92 Camry: What is going to immobilize me next?

On Fri, 20 Aug 2004 04:57:14 GMT, RPS <rps RemoveThis @null.void> wrote:

 >Steve B. < address@.com> wrote:
 >
  >> How many miles do you have on the car?
 >
 >About 150 K.

It sounds like you have taken good care of the car. It's a hard call
to make on a car like this. Since you took good care of it it could
last another 100k (or more) with very little trouble but you are going
to start having more nuisance stuff go wrong with it. You could also
have a majore failure like a transmission that would leave with a
repair bill higher than the resell value of the car. For my $ I drive
one until it starts costing me more per month than a payment would and
then go buy another used one. In this case I would get yourself a AAA
membership if you don't have one and see how it goes over the next few
months.

Steve B.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->

"RPS" <rps DeleteThis @null.void> wrote in message
news:190820041442402822%rps@null.void...
 >
 > Recently, battery and alternator. No warning, no warning lights came on
 > and the car started with one turn of key until it refused to start at
 > all. Tow, change both.
 >

While in theory a car battery can go at any time, in practice good ones
usually go
from between 5-7 years after purchase, unless the voltage regulator dies and
the voltage goes to high and boils the battery dry. (not common)

Around here I can buy a 100 month 800 CCA battery for about $50 on
sale, so this is really an item that needs to be replaced on a schedule.

 > This has me worried. In a 92 car, what can I expect to break next and
 > immobilize me without warning? What proactive checks and maintanance
 > can help me avoid this experience?

You need to either get AAA or buy yourself a good tow strap. Towing a car
with a car isn't that hard with a tow strap. Of course you can't race down
the
highway (or shouldn't, I've seen some idiots do it though) with it, but if
you
are a careful driver and the other driver in the car is careful also, and
you have
the tow strap fastened well, it's a lot easier than it seems.

Ted<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->