Getting rid of '92 Explorer XLT

Just bumping this to keep it from dying.

bumping what?

The trouble with attempting to sell a vehicle like yours is that it's impossible to test-drive it. A potential buyer will assume that the transmission, brakes, steering, rear-end, etc, etc, are all gone. Parting out or selling to a recycler is probably your best option. If it really is in good shape and only needs a head gasket (how do you know that?) and exhaust (does that mean muffler?) why don't you fix it and sell it later? And why get rid of it at all? You had a reason to buy it in the first place.

"bumping" is a forum term for keeping a topic or thread from getting buried by new ones.

Really, now why would you want to do that? BTW, did you ever mention where you are or how much? It might help.

I don't know for 100% that it only needs a head gasket and exhaust but I'd say 99%. I only had the vehicle 5-6 months and added about 4,000 miles. My mechanic looked it over well, not only because I wanted to make sure it was sound but also because it was due for PA inspection and emissions. I was told then that the exhaust was rusted in a few spots and would need replacing by next inspection. A few months later I noticed it had rusted through in a few spots. Right before the gasket went I had done all kinds of maintenance and checks including brakes. Like I said originally, it shouldn't cost too much for somebody with mechanical ability and the tools to fix it, but I have neither. It requires more time, tools, knowledge, and space than I have. I originally bought it because I needed something for some light towing last summer but no longer need it for that. I was going to keep it as an extra vehicle or bad snowstorms but it's not worth putting much money into an older vehicle just for that. It also doesn't get the gas mileage I'd need for my long commute usage. By the way, what's with the

2nd degree and condescending attitude Happy? I know the problems of selling it like it is. That's why I asked for advice on it's monetary worth and the best way to go about getting it in the vehicle's current condition. I don't expect to get much for it but something is better than the places that tow it away for free.

Well, at the time nobody had replied to my question and it was getting lost behind all the new posts. My fault though, I assumed most people using forums and news groups knew the "bump" term. I'm in Eastern PA. How much what though?

Crap! I used to be in Maryland, but haven't been since January of last year. How much money...the universal, almighty bucks?

So far I don't think you said if it'f 4WD or not, but if it's for snowstorms then should we assume it is? If it's 2WD it's probably not worth much at all.

but it's not worth putting much

Here's my point of view on that. I have a '91 and '92 Explorer (XLT and EB). I have spent a considerable amount of money on both. However, if you add up all the money for repairs and parts over the years and average it out it comes to WAY less than a monthly payment for a new Explorer. The early ones (90 1/2-94) at least have nice solid frames, bodies, and very reliable engines (4.0 V6). Yes, they have their problems and require quite a bit of maintanance and repairs, but I have confidence in my Explorers and they have gotten me through some situations where I'm not sure if another vehicle would have. My '92 has 270K miles on it and my '91 has 197K. I've never kept any vehicles this long before (and I'm pretty old). These are the first cars/trucks I've ever had that I thought were worth keeping/fixing.

As for value, I live in Riverside County, CA. Yesterday as I was driving down the main road in town at one point every other car going my way was a '91-'94 Explorer. Some days on a quick trip to town I'll see as many as 8 or 10 of the early models and I'm not stretching my neck trying to find them. Looks to me like they are (or have become) becoming classics or at least are popular with younger folks, probably as their first car. Many of them look as good as new and most have new wheels etc. So I would have to guess that they may be worth a bit more than they were a couple of years ago. At least around here. But this ain't PA so you'll just have to look in the newspaper and KBB and see what folks are asking for them.

It also doesn't get the gas

I got a Nissan Frontier for that (4 cly 5 speed manual, 26 mpg).

By the way, what's with the

"Crap! I used to be in Maryland, but haven't been since January of last year. How much money...the universal, almighty bucks?"

According to carfax the car was originally owned in Maryland. You happen to sell any red '92 Explorers when you were there? As for the "how much" thing I don't know. I wasn't really attempting to sell it on here so that's why I didn't know what you meant at first. I have no idea how much to ask for from anybody though that's why I was asking people for advice on worth. Any idea on worth? My boss says he may have a mechanic friend that could maybe check it out and work on it for a case of beer and cost of parts. He hasn't been able to get a hold of him yet so we'll see about that. Would be nice but that's a lot of work for a stranger to do on his spare time. Thanks for the replies by the way.

"So far I don't think you said if it'f 4WD or not, but if it's for snowstorms then should we assume it is? If it's 2WD it's probably not worth much at all."

Yeah I said it in the original post "I have a '92 Explorer XLT (4x4 4.0

6 cylinder)". Yeah fixing it would come out to be a lot less than a new Explorer. I doubt I'll be buying a new Explorer any time soon though. Not that it wouldn't be nice to have a brand new one, but I already have other transportation that is more gas efficient. There are a good amount of the early model Explorers around my area as well. Not so much younger people (though I'm only 26) , most seem to be poorer families or construction work vehicles. Their bodies may not be in perfect shape from all the winters around here but I never see them broken down on the side of the road. The problem with the blue book value is it's not very accurate for vehicles with certain mechanical problems. Especially ones that prohibit people from test driving the car. Like somebody else on here said, people will assume everything that can't be tested is going to be broken.

I can only tell you what I would pay for it. If it was being sold by someone I knew and trusted as far as the needed repairs go such as my brother-in-law who is a Lexus mechanic my top price would probably be around $500. It if was in good running condition maybe around $2000 and a bit more if it was really, really nice.

Now where did I put them bifocals?