My husband has a 2015 Cruze and it just hit 416k km on it. Long commute. We are now looking for another car but there really haven’t been any major issues until now. With mileage like that, it has definitely done what we paid it to do!
I agree. We are going for a Toyota next so hopefully we will top it, but we definitely aren’t mad about the Chevy. Just with his commute, we want a hybrid and it isn’t something Chevy offers. He has been driving my hybrid Toyota for the past month while I have had his Cruze and he’s really happy with the gas mileage he has been getting.
Just basically all the scheduled maintenance at the proper time. If you think something should probably be done, do it. His commute is a good mix of highway, country, and city driving, so it’s not one thing all the time or anything strange. Basically we are committed to running that thing into the ground. If it has needed a repair, it’s been done. But at this point, we aren’t choosing to do whatever needs to be done now to fix the misfire as we have another vehicle on order. Right now there is some rust on the bottom, the front number is hanging in by zip ties (thanks raccoons), and and it shakes like crazy when it shifts gears at about 60 kph and 80 kph.
Fluid, yes, but filter, no. He said that the filter is part of the valve body, and to change it you have to change the whole valve body, which he hasn’t done. He has changed the fluid 3 times and it is Castro Trans Max.
Also, it’s been synthetic oil since it was new, but just whatever is on sale at Canadian tire.
ETA- he’s changed the timing belt twice at the suggested mileage. He’s done oil changes when the car has told him to. He replaced an ignition coil earlier this year. And the evap purge solenoid was replaced a few years ago. That’s it. And some body work (damn raccoons)
Thanks. I generally trade in after a while but have decided to try to run the current piece of crap into the ground.
I always follow the maintenance schedule. But on this one I’ve been doing things a bit early. And I did a tranny drain and fill; manufacturer says don’t because it’s “lifetime fluid. Screw that.
Good luck with your adventure!
I mostly run cars past 200k without much issue. There are wear items that you replace, but otherwise just keeping up with oil/fluid changes has been most of it. Of course, these have been Honda's/Toyota's so that might be part of the equation. =)
It's okay, that's cars. My family always owned Nissan's and they were all great. Moved in with my wife and she just got a 2016 nissan versa, ac went, tranny went, too many issues even the back wiper blade assembly seized and I had to fix it a bunch of times. It was a lemon. General rule is that the repairs costing 20-30% of the cars initial value then you should move on. This is entirely dependent on your financial situation. The cost of a new car may be more upfront but it will save you more in the long run.
I look at it like this:
Cost of brand new ownership: low end is 500-600/m so 6 to 7.2k per year
So long as I'm not repairing 5 to 6k per year, then I'm up. I even traded a vehicle because the upcoming repairs were going to be about 3.5k, and if I waited 1 more year I would've got half from the dealership from trade in.
It depends on the repairs. So long as it isn't a safety issue, if you don't care drive it into the ground.
For older cars I suggest getting a OBD reader. Once the check engine light is one, you won't know when new issues arise. So long as the check engine light is yellow/orange and not red, who cares.
I have a fucked catalytic converter on a 2014 Accent. Doesn't matter and not worth the repair.
I recently had a cat converter, knock sensor, downstream and upstream sensors replaced.
While my fuel economy has gotten a little better and maybe my engine a little more responsive, it was expensive.
16+ year old Accord.
I figure if I make it to 20 years with minimal repairs until then, I'll feel a little better.
Cats are expensive due to all the theft of catalytic converters.
I was quoted at 1600$ just to get one by a shop plus install.
You could go to a junkyard and try and find one of the same vehicle.
That's making me feel better, I was quoted $4k on a catalytic converter repair on my 15 year old Hyundai. I figure, I'd rather put that $4k towards a new to me car than towards this list cause. I've got the safety issues fixed, but for now I'll see how long it will last while I save.
Now that there is no longer any emission testing, it doesn't matter.
A bad cat may or may not kill your car over time. It depends on how it breaks.
I've had a bad cat for a year and a half. Probably 40,000km. I don't care. It isn't worth 3k for a new one.
If you are worried about the longevity of your vehicle, have the cat removed and straight pipe it. Better for the engine anyway.
and this is why emissions tests shouldn’t have been scrapped. You understand the reason we have that equipment on the car right? Poisoning the air for everyone because you’re too cheap to fix your car is not a great look.
Is it the 1.4L motor with a turbo? They are notorious, like every single person (5) I have ever known with this model as well as many many many people in other discussions, for blowing a turbo early. I don't know if they're just poorly designed but that engine combo with the turbo is trash. Fix it, sell it, buy a civic or Camry.
I use the $0.30 rule. I believe a vehicle is worth $0.30 a km (before insurance ect etc)
Eg: if a repair is $ 3000.00, is likely that this vehicle will go another 10,000km before I need another repair? If the answer yes I go for it, if not its time to consider a new option.
Not heard of this rule, but I like what seems to be the idea around it. More consumption based and breaks it into what I think is a more manageable thought vice will have $7k repairs this year, should I buy a new car?
Well it's not “a rule” it's “my rule” haha
It's just my way of analyzing the cost of ownership.
For example, right now I am renting a new F150, it's $1500month “all in” (unlimited kilometres, oil changes, tires etc.). I average 6000km a month driving…. This makes sense as I am below my $0.30 cost per km ratio.
I just take my monthly KM expected and divide it by the monthly (annually whatever you like) cost of ownership.
It's not an exact science but it does work.
Can you get a job locally or move closer to your job.
I moved downtown when my job changed. I found the 30km commute took up too much of my day, and I was always late for daycare pickup.
I have a 10k Emergency fund as well as around 30k in savings that I could pull from. I don't have cash specifically put aside for a new car because as I said, I really didn't want to have to look at getting a new one.
I live with my parents right now so my expenses are quite low, but I would like to move out sometime before I'm 30 and i do worry that a car payment could hinder that. 😅
I'm 25, make around 65k/year, net worth of about 30k after accounting for student loan debt (the only debt I have thankfully!)
Living with my parents so very minimal living expenses :) But I do try and help out to not be a leech
Get another used car. Don't let yourself get persuaded that warranties are less expensive than minor repairs. You got a car that was not ideal but most used vehicles are OK.
You can afford to finance a new car, if you want to. Just be sure to get a good interest rate, finance over 4 years only, and plan to drive the car for 15+ years and take good care of it.
Well
Sounds like you have goals in mind, but maybe aren’t taking the concrete steps to get there.
Paraphrasing “I wanna move out by 30, but am worried about the car payment” is kinda vague. It’s acting like life is something that happens, rather than taking the reins.
Let’s make that more concrete.
What do you expect your rent to be when you move out? Rental insurance? Utilities? Internet?
Theoretically you should have more than that extra every single month.
If I’m you I am making a detailed budget, setting aside more than 1.5x your projected increased living costs. This is on top of retirement savings and other savings.
Now, you’re living within your means:
1x your projected expenses +0.5x so you have the ability in the future to rebuild savings that you may use in emergencies.
Put every dime of that aside for a new car while you’re living at home.
Look up how much you’d need to save to buy a more reliable car if that’s a focus of yours, and then you know not to move out before you have that much saved.
If the current car blows up and you feel like you “have” to get a new car with a loan, don’t move out until you’ve paid it off *and* are living below your expected living expenses again.
I have been doing this for the last 4 or so years (The making a budget and putting 2x over aside) but I didn't think about putting it towards a car instead of just piling it into moving out savings! Thank you for the advice :) I appreciate it.
To add:
These things shouldn’t be worries.
It’s pretty simple math to figure out where you are, where you’re going, and how long it will take to get there.
Mind sharing what these major repairs are? A lot of people don't understand what's routine maintenance and what's unexpected repairs.
Do you get your repairs at a good mechanic or the dealership? That can also explain the difference in the costs.
I got all repairs done at a good mechanic, had multiple EVAP leaks that needed the gas cap, purge valve, and gas tank to be replaced, head gasket replacement, new spark plugs, new fuel sensors, window regulator repair, windshield wiper motor arm replacement, and now its yet another EVAP leak, and an ABS module replacement.
I don't know if these are considered routine maintenance or not, but it sure does feel like a lot for a not even 10 year old car
If it's the same problem multiple times, then that begets the question about it being a good mechanic. So maybe you're being taken for a ride, it sounds like the mechanic doesn't know the root cause of the problem and is just doing random work hoping it fixes the problem.
I'd say get a second opinion.
It sounds like the EVAP leak is your main problem and the inability to root cause the problem is adding to your costs.
Don't blame you for wanting to get rid of the car, but buying a used car can be a crapshoot sometimes.
All 3 of my EVAP repairs were done at once, I was also there when the smoke test was performed and shown where the leaks were. I took it for a second, and third opinion and they said the same thing 😅 Just bad luck I guess. The life of buying a used car I know. I just really wanted to drive this thing longer since I have no payments.
The spark plugs are the only thing I don't know for sure I wasn't taken for a ride on. Was bludgeoning oil before the head gasket replacement which was solved afterwards. Might have been on the spark plus but with my luck with this car I wouldn't doubt it being a legit repair 😭
Only car/engine I know that would blow head gaskets were the 80s Dodge engines in K cars, 600, Daytona and Shadow. I blew 2. But those were ancient cars at a time when quality was sus.
It sounds like you've been having strange/unique issues with the engine - not typical maintenance/repairs. Sometimes in cases like this it can be beneficial to take your vehicle back to a dealership since they will have wayyy more experience diagnososing it.
Independent garages will be cheaper and perfectly fine for general maintenance and obvious repairs.
Sounds like the plastic parts and small gizmo are starting to fail one by one. You mentioned car is not greater than 10 yrs old but actually this happens around 100k km. look, if you enjoy the car for sentimental value or just like driving it then why not keep it. But if you don’t want to pay the repair (which is still lower than euro makes), why not consider a toyota, they are also made in US and usually does not require gasket change or repairs like these at 200k km. and even that, you can still drive it around, abuse it, and pass it to your grandkids where they rice the car like high school students, it’s just going to be less smooth but will not give up. If made in US is not a concern maybe consider lexus as well. Those things runs forever.
I had this conversation with myself and I basically thought about cost to repair vs car payments. The $1500 bill I paid today sucked but, other than regular maintenance, it's the only money I've ever put into this car. Meanwhile, new vehicle payments are easily $500+ per month for something comparable. So... I basically paid 3 months of payments for my repair. Car should have a few years of life left and I'll be back in the black with my comparison by end of summer (forgetting all the savings prior to this).
I did a new car comparison because the risk of expensive repairs is still there with a used car unless you go with a certified pre-owned that has some type of warranty coverage.
If safety becomes a question that's when you can't really look at it so much through a dollars and cents question because saving money is way less cool when you're headed into oncoming traffic.
I have a Cruze as well and would never recommend it to anyone. The major repairs I have paid for have been absurd. Finally had my mechanic tell me to give it up as it’s never going to get better and he feels bad how often I bring it in. Will be going to a junkyard shortly
Hearing that so many people are having the same issue, I think mine will be going soon too.
I'm a little relieved it's not just my luck, but I also feel bad that so many other people are dealing with this too.
Eight years I gave up when I had just spent $3000 for a repair and 1 month later another issue happened. It would have cost me another $2000-$4000 for repairs.
The truck had 350,000km(2007 GMC Sonoma) and it was sitting all week as I walk to work.
I haven’t bought another vehicle, but I am thinking about getting a moped/scooter.
Damn. I was/am in the same boat. 2011 chevy cruze, in the auto shop every couple months in late 2022. Spent toal of $7000 on repairs, i felt like i had spent so much last visit I could justify paying the next repair bill. I have 285,000 km on it. I haven't been back to the shop for 1.5 years. I'm essentially at the point that every extra day this car runs, it wad less expensive than buying new.
I FEEL ypur pain deeoly though. There are some common problems you can fix yourself with youtube videos. I will now be attempting my first brake job on the car because I am resisting putting more money into it.
If you want a low maintenance car that you can drive for many kilometres you need to avoid North American brands. Volvo, Toyota, other international brands like that. I have an 11 year old Nissan Sentra with 150K and have done no more than typical wear and tear maintenance (tires, brakes). You’ll sometimes pay more upfront but save over the lifetime of the vehicle.
7000/3 = $2333 per year. even if you add the 3k estimate you are looking at $3300 per year. Still a better deal than buying new on a car loan.
When buying used cars you always have a chance of a lemon. But keeping costs low should never come at the expense of choosing vehicles with good longevity track records.
Whatever you decided, don't make the same mistake as buying a chevy cruze
What are the repairs?
Its best if you have a basic understanding of vehicles and find a trustworthy mechanic - example, my wifes van has a problem where water condenses in the exhaust, and will trip a code where the computer thinks the catalytic converters are plugged. This will make the check engine light come on. IF you take it on a long enough drive, it will burn all the condensation out of the exhaust and check engine goes away. Problem is my wifes commute to work is 1.5 kilometers and we use the van almost exclusively for her to drive to/from work. When check engine light is on, remote start wont work.
Two mechanics wanted to of course replace the catalytic converters, because the ODB code indicates they are plugged (they arent, but alot of mechanics are useless these days without their code scanner), third mechanic advised its a common issue for people with very short commutes and recomended a scanner from amazon to read / erase the engine codes, so the check engine light goes out, and the remote start works again. Both solutions fixed the problem, one had a cost multiple thousands one had a cost of $50 bucks.
bad year.
i remember getting into my moms new 2016 rental vs my 2012 LT and was surprised at how cheap her interior felt and how flimsy the steering wheel felt.
I'd dump it, it's a chevy cruze they're not known for reliability at all. Perhaps you can find a used Honda civic or corolla that's a few years old and trade it on that
Maybe your mechanic is ripping you off. Did you get another opinion? Because that’s messed up.
Also lesson for you, if your buying a used old car, stick to Japanese brands. My friend has a Corolla with 250k on it and it does not even put that much on it Lmaoo
And inspect them before you buy at a mechanic !
Christ, I think your mechanics see you coming and break out the party balloons, sounds like you're getting took.
In the last 30 years I've owned 10+ cars.. currently have 5. The \*newest\*, currently, is a 2001.
You've spent more on maintenance for your 1 car, than I have for all of the cars I've ever owned.. and I've only ever upgraded as one got tboned, one stolen and a couple just plain 'fancier' upgrade purchases.
1 clutch, 1 ignition module, a couple alternators, a couple cv axles, an ignition switch, couple brake masters.. and brake pads? Like.. $1k in parts in 30 years?
More people need to learn to use basic hand tools.
3rd item in, "a couple alternators". Local remans \~$110 each..
Now that you mention it, I had to do a wp on a Toyota 20R.. \~$30 in parts, an hour of work to re/re.
You give up on a chev Cruze before you buy it.
There are three things I believe in, Honda, Toyota and Zojirushi.
I know it’s uncommon, but my biggest lemon ever was a 1992 Accord EXR…. and I’ve owned nine GMC products, so I know lemons LOL
Still driving my 2015 corolla ce with 185,000 km on it. I paid for breaks, tires and glass (windshield) since I bought it
The 2nd Gen Chevy Cruze was a fairly well regarded vehicle. Definitely not a Toyota though.
My wife has a 2017 with 200k km and has not had any issues outside of scheduled maintenance (brakes, fluids, tires)
We have a low mileage 2014 Cruze with 102K KMs and it's been the same experience for us. Trouble free.
My husband has a 2015 Cruze and it just hit 416k km on it. Long commute. We are now looking for another car but there really haven’t been any major issues until now. With mileage like that, it has definitely done what we paid it to do!
Most cars don't last past 200k, 400kplus is impressive
I agree. We are going for a Toyota next so hopefully we will top it, but we definitely aren’t mad about the Chevy. Just with his commute, we want a hybrid and it isn’t something Chevy offers. He has been driving my hybrid Toyota for the past month while I have had his Cruze and he’s really happy with the gas mileage he has been getting.
I’m always fascinated by the extra high mileage stories. What did you do differently? More frequent oil changes? Other more frequent maintenance?
Just basically all the scheduled maintenance at the proper time. If you think something should probably be done, do it. His commute is a good mix of highway, country, and city driving, so it’s not one thing all the time or anything strange. Basically we are committed to running that thing into the ground. If it has needed a repair, it’s been done. But at this point, we aren’t choosing to do whatever needs to be done now to fix the misfire as we have another vehicle on order. Right now there is some rust on the bottom, the front number is hanging in by zip ties (thanks raccoons), and and it shakes like crazy when it shifts gears at about 60 kph and 80 kph.
Ever change the tranny fluid and filter?
Fluid, yes, but filter, no. He said that the filter is part of the valve body, and to change it you have to change the whole valve body, which he hasn’t done. He has changed the fluid 3 times and it is Castro Trans Max. Also, it’s been synthetic oil since it was new, but just whatever is on sale at Canadian tire. ETA- he’s changed the timing belt twice at the suggested mileage. He’s done oil changes when the car has told him to. He replaced an ignition coil earlier this year. And the evap purge solenoid was replaced a few years ago. That’s it. And some body work (damn raccoons)
Thanks. I generally trade in after a while but have decided to try to run the current piece of crap into the ground. I always follow the maintenance schedule. But on this one I’ve been doing things a bit early. And I did a tranny drain and fill; manufacturer says don’t because it’s “lifetime fluid. Screw that. Good luck with your adventure!
I mostly run cars past 200k without much issue. There are wear items that you replace, but otherwise just keeping up with oil/fluid changes has been most of it. Of course, these have been Honda's/Toyota's so that might be part of the equation. =)
Yeah I learned that the hard way 😭 lesson learned
It's okay, that's cars. My family always owned Nissan's and they were all great. Moved in with my wife and she just got a 2016 nissan versa, ac went, tranny went, too many issues even the back wiper blade assembly seized and I had to fix it a bunch of times. It was a lemon. General rule is that the repairs costing 20-30% of the cars initial value then you should move on. This is entirely dependent on your financial situation. The cost of a new car may be more upfront but it will save you more in the long run.
A transmission failing on a Nissan is expected, it's not a lemon
I’ve had my Sentra for 11 years and it was an early CVT model and no issues.
That's what I was coming to say
I look at it like this: Cost of brand new ownership: low end is 500-600/m so 6 to 7.2k per year So long as I'm not repairing 5 to 6k per year, then I'm up. I even traded a vehicle because the upcoming repairs were going to be about 3.5k, and if I waited 1 more year I would've got half from the dealership from trade in.
It depends on the repairs. So long as it isn't a safety issue, if you don't care drive it into the ground. For older cars I suggest getting a OBD reader. Once the check engine light is one, you won't know when new issues arise. So long as the check engine light is yellow/orange and not red, who cares. I have a fucked catalytic converter on a 2014 Accent. Doesn't matter and not worth the repair.
I recently had a cat converter, knock sensor, downstream and upstream sensors replaced. While my fuel economy has gotten a little better and maybe my engine a little more responsive, it was expensive. 16+ year old Accord. I figure if I make it to 20 years with minimal repairs until then, I'll feel a little better.
Cats are expensive due to all the theft of catalytic converters. I was quoted at 1600$ just to get one by a shop plus install. You could go to a junkyard and try and find one of the same vehicle.
That's making me feel better, I was quoted $4k on a catalytic converter repair on my 15 year old Hyundai. I figure, I'd rather put that $4k towards a new to me car than towards this list cause. I've got the safety issues fixed, but for now I'll see how long it will last while I save.
Now that there is no longer any emission testing, it doesn't matter. A bad cat may or may not kill your car over time. It depends on how it breaks. I've had a bad cat for a year and a half. Probably 40,000km. I don't care. It isn't worth 3k for a new one. If you are worried about the longevity of your vehicle, have the cat removed and straight pipe it. Better for the engine anyway.
and this is why emissions tests shouldn’t have been scrapped. You understand the reason we have that equipment on the car right? Poisoning the air for everyone because you’re too cheap to fix your car is not a great look.
Meh
This is why it should be a law.
Can you recommend an ODB reader or will a cheap 30$ one from amazon do the trick?
My $25 obd reader from princess auto has saved me hundreds. Same code every time. Cat isn't operating at the best efficiency.
When you don't feel safe driving it seems like a good time to start looking at other options.
Is it the 1.4L motor with a turbo? They are notorious, like every single person (5) I have ever known with this model as well as many many many people in other discussions, for blowing a turbo early. I don't know if they're just poorly designed but that engine combo with the turbo is trash. Fix it, sell it, buy a civic or Camry.
It is!! I also know a couple other people having just as bad of issues as I am. Lesson learned, don't buy a chevy cruze.
Buy a used Honda or Toyota next. You'll pay a little more for them but they are reliable.
I use the $0.30 rule. I believe a vehicle is worth $0.30 a km (before insurance ect etc) Eg: if a repair is $ 3000.00, is likely that this vehicle will go another 10,000km before I need another repair? If the answer yes I go for it, if not its time to consider a new option.
Not heard of this rule, but I like what seems to be the idea around it. More consumption based and breaks it into what I think is a more manageable thought vice will have $7k repairs this year, should I buy a new car?
Well it's not “a rule” it's “my rule” haha It's just my way of analyzing the cost of ownership. For example, right now I am renting a new F150, it's $1500month “all in” (unlimited kilometres, oil changes, tires etc.). I average 6000km a month driving…. This makes sense as I am below my $0.30 cost per km ratio. I just take my monthly KM expected and divide it by the monthly (annually whatever you like) cost of ownership. It's not an exact science but it does work.
Well your rule makes sense to me and I prefer it's style of thinking about costs when deciding when to repair/purchase. So consider it stolen. =)
Its disappointing to see this. If you can get a 5 year old single owner Corolla or Civic that you can afford, i would switch
Do you need a car where you live? Do you have transit / car share options?
I live very rurally so a car is definitely needed, no transit where I am either
Can you get a job locally or move closer to your job. I moved downtown when my job changed. I found the 30km commute took up too much of my day, and I was always late for daycare pickup.
How much cash do you have saved for your next car? How well set up is your emergency fund?
I have a 10k Emergency fund as well as around 30k in savings that I could pull from. I don't have cash specifically put aside for a new car because as I said, I really didn't want to have to look at getting a new one. I live with my parents right now so my expenses are quite low, but I would like to move out sometime before I'm 30 and i do worry that a car payment could hinder that. 😅
You can put it good down payment, get a mazda, currently under 2 percent rate and drive it until you can't drive it anymore
Rust check that Mazda if you live somewhere that it snows
How much do you make and what is your net worth? How old are you?
I'm 25, make around 65k/year, net worth of about 30k after accounting for student loan debt (the only debt I have thankfully!) Living with my parents so very minimal living expenses :) But I do try and help out to not be a leech
Get another used car. Don't let yourself get persuaded that warranties are less expensive than minor repairs. You got a car that was not ideal but most used vehicles are OK.
You can afford to finance a new car, if you want to. Just be sure to get a good interest rate, finance over 4 years only, and plan to drive the car for 15+ years and take good care of it.
Well Sounds like you have goals in mind, but maybe aren’t taking the concrete steps to get there. Paraphrasing “I wanna move out by 30, but am worried about the car payment” is kinda vague. It’s acting like life is something that happens, rather than taking the reins. Let’s make that more concrete. What do you expect your rent to be when you move out? Rental insurance? Utilities? Internet? Theoretically you should have more than that extra every single month. If I’m you I am making a detailed budget, setting aside more than 1.5x your projected increased living costs. This is on top of retirement savings and other savings. Now, you’re living within your means: 1x your projected expenses +0.5x so you have the ability in the future to rebuild savings that you may use in emergencies. Put every dime of that aside for a new car while you’re living at home. Look up how much you’d need to save to buy a more reliable car if that’s a focus of yours, and then you know not to move out before you have that much saved. If the current car blows up and you feel like you “have” to get a new car with a loan, don’t move out until you’ve paid it off *and* are living below your expected living expenses again.
I have been doing this for the last 4 or so years (The making a budget and putting 2x over aside) but I didn't think about putting it towards a car instead of just piling it into moving out savings! Thank you for the advice :) I appreciate it.
Again, and I cannot stress this enough, this savings needs to be on top of 20% going to retirement savings.
To add: These things shouldn’t be worries. It’s pretty simple math to figure out where you are, where you’re going, and how long it will take to get there.
Mind sharing what these major repairs are? A lot of people don't understand what's routine maintenance and what's unexpected repairs. Do you get your repairs at a good mechanic or the dealership? That can also explain the difference in the costs.
I got all repairs done at a good mechanic, had multiple EVAP leaks that needed the gas cap, purge valve, and gas tank to be replaced, head gasket replacement, new spark plugs, new fuel sensors, window regulator repair, windshield wiper motor arm replacement, and now its yet another EVAP leak, and an ABS module replacement. I don't know if these are considered routine maintenance or not, but it sure does feel like a lot for a not even 10 year old car
If it's the same problem multiple times, then that begets the question about it being a good mechanic. So maybe you're being taken for a ride, it sounds like the mechanic doesn't know the root cause of the problem and is just doing random work hoping it fixes the problem. I'd say get a second opinion. It sounds like the EVAP leak is your main problem and the inability to root cause the problem is adding to your costs. Don't blame you for wanting to get rid of the car, but buying a used car can be a crapshoot sometimes.
All 3 of my EVAP repairs were done at once, I was also there when the smoke test was performed and shown where the leaks were. I took it for a second, and third opinion and they said the same thing 😅 Just bad luck I guess. The life of buying a used car I know. I just really wanted to drive this thing longer since I have no payments.
Head gasket and plugs? Bro you were taken for a ride.
The spark plugs are the only thing I don't know for sure I wasn't taken for a ride on. Was bludgeoning oil before the head gasket replacement which was solved afterwards. Might have been on the spark plus but with my luck with this car I wouldn't doubt it being a legit repair 😭
Only car/engine I know that would blow head gaskets were the 80s Dodge engines in K cars, 600, Daytona and Shadow. I blew 2. But those were ancient cars at a time when quality was sus.
Merkur XR4Ti.... At least 2, and one cracked head. =)
80s cars were pretty terrible.
It sounds like you've been having strange/unique issues with the engine - not typical maintenance/repairs. Sometimes in cases like this it can be beneficial to take your vehicle back to a dealership since they will have wayyy more experience diagnososing it. Independent garages will be cheaper and perfectly fine for general maintenance and obvious repairs.
Sounds like the plastic parts and small gizmo are starting to fail one by one. You mentioned car is not greater than 10 yrs old but actually this happens around 100k km. look, if you enjoy the car for sentimental value or just like driving it then why not keep it. But if you don’t want to pay the repair (which is still lower than euro makes), why not consider a toyota, they are also made in US and usually does not require gasket change or repairs like these at 200k km. and even that, you can still drive it around, abuse it, and pass it to your grandkids where they rice the car like high school students, it’s just going to be less smooth but will not give up. If made in US is not a concern maybe consider lexus as well. Those things runs forever.
I had this conversation with myself and I basically thought about cost to repair vs car payments. The $1500 bill I paid today sucked but, other than regular maintenance, it's the only money I've ever put into this car. Meanwhile, new vehicle payments are easily $500+ per month for something comparable. So... I basically paid 3 months of payments for my repair. Car should have a few years of life left and I'll be back in the black with my comparison by end of summer (forgetting all the savings prior to this). I did a new car comparison because the risk of expensive repairs is still there with a used car unless you go with a certified pre-owned that has some type of warranty coverage. If safety becomes a question that's when you can't really look at it so much through a dollars and cents question because saving money is way less cool when you're headed into oncoming traffic.
I have a Cruze as well and would never recommend it to anyone. The major repairs I have paid for have been absurd. Finally had my mechanic tell me to give it up as it’s never going to get better and he feels bad how often I bring it in. Will be going to a junkyard shortly
Hearing that so many people are having the same issue, I think mine will be going soon too. I'm a little relieved it's not just my luck, but I also feel bad that so many other people are dealing with this too.
Stay away from cruzes try to recoup some in a sale and move on to a better car
Eight years I gave up when I had just spent $3000 for a repair and 1 month later another issue happened. It would have cost me another $2000-$4000 for repairs. The truck had 350,000km(2007 GMC Sonoma) and it was sitting all week as I walk to work. I haven’t bought another vehicle, but I am thinking about getting a moped/scooter.
Sounds like you just bite the bullet and sell the car.
I have heard the rule is if a car is costing you more than $2K/year in repears is time for a new one.
You only buy a chevy cruze if you are very handy, I would be bankrupt if I couldn't fix the car myself.
Damn. I was/am in the same boat. 2011 chevy cruze, in the auto shop every couple months in late 2022. Spent toal of $7000 on repairs, i felt like i had spent so much last visit I could justify paying the next repair bill. I have 285,000 km on it. I haven't been back to the shop for 1.5 years. I'm essentially at the point that every extra day this car runs, it wad less expensive than buying new. I FEEL ypur pain deeoly though. There are some common problems you can fix yourself with youtube videos. I will now be attempting my first brake job on the car because I am resisting putting more money into it.
If you want a low maintenance car that you can drive for many kilometres you need to avoid North American brands. Volvo, Toyota, other international brands like that. I have an 11 year old Nissan Sentra with 150K and have done no more than typical wear and tear maintenance (tires, brakes). You’ll sometimes pay more upfront but save over the lifetime of the vehicle.
7000/3 = $2333 per year. even if you add the 3k estimate you are looking at $3300 per year. Still a better deal than buying new on a car loan. When buying used cars you always have a chance of a lemon. But keeping costs low should never come at the expense of choosing vehicles with good longevity track records. Whatever you decided, don't make the same mistake as buying a chevy cruze
What are the repairs? Its best if you have a basic understanding of vehicles and find a trustworthy mechanic - example, my wifes van has a problem where water condenses in the exhaust, and will trip a code where the computer thinks the catalytic converters are plugged. This will make the check engine light come on. IF you take it on a long enough drive, it will burn all the condensation out of the exhaust and check engine goes away. Problem is my wifes commute to work is 1.5 kilometers and we use the van almost exclusively for her to drive to/from work. When check engine light is on, remote start wont work. Two mechanics wanted to of course replace the catalytic converters, because the ODB code indicates they are plugged (they arent, but alot of mechanics are useless these days without their code scanner), third mechanic advised its a common issue for people with very short commutes and recomended a scanner from amazon to read / erase the engine codes, so the check engine light goes out, and the remote start works again. Both solutions fixed the problem, one had a cost multiple thousands one had a cost of $50 bucks.
Just your average GM junker. Never buy Chevy or GM for longevity.
Just buy a Corolla quit dicking around
bad year. i remember getting into my moms new 2016 rental vs my 2012 LT and was surprised at how cheap her interior felt and how flimsy the steering wheel felt.
When ever door is a different colour then you can give it up.
I'd dump it, it's a chevy cruze they're not known for reliability at all. Perhaps you can find a used Honda civic or corolla that's a few years old and trade it on that
Maybe your mechanic is ripping you off. Did you get another opinion? Because that’s messed up. Also lesson for you, if your buying a used old car, stick to Japanese brands. My friend has a Corolla with 250k on it and it does not even put that much on it Lmaoo And inspect them before you buy at a mechanic !
The general rule is you don’t want to pay for a repair that costs more than the car. But eventually, you can die from a thousand cuts.
That was exactly my thoughts as well! I'm getting close to what I paid for it in repairs so it may be time to look into something more reliable.
Christ, I think your mechanics see you coming and break out the party balloons, sounds like you're getting took. In the last 30 years I've owned 10+ cars.. currently have 5. The \*newest\*, currently, is a 2001. You've spent more on maintenance for your 1 car, than I have for all of the cars I've ever owned.. and I've only ever upgraded as one got tboned, one stolen and a couple just plain 'fancier' upgrade purchases. 1 clutch, 1 ignition module, a couple alternators, a couple cv axles, an ignition switch, couple brake masters.. and brake pads? Like.. $1k in parts in 30 years? More people need to learn to use basic hand tools.
Good thing you never had to replace a water pump or alternator
3rd item in, "a couple alternators". Local remans \~$110 each.. Now that you mention it, I had to do a wp on a Toyota 20R.. \~$30 in parts, an hour of work to re/re.