'84 Pro T - repair or wreck?

[coaster]

Hi City Forum,

I live near Geelong and I have a 1984 Honda City Pro T (two-seater van). After years of neglect, it requires a ball joint (looong overdue), rear tyres, and a few minor things. It also looks poor - deep rust in several places, clear coat peeling, chalky roof, tears in seat cloth, etc..., and the engine itself looks very ordinary after 27 years. And yet despite all of this, and having not been serviced for over 18 months, it's still running. I decided back in 2009 that I wasn't going to spend another penny on it, but it just won't quit (and I do have a sentimental attachment to it).

I'm in a quandary about whether or not to spend several hundred $ to keep it going. The last mechanic to see it recommended that I drive it up the bush and leave it there. Ouch. I may be able to source a ball joint from a Melbourne wrecker ($95 quoted, plus the cost of fitting - about a hundred?). Should a take it in for another service and get a full rundown of repair costs? And can a neglected cracked ball joint eventually cause other, more extensive problems?

If I do part with it, would a City in this condition be worth anything to anybody? I guess they were never as popular in Victoria as they were in NZ, NSW and elsewhere. The only Honda parts dealers are on the other side of Melbourne - well over an hour away. It might not be worth the cost of petrol driving it there.

I realise that any advice without seeing the vehicle is purely speculative, but I'd appreciate it all the same. I don't care how the car looks anymore - I just wonder whether I've left it too late to inexpensively maintain.

Cheers, Paul

[spangleking]

the other ball joint may go later ( :
Given the tyranny of distance where you are: Go to a general car wrecker and measure up any other makers ball joints and see if they can be adapted to fit.
If so then get the arm off and take it to an engneer to fit it..make take a bit of daption and truning bits down etc.
iF YOU CANNOT COPE WITH ANY MECHANICS AT ALL IT MAY BE UNVIABLE FOR YOU..

Otherwise HIM FELLA ..THE BUSH

Hi City Forum,

I live near Geelong and I have a 1984 Honda City Pro T (two-seater van). After years of neglect, it requires a ball joint (looong overdue), rear tyres, and a few minor things. It also looks poor - deep rust in several places, clear coat peeling, chalky roof, tears in seat cloth, etc..., and the engine itself looks very ordinary after 27 years. And yet despite all of this, and having not been serviced for over 18 months, it's still running. I decided back in 2009 that I wasn't going to spend another penny on it, but it just won't quit (and I do have a sentimental attachment to it).

I'm in a quandary about whether or not to spend several hundred $ to keep it going. The last mechanic to see it recommended that I drive it up the bush and leave it there. Ouch. I may be able to source a ball joint from a Melbourne wrecker ($95 quoted, plus the cost of fitting - about a hundred?). Should a take it in for another service and get a full rundown of repair costs? And can a neglected cracked ball joint eventually cause other, more extensive problems?

If I do part with it, would a City in this condition be worth anything to anybody? I guess they were never as popular in Victoria as they were in NZ, NSW and elsewhere. The only Honda parts dealers are on the other side of Melbourne - well over an hour away. It might not be worth the cost of petrol driving it there.

I realise that any advice without seeing the vehicle is purely speculative, but I'd appreciate it all the same. I don't care how the car looks anymore - I just wonder whether I've left it too late to inexpensively maintain.

Cheers, Paul

[coaster]

Thanks for the reply. I think I'll book it in for one more service and get a shopping list of mechanical issues. At least I'll know what it may cost to keep running for 2-3 more years.
Anyway, the durability of this model is extraordinary. I guess it's like a fridge or toaster made in the 60's - they don't make them like that anymore.