Car repair advice

[mule_eer]

I have a 1996 Toyota Tacoma Reg cab 4x4 with 159k miles. I just started having transmission problems with it - 4th gear has pretty much dropped out. If I can get it into 4th, it pops out as I'm driving. Anyhow, the repair is going to be in the neighborhood of $2k. The truck probably worth about $3k repaired. It's not my primary driver - it has been the beater for a while now. If I need to haul anything, that's means to do it. If I sell it, I'll want to replace it with something - and that something will be more than $2k, more than the $2k I would spend and whatever I get out of the unrepaired truck. I'm debating my options.

I keep waffling on this. It's cheaper by a fair amount to fix the old truck. It feels a little like I'm delaying the inevitable though. It's also about as impractical as can be for my current family situation - it's a 2-person vehicle for a 3-person family. It does serve its purpose very well though, and I have no qualms jumping in that thing in bad weather and driving it wherever I need to go. I also have no heartburn dumping a load of rock or whatever in it. I might feel a little differently about that in something that I unloaded some cash to buy. If I get something older that I would feel similarly about, what are the odds I don't run into a $2k repair on it in the next couple of years?

 

[BigLickMountee]

I have a 1996 Toyota Tacoma Reg cab 4x4 with 159k miles. I just started having transmission problems with it - 4th gear has pretty much dropped out. If I can get it into 4th, it pops out as I'm driving. Anyhow, the repair is going to be in the neighborhood of $2k. The truck probably worth about $3k repaired. It's not my primary driver - it has been the beater for a while now. If I need to haul anything, that's means to do it. If I sell it, I'll want to replace it with something - and that something will be more than $2k, more than the $2k I would spend and whatever I get out of the unrepaired truck. I'm debating my options.

I keep waffling on this. It's cheaper by a fair amount to fix the old truck. It feels a little like I'm delaying the inevitable though. It's also about as impractical as can be for my current family situation - it's a 2-person vehicle for a 3-person family. It does serve its purpose very well though, and I have no qualms jumping in that thing in bad weather and driving it wherever I need to go. I also have no heartburn dumping a load of rock or whatever in it. I might feel a little differently about that in something that I unloaded some cash to buy. If I get something older that I would feel similarly about, what are the odds I don't run into a $2k repair on it in the next couple of years?

I have a sister in law in Johnson City with the same truck and she can't kill it either.

If it were me and basing it on what you wrote, I'd fix it. Additionally, you can fix it much cheaper by just replacing it with a savage yard tranny known to work. Prior to children I was a gear head and did stuff like this all the time. I would love to replace it for you.

Also, if you do considering replacing it with a similar sized truck, I'd recommend another tacoma. I had a 2005 V-6 4 door, 4x4 and loved it. I replaced it with a huge diesel truck to pull an RV otherwise I'd still have it.

Go with a good salvage replacement to buy time to get another Taco.

 

[mule_eer]

I have a sister in law in Johnson City with the same truck and she can't kill it either.

If it were me and basing it on what you wrote, I'd fix it. Additionally, you can fix it much cheaper by just replacing it with a savage yard tranny known to work. Prior to children I was a gear head and did stuff like this all the time. I would love to replace it for you.

Also, if you do considering replacing it with a similar sized truck, I'd recommend another tacoma. I had a 2005 V-6 4 door, 4x4 and loved it. I replaced it with a huge diesel truck to pull an RV otherwise I'd still have it.

Go with a good salvage replacement to buy time to get another Taco.

That's my current lean - might change again in an hour. I found a 2005 Taco set up almost exactly like mine. With 85k miles on it, they want as much as I paid for the one I have brand new. I can't make that make sense to me. If I replace it, I want something more practical. I also have a 2007 Honda Accord that I keep piling miles on. I keep telling myself that I'll eventually just take that car and the truck and get the truck I want when the car is near the end of its days. I loved that plan.

 

[dave]

How much would a junkyard give you for it?

 

[MikeRafone]

That's the thing with Toyota's, Dave. The things are so reliable there are few reconditioned/ rebuilt parts floating around for them. Dealers will give you blue book for the things even if they look and run like crap, because they'll more than make their money back parting the things out.

I've been where Mule_eer is now with an ancient Camry beater.The tranny started going and the replacement cost more than car I was going to put it in. I ended up selling it for parts to a buddy with a junk yard who was thrilled to get it. I bought another Camry that was just slightly older than dirt. I drive that one to work and around town.

It looks like crap, but it gets me around with no trouble. It burns a little oil, but it's got 275K miles on it and is 14 years old. It's not like I'm going to be picking up girls at my age. If it gets me back and forth, I'm happy. Plus, my wife won't be seen dead in it, no adjusting the seat or mirrors.

 

[MountaineerWV]

I have a 1996 Toyota Tacoma Reg cab 4x4 with 159k miles. I just started having transmission problems with it - 4th gear has pretty much dropped out. If I can get it into 4th, it pops out as I'm driving. Anyhow, the repair is going to be in the neighborhood of $2k. The truck probably worth about $3k repaired. It's not my primary driver - it has been the beater for a while now. If I need to haul anything, that's means to do it. If I sell it, I'll want to replace it with something - and that something will be more than $2k, more than the $2k I would spend and whatever I get out of the unrepaired truck. I'm debating my options.

I keep waffling on this. It's cheaper by a fair amount to fix the old truck. It feels a little like I'm delaying the inevitable though. It's also about as impractical as can be for my current family situation - it's a 2-person vehicle for a 3-person family. It does serve its purpose very well though, and I have no qualms jumping in that thing in bad weather and driving it wherever I need to go. I also have no heartburn dumping a load of rock or whatever in it. I might feel a little differently about that in something that I unloaded some cash to buy. If I get something older that I would feel similarly about, what are the odds I don't run into a $2k repair on it in the next couple of years?

If the truck is good, and the fix would truly "fix" it, then go with the fix. It's much better than a car payment. Plus, if you buy another used vehicle, you don't know what you are getting. You could be getting someone else's "fix", but with a bandaid. I think it's worth the investment to get it fixed.

 

[torontoeers]

That's the thing with Toyota's, Dave. The things are so reliable there are few reconditioned/ rebuilt parts floating around for them. Dealers will give you blue book for the things even if they look and run like crap, because they'll more than make their money back parting the things out.

I've been where Mule_eer is now with an ancient Camry beater.The tranny started going and the replacement cost more than car I was going to put it in. I ended up selling it for parts to a buddy with a junk yard who was thrilled to get it. I bought another Camry that was just slightly older than dirt. I drive that one to work and around town.

It looks like crap, but it gets me around with no trouble. It burns a little oil, but it's got 275K miles on it and is 14 years old. It's not like I'm going to be picking up girls at my age. If it gets me back and forth, I'm happy. Plus, my wife won't be seen dead in it, no adjusting the seat or mirrors.

Last sentence is the comment of the day...what man cannot relate...well said, and well played. Drive that Camry into the ground since it's yours!

 

[WhiteTailEER]

I have a 1996 Toyota Tacoma Reg cab 4x4 with 159k miles. I just started having transmission problems with it - 4th gear has pretty much dropped out. If I can get it into 4th, it pops out as I'm driving. Anyhow, the repair is going to be in the neighborhood of $2k. The truck probably worth about $3k repaired. It's not my primary driver - it has been the beater for a while now. If I need to haul anything, that's means to do it. If I sell it, I'll want to replace it with something - and that something will be more than $2k, more than the $2k I would spend and whatever I get out of the unrepaired truck. I'm debating my options.

I keep waffling on this. It's cheaper by a fair amount to fix the old truck. It feels a little like I'm delaying the inevitable though. It's also about as impractical as can be for my current family situation - it's a 2-person vehicle for a 3-person family. It does serve its purpose very well though, and I have no qualms jumping in that thing in bad weather and driving it wherever I need to go. I also have no heartburn dumping a load of rock or whatever in it. I might feel a little differently about that in something that I unloaded some cash to buy. If I get something older that I would feel similarly about, what are the odds I don't run into a $2k repair on it in the next couple of years?

In almost all cases, repairs are much cheaper than a payment. And if you were just going to get something in the $5k range, you'd probably be looking at repairs on that one as well.

I had a '98 Subary Legacy that I drove until 2013. Had to repair axles and replace exhaust and get clutch rebuilt and a couple other things, but I wasn't spending $450-$500 month on a payment, and certainly never came close to spending $6k in a year in repairs.

The only reason I got rid of it was because it was starting rust through in some places where the body molding was. I traded it in on a used Mercedes, got that paid off in under 2 years and still have no car payments. My wife's car is currently in the shop most likely needing the throttle body replaced, but no monthly payment there either.

I can't stand the debt of a car. From a financial standpoint, that is probably about the most nauseous feeling I can get is having a car payment. (I have a payment on a motorhome, but that one doesn't bother me as much)

 

[WVUCOOPER]

I have a 1996 Toyota Tacoma Reg cab 4x4 with 159k miles. I just started having transmission problems with it - 4th gear has pretty much dropped out. If I can get it into 4th, it pops out as I'm driving. Anyhow, the repair is going to be in the neighborhood of $2k. The truck probably worth about $3k repaired. It's not my primary driver - it has been the beater for a while now. If I need to haul anything, that's means to do it. If I sell it, I'll want to replace it with something - and that something will be more than $2k, more than the $2k I would spend and whatever I get out of the unrepaired truck. I'm debating my options.

I keep waffling on this. It's cheaper by a fair amount to fix the old truck. It feels a little like I'm delaying the inevitable though. It's also about as impractical as can be for my current family situation - it's a 2-person vehicle for a 3-person family. It does serve its purpose very well though, and I have no qualms jumping in that thing in bad weather and driving it wherever I need to go. I also have no heartburn dumping a load of rock or whatever in it. I might feel a little differently about that in something that I unloaded some cash to buy. If I get something older that I would feel similarly about, what are the odds I don't run into a $2k repair on it in the next couple of years?

 

[mule_eer]

In almost all cases, repairs are much cheaper than a payment. And if you were just going to get something in the $5k range, you'd probably be looking at repairs on that one as well.

I had a '98 Subary Legacy that I drove until 2013. Had to repair axles and replace exhaust and get clutch rebuilt and a couple other things, but I wasn't spending $450-$500 month on a payment, and certainly never came close to spending $6k in a year in repairs.

The only reason I got rid of it was because it was starting rust through in some places where the body molding was. I traded it in on a used Mercedes, got that paid off in under 2 years and still have no car payments. My wife's car is currently in the shop most likely needing the throttle body replaced, but no monthly payment there either.

I can't stand the debt of a car. From a financial standpoint, that is probably about the most nauseous feeling I can get is having a car payment. (I have a payment on a motorhome, but that one doesn't bother me as much)

I hate car payments too. We have one on the wife's car because someone turned left in front of us about a week before Christmas last year - totaled her Nissan Xterra. We ended up buying a new Subaru Forester to replace it. I'd like to have that paid off before I go looking for a permanent solution to the truck issue. I'd also not like to spend $3500 on repairs to the truck - I also need some front end work as it turns out. I put some feelers out with a buddy who off-roads a lot. He has a mechanic buddy who might be interested. If someone is going to lift the truck, they don't care about the front end stuff. They'd be ripping that out anyway. If they have the time and patience to do the transmission work themselves, it's not an expensive repair.

I'm looking around at used trucks, and I don't have to get something terribly practical since it would be the new beater. I found an 01 Dakota regular cab 4wd for a hair under $7k right down the street. I'd have it checked out first, but I could swing that purchase, continue to run my car for my regular commute, and wait until the wife's car was paid off to start looking more seriously. I want to see what I could get for the old truck as-is before I make my final decision. If I could get $2k, add in the $3.5k I'm not spending to repair it, I'm $5.5k toward a replacement vehicle. Of course, that's selling off my known problems for the unknown problems of a replacement. I could be a few months from a transmission repair on that one too.

 

[mneilmont]

I have a 1996 Toyota Tacoma Reg cab 4x4 with 159k miles. I just started having transmission problems with it - 4th gear has pretty much dropped out. If I can get it into 4th, it pops out as I'm driving. Anyhow, the repair is going to be in the neighborhood of $2k. The truck probably worth about $3k repaired. It's not my primary driver - it has been the beater for a while now. If I need to haul anything, that's means to do it. If I sell it, I'll want to replace it with something - and that something will be more than $2k, more than the $2k I would spend and whatever I get out of the unrepaired truck. I'm debating my options.

I keep waffling on this. It's cheaper by a fair amount to fix the old truck. It feels a little like I'm delaying the inevitable though. It's also about as impractical as can be for my current family situation - it's a 2-person vehicle for a 3-person family. It does serve its purpose very well though, and I have no qualms jumping in that thing in bad weather and driving it wherever I need to go. I also have no heartburn dumping a load of rock or whatever in it. I might feel a little differently about that in something that I unloaded some cash to buy. If I get something older that I would feel similarly about, what are the odds I don't run into a $2k repair on it in the next couple of years?

You don't take my political advise, so let me try finance. I have '86 Ford F150 with 4W, so I am in about the same shape other than it needs no repair(knock on wood). In the event my WVU Blue quits, I have decided not to buy a new truck. I have a car for transportation, so I am OK there. Now old blue gives me everything I need a truck for. Haul garbage, haul, haul rock, sand, manure; boat, grocery store, Darlington race track, school games, heavy rain, snow, ice - absolutely everywhere I want to go at any time. I keep her serviced by my shade tree mechanic. Taxes at minimum for county. Insurance liability only. Park wherever I want and no one will park really close to me. No one cuts in front of me or "bucks the line", seldom do I get behind anyone in left lane who will not move to right. Even kids and grands can drive.

Vs a new truck that everyone tries to scratch, insurance higher, tax higher, service at dealership on schedule if you can get an appointment, people cut you off and buck the line, have to rent a truck to haul anything that would scratch bed, slow to near stop on bad roads, cannot go to sporting event for some jackass parking too close to get door open. Forget about the race track drunken fans, they could destroy a new vehicle - exiting one parking lot the first time.

Oh, nearly forgot a key factor, old blue is paid for. I detest giving someone else priority to my monthly checks. Big Blue looks better every day. That may be a love affair that I would refuse to break up.

 

[mule_eer]

You don't take my political advise, so let me try finance. I have '86 Ford F150 with 4W, so I am in about the same shape other than it needs no repair(knock on wood). In the event my WVU Blue quits, I have decided not to buy a new truck. I have a car for transportation, so I am OK there. Now old blue gives me everything I need a truck for. Haul garbage, haul, haul rock, sand, manure; boat, grocery store, Darlington race track, school games, heavy rain, snow, ice - absolutely everywhere I want to go at any time. I keep her serviced by my shade tree mechanic. Taxes at minimum for county. Insurance liability only. Park wherever I want and no one will park really close to me. No one cuts in front of me or "bucks the line", seldom do I get behind anyone in left lane who will not move to right. Even kids and grands can drive.

Vs a new truck that everyone tries to scratch, insurance higher, tax higher, service at dealership on schedule if you can get an appointment, people cut you off and buck the line, have to rent a truck to haul anything that would scratch bed, slow to near stop on bad roads, cannot go to sporting event for some jackass parking too close to get door open. Forget about the race track drunken fans, they could destroy a new vehicle - exiting one parking lot the first time.

Oh, nearly forgot a key factor, old blue is paid for. I detest giving someone else priority to my monthly checks. Big Blue looks better every day. That may be a love affair that I would refuse to break up.

If I replace this one in the short term, it's going to be with another older truck. I use a truck as a truck, so it doesn't make sense to go new. I have a car that I use for commuting - cheaper and nicer. The truck is there for utility, and 4wd is so I can get in and out if the weather turns on me. I wouldn't care about 4wd if my car was AWD, but it isn't. I agree with you on the issues of having a new truck. Where I might break ranks is, if I decide sometime down the line to replace the 2 vehicles with one, it'll probably be a newer truck. I haul too much crap right now to have a new truck make sense - lots of brush and trees, pine needles and pine cones, rock and building materials sometimes. Those things wreak havoc on a truck bed. I'm still not 100% decided on the course for this old truck - I'm testing the market with a few friends of friends involved in off-roading. If I can get a couple of grand out of it, I'll put that toward a cash purchase of another older truck. If I can't get that out of it, I'll have a hard decision to make, but I don't see that involving a new truck.

 

[JLW71073]

We are in a similar place with my wife's Pathfinder. It's a 2005 with 230K miles on it. AC is broke and has been for a long time, I drove it the other day and no air comes out now. So we are faced with getting that fixed before winter. The plan is to give this vehicle to my son in a year when he needs a vehicle and replace her's with something new or new to us. I'm leaning toward new because we are slowly running my 2011 Tundra into the ground with all of the traveling we have to do. I hate car payments but I only buy something new when we have run the car into the ground. I replaced my 1995 F150 with the Tundra only because we needed a bigger vehicle to travel in. She's convinced she just wants another Pathefinder with the same body style as the 2005 with fewer miles. I hope we can make it a couple of more years.

 

[WhiteTailEER]

If I replace this one in the short term, it's going to be with another older truck. I use a truck as a truck, so it doesn't make sense to go new. I have a car that I use for commuting - cheaper and nicer. The truck is there for utility, and 4wd is so I can get in and out if the weather turns on me. I wouldn't care about 4wd if my car was AWD, but it isn't. I agree with you on the issues of having a new truck. Where I might break ranks is, if I decide sometime down the line to replace the 2 vehicles with one, it'll probably be a newer truck. I haul too much crap right now to have a new truck make sense - lots of brush and trees, pine needles and pine cones, rock and building materials sometimes. Those things wreak havoc on a truck bed. I'm still not 100% decided on the course for this old truck - I'm testing the market with a few friends of friends involved in off-roading. If I can get a couple of grand out of it, I'll put that toward a cash purchase of another older truck. If I can't get that out of it, I'll have a hard decision to make, but I don't see that involving a new truck.

Instead of having 2 vehicles just to have a truck, have you considered an AWD car and a utility trailer?

 

[mule_eer]

Instead of having 2 vehicles just to have a truck, have you considered an AWD car and a utility trailer?

I have, but that's probably more expensive than the beater truck option right now. I have a 2007 Honda Accord that doesn't give me any grief as my daily driver. If I wanted to trade that in on something of similar reliability that could tow a trailer, I'm looking at more than I would spend to either repair the existing truck or scrap it and buy another beater. I think that's probably the long game for me though. Several years down the road I'll replace both vehicles with something that can tow a trailer and but a small trailer to do the hauling.

 

[WhiteTailEER]

I have, but that's probably more expensive than the beater truck option right now. I have a 2007 Honda Accord that doesn't give me any grief as my daily driver. If I wanted to trade that in on something of similar reliability that could tow a trailer, I'm looking at more than I would spend to either repair the existing truck or scrap it and buy another beater. I think that's probably the long game for me though. Several years down the road I'll replace both vehicles with something that can tow a trailer and but a small trailer to do the hauling.

That's what I meant ... down the road when you're ready to replace both. I bought a utility trailer that I used with my Subaru Legacy.

I haven't needed it for awhile so my cousin uses it on his farm. I have a smaller SUV now. Clearly that could pull the trailer if I needed to also.

I couldn't stomach the thought of buying a truck and the extra expense in gas and tires and everything else when I really only need the bed of the truck a couple/few times a year.

That's partially why I bought a motorhome instead of a 5th wheel or camper trailer too. With the latter I have to have a truck and all of those extra expenses all the time. With the motorhome I only have ****** mileage and wearing out expensive tires when I need an RV. Not everyday commuting.

 

[MikeRafone]

In almost all cases, repairs are much cheaper than a payment. And if you were just going to get something in the $5k range, you'd probably be looking at repairs on that one as well.

I had a '98 Subary Legacy that I drove until 2013. Had to repair axles and replace exhaust and get clutch rebuilt and a couple other things, but I wasn't spending $450-$500 month on a payment, and certainly never came close to spending $6k in a year in repairs.

The only reason I got rid of it was because it was starting rust through in some places where the body molding was. I traded it in on a used Mercedes, got that paid off in under 2 years and still have no car payments. My wife's car is currently in the shop most likely needing the throttle body replaced, but no monthly payment there either.

I can't stand the debt of a car. From a financial standpoint, that is probably about the most nauseous feeling I can get is having a car payment. (I have a payment on a motorhome, but that one doesn't bother me as much)

I still miss my '93 Legacy. Those were damned good cars and built like tanks. I got rear ended and she was damaged beyond repair. That car would go a lot of places other people couldn't get a truck up.