I have 4000$ to blow

[StormyTD]

hay everyone! im new to working on ... anything, but im learning.
i have 4000$ extra to put in my 1996 XLT 4.0L v6 4x4.

what are some good preformance inhancing ideas.
mind im buying paint for the whole truck (painting is free ) haveing my transmission rebuilt, and getting new tires plus a wheel bareing for the front driver side.

also dose anyone know what it will cost to get this truck lifted about
(6in or 1ft)?

 

[little x]

Lift it, regear it, buy some wheels and tires, then send the remaining $ to me.

 

[Electrohacker]

you dont wanna go 1ft, it'l tip like mad

for $4000 you could do a V8 swap and a solid axle swap with 6" lift and 35" tires

 

[SuRrEaLNJ]

money for the poor?
meaning for me
ill take it

 

[IZwack]

Invest the 4k into something else - let the money grow. Vehicle modifications are money pits unless the vehicle actually appreciates in value over time - which Explorers do not do.

 

[SuRrEaLNJ]

sadly IZwack's words are verry wise...

 

[IZwack]

sadly harold's words are verry wise...

Sadly, you are using my first name again.



:

 

[SuRrEaLNJ]

Sadly, you are using my first name again.



:

i have no idea what youre talkin about

 

[McSlug]

Invest the 4k into something else - let the money grow. Vehicle modifications are money pits unless the vehicle actually appreciates in value over time - which Explorers do not do.

Wise advise.

Mods for reliability and economy can be justified

Mods to ********** over cannot.

 

[shadowless127]

Sell the 96 and pick up a newer 5.0.

 

[JDraper]

Invest the 4k into something else - let the money grow. Vehicle modifications are money pits unless the vehicle actually appreciates in value over time - which Explorers do not do.

Best advice you could have right there!! Unless you're independently wealthy, an Explorer is not a vehicle to sink money into, especially if you're young. You'll never get out of it what you put into it, and it's not a collector vehicle. Yes, many of us do spend a considerable amount of money on our vehicles, but some of us are older and have done well in life, and some of us are just young and dumb...:


FYI, when I was young, I drove $900 beaters. That was until I was well out of college, had a good job, and was married. I didn't have heavily modified vehicles or expensive vehicles. I put my money into my future. I didn't buy my first new vehicle until 2001 (an Explorer..go figure). Because I did that, I can now afford the toys I want. If I had wasted the money in my teens and 20's, I wouldn't be where I am now.

I'm going to post a copy of something one of our dearly departed members (Jack Lobdell) wrote a few years back. Ignore the age listed, but it's valuable advice for anyone that is young.

I'm 16 What Mods Should I Make To My Explorer

You will not like our response. But this is the hard truth...

Sell your Explorer (which costs over $.60/mile to operate) and get some small, used, ugly econobox with a miserly 4 cylinder (that costs more like $.25/mile to operate) Explorers are great, but they really cost a lot of money, both to buy parts for and feed. Plus the modifications you will eventually want to make on your Explorer can easily run in excess of $15,000

Given your age, we would take all our "spare" money (and all but the basics should be spare) and invest it in school, present and future. Get the hottest computer (Pentium MMX, preferably Pentium II or even newer) you can afford with the newest software, especially C and Java, and learn to program these languages. Take any available money and put it in a growth stock fund until you graduate from High School, then wait for a market high and get out with the money invested in a BBB-grade bond or preferred stock fund (about 8.75%) to provide income while you are in college or trade school.

If you are headed to college, consider this: Double major in college, that is do a full major in something you love (e.g. Art, Photography, Music Classics, History, Anthropology, Biology) and do a full major in something that will always provide you some good income (e.g. Business, Computer Science, Engineering). It will take you 4 years plus one additional semester.

If you intend to be an automotive mechanic, you still need to invest in the training such as Community College, including the computers, to be a good one these days. After this you will need to apprentice and maybe work for a specific manufacturer or dealership. You will be a step up on most toward building and modifying any fine vehicle.

When you get a decent job after all this, you need to save up one full years salary as a reserve. You need to begin to buy a place to live on your own before you buy toys. At the same time you need to be funding an employers retirement fund (e.g. 401k). If you are already working, even at a low paying job, you need to begin a Roth IRA. Fund the entire $2000 per year into your IRA and invest it into a growth stock fund...several after 10 years to spread the risk in several stock funds.

Here's your choices...you can have a really cool Explorer now that will probably be in the bone yard in 10 years and you will be $25,000 poorer and searching for your next "toy" car or you can be a millionaire+ at age 40 and buy any car you want. Go to Costco and buy a book called "The Millionaire Next Door" and read it cover to cover if you don’t believe us.

We’re not your mom or your dad or your guardian, who you probably don't like to listen to anyway. Yeah, we know we have *****in' Explorers...but we’ve "paid the price" and I don’t mean money…

Sorry to sound so practical, but these are the best modifications you can make at your age…right now...If you are not convinced or are already dripping with money, then by all means start building. Any modification will do wonders.

"The preceding statement has been endorsed by grouchy old farts with thin wallets and big payments."

 

[gmanpaint]

Wow, so true! I named my rig.... "Black Hole" because that's exactly what it is. A money sucking vacuum that never, ever gets it's fill.

This is how sad it can get.......I spend about $100 for food when going grocery shopping. This week, I only spent $30, because I needed the remainder for parts for the rig.

Once you start modifying, you just can't stop on your own. It takes an act of God to stop the downward spiral.

 

[explorerguy89]

i like how in the quote it says get newest computer pentium mmx or pentium II haha showin its age =p

 

[slaughterrt]

That's A buzz kill

 

[reapereviltwin]

The main thing to think about what you do is to seperate your needs and wants. The rig is a want. Shelter and food is a need. Don't let your wants override your needs. The rig don't take the $ from you, you sink the money into the rig.
I learned a long time ago not to try to "keep up with the Jones", and yes I am an old fart. For all the rigs that are mouth watering out there, there is someone that tried to do the same without the resourses and either fell flat or are falling now. Never allow a mod or an upgrade take priority over things such as rent/mortage, utilities, food, or your future schooling or trade.
Maybe you can do both by using some for your rig and then investing the rest.

 

[BigDakota]

$4000 extra.. you must be caught up on your bills and needs...hmmmm..thats nice..add a couple of bling bling things to your ride and keep adding to the $$$ piggy bank and draw on it now and again. It is nice to have some stashed cash.
Now another note..I have no trust in todays economy and stock market funds " I did at one time". Stash the cash in a safe, at least you know you have it and you can protect it and nobody needs to know what kind of $$ reserves you have. Its kinda fun doing that way.

 

[gmanpaint]

Never allow a mod or an upgrade take priority over things such as rent/mortage, utilities, food,

Bah!...Food is over rated anyways! I'm currently on a FORD diet....LOL:

 

[reapereviltwin]

Bah!...Food is over rated anyways! I'm currently on a FORD diet....LOL:

LOL! FORD diet? I got to remember that one!

 

[gtyates]

I agree as well. Spend the least you can!! I would suggest if shocks are old replacing those as well as sway bar links and bushings. But unless you have more money than sense don't mod it!!! I love my old '96 (and my '04 even better) but my '96 is becoming a money pit as I chase down a wierd idle/rpm surge issue. I have a current thread on this as well.

 

[wpurple]

I couldn't agree more, I have put at least $5K into my Mountaineer and although it has made it as awesome as a Mountaneer can be, I wish I still had that money in the bank and traded it in stock for a econobox.....

lesson learned