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Ok...The day has come to answer the big question about the future of our big Jay, a '93 Nautic Blue-on-Tan 945 N/A, now flirting with 135K. (I know, merely the break-in phase for the B230F red-block and that killer tranny.) We bought her in '97 with 65K miles and since have put oh, $2k/year or so into maintenance and repair. An expensive Volvo specialist does the real work, I play with minor repairs. This has included brakes and ignition parts, a new hood, plus...
60s: Water pump, rear wiper motor/linkage, antenna, A/C plumbing (expensive!!)
80s: Tail pipe, misc. exhaust hardware
90s: A/C condenser, seat heater, axle exhaust pipe, engine splash pan, horns
100s: All belts, front engine oil seals, LCA bushings, battery
110s: Headpipe, more exhaust hardware
120s: Fuel pump, radiator, water pump, temp sensor, a stabilizer link
Now she needs brakes all around, front rotors, a complete exhaust kit ($450), a radio, the infamous shift-lock switch repair, our 2nd (!) tailgate panel repair (chewed right through the aluminum repair kit!), tranny tailshaft bushing, worn paint/scratches here and there, and resolution of a dozen rattles in doors/windows/seats/ etc etc.
Well...not bad for an old broad.
But then, along comes her younger sister: A '94 945 Turbo, pure white on gray leather, with a mere 65K, selling for $8K. She has a driver's door which droops a quarter inch on her lower hinge so "she don't close quite right," and whose inside release lever rattles. Oh, and the radio burps a little static when you adjust the volume. Other than that, she is downright pristine; skins on the seats were always covered in sheepskin, unlike the ones on my 945 which my children used as bootscrapers. Paint is great, artfully touched up over the years. Put a deposit on her, but now I'm thinking.
So here's the question: Do I buy myself another 70K-mile round of fun with the new gal, for not a lot of money, and retire the current 945 to a loving shade-tree mechanic's home? Or do I sit tight, keep the money flowing and maybe pour some extra dough into new seat covers, needed paint work, etc.?
What would you do? Dying to know.
Thanks for listening, you folks are great.
--Greg
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