Hello from Cedar Park, Texas.

[Tom King]

For those who have never heard of Cedar Park, it is a bedroom community of Austin, Texas. I have a 2008 Ford Explorer XLT that I purchased in the fall of 2007. It currently has 133,000 miles on it and I just forked out $4,500 for a new transmission. So why pay almost the purchase price of a car with this age and mileage for one repair? Well, some of you will understand finances being tight after you retire - and that's where I am right now.

This has been a excellent vehicle and a joy to drive for 12 years and this is the first major expense I have encountered. I'm hoping for 200K miles before I have to let the Explorer go. My wife's Nissan died last fall and we bought a new Toyota Corolla, so right now I can't make two car payments. When her's is done if I'm still around (I'll be 72 at the end of the month), then I'll look at a new (or newer) Explorer.

Right now the car has a new radiator (2016), new water pump (2017) New Alternator (2017) and the new transmission this month. There was also a leak at the heater valve and while it was replaced I had the head gasket replaced & a new set of plugs and wires for $960. Hopefully I'm good to go for a while without another major expense. I still change my own oil, and only use synthetic 5 W 20 and always follow the oil change schedule so I'm hoping the motor can make it another 70K.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum!

 

[donalds]

Welcome to the forum

 

[Mike65]

Welcome Tom. Nice looking Explorer.