Oh, and since everyone is sharing their rodeo info.. I have a 1995 1/2 Rodeo, 2WD, LS,
3.2L V6, automatic, leather, custom two-tone black-fades-to-blue paint job, slightly over-size tires, 8.5" custom alloy-wheels. It has a few 'livable' problems, two of which it's had since I bought it a year and a half ago. Did I mention I paid $7500.00 USD for it? trade-in value at the time was almost $8000 USD
One of which is a slight shudder when I hit the brakes lightly, replaced the rotors, problem went away... temporarily.. a few months later it returned, cant seem to find a permanent solution to this..
The other "inherited" problem is a slight hesitation in shifting, at-or- near redline in power mode. Had a transmission shop look at it, they can't find a problem in the tranny, and suggest it's either engine or computer related.. oh well, no biggie here either, as I rarely run 'er that hard except when pulling out into heavy traffic (read: interstate on ramps, attempting to cross four-lanes at uncontrolled intersections etc).
As far as problems that have developed after I bought it, I've had a power window motor wear out and replaced, and have another that will need to be replaced soon. It idles semi-roughly (this is an intermittant problem).
But.. It had a VERY hard life after I bought it, so these are definitely understandable. When I bought it, I was delivering newspapers every night. I would drive it 20miles to pick up the papers, then drive close to 120mi on mostly dirt and gravel roads, "stop and go" the whole way. I went through two other vehicles in 2 years. One (a 1991 Mazda MX-6 that I'd had for almost 3 years before I got the job) actually caught fire on the route, and burned nearly to the ground before the local volunteer fire department could arrive. Then I bought a 1993 Ford Taurus sedan (3.8L V6, LX model, power everything.. REALLY nice car.. pd 2500.00 USD) that after a few months started developing some serious transmission, and CV-joint problems. (front-wheel-drive + dirt roads = VERY bad idea) so started looking for a decent rear-wheel drive vehicle with a back seat (either a cheap extended- cab pickup, or SUV) saw the Rodeo, fell in love, did some research on it (thanks carpoint!) and decided to drop $7500.00 US on it, even though I planned to spend a max of $3000.00 US on the replacement vehicle.
6months after buying the Rodeo, I left the paper.. and now the Rodeo pulls double-duty as the family car, and pulls a boat (and the occassional moron who thought their automobile should wind up in a ditch, or similarly stuck somewhere.. I recall one time this guy in a Toyota 4x4 thought he could back down into the local bayou and launch his jet skis instead of paying
3.00 to the guys at the launch.. he launched em ok, but when he went to pull em back out he didnt have enough traction.. and I pulled him out.. truck, trailer, jetskis and all.)
Needless to say, I love my Rodeo, even though it's not perfect its my baby!
Chuck Burns