keep it or sell it

[ralphwiggum]

Hey, I'd like some opinions on whether to keep or sell my X. I was going to sell it, simply due to the fact that it has 145,000 on it. I have maintained the vehicle well ever since I got it (125xxx), and the previous owner had all his maintenance records. So this weekend I was going to put it up for sale, and the clutch just about goes out. I don't know how to work on the clutch/trans., so this will be a $700 job at the shop. If I could sell it without fixing the clutch, I'd try to get about 3 grand for it. I probably couldn't get much more for it w/ a new clutch due to the miles. So the question is, keep it and drive it into the ground/spend $700, or sell it and take the hit? Advice appreciated! I like the vehicle, it's got a lot of options, but I was planning on going newer.

 

[Dre]

now.... if you take it to the dealer as a trade in.... they will give you very little for it (not even 2K IMO) but you'll save a little on sales tax...... I don't think you'll get 3 grand for it with this clutch acting up....
that's just my opinion....


If it was my truck I would fix it but as for you......... today it's the clutch tomorrow something else....

 

[1991XLT]

I dont think you will get your $3,000 for it.. I only paid $2900 for mine about 6 months ago.. and it had 116,000 miles on it then.. mine is a 91 XLT so its a year older.. but when they are that old.. it dont make too much difference.. So I guess it depends on How much ya like it.. or if you can afford to take a loss on it and upgrade to a newer one.. me personally I would fix it.. but I have the mechanical ability to do so myself.. so it would cost me way less then 700 for them repairs.. and also.. if you have any amount of tools and a mechanical minded buddy.. its not all that tough to replace the clutch yourself.. just remember to take the flywheel in to get it resurfaced..

 

[kandtholman]

It all depends on where you are from. Here in North Dakota you can get screwed because the biggest POS 4x4 can run 3,000 easy. My 92 XLT 4x4 w/93,000 at the time cost me $6,000.
Kurt

 

[1991XLT]

Originally posted by kandtholman
It all depends on where you are from. Here in North Dakota you can get screwed because the biggest POS 4x4 can run 3,000 easy. My 92 XLT 4x4 w/93,000 at the time cost me $6,000.
Kurt

Yeah.. I noticed that... If its Just under 100,000 Miles yet.. Dealers think its brand friggen new yet.. but once it has 116,000 on it like mine did.. then they tweet a different tune... and yeah.. you will get the ocassional few that will plop a hefty $4,000 buck price on a worn out splorer.. but.. Do they really get that much? When I bought mine there were lots and lots of them forsale and I just had to choose one.. actually when I bought mine the dealer I got mine at had a Dark Forrest Green 94 XLT 4x4 there forsale for $4,000 and it had 76,000 miles on it.. I originally went there to look at that one.. but it was sold when I got there.. so I looked at the one I ended up getting.. Another thing.. if its 95+ now you are talkin.. The LEAST is $5,500 and thats for one that has been to the moon and back.. And it also seems.. if you get one that has over 100,000 miles on it.. Plan on stickin another few hundred in parts for the front axle.. (Ball Joints, U-joints, Brakes.... etc...)

 

[oceanworker]

I own a 91 w/ 189,000 miles on her. Replaced the clutch at 125,000 and have driven her for two more years. Shop around. You should be able to get the work done (clutch, resurface pressure plate, throw out bearing, and put in a new clutch slave cylinder ) for $550-$600.
I figure I rode her for two years for $600 in repairs and saved not having to pay for new truck payments of about $300 each month.
Good luck.

 

[Dan Whitaker]

I had an 86 4-Runner and sold it for the same reason. I just wish I had priced the labor first beforeIi dropped $250 on a Downey clutch.

 

[ralphwiggum]

keeping it

Well, I'm pretty sure I'm going to keep it. I can't get something better for what I'd get for it after I fixed the clutch, and I can't afford to buy something that much more expensive. Unfortunately, $700 was the low end of the estimates I got, some places wanted as much as $1100! I'm thinking about doing it myself, but like I said, I've never worked on a trans./clutch before. Do you have to do anything special with a 4WD vehicle? Thanks!

 

[1991XLT]

Re: keeping it

Originally posted by ralphwiggum
Well, I'm pretty sure I'm going to keep it. I can't get something better for what I'd get for it after I fixed the clutch, and I can't afford to buy something that much more expensive. Unfortunately, $700 was the low end of the estimates I got, some places wanted as much as $1100! I'm thinking about doing it myself, but like I said, I've never worked on a trans./clutch before. Do you have to do anything special with a 4WD vehicle? Thanks!

Only thing different about it as it being 4WD is.. you will need to pull a Front and a Back Drive Shaft off.. and it is heavier as a unit cause of the Transfer case being on the back of the tranny.. as far as harder to do.. not really.. just have to figure in the consideration of the whole unit being heavier and the fact of pulling another driveshaft off.. and whatever is involved in the 4WD (linkage if you dont have electronic) and to make things easier I suggest you having a nice floor jack to help support the weight of the tranny.. you may not have to drop the tranny all the way out of the truck... I dont know as I never put one in a Explorer or Ranger.. I have put them in lots of other vehicles such as F-150 4x4 and other makes and models of cars.. and I know on my F-150 I was able to take the crossmember mount off and take the shift linkage, bell housing bolts, driveshaft, speedometer cable, Hydraulic Clutch tubing and whatever other odds and ends that needed to be pulled off.. with all that.. i was able to slide the whole unit back on TOP of the crossmember far enough to where I could access the bolts to remove the pressure plate and flywheel.. and could of removed the slave cylinder from tranny if needed be.. but I didnt.. only thing I did on that end was replace the throwout bearing.. (Which is a REALLY good Idea to do) also.. while you have the flywheel off.. it is easy to replace the Rear Main seal on the engine as well.. and the seal is not to exspensive.. (well wasnt for a 4.9 6 cylinder and 5.0 V8) as far as what you may run into for problems on doing this process.. I cant give you any details as to what you can expect on a Explorer Specifically.. but from what my experience is it should be similar to the F-150's I have done.. NOTE: secure vehicle and tranny before atempting to do this job... would hate to hear about how you got squashed by the tranny and or Truck.. ALSO: Make sure you have a torque wrench and that you find the torque specs for the flywheel and pressure plate bolts as you do want them to be at spec to prevent warping and or them coming loose... I hope this will help you to decide on whether or not you want to tackle this job or not.. if you still have more questions I will be more then willing to try and answer them...

 

[Dan Whitaker]

Hey ralph, since you decided to keep your X chec out us KC Area Explorers on the link in my sig. We have someone from Collins MO so why not Columbia?

 

[ralphwiggum]

thanks for the replies

1991XLT, thanks for the info., I took it into the shop as I don't want to try it right now (and I don't have a torque wrench). When you say "secure the truck and the trans." do you mean jack stands under the truck and a floor jack under the tranny?
Dan Whitaker, I'm in St. Louis for at leas the next year, I just graduated from Mizzou. The shop recommended replacing the main cylinder as well (apparently there was oil in the fluid?), so I don't think I can afford gas to drive to K.C. for a while. If you see somebody riding around on a girl's 10-speed with an Explorer t-shirt, it's probably me. Go Cards, we won in '85!

 

[Dan Whitaker]

Hey ralph, I can understand that. You can go ahead and check out the site though. We welcome anybody. We have only had one get together so far. It is fun just to have more people to chat with.