[quote=threadkiller]Bearishgurl I always eliminate any extra insurance(read that as not mandated by law) as soon as a vehicle is paid off. Of course I have more vehicles than I need, so your case may be different. Currently have one vehicle down as the alternator just went out on it, almost $1000 dollars for the stealership to fix it. Bought the refurbished Bosch alternator last night and am going to put it in this afternoon, savings $800.[/quote]

Good for YOU, threadkiller! That’s what I’ve always done, too, except that since I have been “single” I don’t install the part myself. But I still save half or more off the “stealership’s” repair bids. I have purchased only ONE new car in my entire life, the ONLY vehicle I have EVER purchased from a “stealership.” That was a popular economy car during the oil embargo days of the ’70’s. It cost $5400 (loaded). Gas prices had just exploded (from 36.9 cents to about 59.9 cents per gallon) and the lines were lo-o-ong at every gas station due to artificial “hold-backs” of oil-shipments to the US, lol!

I belong to two online nationwide wrecking yard databases that I have bought several parts from. You just have to be careful due to certain parts from certain parts of the nation being subject to rust and corrosion. Wrecking yard vendors registered with the site have to guarantee the part they send for I think 90 days or six months, depending on what it is. It’s a little like ebay in that way that if the site receives too many complaints about a wrecking yard vendor shipping faulty parts and not making good on them, their site membership will be terminated. These sites are “win-wins” for sellers AND buyers!

At such time as my current vehicle’s repairs become much more than the “worth” of the car to me, I’ll just sell it in the Auto Trader for what I can get and then add $$ and turn around and buy a newer one from a private party in same (with svc records, of course). It’s that simple :=]