This is looney

[Camino LS6]

Here's the deal:

My employers/landlords have a 2000 Volvo V40 wagon. About a week ago, I found a broken hunk of a front spring under the car and told them to have their mechanic check it out since I consider it a safety issue. I dropped the car off and had a chat about it with the mechanic. I agreed with him that the proper way to deal with it was to replace the front springs and struts (original and at about 90k miles).

No big deal, I thought - standard wear stuff.

Wrong.

I should have known something was up when I asked the mechanic for a ballpark on the pricing and he came back with a number twice what I expected: $1,500.

The first issue is that everything is a separate part on this car( struts, springs, spring plates, Isolaters even special locknuts...) A dozen separate pieces per side, and all expensive.

The official estimate comes in even higher, around $2k.

My employers are elderly folks that no longer drive so the car mostly sits except for local runs that a hired driver takes them on. So, they immediately think about giving the car up entirely.

Today, I finally asked what they were going to do with it, and sure enough, they had decided to get rid of it. The mechanic is "asking around".

Then Mrs. "C" says that she wonders if they can "junk it" straight from the shop.

At that point I tell her about scrap value and remind her that the car runs well and is inspected.

I volunteer to clean the car up, take a few pics, and list it on craigslist for them.

She agrees.

So I start doing a bit of research and find that these cars are holding alot more value than I would have ever guessed and that this one at 90k is quite the low-mile example.

In excellent condition (this one doesn't quite measure-up) they book at almost 5K!

I'm stunned.

I'll tell them about the value tomorrow.

If I were more mercenary, I think I could have bought the thing for scrap value, fixed it, and made a couple of grand.

The parts price out to almost 1k (quick internet search) - and that's just insane for struts and springs.

Whatya think?

[balthazar]

What are you asking, exactly?

[ocnblu]

Are those parts prices OE or Carquest/NAPA/Autozone/Pep Boys?

Can you do it for them and just send it out for alignment afterward, or have they made a final decision?

Shoot, if it's a broken spring on a car that passed inspection, why not just snag a spring out of a junkyard... do you have a spring compressor?

Edited June 13, 2012 by ocnblu

[Camino LS6]

Balthy: Just looking for comments overall.

Ocn: The prices were a mix of OEM and aftermarket, NAPA might do better.

Oh, and I really don't want to do the job for them.

[ocnblu]

If I were your landlords and the car had a good inspection last round, I'd just locate a used spring, have it installed with an alignment and call it a day. It could be kept there at the big house for the occasional run to and fro.

[Camino LS6]

No spring compressor (though I need to buy one) and to get at the spring, the strut has to come out...

If I were your landlords and the car had a good inspection last round, I'd just locate a used spring, have it installed with an alignment and call it a day. It could be kept there at the big house for the occasional run to and fro.

That's a thought.

[caddycruiser]

Interesting car. Lady I bought my '96 Legacy wagon from was selling because her brother gifted her his '00 V40 wagon. She was a Subaru fanatic but the idea of a newer free wagon enticed her. Said it was no Subaru, but the turbo power had gotten her in trouble once already. Looks, bleh.

On the fix, I'd agree with OCN. Used spring and replace that and only any other small piece it may need when that strut assembly is taken apart, and call it a day. How is it functional with a broke spring? Scrap value is solid, but there's a strong Craigslist market too, especially for what I call "clean old people cars" not in need of much, and with good miles.

[Camino LS6]

The spring broke on one end - so the car has a small sag.

[ocnblu]

Just cut the other three, invest in some spray cans of black primer, finish it off with scallops, and RIDE LO IN THE VOLVO YO

[David]

Low Rider Volvo?

That is like taking a Ferrari or Lambo and putting a lift kit on it.

[Camino LS6]

Mechanic won't replace just the spring - says the struts can't handle a new spring.

[ocnblu]

? uh huh but it will be a USED spring, pre-stressed with miles, not brand new...

[Robert Hall]

Sounds like the struts are worn out also

[Camino LS6]

? uh huh but it will be a USED spring, pre-stressed with miles, not brand new...

Yeah, I know - but explaining the logic behind that , well, it might be kind of hopeless...

Sounds like the struts are worn out also

I don't think so, but I guess the mechanic does.

[A Horse With No Name]

Parts for European cars are pricey, which is why I waited so long to get a MINI.

Fixing the home A/C for the guy who owns the body shop that I posted the car pics of-the one that fixed the Miata and painted the Chevelle and 55 Chevy for me.

He's fixing the A/C on a late model Benz in the shop....One A/C hose that is unique to that car...is $2000.

I used to live near a shop that does resto and repair work on Rolls Royce automobiles-Don't even ask waht fixing those cars cost.

As far as money and cars goes, here's my rule of thumb-ten cents a mile for depreciation, repairs, and maint.. Sounds cheap....but $1500 in repairs would mean they'd need to get another 15,000 miles of use out of that car. Probably about two or thre years, as much as it would get driven....

$1500 for two or three years is dirt cheap. Much cheaper than even a Chevrolet Sonic....which would have six or seven grand in depreciation during that time, along with a grand of maintenance and misc.

I'd say tell them to fix the car and don't look back.

I'm dumping about $2500 into my Miata over the next year to get everything refreshed....$1500 in repairs for a car that age is CHEAP!

[Camino LS6]

Actually, it's 2k in repairs and the car only goes a few thousand miles per year now.

I gave them all of the info. I found, enumerated the options, and left it at that.

They tend to make decisions slowly, so for now, all is limbo.

[A Horse With No Name]

Cool...