(This isn't a "For Sale" ad, even though it sounds like one.)
Background I live in Rochester, NY during the school year, and they have very lax rules about inspections. However, my home base and where my car is registered is Leesburg, VA -- one of the strictest inspection areas in the US. I'm going home this weekend to find out what has to be fixed to pass inspects this summer. '99 Grand Cherokee Limited (WJ) 101k miles. I maintain it and it shows.. Bought it used with 75k miles for $8k two years ago, but now it has problems:

Problems Now
-Both front windows don't roll down (right one stopped, then the left one a few days later, sometimes I feel like I can hear the door motor click when I press the window button),
-Both back windows still go up and down, but much slower than when I first bought the car,
-Left turn signal doesn't work (sporadically, it does.. and sometimes if I turn on the hazard lights, flip the signal, then turn the hazards off, the left signal stays on for a few seconds),
-Front left boot cover is missing (front right one was just replaced.. and I don't really go off road that much so no clue as to how) and so when I make a hard (slow) turn, the car makes a loud shuddering/rubbing sound when the axle and wheel rub against each other) (I know this will be around $650),
-Front right wheel has damage (Firestone didn't really specify.. but I do know I hit a hidden curb while turning during a blizzard that sent the car up on two wheels for a second),
-A/C blows hot on the left, cold on the right (both are set to high heat, however when set to cold, they both blow cold),
-Left turn signal over is broken on the side, and Leesburg requires me to replace it ($210 from Firestone, but I'll just order it from EBay and do it myself).

Recent problems I had fixed last summer ($3k ish)
One of the transmission sensors (Mechanic wanted to replace the entire trans for 3k and wouldn't listen to me when I said I had found online advice about replacing the sensors when the car has jumpy shifts.. finally gave in and just changed the sensor, but charged me for all kinds of weird things like a stripped bolt, broken bolt, tapping it out, etc...)
New A/C Fan because it stopped working, and the engine would overheat when I had the A/C on
New Wiper motors because they would run weirdly when I used an intermittent setting.
(I told my mechanic in writing and verbally not to do anything about any of the above problems except the sensors but he did anyway and charged me 2.5 grand.)
New right boot cover (replaced the entire axle assembly.. was that even necessary?)

Advice Needed
I want to know if it's worth fixing all this (or whatever is required to pass inspects), or selling the car in Rochester for 4-5k and using that money for a down payment on a brand new car? Also, would you agree with the following?

I believe I should get a new car next time, and only lease it. Buying a car is good, but I like to change cars every few years to keep with the times. I've only had two used cars so far: one Del Sol with 105k, and this Jeep WJ with 75k. Both had so many problems. It seems like when leasing, even though you can't sell it at the end of the term, the dealership will pay for all problems and oil changes that are covered under warranty and aren't driver failure for the 3 years you have it. When you take the car back for a new lease, you won't have to worry about replacing expensive parts as the car gets older, since you'll always have a fairly new car. If you look at the total costs of a used car and a new leased car, it seems cheaper (to me) to just get the leased one. You also save on gas with newer models, and have better interior electronics (I mention gas because my Jeep V8 gets 14 mpg average.) One last thing I just thought of--Rochester rock salt tears apart alignment and paint. Leasing the car will save me having to pay for the frequent repairs associated with this area and weather.

So
What do you guys think? I'm flipping out here, cause I'm a saver, not a spender. Either way, both options are going to cost me a cool buck. I can afford it--the new car (if I get one) will be an Audi or 4WD manual alternative, but still.. As a Finance major, I'm about having more in the bank than more around me. I'd rather keep the Jeep, unless it will cost me more in the end.

 

Either way, sounds like you need to start using a different mechanic. One who doesnt rip u off

 

x2.

As for leasing or whatever, save you're money pay with cash. My ZJ is a 93 and argues with me all the time, but she doesn't come with a monthly bill and someone else's info on my title. For the first time in years i understand why my dad always said pay with cash.

 

I would register it to a P.O. box where your school is then you wouldn't have to worry about any of that stuff... if that is legal I am not sure... I know you can register a car to a p.o. box in ny tho..

 

I use Pakmail. There you don't have to say PO box, you can say Apt, Suite, anything you want. I have my license there for security.

 

You can register the car where you are at even though your license is from somewhere else. I am in the Army and I do it every 3 to 4 years as we move around a bit. You just have to show proof of residency. Like a phone bill or a utility bill. Cell phone bills don't work but cable bills do.

The PITA side to it is that you will have to title it there.

Me personally, if it was me, I would trade in your WJ for a new Grand Cherokee with the 4.0. I have been to Rochester in the winter, and man, it can be brutal there when its cold and snowing. You definately need a 4WD up there.

I would buy, the trouble with Leasing is that you have a lot of restrictions. The Lease option seems so attractive at first, but you can't go over the mileage limit for the time that you have the car. For example, you lease the car for 3 years, they may restrict you to 36k miles. You may pay per mile or a set fee if you go over that. Then there is the required maint. The dealership has to perform all services whether they are covered or not, or you violate the terms of the agreement.

My sister leased a Minivan from a company that now Imports from Detroit a few years back. She missed her 2nd to last scheduled maint appt before it was to be turned in. She was out of town for a job conference, when she got back the dealership would not take the car back, they automatically change her froma Lease to a Lease to Own contract. She now owned it and still does. The only way to get out of it is to trade it in for a new car or sell privately.

You have to be carefull with the Lease Option, especially if you plan on driving to VA often. If you buy it and you get tired of the car, you can trade it in for a new one without any hidden restrictions.

 

You give tons of helpful advice and I sincerely appreciate it.

Can you give me the exact steps you go through when you register your car in your area? My car and my insurance are in my parent's name, though, and will stay that way. I don't think I'll be able to do it then, will I?

As for the lease, that sounds very technical and more of a pain than a phone contract. I don't mind the lease thing though, because while I may be throwing money out the window, the car will be swapped for a brand new one every three years, and I'll never be faced with expensive problems. I average more in repairs (spread out over the course of a year) than I do in car payments over the same year!! You can see why I'm so optimistic about a leased car.

i won't get another Jeep, EVER. Don't get me wrong, I love my baby to death.. It's one tough car and wipes the floor with all others in snow, rain, and off the beaten path. That alone is enough to want to keep it forever. However, gas, non-prestigiousness, and the fact that now I'm headed more toward Benz/Lexus/Audi (I crashed a BMW when I was test driving cars to buy them.. that's why I have a cheep Jeep Lol) takes Jeep off my list of new cars. Second time around's the charm......

 

ZZYXER

No you won't be able to. If the car is not in your name, you cannot register it in another city or state.

 

That alone is enough to want to keep it forever. However, gas, non-prestigiousness>>>

And your a finance major? One simple word of advice they may or may not teach you in college: It's not how you make it but how you spend it. If it's more important to have something prestigious then something practicle then you're not worried about what you're spending.

If you paid $8,000 for a 99 model then you over paid by a fair margin, I got a 97 with 84,000 miles in about as good of condition as you could expect for $3,200. Refer back to my first paragraph here. Nothing has failed except for two door locks and any money I've spent has been very routine such as brakes, tires, battery, oil changes, replaced a traction bar I could have waited on for a while.

 

Yup, I've been ripped off big time. It tends to come with the area I live in.

I have another question though, and it sounds kind of obvious, but since I don't see or hear about it all the time, I'm assuming there's something I don't know about that makes it less commonplace: Would it be a bad idea to just pay a $500 deductible and have insurance pay to fix all the problems? Technically, there was an accident when I hit the curb during a snowstorm. Could I ask them to fix all the problems? What would happen then?

Since you mentioned the brake problem, I just remembered how once time my brake mechanism with the axle thing almost completely melted because of mud stuck in there. That was another $700 to fix. I completely forgot about that one.

I've been convinced out of selling the car though. Just b/c I would never buy another Jeep again doesn't mean I don't like my car -- I do love my Jeep GC a lot. I always get compliments on it, and it has more features than most of my friends much newer cars. I'm going to fix the problems or get an out-of-state inspection sticker (it probably passes fine in Rochester) and not drive the car back home.