Looking for feedback: Stay or trade

[zavetsky]

I know others have posted this type of thing as well, but looking for some constructive feedback....

I have a 94 Explorer 4 door... bought her late in 99.....so I have had her about 4 years or so.....she had 63k on her...needed something to carry around a newborn at the time, and got her for $10k.

I put about 9-10k on her a year.....mostly town travel.

She now has 97k on her.....Since I have owned her, I have done the following:

-Tranny rebuild at 65k (blew out on the beach, on vacation...almost left us stranded for a week)
-left rear brake cylinder replaced
-rear brakes
-front calipers and rotors
-front right caliper again
-front brake lines and crossover line replaced
- dynomax exhaust about 5k miles ago
- several sets of front brakes...I got only 5k last set...
-rear axle seal (left side)
- front lower and upper ball joints last winter
- front wheel bearings about 1.5 years ago
-plugs, wires
-new used drivers seat
-front axle u-joints (axle joints, not the shaft joints)
-new shocks two years ago (broken stud syndorme repaired with a kit on each side)
- new radius arm bushings

Potential issues:
-intermittant hot start problem...I am hoping the eec relay I just replaced helps that....
-Ready for new tires as well...about $300
-the usual lower rocker panel in front of the rear tire is rotted out..just repaired one side yesterday (gotta wonder about the engineers who added the lower effects with no drain for the rockers)
-cracked drivers door pull but still solid enough
- water pump HAD a small (very small) cold-weather weep....barsleaks seems to have stopped that for the time being


I can get into a new 2003 or slightly used 2003 Chevy Tahoe 4wd 4 door for about $425 a month or so for 6 years , if my research is right....my current payment is $228 a month, for another 18 months or so....

I really actually like the Explorer a lot, but I am starting to wonder if I am getting nickle and dimed to death....I wouldnt mind it so much if I didnt still owe on her....about $3700, what she is blue booked for.

The tahoe offers a 275 hp V8 that gets 15mpg (whcih is what I am getting with my anemic v6) and is larger...

I have another beach vacation coming up in Sept and I am getting nervous.....getting stranded on vacation with a small item is bad enough and sometimes you cant help that.,..but I cant deal with another major catastrophe like a tranny....we went last year and all went well, but am I pushing my luck?

I am starting to feel like I will never really pay off this truck and reap any reqards for keeping her. I originally bought her going by advice/feedback on this forum that said that these trucks typically get 110k miles or so before major problems...but I am starting to wonder.....

I am past the "fall in love with a car and take it to the grave come hell or high water" phase....I like the truck, but where does it end??? I like working on cars, but time is tight and so is money....and I *dont* like dumping money into a hole....Can anyone give me any good advice??

Thanks in advance, and thanks for letting my vent a little....

DZ

 

[mbryda]

Join the club. I think I got the one that was built @ 4:59 on Friday the 13th. )

I have 72k on it now and within the month it's going bye-bye for a new G35....

Here's what has been done:

59k rebuild trans (despite fluid change @ 38k - rebuilder said it looked like a 100k+ trans - pitted gears, teeth missing, etc. And I don't tow!) $1900

62k engine knock @ 2-3k RPM's only when cold and now that it's hot, seems to have disappeared. TSB could cost $800-2000 to fix, depeding on which chain is rattling...

~60k front bearings starting to go - @ $200 each for parts.

Not to mention little things are starting to go (lumbar on seat, misc. rattles, etc.). I'm just afraid of yet another repair that's into the thousands for a truck I still am paying on.

So, I wanted to get back into a car - the wife just got a new Escape (nice truck, BTW - just hope it lasts)... And the only thing appealing is the G35. Want a sports sedan with a stick. Ford doesn't make one (Mustang is not an option - would only consider a Cobra and @$35k that's too much!), so it's import time....I just hope it works out well.

Don't know if I'd go with GM - they tend to fall apart at 50k as well.

 

[Carl D.]

Keep it, I've had mine for 4 years now and have invested a lot in it. Wouldn't give it up for anything. Any used vehicle is going to have problems. The only advantage to buying new is it's under warranty. Remember not only does your payment go up 6 years but so does your insurance and personal property tax (if you have it).

Iv'e been frustrated with mine at times, but if you spend just a little extra when making repairs and use quality parts, you should only have to make the repair once and its should last several years.

Also look for places that do repairs with life time warranties, cost a little more but its fixed for life.

Good Luck

 

[EliteConcept]

yep i agree, any car in general can and will give you problems its all luck of the draw

 

[zavetsky]

Hello...

Only reason I was thinking GM is because we have a 98 Chevy Malibu that has been reliable except for a repeated failing AC control panel....3 times now....the car has 75k on her and so far so good....still very solid....

Dont get me wrong...I would keep the X in a heartbeat if I knew that the next major repair was a ways down the road.....Other than our yealry vacation to the beach where 4x4 is necessary, I dont drive this that much (I ride a motorcycle weather permitting)....Its just that I guess I am at the "sink or swim" point with the X>...I still like the way it looks, etc.....I could use more power, but overall it goes ok I guess....

Ah hell......I hate being a grown up sometimes.....too many damn decisions...<grin>

DZ

Originally posted by mbryda
Join the club. I think I got the one that was built @ 4:59 on Friday the 13th. )

I have 72k on it now and within the month it's going bye-bye for a new G35....

Here's what has been done:

59k rebuild trans (despite fluid change @ 38k - rebuilder said it looked like a 100k+ trans - pitted gears, teeth missing, etc. And I don't tow!) $1900

62k engine knock @ 2-3k RPM's only when cold and now that it's hot, seems to have disappeared. TSB could cost $800-2000 to fix, depeding on which chain is rattling...

~60k front bearings starting to go - @ $200 each for parts.

Not to mention little things are starting to go (lumbar on seat, misc. rattles, etc.). I'm just afraid of yet another repair that's into the thousands for a truck I still am paying on.

So, I wanted to get back into a car - the wife just got a new Escape (nice truck, BTW - just hope it lasts)... And the only thing appealing is the G35. Want a sports sedan with a stick. Ford doesn't make one (Mustang is not an option - would only consider a Cobra and @$35k that's too much!), so it's import time....I just hope it works out well.

Don't know if I'd go with GM - they tend to fall apart at 50k as well.

 

[X~FACTOR]

Trade it. It's the trend now a days. If you could afford the newer truck and you can't stand another break down then just trade it and don't look back.

 

[mbryda]

Originally posted by zavetsky
Only reason I was thinking GM is because we have a 98 Chevy Malibu that has been reliable except for a repeated failing AC control panel....3 times now....the car has 75k on her and so far so good....still very solid....

They are decent cars. Where I work, we use GM's for fleet vehicles, and the Malibus are decent, although some of the older ones have odd issues (rattles, bearings, etc.), but seem to be holding up well.

Dont get me wrong...I would keep the X in a heartbeat if I knew that the next major repair was a ways down the road.....

That's where I'm at - still have 2 years in payments and I'm afraid something big is going to happen again. Not too sure I want to drop another $1-2k on a truck I'm still paying for.

I know Ford can make a great car - I've owned 2 of them, friends & family have owned good ones, etc. Heck, even had the wife looking at the '03 Explorers (got an Escape). I think a lot of the problems were the result of Jac Nasser cutting costs insanely... All the good cars were pre-Nasser or right at the beginning. Hopefully the wife's Escape will prove reliable - I made her get the 100k Ford ESP "just in case".

Ah hell......I hate being a grown up sometimes.....too many damn decisions...<grin>

Yup, so true. That's where I'm at with looking @ cars. I really liked the way the G35 handled and perforned (think Cobra with 4 doors - it's 0-60 in 5.78, just like my '97 Cobra), but it's another 5 years of payments. But the warranty (and hopefully the vehicle) is better.

 

[guitar814]

I would definitely trade for the Tahoe. It is a very nice vehicle. We have a Suburban and I love it, I just wish the wheelbase was shorter. The Suburban is the same price as the Tahoe so it was hard for me to justify the Tahoe.

My company is a fleet buyer of Chevrolet trucks (they have about 50 at the moment) and we will run the truck for 200-300k miles with little or no problems. Every once in a while a Transmission will go over 100k.

I like to try to buy domestic products especially cars. I can see buying a German car, maybe. And maybe, maybe buying a Japanese car, but in this day and age I would NEVER buy a French car. That's right G35-Infinity-Nissian-Peugeot-French owned and operated. All of the profits from that luxury Maxima go straight to FRANCE.

Just my take on things

 

[mbryda]

Originally posted by guitar814

My company is a fleet buyer of Chevrolet trucks (they have about 50 at the moment) and we will run the truck for 200-300k miles with little or no problems. Every once in a while a Transmission will go over 100k.

Quite a few of our Chevy trucks sound like death at low miles. One Blazer puked trans fluid, bearings are hummin', etc @ roughly 80k... However, others seem to hold up well.

I like to try to buy domestic products especially cars. I can see buying a German car, maybe. And maybe, maybe buying a Japanese car, but in this day and age I would NEVER buy a French car. That's right G35-Infinity-Nissian-Peugeot-French owned and operated. All of the profits from that luxury Maxima go straight to FRANCE.

Not to try to turn this into a flame fest, but... You'll buy a German car, Japaneese car, but not a "French" car? Let's see here, we have that little thing called WW2 in where Germany committed perhaps the largest Genocide in the world... Not to mention Japan & Pearl Harbor...

And, FYI Renault only owns ~44.4% of Nissan. So, profits go to Japan & France.

Not to mentiion it's not a Luxury Maxima, try a Luxury 350Z. Max is FWD, G is RWD based on the 350's platform.

I did try to look at domestics, but what's left that's:
1) Sedan
2) Manual Trans (Ford killed the SHO and Manual Lincoln)
3) Fun to drive

Nothing in the domestic camp. That only leaves the imports ...

 

[zavetsky]

I cant win

Well, talked myself into getting new tires for my Explorer today so I spent $300 on that....take it to get aligned...should be an easy $60......They tell me $200!

Turns out I need "camber adjustment bushings" on both sided.....$25 for parts....$110 for LABOR!

GEEZUZ! I cant freakin' win. Postponed that till I could check this forum.....

WHat says you all?

DZ

Originally posted by mbryda
They are decent cars. Where I work, we use GM's for fleet vehicles, and the Malibus are decent, although some of the older ones have odd issues (rattles, bearings, etc.), but seem to be holding up well.




That's where I'm at - still have 2 years in payments and I'm afraid something big is going to happen again. Not too sure I want to drop another $1-2k on a truck I'm still paying for.

I know Ford can make a great car - I've owned 2 of them, friends & family have owned good ones, etc. Heck, even had the wife looking at the '03 Explorers (got an Escape). I think a lot of the problems were the result of Jac Nasser cutting costs insanely... All the good cars were pre-Nasser or right at the beginning. Hopefully the wife's Escape will prove reliable - I made her get the 100k Ford ESP "just in case".




Yup, so true. That's where I'm at with looking @ cars. I really liked the way the G35 handled and perforned (think Cobra with 4 doors - it's 0-60 in 5.78, just like my '97 Cobra), but it's another 5 years of payments. But the warranty (and hopefully the vehicle) is better.

 

[X~FACTOR]

If you were thinking of trading your truck why in the world would you buy new tires for it? I don't get it...

 

[udmsvt]

ok, my .02

first of all, to mbryda: Cadillac CTS, ford contour SVT (made until 2000)

as to the ex vs tahoe......

no doubt the tahoe is a nice ride, but sound like someone is a little rough on your ex...lets see, several sets of brakes?....our 91 is on set #4 at 160k. sets 1-2 lasted well over 100, but then they put a new driver (teenage girl) behind the wheel..bye bye brakes. she also managed to drop the original trans at 130k. but, as history shoes us, if you have your work done at a reputable shop, the A4LD trans can be great.

long story short, take it easier on the ex (whoever the driver is). i would never own an automatic GM 4x4 because of the trannies, but thats just me. i fi were you, i would take the dif between what you are paying now and what you would be paying for the tahoe (include the offset for ins) and stick it in the bank. at over 200/mo, IF something does come up, the money will already be there. at 200/mo *18mos, you would have 3600 in the bank, more than enough to pay for a tranny, engine and several brake jobs....just in case.

then, once its paid off, get your wife that tahoe, and claim the ex as your project truck. use whatevers left from the savings to either do some fun projects of make a down payment on the tahoe.

 

[bobs 93 x]

gotta stay with it man

 

[mbryda]

Re: ok, my .02

Originally posted by udmsvt
first of all, to mbryda: Cadillac CTS, ford contour SVT (made until 2000)

The styling on the CTS is, um, how should I say - UGLY.

If they would have kept the Contour SVT, I'd be buying one of them - from what I remember, it was one AWESOME car. But, like most of Ford's recent awesome cars, they canned it. Doesn't make sense. Look at the fanatical SVT owners, and those that own the SHO - they are just as fanatical. Those cars couldn't have cost much more to build - they were standard Contours and Tauruses with upgraded engines & suspensions, so most of the design and certification work was already done...

Back to the original question - analyze what you think will go wrong and ask yourself if you can live with that with a car payment. If the answer is yes, keep the truck. If it's not, then its time to say bye.

 

[udmsvt]

Re: Re: ok, my .02

Originally posted by mbryda
The styling on the CTS is, um, how should I say - UGLY.

If they would have kept the Contour SVT, I'd be buying one of them - from what I remember, it was one AWESOME car. But, like most of Ford's recent awesome cars, they canned it. Doesn't make sense.

sure it does. the contour was based off the ford mondeo...which is also the base for the jag x-type. when they dropped the contour, thats when the x-type hit it big, and i believe you can get a v6 5-speed awd version of that....personally, i'd rather have a subaru WRX though.


as for the trucks, like i said...keep the ex and put the savings in the bank foir later. when you pay it off, then get the tahe and keep the ex for a project truck.

 

[mbryda]

Re: Re: Re: ok, my .02

Originally posted by udmsvt
sure it does. the contour was based off the ford mondeo...which is also the base for the jag x-type. when they dropped the contour, thats when the x-type hit it big, and i believe you can get a v6 5-speed awd version of that....personally, i'd rather have a subaru WRX though.

It does, but the Contour was a good little car. Great handling and power and decent quality...

Funny you should mention the X-type. Rented one while in CA earlier this year (2 days - decided to splurge) and loved it. Great car and smooth as silk. Only problem is by the time I option it out, it's over $40k

 

[zavetsky]

Good question, so I'll give ya a good answer <grin>

I actually ordered the tires a few weeks back and they just came in yesterday......I only started thinking about a new truck about a week back when some other things went on my my X.....

My old tires were worn to the point of being dangerous and I tote two little ones around, so I couldnt skimp there, since it could be a month or two before I would even possibly get a new one....besides, I couldnt screw the tie guy either.....and on top of taht, I need as much tradein as I can get to pay it off....Blue book says it is worth $3800 in good condition and I owe $3800, so bald tires would have lost me 300-400 anyways....

As a followup, I go tteh new tires yesterday....Kuhmo Road ventures....took it to a shop for a 450 inspection...surprise surprise, they need another $150 to install camber adjustment shims on both sides.

I just cant win.

Teetering on the edge,
DZ

Originally posted by X-factor
If you were thinking of trading your truck why in the world would you buy new tires for it? I don't get it...

 

[zavetsky]

Re: ok, my .02

"no doubt the tahoe is a nice ride, but sound like someone is a little rough on your ex...lets see, several sets of brakes?....our 91 is on set #4 at 160k. "

Well, all I can say is that my X is eating brakes......Now, I found that the rear brakes were not adjusted properly so maybe that is why the last set wore out in 5k miles.....When I did the brakes, I repalced the sliding pins and all.....I tried a different brand of cermaics the last time and they are teh ones that wore out in 5k...Went with standard Napa ones this time and I guess we'll see....I dont think I am that hard on the brakes...I dont race this truck, since most of the time I have my two kids with me.....to and from daycare.....lots of local trips though....maybe that plus maladjusted back brakes did it?? I usually get 15k-20k or so out of brakes on my other cars. I have NEVER seen a set of front pads go 40-50k like you say....maybe I am just hard on brakes.... <grin>



" she also managed to drop the original trans at 130k. "

Dont make the mistake of blaming the kid....My parents did the same thing to me when I was 18...they had a POS Reliant station wagon with high miles and a few weeks after I left for Army training it dropped the tranny....That was "my fault".....

My Explorer dropped a tranny at 65k miles (or so the odometer said)..... in the middle of a summer vacation so 130k seems pretty good to me.

"but, as history shoes us, if you have your work done at a reputable shop, the A4LD trans can be great."

How often do you change fluid?? I have about 30k on the rebuild and am planning the change.....Shoudl I do this myself or take it for a reverse flush??? I did the last fluid change myself and (as coincidence would have it, the tranny dropped a few months later....and I know what you are thinking ...he screwed up...no, I have done MANY tranny fluid changes in teh past on otehr cars and never a problem...<grin>)

"long story short, take it easier on the ex (whoever the driver is). "

Like I said, I really dont abuse this truck...it sees about 10 miles a day in travel normally and in the winter about 390 miles a day....local traffic, so maybe this is why.....I dont put a lot of miles on her, and I see no reason why it is having these issues.....My 92 Dakota sawa HELLUVA lot more abuse than this and is still going strong (knock wood) at 119k miles or so....she is retired and a garage queeen now....With all the talk about how tough the X is, I cant honestly say that I have seen that.

Now, I suppose I could have been screwed on my X...maybe it had way more miles than 63k when I bought it...but the condition of it then seemed to fit that number of miles.....

" i would never own an automatic GM 4x4 because of the trannies, but thats just me. "

My X's tranny went at 65k or so......as have others here....apparantly, judging by the number of bad tranny threads here I would say that others have the same issues, so I dont think saying GM trannys are bad is quite fair...<grin>

" i fi were you, i would take the dif between what you are paying now and what you would be paying for the tahoe (include the offset for ins) and stick it in the bank. at over 200/mo, IF something does come up, the money will already be there."

I guess that is true, if things wouldnt keep letting go......I just spent $300 on tires (got a deal) but find out that to get it aligned, it needs "shims" on both sides....so another $150 on TOP of the alignemnet (normal maint item I know).....

Truth is, I am not really seeing ANY savings I dont think......I need balljoints this past February and that was like $600 or so.....so, add the brakes, alignemnet and "shims" and already I have lost the savings.....If nothing else goes wrong in the next year, maybe...but it sure seems like its a once every few montsh kind of thing with this truck.....

" at 200/mo *18mos, you would have 3600 in the bank, more than enough to pay for a tranny, engine and several brake jobs....just in case."

My tranny cost $3000 alone...how would $3600 cover tranny, engine and brakes??? <grin>

I see what you are saying though, and that was my original thought...But every time I turn around, I am spedning $$$ on this truck........and not on toys, either...basic mechanical stuff.

Now, my thoughts turn to the U joints and such,.....should I repalce them as a "in case" sort of thing before vacation?? Ok, there is another $100....

I dunno...I am just in a funk over this whole bloody thing right now...

Thanks for the well-meaning advice....I really do appriciate it....

 

[zavetsky]

Re: Re: ok, my .02

" analyze what you think will go wrong and ask yourself if you can live with that with a car payment. If the answer is yes, keep the truck. If it's not, then its time to say bye."

Thats the rub,.,....everytime I do that, and think I am ahead of the game, something on this X pops up.....I never had this issue predicting stuff on my other cars...maybe I am just getting old and bitter...<grin>

Like I said...I actually LIKE the X, aside from it needing more power.....

 

[JWood]

Buy the new truck

of your choice. Sounds like you can afford it, not to mention the peace of mind of no repairs, and the safety of your family.

I say if it's doable in the budget, then buy the new truck! If you make up your mind you are always going to have a car note - then buy a new one every 2 years.