Does It Ever Stop?

[ol' yeller]

My vert has been quite needy lately. Now a lot of it is a result of the prior owner not performing regular maintenance and even more of it is due to age and time. As reported here I bought new struts and mounts and had them installed. The shop recommended a great alignment shop to make the adjustments. Ten minutes into the procedure and he discovered a worn tie rod end. My $80 alignment ballooned to $300 which included a long overdue ABS fluid change. As a parting shot, the shop owner mentioned that my front tires were showing beginning signs of separation. I looked and sure enough, he was right.

So in my year and half ownership, I have replaced a top, changed the oil several times. drained and flushed the transmission, cooling system twice and the ABS. I have replaced the dogbone, replaced the oil pressure sensor, and the O2 sensor. I replaced 3 leaky freeze plugs, repaired a drippy tranny gasket, replaced the front brake pads and rotors, replaced all 4 struts and mounts, rebuilt the AC system correctly converted to R134a, all along with the latest hits to my wallet. The car now has 92K on it with the original paint and interior which still looks great!

Still on the list are a few minor paint repairs, a short session with a paintless dent removal guy, a repair of the CD player, and a comprehensive tune-up. Eventually I am going to need to find a replacement for the top weatherstripping but so far it remains serviceable.

On the plus side of the ledger, I have had about 6,000 miles of enjoyment in a car that still generates looks and complements almost everywhere I go. My 5 year old grand daughter loves to ride in her car seat up front next to Gramps. We have had a couple of amazing summers that are very unusual for the Great Northwet where the top stayed down for months at a time. Every time I drive this car, top up or down, I have a big smile on my face, even in Seattle traffic. Best of all it has allowed me to reconnect with my Buick buddies whom I had been missing since my unfortunate health incident of 3 years ago and the subsequent sale of my '65 Skylarks. I guess it is a fair tradeoff after all.

[drtidmore]

As I have told a lot of people that inquire about my ongoing Reatta project, with a 25 year old car, there is likely to NEVER be a moment when there will not be something that needs attention. There is no way to justify the amount of money that many of us have and continue to pour into these little cars, except as an object of admiration and outright affection. As you say, every time I drive the Reatta, I have a smile on my face and am SO glad I never gave into occasional pressure to sell it.

I bought my Reatta new when our daughter was 7 and she loved the car and always wanted to show it to her friends. Now our 7 year old grand daughter seems to be falling for it as well. I asked our daughter the other day what she would do with the car when the time comes that it is her decision and without hesitation, she answered, "Keep it and find a good mechanic to help me maintain it". So at this point, the money and effort I am putting into the car is as much for myself as it is to pass on a tangible childhood memory to our daughter.

[Guest Dan Ogle]

Right on David.

[ol' yeller]

I'm that guy you want to buy from. I think I am in the distinct minority. If I like my car, I spend whatever it takes to keep it up. I do oil changes on the 3K mark, I do routine maintenance when it is required. I replace stuff before it breaks if at all possible. When it comes to my Reatta, I have way more into it than I'll ever get out of it other than personal enjoyment/satisfaction. And I bought mine very well for a convertible in August. Financially this strategy has never paid off for me. I never get any extra money for my cars when I go to sell them. Why do I do this? My wife has never in 40 years of marriage been broken down on the side of the road waiting for help. I have had trips interrupted with unexpected repairs but it happens very seldom and it is always something unforeseen. It is interesting that my car came from a collector who had significantly deeper pockets than I could ever hope to have. These things should have been dealt with.

I too love these cars, the styling, the rarity, the comfort and the sportiness. When the time comes, I'll probably step up to the new engine or transmission. After all, where am I going to find another one like mine with all I have done to it? My 2 daughters understand this passion and so does my grand daughter. I also just had a new grandson and a second grandson due in May. I hope one of them will carry on with my obsession after I am gone and hopefully that will be many years in the future.

[Machiner 55]

[h=2]Does It Ever Stop?[/h]

In a word, no. But, why would we want it to?

John F.

[Guest MercWagn]

I feel your pain ol' yeller, I had similar experiences with my 1991--but, keep the faith and you'll find your way through all the previous owner's negligence--I finally did this last summer. I think you will see, as I am starting to, that once you get the car "caught up" you will have a very reliable and enjoyable car that stands apart from the crowd. Yeah, there is some pain, but look at the bright side, you get plenty of practice cussing, and we all know the value of staying on your A-game in that particular area.