On 24 Jan 98  22:37:00 Peg Dietrich wrote to All saying something about His 
Capri. My reply is thus:
 PD> Hubby asked me to ask you people for some advice.  He is the proud
 PD> owner of a 1991 Mercury Capri.  It's pushing 100,000 miles, at least
 PD> 40,000 are highway miles.  (He communites 100+ miles round trip daily.)
 PD> He takes care of the car, changes the oil regularly, does all the
 PD> things he's supposed to do.  Now for the question:  Under normal
 PD> conditions, how long (how many miles) should this car last?  He's
Mile's on a car don't have the facter that they once may have.  For example
I still drive a 79 Cutlass with over 250,000 miles on, and I drive it every
day.  It still has plenty of pep.  Now I did replace the transmition last
month but I still could have gotten by with the one that it had.  The trans
was taking a minute or two to get in to forward indicating that the seals
had hardened up.  BTW the transmition was a used one that I got from
someone that owed me money, plus I do my own work.  In other words it cost
me nothing but fluid, filter, gasket, and time.
Now I don't know when or if I will ever replace the car.  The factors that
I find most important is replacing a car is the cost and comfort.  For
example with my car the engine is bound to go sometime and at that time I
have to figure out is the body, interior, ect.  worth the cost of a new
engine or would it be better spend more to get another car.  I am
comfortable driving this car and that also will have a factor, as will the
fact that I only use the car to get to and from work.
Another thing to look at is the situation.  For example if it were say my
daughter that was using the car to drive 100 miles one way to somewhere and
back every day I might have to get a new car.  I wouldn't want the car to
be breaking down and have a daughter stranded somewhere in the dead of
night.  For me that is no problem.  ;^)
How long a car lasts is anyone's guess.  Doing the proper maintance and
getting the things fixed that need to be fixed is a good way to get the
most out of a car or anything else for that matter.  So I have no advice
there.  But I can tell you the car that I had prior to this one also had
about 200,000 miles on it.  And even though I have worked as an auto
machanic I'm still not the best at doing scheduled required maintance.  ;^)
Now having said all that I see that you are from Michigan so the body of
the car would be a big factor there.  What with the havoc that street salt
does to a car.  But you see here in Texas that is not such a concern,
unless I was closer to the Gulf that is.  The bodies of cars hold up a lot
longer here.
 PD> trying to decide whether to sell it this summer or will it last another
 PD> year.  (He believes in driving a car until 3 minutes before it totally
 PD> dies for the last time!) 
Sounds like he will probably keep the car if he is happy driving it.
Kevin Sherman           | Sysop                | Amiga, nothing but the best
Member Team *Amiga*       | The Blitter End      |        A500, A3000
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