'98 'Burb 180k: What Lies Ahead

Mar 27, 2010 2 Replies
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Been flipping back-and-forth like a ball between two bumpers in a pinball machine: keep this thing and try for 250k or move on.



Having finally gotten all the bugs out, the thought of trashing it bothers me - not to mention that every mile I get out of it from now on is essentially free... until the next thing fails.



OTOH, there's the uncertainty factor...



Here's where it is now, maintenance-wise:



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68k: New pads Turned rotors
76k: bored & sleeved xmission's valve body
89k: Replaced wiper board
97k: Replaced serpentine belt, New plugs, Serviced trans


126k Replaced front differential pinion seal


130k: Replaced alternator (prev replacement @98k) Replaced serpentine belt & idler pulley New front pads New front rotors Replaced rear brake cylinders


143k: New tires Replaced radiator, Replaced water pump (prev replacement @77k) Replaced input manifold gasket


147k: Replaced windshield Replaced horns


152k: Replaced moving parts in front end New shocks


163k: Replaced 4wd switch (second replacement) Replaced starter


181k: Replaced fuel pump (prev replacement @97k) Replaced battery



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Oil changes have been pretty regularly


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M

Looks like my list, except the starter, 4wd switch, trans bored valve body and fuel pump. I'll add the transfer case shaft, synchro and gear, new front rotors , front cat/Y pipe, 1 upper ball joint, Idler arm and Pitman arm, and Tie rod ends/sleeves. And 3 1/2 sets of tires. Oh and the blasted wiper transmission copper clip.

I have 209K so far. It's got mechanical linkages to the accelerator and for the steering so I'm keeping it.

Cheers

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Per Bill:

That's close to my view: a new car piece-by-piece.

Being a lifelong fiscal conservative bordering on reactionary, I don't think in terms of monthly payments: if it costs more than I can pay up front, it's out of my league and I need to find something cheaper.

Sounds to me like the probability of getting stranded in the next

20k miles or so isn't any higher than most vehicles - assuming any transmission failure will give enough warning to get home.

Historically, this thing has stranded me more times than all my beaters put together - but by now I figure it sb pretty much debugged.

Maybe it's time to drag it into a body shop and get an estimate on the rust fixes.

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