as the glass) doesn't look too bad. The 10th AE badges are still shiny...lol
I'm hoping I can get it for $1000 if it doesn't run, and less than $2000 if it does, but that's all up to the owner... (seeing as how he wanted almost double that)
I'd probably have to flush the gas tank, change the oil, the coolant, and all the other fluids too (PS, Brake/Clutch, etc) as well, right?
1. Rear speakers (gone entirely, for whatever reason)
2. Ignition Switch (someone tried to hot wire it at one point)
3. Rusty sunroof (on the edges)
4. Rust on the doors, just where the window meets the door (the little strip of metal that's usually covered with a rubber liner, I *think*). I figure this is the worst part of the car.
5. Torn up leather seats (would probably just get a seat cover...lol)
6. Seriously dirty engine... It probably just needs a power-washing and maybe a chemical scrub, but it looks seriously weathered.
7. Dent on driver side door (maybe big enough to be suctioned out? It's not a ding, though... probably three by one-half inches?)
8. I think there's ONE half-inch rust spot under the car that I know of (near the engine bay I think)... I checked under it for rust and although I didn't take the covers off from under the wheel wells, I didn't see any outstanding rust. My mechanically-adept family friend I brought with me didn't see anything wrong with the body either.
9. Missing bolt on one side of the hood hinges? Ok, I'm sort of kidding, but it did make the hood kind of hard to close (although I guess some WD40 might help that?)
10. Almost certainly the battery...
11. Rear windshield wiper? The blade assembly is sort of just hanging on the arm, and ALL the wipers are rusty... but I guess that's nothing some grinding and some paint can't fix.
12. And possibly the bushings, suspension, and tires, but I can't be for sure (and the tires look decent, for a car that hasn't been touched in three years).
I noticed that the accessory pulleys would turn freely... is that a decent indicator of whether an engine is seized or not? I didn't try turning the main pully that's attached to the eccentric shaft.
I didn't get to look inside or try to start it up (no keys, owner wasn't there... just the owner of the house where it's at)...
No bondo or primer anywhere, and outside of being incredibly dirty, the paint job (as well as the glass) doesn't look too bad. The 10th AE badges are still shiny...lol
I'm hoping I can get it for $1000 if it doesn't run, and less than $2000 if it does, but that's all up to the owner... (seeing as how he wanted almost double that)
I'd probably have to flush the gas tank, change the oil, the coolant, and all the other fluids too (PS, Brake/Clutch, etc) as well, right?
Last edited by Valkyrie; Oct 24, 2005 at 11:34 AM.
knowledge junkie
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 5,595
Likes: 6
From: Atlanta, GA
What year & model is that car?
You should consider doing most of this yourself, but in general:
Can someone tell me how much it would cost to replace repair some of these things that are on a car I'm looking at?... (in order that I can rememeber them)
1. Rear speakers (gone entirely, for whatever reason)
No wiring harness splicing necessary for the speakers & radio, just buy the wiring harness adapters, rear strut tower speaker adapters, foam bezzels (the rear strut tower are NOT sealed and require foam backings to keep the speakers from distorting on some models, others have plastic speaker boxes standard), and speakers. Mabey $35/ea + $25 for the adapters & stuff. I know www.crutchfield.com sells all this.
2. Ignition Switch (someone tried to hot wire it at one point)
Assuming the keyswitch is completely bad, might as well get an entire lock set from a junkyard. Mazda can make a keyset for you if you get the VIN # of the junk car. Call a salvage yard like www.mazdarecycling.com or www.mazmart.com
3. Rusty sunroof (on the edges)
Surface rust or rust holes? One requires sanding & painting, the other requires dis-assembling, welding in new material, and re-installing.
4. Rust on the doors, just where the window meets the door (the little strip of metal that's usually covered with a rubber liner, I *think*). I figure this is the worst part of the car.
You can sand down the metal strip & re-paint it. - Free
5. Torn up leather seats (would probably just get a seat cover...lol).
If 1-2 panels are bad, a leather shop can sew in replacements for not too much. If you want to get real adventerous, send you leather covers off to www.leatherseats.com so they can create a patern for you (right now they have the convertible patern). They charge in the $500-$650 range I think for basic covers, but they look & fit like OEM, unlike generic seat covers.
6. Seriously dirty engine... It probably just needs a power-washing and maybe a chemical scrub, but it looks seriously weathered.
I'd be more concerned about vacuum lines, coolant hoses, and the wiring harness needing replacement or work. Most car washes can steam clean your engine bay for $30-$60. Just make sure they know to cover all the exposed electronics (coils, wirning harness connectors, plug wires, etc..)
7. Dent on driver side door (maybe big enough to be suctioned out? It's not a ding, though... probably three by one-half inches?)
Call dent doctor or similar and ask about this. It's usually $50-$100 for the first ding, and $50/ea after that.
8. I think there's ONE half-inch rust spot under the car that I know of (near the engine bay I think)... I checked under it for rust and although I didn't take the covers off from under the wheel wells, I didn't see any outstanding rust. My mechanically-adept family friend I brought with me didn't see anything wrong with the body either.
If it's not a hole, then sand, prep, & repaint with touchup.
9. Missing bolt on one side of the hood hinges? Ok, I'm sort of kidding, but it did make the hood kind of hard to close (although I guess some WD40 might help that?)
If the hood's mis-alligned start checking for other evidence of body damage.
10. Almost certainly the battery...
$65 or so.
11. Rear windshield wiper? The blade assembly is sort of just hanging on the arm, and ALL the wipers are rusty... but I guess that's nothing some grinding and some paint can't fix.
$8
12. And possibly the bushings, suspension, and tires, but I can't be for sure (and the tires look decent, for a car that hasn't been touched in three years).
Good news, several aftermarket manufacturers sell everything you need. No OEM markup. You can check the swaybar end links & subframe end links without needing to unbolt the suspension. Same with the shocks. The DTSS (rear stear) bushings may be bad. Most people replace the DTSS busing with a solid one. That requires removing & rear A-arm and taking it to a machine shop/mechanic wiht a press to remove & install the new one.
13. Misc Stuff. I noticed that the accessory pulleys would turn freely... is that a decent indicator of whether an engine is seized or not? I didn't try turning the main pully that's attached to the eccentric shaft.
I didn't get to look inside or try to start it up (no keys, owner wasn't there... just the owner of the house where it's at)...
No bondo or primer anywhere, and outside of being incredibly dirty, the paint job (as well as the glass) doesn't look too bad. The 10th AE badges are still shiny...lol
I'm hoping I can get it for $1000 if it doesn't run, and less than $2000 if it does, but that's all up to the owner... (seeing as how he wanted almost double that)
I'd probably have to flush the gas tank, change the oil, the coolant, and all the other fluids too (PS, Brake/Clutch, etc) as well, right?
Yeah all typical. I'd also put 1-2 capfulls of "marvel mystery oil" in the 2 lower sparkplug holes to help improve compression. Mabey spin the motor over 10-20 times without actually starting it so the oil can set in.
You should consider doing most of this yourself, but in general:
Can someone tell me how much it would cost to replace repair some of these things that are on a car I'm looking at?... (in order that I can rememeber them)
1. Rear speakers (gone entirely, for whatever reason)
No wiring harness splicing necessary for the speakers & radio, just buy the wiring harness adapters, rear strut tower speaker adapters, foam bezzels (the rear strut tower are NOT sealed and require foam backings to keep the speakers from distorting on some models, others have plastic speaker boxes standard), and speakers. Mabey $35/ea + $25 for the adapters & stuff. I know www.crutchfield.com sells all this.
2. Ignition Switch (someone tried to hot wire it at one point)
Assuming the keyswitch is completely bad, might as well get an entire lock set from a junkyard. Mazda can make a keyset for you if you get the VIN # of the junk car. Call a salvage yard like www.mazdarecycling.com or www.mazmart.com
3. Rusty sunroof (on the edges)
Surface rust or rust holes? One requires sanding & painting, the other requires dis-assembling, welding in new material, and re-installing.
4. Rust on the doors, just where the window meets the door (the little strip of metal that's usually covered with a rubber liner, I *think*). I figure this is the worst part of the car.
You can sand down the metal strip & re-paint it. - Free
5. Torn up leather seats (would probably just get a seat cover...lol).
If 1-2 panels are bad, a leather shop can sew in replacements for not too much. If you want to get real adventerous, send you leather covers off to www.leatherseats.com so they can create a patern for you (right now they have the convertible patern). They charge in the $500-$650 range I think for basic covers, but they look & fit like OEM, unlike generic seat covers.
6. Seriously dirty engine... It probably just needs a power-washing and maybe a chemical scrub, but it looks seriously weathered.
I'd be more concerned about vacuum lines, coolant hoses, and the wiring harness needing replacement or work. Most car washes can steam clean your engine bay for $30-$60. Just make sure they know to cover all the exposed electronics (coils, wirning harness connectors, plug wires, etc..)
7. Dent on driver side door (maybe big enough to be suctioned out? It's not a ding, though... probably three by one-half inches?)
Call dent doctor or similar and ask about this. It's usually $50-$100 for the first ding, and $50/ea after that.
8. I think there's ONE half-inch rust spot under the car that I know of (near the engine bay I think)... I checked under it for rust and although I didn't take the covers off from under the wheel wells, I didn't see any outstanding rust. My mechanically-adept family friend I brought with me didn't see anything wrong with the body either.
If it's not a hole, then sand, prep, & repaint with touchup.
9. Missing bolt on one side of the hood hinges? Ok, I'm sort of kidding, but it did make the hood kind of hard to close (although I guess some WD40 might help that?)
If the hood's mis-alligned start checking for other evidence of body damage.
10. Almost certainly the battery...
$65 or so.
11. Rear windshield wiper? The blade assembly is sort of just hanging on the arm, and ALL the wipers are rusty... but I guess that's nothing some grinding and some paint can't fix.
$8
12. And possibly the bushings, suspension, and tires, but I can't be for sure (and the tires look decent, for a car that hasn't been touched in three years).
Good news, several aftermarket manufacturers sell everything you need. No OEM markup. You can check the swaybar end links & subframe end links without needing to unbolt the suspension. Same with the shocks. The DTSS (rear stear) bushings may be bad. Most people replace the DTSS busing with a solid one. That requires removing & rear A-arm and taking it to a machine shop/mechanic wiht a press to remove & install the new one.
13. Misc Stuff. I noticed that the accessory pulleys would turn freely... is that a decent indicator of whether an engine is seized or not? I didn't try turning the main pully that's attached to the eccentric shaft.
I didn't get to look inside or try to start it up (no keys, owner wasn't there... just the owner of the house where it's at)...
No bondo or primer anywhere, and outside of being incredibly dirty, the paint job (as well as the glass) doesn't look too bad. The 10th AE badges are still shiny...lol
I'm hoping I can get it for $1000 if it doesn't run, and less than $2000 if it does, but that's all up to the owner... (seeing as how he wanted almost double that)
I'd probably have to flush the gas tank, change the oil, the coolant, and all the other fluids too (PS, Brake/Clutch, etc) as well, right?
Yeah all typical. I'd also put 1-2 capfulls of "marvel mystery oil" in the 2 lower sparkplug holes to help improve compression. Mabey spin the motor over 10-20 times without actually starting it so the oil can set in.
Last edited by vaughnc; Oct 24, 2005 at 12:26 PM.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,150
Likes: 167
From: Japanabama
The rust on the sunroof looks pretty nasty, but I'm pretty sure it's surface rust. The tiny rust spot under the car is a hole... but it almost looks like a rusted-out drill-hole of some kind, rather than rusted through.
The car is a 10th Anniversary Edition, so 1988 Turbo... I'll have to check whether all the power and electrical stuff (the headlight motors and switches for one, since the headlights have been up for the last three years) if or when I get to negotiate and do a more complete inspection...
The engine is actually a Mazda reman with 40K miles on it, so compression wouldn't be much of an issue, assuming that it hasn't been ruined by sitting for three years.
Edit:
Damn, how'd I do that... I double-posted while editing.
The car is a 10th Anniversary Edition, so 1988 Turbo... I'll have to check whether all the power and electrical stuff (the headlight motors and switches for one, since the headlights have been up for the last three years) if or when I get to negotiate and do a more complete inspection...
The engine is actually a Mazda reman with 40K miles on it, so compression wouldn't be much of an issue, assuming that it hasn't been ruined by sitting for three years.
Edit:
Damn, how'd I do that... I double-posted while editing.
knowledge junkie
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 5,595
Likes: 6
From: Atlanta, GA
Go ahead and read the "FAQ / newbie" post at the top of this 2nd generation rx-7 section for some more "buyers guide" info.
Note if the wipers don't work on high/intermittent that's common and is fixable.
Note if the wipers don't work on high/intermittent that's common and is fixable.
Thread Starter
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From: Japanabama
read it a year ago, and printed it out too...
This deal will only go down if the owner is willing to sell it at my price, anyway. (he's probably never going to work on it again anyway, it's not at his house, and if they leave it alone any longer, it's gonna be worth zero dollars instead of $1000-$2000...
So it's all up to him...
I just wanted a good idea of what it would cost to get it pretty again... lol.
Also, anyone got an idea how much insurance would cost a 20 year-old male with no traffic violations? And how about a 50 year-old woman with no recent violations? I'm probably going to insure it under my mom's name to save money...lol
This deal will only go down if the owner is willing to sell it at my price, anyway. (he's probably never going to work on it again anyway, it's not at his house, and if they leave it alone any longer, it's gonna be worth zero dollars instead of $1000-$2000...
So it's all up to him...
I just wanted a good idea of what it would cost to get it pretty again... lol.
Also, anyone got an idea how much insurance would cost a 20 year-old male with no traffic violations? And how about a 50 year-old woman with no recent violations? I'm probably going to insure it under my mom's name to save money...lol
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knowledge junkie
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 5,595
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From: Atlanta, GA
Originally Posted by Valkyrie
...insurance would cost... ??
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