So I've been having a rattle in the passenger side of the engine bay on startup. Only when the motor is cold, though. Even letting it sit in the sun all day prevents the sound. Come to find out it is likely the VVT Actuator Pin. There's a TSB for it, but of course I'm out of factory warranty.

Luckily, I have the powertrain warranty and that SHOULD cover it, according to the service tech, so I'm looking at $250 out of pocket. Can't do it right now, but it apparently isn't an urgent issue. Randy ran with it for a year before Mazda replaced it. So probably after the holidays I'll take it to motor city for replacement.

GOD, I'm SO happy I have such a reliable Mazda. [/sarcasm]

On the other hand, there's a nice 2009 WRX hatch at Car Max for $22k....

Yeah, but if you sold your car or hit powerball, you wouldn't have anything to post about.

~Barn~ wrote:Yeah, but if you sold your car or hit powerball, you wouldn't have anything to post about.

LOL true. I just have to keep telling myself that if I keep this car until it's paid off or almost paid off, I'll have a MUCH easier time getting my next car, since I'll have a trade-in.

I'm formulating a plan, though. A couple un-needed items sold and I can get this fixed, just in time for the NEXT problem to crop up.

Maybe... maybe it's time to get rid of it. :/ I know you don't wanna but it's being a money pit at the moment and the "responsible" thing would be to dump it.

Then again... how much fun do responsible people have anyway? :P

bellalyssa wrote:Maybe... maybe it's time to get rid of it. :/ I know you don't wanna but it's being a money pit at the moment and the "responsible" thing would be to dump it.

Then again... how much fun do responsible people have anyway? :P

I know. And that 2009 WRX at Car Max is looking NICE right now. With the warranty, I could probably keep my payments the same, including trade-in of my car.

I'd hate the sparse interior and 5-speed, though...

Yea, I had been trying to defend your car but now it does seem like it's one thing after another. When my wife's Jetta started to do the same thing around 60k, we had to dump that thing. Just don't let your wife talk you into downgrading if you do trade it in. Don't get a Camry or something because it's cheaper. An '09 WRX would be a respectable trade, and 5 speeds are better than 6 speeds in general anyway so not sure why that's a negative for you.

erod550 wrote:Yea, I had been trying to defend your car but now it does seem like it's one thing after another. When my wife's Jetta started to do the same thing around 60k, we had to dump that thing. Just don't let your wife talk you into downgrading if you do trade it in. Don't get a Camry or something because it's cheaper. An '09 WRX would be a respectable trade, and 5 speeds are better than 6 speeds in general anyway so not sure why that's a negative for you.

If I decide to dump it, I have two options.

1. Trade it on something else and keep my payments the same or lower. There's the WRX, a Wrangler Rubicon, and an XTerra at Car Max that I like, and I could probably arrange 4% financing through my credit union. If I get right AT the KBB trade-in value for the MS6, I'd only roll about $2K in negative equity into the trade, lowering my payments. But I don't have to worry about not getting enough to pay off the loan on the MS6 -- it's covered. Plus, I could get a Car Max warranty to cover the used car for the length of the loan.

2. Sell the car outright and drive the Grand Cherokee for awhile. Use the extra money to save for a down payment on credit card debt so that someday I can afford to get back into a performance car...a used 2011 Mustang GT when they come in off leases. But I know how my family works, and dad's priorities always come in last. I'd be in the Jeep until it died or I did.

Right now, I'm leaning toward fixing this and keeping the MS6 for now. SHit, I JUST bought snow tires for the damn thing, and they won't fit on the WRX (17-inch wheels).

My other problem is that I don't want to have the dealership diagnose this and find out that it's something else and not covered by their warranty. Then I end up forking out more money just for their diagnosis.

My mistake, though. SHould never finance a car longer than the warranty.

I have to agree with possibly letting the car go. It seems never ending.

look at it this way. atleast its not an rx7...

Haha, true, Ian.

And I keep forgetting that my wife is getting a promotion in January that should bring in some more money for us, so if I can get us through till then, get it fixed, and get it paid off, things will be better.

I may not be seeing something here, probably because i'm dead tired but if you pay the car off then you own it. Why would you want to give something you own for a trade-in? Why not just buy another car then you have one you own and one you are pyaing for. You will be paying less for the new car on a trade in I know but then you are also one car less.

I guess it's kinda the same if you keep the car after it's paid off or not. You either give the car up to lower the price of the new one or you pay for the new car without a disount. Does this make any sense? I'm going to sleep. Long day tomorrow.

Yeah, I know what you're saying, Jimmy. If I own it, why trade it? The answers would be because it's becoming a money pit and because it's really a stepping stone to a performance vehicle I really want, like the new 5.0L Mustang, STi, etc.

But being without payments would be really nice.

ignored following drunkiendessssssss": nr beesh o u know you love yo9urs 6 stick 2 it, or like some like to say: do it to it. yeah. for real, will be editing tomorrow is for a limited time only
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my point s is: DO IT TO IT. a' la' squidbillies, my favoirit thing, it's ok, i'm foreign. (took me 17min to right thi s spost.)

wait- where am i, who arew you?