Unfortunately the time for me to demod and sell the Monte Carlo came over the last month or so. The beginning of the end was a botched transmission rebuild last June that took the shop 5 weeks to finish, followed by a nightmare wheel hub repair, fuel pump failure and another 5 week stint a the shop while they rebuilt the transmission under warranty. Over the last year, the Monte was either at the shop or parked due to needed repairs for a total of about 5 months and that was what pushed me to sell it.

Here is a picture before I started pulling parts.


I took the car almost completely back to stock before I took it to Carmax to sell it.




I was trying to sell the car locally for 4000 dollars, but I didn't have the patience to deal with tire kickers and lowballers. Ultimately, the car was due to registration at the end of June and I was done spending money on it. Took it over to Carmax and they offered me 3000 dollars, so I took the money and ran.

Overall the last decade of driving this car saw me go from being a newly licensed driver barely capable of an oil change, to becoming highly proficient at car repairs. Working on this car has given me the confidence to do pretty much any car repair that doesn't involve the transmission.

I suppose the good news is bits and pieces of my car will live on through the parts that I have sold to several members of the forum. Hopefully my leftover parts will provide as much enjoyment for the new owners as they provided me.

 

Sorry to hear that. Hope you have fun with your next car.

 

Sorry to see the Monte go but glad you decided to pass the good stuff on. I very much appreciate the fair deals you offered on the items I picked up and the fact that everything shipped very quickly!

So, what will be replacing the Monte?

 

All good things come to an end.... Your comment Iffy of:
I think is the best part of this story. When I had my first car ('84 Buick Century with a 4-banger) and it seemed to know when I got my pay check, a co-worker told me this is the best time for these issues. I have resources willing and able to help teach me and I'll get my feet wet learning about car repairs at a point in life where I can handle it. He was right!

Hopefully your skills won't be used much on the replacement car!

 

That's very unfortunate and hope that you don't have to use many of your newly acquired skills on the new car except for the basic maintenance.
I too may have to part ways with my monte pretty soon, as much as I don't want to. I can't get over the feel of the race car look and feel of the Monte are being able to pass cars at will and purely dominate the highways at ease. But oh well, as stated earlier in this thread, all good things must come to an end. On a positive note though, between my Monte and the Camaro I've had before her, I too had acquired car repair and maintenance skills that saved me lots of money, and has strengthened my confidence pretty substantially lol. I'll continue to work with my Monte and do whatever it takes to keep her running still until the time comes where I have to part ways with it, and then maybe if the rumors are true, I'll be getting the new 2015 monte somewhere down the line??

 

Sucks you had to sell it but deff tell us what ur getting next

 

Since he might not visit much, he has a 2009 Malibu that he got for a really good deal that he is now driving.

In the last picture you can see it in his garage

 

Not a problem at all. I'd much rather make a few dollars and let someone else enjoy the parts than sit on them forever. As Chibi already mentioned earlier, I picked up a 2009 Malibu (it's hiding in the garage in one of the photos) with 50k on the clock.


I sure hope not, but I'm still working on getting a service manual for it. I don't even know where the basic parts are on the 2.4L engine on the Malibu.

You stole my thunder! haha Sad thing is, I'll probably poke in here more after I sold the car than when I had it...

 

Malibu's are ....ok.....But were glad at least that your still here

But srry for your loss..and your troubles with it...

 

Sorry to hear you had to sell it my coworker also has a 09 black Malibu. She let me drive it and I thought it was a pretty good car. Hers is the v6 model and handles pretty good and accelerations not bad either considering the size of the car.