Is it time to retire my truck?

[alltherage]

So I bought a 1996 explorer a few years ago for about $5,000 from a friend. It came with tons of records, and has been a really good truck for the years I've had it.

Fast forward to now, I've put in around $800 in tires, $700 in a new fuel pump, and it now needs $250 in windshield and $?? in rear brakes/callipers. It also has a bit of rust starting to annoy me on the driver side door.

I'm wondering, at what time would you retire a beast like this? At some point you have to ask, when will the cost of repairing overtake the value of the vehicle, and that's what I'm trying to determine.

I can finance a new car or take out a loan of sorts, but I owe nothing on the explorer, and I don't want to spend over about $12,000.

Does anyone know what ballpark of cost I can expect for the brake work? What are the collective thoughts of the CP brain trust on this issue?

[GreenLantern]

I'd go to that East Side Dodge place, I hear good things about them.

[Traditional_Ale]

You can do those brake caliper replacements yourself. The parts will be less than $300 and no shop fee.

[Sliver]

I think it might be time for retirement. Some dudes can cruise around all day in a rusty car, but I'm not like that and it sounds like you're not either. The mechanical stuff is just going to get worse, as is the rust. Body work is expensive when done right and probably not worth it for that truck. I'd sell it through kijiji and for $12K you'll be able to find something nice in a better state of repair.

One other factor is mileage. How many kms are on the truck? If you're over 150K I'd be concerned and if you're around 200K kick it to the curb without hesitation.

[Hevishot]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

You can do those brake caliper replacements yourself. The parts will be less than $300 and no shop fee.

What using used parts from pick your part? Your better off lettin it go than throwing anymore money down the drain.

[alltherage]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I think it might be time for retirement. Some dudes can cruise around all day in a rusty car, but I'm not like that and it sounds like you're not either. The mechanical stuff is just going to get worse, as is the rust. Body work is expensive when done right and probably not worth it for that truck. I'd sell it through kijiji and for $12K you'll be able to find something nice in a better state of repair.

One other factor is mileage. How many kms are on the truck? If you're over 150K I'd be concerned and if you're around 200K kick it to the curb without hesitation.

Yeah, I think I'm coming to that concluion myself. It's 230+ kms, and it's 14 years old.

Sigh.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by alltherage

Yeah, I think I'm coming to that concluion myself. It's 230+ kms, and it's 14 years old.

Sigh.

230 kms. Well, it's served you well then. I had an Expedition that I loved so much, but after 200K it just started going downhill fast.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Hevishot

What using used parts from pick your part? Your better off lettin it go than throwing anymore money down the drain.

Don't be dumb.

To the OP: If you're going to 'retire' it then I'll take it off your hands and fix it up. Or at least I'll pull the rear axle and differential off it and swap it into my Ranger.

Rangers with Exploder rear-axles are sweet.

[alltherage]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

Don't be dumb.

To the OP: If you're going to 'retire' it then I'll take it off your hands and fix it up. Or at least I'll pull the rear axle and differential off it and swap it into my Ranger.

Rangers with Exploder rear-axles are sweet.

By "retire" I mean dump it at a car auction. That way I'll get around $1k for it anyways. Some mechanic will take it for a winter beater or something. If you were thinking of purchasing it, i'm listening.

[Peanut]

200,000km to me is the cut-off point. I've seen two cars (of friends) in my life get to 300,000km - a subaru and a honda. They both were reeeeeally rusted out by the end of it. And the owner's were doing the bulk of the repair/maintenance work on their own.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by alltherage

By "retire" I mean dump it at a car auction. That way I'll get around $1k for it anyways. Some mechanic will take it for a winter beater or something. If you were thinking of purchasing it, i'm listening.

Not for $1000 bucks. $600 tops. Or you could quit being a wimp and fix it. I got a great hookup for parts too, if you need them cheap.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Peanut

200,000km to me is the cut-off point. I've seen two cars (of friends) in my life get to 300,000km - a subaru and a honda. They both were reeeeeally rusted out by the end of it. And the owner's were doing the bulk of the repair/maintenance work on their own.

A well maintained car can be rust free and drive much longer than 200,000km. I want to roll 500,000km in my little truck before she's done. Just a goal.

[Peanut]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

A well maintained car can be rust free and drive much longer than 200,000km. I want to roll 500,000km in my little truck before she's done. Just a goal.

Well, this may be cliche, but I honestly couldn't even tell you how to change a flat tire. So... 200,000km is the cut-off for me personally.

And yes, I'm sure I get jerked around everytime I take my car in for repairs.

[alltherage]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

Not for $1000 bucks. $600 tops. Or you could quit being a wimp and fix it. I got a great hookup for parts too, if you need them cheap.

Why do you feel the need to call me a wimp because I'm not mechanically inclined? Not everyone knows how to fix vehicles, hence the whole mechanic industry.

Sounds like to the auction she goes.

[Sliver]

Plus the time it takes to fix things yourself. I can do some stuff like brakes, but I don't bother because it's a waste of my time. I can pay somebody else to do it that makes less money than me per hour, and I can spend my time doing something I find more enjoyable or working. Tinkering around with high-mileage maintenance issues on a 96 Explorer can't be many people's idea of a good time.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by alltherage

Why do you feel the need to call me a wimp because I'm not mechanically inclined? Not everyone knows how to fix vehicles, hence the whole mechanic industry.

I'm only joking man! Not dissing! Actually, if you've ever played with Lego then you can do the repairs you're talking about even with no experience. Just grab a socket set and a Hanes manual for your vehicle. Using a digital camera to post pics on truck forums if you get stuck helps too. Hell, look at YouTube videos of the repair.

PEANUT: Take it to Ray's Auto Service. He is a very honest mechanic.

[Draug]

Originally Posted by Peanut

200,000km to me is the cut-off point. I've seen two cars (of friends) in my life get to 300,000km - a subaru and a honda. They both were reeeeeally rusted out by the end of it. And the owner's were doing the bulk of the repair/maintenance work on their own.

It is all about how you look after the car... I have a '99 Grand Am GT (which granted arent great cars). It has 270,000 kms and no rust. I wash my cars during every weather change during winter.

Other than regular wearing parts, I've only replaced two wheel bearings/hubs, rear brakes calipers and rotors, and the front struts. I also fixed the faulty intake manifold gaskets (every grand am was sold with them) myself so that it would be done right. All told, in 270,000kms and 10 years, I've paid about $3500 for failed parts and installation. I think that is decent for the time span.

The car is worth only a few thousand now, so I wont be selling it. But that is OK because it looks good, runs well, and drives good and doesnt have any parts about to fail.

As for the OP's original question, I hear you ... I hate rust. But, just because a vehicle has higher mileage doesnt automatically mean it is junk. By all means, if you have the money to replace it with something nicer then do so. But know that you are spending for the luxury of a nicer vehicle and not spending for the nessecity of transportation because you already have that need met.

[Kybosh]

You could do what I plan on doing and just drive it into the ground until the Kidney foundation tows it away.

[thesmugger]

I think that 200,000KM cut off is garbage. I've had a few cars in my family go over 200,000 and because they were maintained properly can treated with care they still ran great and had little to no rust..

Seems like you've been pretty lucky with this truck. Not having to do anything major. For 12K you'll be able to get yourself into something pretty decent.. It's just a matter of you thinking to you HAVE to have a new vehicle? Or can you run the Explorer for a little longer.

[habernac]

It's all in how you care for the vehicle. Heck, even my old Dodge van from my delivery driver days had better than 600,000km on it and we barely maintained the thing.

The old Explorers were a decent concept for a vehicle, but I always found them criminally underpowered. They made lots of noise when you stepped on the gas and didn't really go anywhere.