You may remember, because utterly fascinating, that my rig shuddered and broke on the way to Dallas for Thanksgiving. Long story short, I made it to Dallas and the truck made it to Waxahachie Ford. OK, good thing Texas Farm Bureau Insurance covers a tow.
One expensive diagnosis later, I learned yesterday that cylinders 5, 6, and 8 were losing compression and the "tech" recommended a new long block. Cost? A mere 16K. Whoa, the truck's not even worth that, so I said "no, I'll get it towed back to the Compound."
Where, let the reader understand, local mechs can drop in a new/refurbished engine at a fraction of the cost of Waxahachie Ford. Let's see how that goes. My instinct? Get the vehicle fixed, courtesy of Hill College Mech School, and then trade the beast in for a RAPTOR.
But perhaps you think a RAPTOR is inappropriate for a priest? Perhaps you have a point, though I urge you to think again. That aside, one reputable GeoStrat consultant offered this, "Buy new or, if you want, keep driving beaters. It's up to you, but if you buy new you're not inheriting someone else's problems. Think about that."
Well yes. Then again, getting a refurbished engine for around 4k and minimal labor, and then trading on makes sense to me, maybe give the rig to a Sergeant. But a new Raptor? They're beautiful, no doubt about it, and at >100k they'd better be. Huh. Instinct says get the thing fixed and buy used, but used well. Know what I mean?
Autozone,
LSP
22 comments:
You like to hunt? I know you like to fish. I know you go all over Texas for events. I wouldn't want it, but it makes sense that if you do all that, you need a truck that can.
You all be safe and God bless.
The best truck you can buy is a 1997 Ford F-250 with a 7.3 diesel engine.
Once I sold cars for a living I never bought another new car. Once that shiny new car drives over the curb (out of the lot) you've lost a ton of money. Buy used!
X2 Adrienne
X3 Miss A.
The only people I know who drive Raptors are pretty boys with more money than sense. Just sayin'. No offense.........
I've been in the market to get a "spare" for my trusty 2001 Cavalier. It appears that I am priced right out of the new car market and used cars in my price range are not a good bet.
carcomplaints.com
I've had to do two fairly expensive repairs on my car recently but have decided to run it into the ground as I'm still ahead of the game. Trading it in, in this economy, would have been a mistake and I'd have new problems and less cash to deal with them.
I still blame the sad state of used car sales on the stupid government by back program that took plenty of good used cars off the market and destroyed a lot of used car lots.
All in the name of eventually forcing us to go electric, really. Grr.
My truck is a used 2001 Silverado 1500 with 160K miles on it. Runs great. Oh yeah, I bought it new. Biggest pain is parts--1) can you find them, and 2) are they made from Chineseium. Had to replace the rack and pinion a few years back. First one lasted 1200 miles. Shop I go to made them eat it, but I had to pay labor on second install. So far, so good.
Be careful out there--
https://www.breitbart.com/border/2024/12/08/south-texas-cities-plagued-with-cartel-connected-truck-thefts/
From what my LEO sources tell me, these bandits often come armed with AK's. One guards the front door, another the back door while the theft is executed. Electronics to do this are available on Amazon for about $600. The "magic box" is basically a wifi extender that enables the vehicle to talk to the key fob inside a residence. My personal solution is to open my fuse box under my hood and pull the starter relay. Turn the key, dash lights up, nothing happens.
You have a solid plan LSP. We've been buying used for years. Getting the local Vocational Technical School to get the repairs done is also a path we've used for mechanical and body repairs, as long as time is not of the essence. The students are motivated and the instructor makes sure the job is done properly.
RHT447, you can ground the starting relay from a well hidden switch inside the cab and preform the same action, lights up like a Christmas tree and does it's Nova imitation... (no go)
I do like to hunt and all of that, Linda, and a pick up makes sense for me but right, it has to work. Hopefully this isn't a block issue but a fuel pump control module one... getting a second opinion on Saturday. Hmmmm.
WSF, the famed 7.3 Power Stroke V 8! This reviewer thinks '99 is best and after that is rubbish: https://www.slashgear.com/1522291/best-and-worst-years-ford-power-stroke-diesel-engine-7-3-liter/
That's what I think, Adrienne, though LL recommends differently. Hmmmm.
Of course it'd be nice to get a brand new RAPTOR but... very pricey.
My thoughts too, WSF.
Ritchie, used pick ups were absurdly expensive a couple of years ago and I bought cheap for the mileage. Maybe I got what I paid for, still, let's see see what local mech has to say on Saturday.
Sorry about the price thing, hope you find a fix.
I think, nbc, that I'll go down your route, but no way am I paying 16k for Waxahachie Ford to drop in a new engine. Hopefully won't have to do it at all, please.
I'd forgotten that, Linda. What brazen skulduggery.
160k is a teenage truck, RHT, nice. And thanks for the heads up, good caveat.
Maybe the new admin will have a positive effect on the border sit?
I'm fortunate, DOS, because the Tech School assistant teacher in question is a member of the church. Stand up young guy. And time's OK, because I can borrow people's spare trucks (thank you, church people!).
Wisdom, Cederq.
I was selling Fords when the 1999 came out (there was no 1998). Other than the body, the major change was rear disc brakes. I don't recall many problems with the 1999. As other commentators have pointed out, keeping and fixing what you have (assuming parts can be found) pencils out. I can repair/rebuild my 2002 Taurus several times over for what an equivalent new one costs.
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