are small trucks gone?
- Thread starter edwardh1
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Best vehicle I ever owned was a mid 80s Nissan pickup. It was as cheap as the cheapest car, as was customary back then. For 13k I would bite on a small pickup.
My regular bed, standard cab f-150 IS bloated. I can't imagine what the larger configurations are like. The Nissan frontier simply was not competitive. Nearly as expensive, lousy gas mileage---simply obsolescent.
As klutzy as the F150 is, the capability is just off the charts. I put 1200 pounds in the back last week and it didn't do anything but quiet down the ride.
I don't know why people who drive around in 4x4 Subarus in the sunbelt, or who are single and drive an empty 4passenger car all the time,or who drive a car that can double the speed limit are in in a position to criticize.
My regular bed, standard cab f-150 IS bloated. I can't imagine what the larger configurations are like. The Nissan frontier simply was not competitive. Nearly as expensive, lousy gas mileage---simply obsolescent.
As klutzy as the F150 is, the capability is just off the charts. I put 1200 pounds in the back last week and it didn't do anything but quiet down the ride.
I don't know why people who drive around in 4x4 Subarus in the sunbelt, or who are single and drive an empty 4passenger car all the time,or who drive a car that can double the speed limit are in in a position to criticize.
Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
I drove a livery Town Car with 580,000 miles...original engine, even the original AC compressor, alternator, and radiator. (Replacements were dated by the mechanic, these were not.) The AC blew cold, it tracked perfectly on the highway, all the electronics worked, the air suspension worked perfectly. Aside from valve seals around 200k, they had never been inside the engine. Serious question: could your Jetta manage another 275k in any way short of a full teardown and rebuild?
Note that 350-400k from a Panther car was the rule at that company, not the exception.
Good question; I'm not sure. Will your Panther last 20 years of salty NH winters? That is how long it'd take for me to hit 500-600k. Also, you don't state how many transmissions it went through? Seems conventional wisdom indicates 150k on an automatic; are you beating by some significant factor?
As pointed out, fuel cost is not insignificant. Since my car is a depreciating asset that doesn't make me money, fuel cost vs replacement cost (depreciation?) also plays into it.
I honestly don't know. My cheapest option is to keep running my Jetta and fixing whatever breaks. That much I know. Every other option costs money, although keeping the Jetta may cost just as much (heater core? various body panels? etc).
Third 4R70W, AFAIK...the shop they use is very, very good and they get ~220-230K on rebuilds. (The same shop rebuilt the 4L60E in my first Caprice and I was pretty impressed.)
Considering the company is still running pre-1998 Vics, I would say yes, they will last 20 years. (The company is in Massachusetts.) All cars are thoroughly rustproofed upon purchase & have been since the mid-90's.
Is your Jetta up for a run to Rhode Island? If so...hit Auto Rust Technicians in Cranston. Superb work, fast turnaround, very good prices. If Jettas have common rust spots, he probably has pre-made repair panels. Also: bring your Tundra, and he can do a full undercoating to prevent a replay of the Jetta scenario.
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
I drove a livery Town Car with 580,000 miles...original engine, even the original AC compressor, alternator, and radiator. (Replacements were dated by the mechanic, these were not.) The AC blew cold, it tracked perfectly on the highway, all the electronics worked, the air suspension worked perfectly. Aside from valve seals around 200k, they had never been inside the engine. Serious question: could your Jetta manage another 275k in any way short of a full teardown and rebuild?
Note that 350-400k from a Panther car was the rule at that company, not the exception.
Good question; I'm not sure. Will your Panther last 20 years of salty NH winters? That is how long it'd take for me to hit 500-600k. Also, you don't state how many transmissions it went through? Seems conventional wisdom indicates 150k on an automatic; are you beating by some significant factor?
As pointed out, fuel cost is not insignificant. Since my car is a depreciating asset that doesn't make me money, fuel cost vs replacement cost (depreciation?) also plays into it.
I honestly don't know. My cheapest option is to keep running my Jetta and fixing whatever breaks. That much I know. Every other option costs money, although keeping the Jetta may cost just as much (heater core? various body panels? etc).
Third 4R70W, AFAIK...the shop they use is very, very good and they get ~220-230K on rebuilds. (The same shop rebuilt the 4L60E in my first Caprice and I was pretty impressed.)
Considering the company is still running pre-1998 Vics, I would say yes, they will last 20 years. (The company is in Massachusetts.) All cars are thoroughly rustproofed upon purchase & have been since the mid-90's.
Is your Jetta up for a run to Rhode Island? If so...hit Auto Rust Technicians in Cranston. Superb work, fast turnaround, very good prices. If Jettas have common rust spots, he probably has pre-made repair panels. Also: bring your Tundra, and he can do a full undercoating to prevent a replay of the Jetta scenario.
Originally Posted By: jimbrewer
Best vehicle I ever owned was a mid 80s Nissan pickup. It was as cheap as the cheapest car, as was customary back then. For 13k I would bite on a small pickup.
Price IS what got my parents into small trucks at first. They bought a Datsun King Cab pickup back in the 1970s because it was dirt cheap and super utilitarian. Compared to their other vehicles, VWs and a Fiat (not bashing), it was super reliable and low maintenance. In 1986, they traded the Datsun in on a new Ranger Super Cab. It was the Custom trim level (everything a la carte) with non-clearcoat dark gray paint, deep tint windows, upgraded audio, vinyl split bench in red, rubber floor, and no A/C. The engine was a 2.3 Lima and the trans a Toyo-Kogyo 5-speed Possibly the strangest optioning ever. It was less than $9K. That truck even beat the Datsun for reliability. When their newer cars were in the shop, the Ranger could always be counted on. Now, almost 30 years after that first Ranger, my parents still have a Ranger. Now a 2011 4.0L Super Cab. This time with A/C. They are not brand loyal people. They buy everything. The Ranger shares its garage with a Honda.
For so many people these were great trucks. It's a shame Ford thinks a 2.7L F-150 will take its place.
Best vehicle I ever owned was a mid 80s Nissan pickup. It was as cheap as the cheapest car, as was customary back then. For 13k I would bite on a small pickup.
Price IS what got my parents into small trucks at first. They bought a Datsun King Cab pickup back in the 1970s because it was dirt cheap and super utilitarian. Compared to their other vehicles, VWs and a Fiat (not bashing), it was super reliable and low maintenance. In 1986, they traded the Datsun in on a new Ranger Super Cab. It was the Custom trim level (everything a la carte) with non-clearcoat dark gray paint, deep tint windows, upgraded audio, vinyl split bench in red, rubber floor, and no A/C. The engine was a 2.3 Lima and the trans a Toyo-Kogyo 5-speed Possibly the strangest optioning ever. It was less than $9K. That truck even beat the Datsun for reliability. When their newer cars were in the shop, the Ranger could always be counted on. Now, almost 30 years after that first Ranger, my parents still have a Ranger. Now a 2011 4.0L Super Cab. This time with A/C. They are not brand loyal people. They buy everything. The Ranger shares its garage with a Honda.
For so many people these were great trucks. It's a shame Ford thinks a 2.7L F-150 will take its place.
Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
For so many people these were great trucks. It's a shame Ford thinks a 2.7L F-150 will take its place.
I agree. My family and I have owned a number of Datsun pickups over the years, and a few Ford Rangers as well. All have served us very well for a long time with very minimal repairs.
For so many people these were great trucks. It's a shame Ford thinks a 2.7L F-150 will take its place.
I agree. My family and I have owned a number of Datsun pickups over the years, and a few Ford Rangers as well. All have served us very well for a long time with very minimal repairs.
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They're gone in the United States.
They've been gone for a long time.
That will do everything many truck owners will ever need thier fullsize to do.
You can still buy a small car based pickup (Chevrolet Montana/Tornado, Ford Courier...) everywhere south of the United States in the western hemisphere.
GM keeps teasing us with the Holden Ute. They know that the US has a certain fondness for the dearly departed El Camino. It's just a tease though.
They've been gone for a long time.
That will do everything many truck owners will ever need thier fullsize to do.
You can still buy a small car based pickup (Chevrolet Montana/Tornado, Ford Courier...) everywhere south of the United States in the western hemisphere.
GM keeps teasing us with the Holden Ute. They know that the US has a certain fondness for the dearly departed El Camino. It's just a tease though.
I have had great luck with Rangers. My first one a 1990 I bought for $5100 with 70k miles on it. Sold it for $4000 with 300k miles. It still ran great with zero engine work. Tuned it every 100k and kept the oil changed. I used to see the guy that bought it running around town and he would give me a thumbs up.
My current Ranger sees all kinds of abuse and at 155k miles still runs great. Only somewhat major work I have done was a valve body in the trans. And that only ran me a few hundred dollars. 4.0L V-6 has plenty of power for my needs and pulls down 21mpg freeway. Not bad for a little 4x4 truck.
My current Ranger sees all kinds of abuse and at 155k miles still runs great. Only somewhat major work I have done was a valve body in the trans. And that only ran me a few hundred dollars. 4.0L V-6 has plenty of power for my needs and pulls down 21mpg freeway. Not bad for a little 4x4 truck.
My experience and everyone I know with Rangers and S-10s love them. I'm actually in the market for one now...tough finding one without tacky rims and stupid mods. I'm not afraid of high mileage, just a matter of finding one that's been taken care of.
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
Originally Posted By: Spazdog
They're gone in the United States.
They've been gone for a long time.
That will do everything many truck owners will ever need thier fullsize to do.
You can still buy a small car based pickup (Chevrolet Montana/Tornado, Ford Courier...) everywhere south of the United States in the western hemisphere.
GM keeps teasing us with the Holden Ute. They know that the US has a certain fondness for the dearly departed El Camino. It's just a tease though.
To be honest I actually want one of those lol, they can squeak out 50 mpg.
They're gone in the United States.
They've been gone for a long time.
That will do everything many truck owners will ever need thier fullsize to do.
You can still buy a small car based pickup (Chevrolet Montana/Tornado, Ford Courier...) everywhere south of the United States in the western hemisphere.
GM keeps teasing us with the Holden Ute. They know that the US has a certain fondness for the dearly departed El Camino. It's just a tease though.
To be honest I actually want one of those lol, they can squeak out 50 mpg.
You can still get a "small" truck, you just have to special order it. The dealer won't put it on their lot like that because most people don't want it.
I have two 2004 F350s. The first one is a typical big diesel truck - it's heavy, it's long, it's hard to park, it gets bad mileage, it's noisy, and I like it that way. The other one is a little standard cab 2WD. It's got little tires and with stock suspension the tailgate is at belt height. With the diesel engine it gets 22MPG on the highway but if it was geared to match the small tires 25mpg would be easy. It's easy to drive, easy to park. I don't know why you would want anything smaller that wasn't a car. I'm planning on converting the long bed to short bed and it will be even smaller/lighter. And the cab is still comfy for a big guy like me. And it still has TONS of horsepower if I want to play or pull.
I have two 2004 F350s. The first one is a typical big diesel truck - it's heavy, it's long, it's hard to park, it gets bad mileage, it's noisy, and I like it that way. The other one is a little standard cab 2WD. It's got little tires and with stock suspension the tailgate is at belt height. With the diesel engine it gets 22MPG on the highway but if it was geared to match the small tires 25mpg would be easy. It's easy to drive, easy to park. I don't know why you would want anything smaller that wasn't a car. I'm planning on converting the long bed to short bed and it will be even smaller/lighter. And the cab is still comfy for a big guy like me. And it still has TONS of horsepower if I want to play or pull.
I had a 2002 Ranger extended cab. I still miss that truck. It could haul anything I needed to haul at the time, which was usually lawn mowers and snow blowers I was fixing as a hobby. I hauled a lot of furniture for a friend as well. I did not need a heavy payload capability and I did not want to smell my cargo while driving. I only traded it in because I needed a real back seat for a car seat. I traded up to a 2004 F-150 extended cab. If I had it to do over, I would have bought the Sport-Trac. At the time I did not think the box was big enough, even with the extender, and with the rebates and employee discount, the F-150 was cheaper than the Sport-Trac. I love my truck, but I hate parking it when I go shopping or in the tight spaces at work.
A 2002 Ranger 2 wheel drive 4.0 v6 and the heavy payload package could carry 1600 pounds and was rated to tow 3400. I would call that able to do real work. Unless your referring to taking a family of 5 to dinner, then it not so useful. Ford also exported one ton models to other countries. I but those do real work too. Funny thing is, the one tons were four cylinders with 4.10 axles.
I think if Ford kept the Ranger updated like the rest of their vehicles, sales would have been better. It was supposed to be redesigned at one point, but the engineering dollars were sent to the F series to keep it on top when sales started to slip. That redesign was rumored to be a bigger truck more like the Dakota size, which did nothing for Colorado sales. I think Ford was also worried about the ranger cutting into F series sales. If ford ever makes a smaller truck again, I am willing to bet it would be called the F-100. That way it can add to F series sales and keep the name on top.
If I had to replace my truck today, I would seriously consider the Nissan Frontier crew cab. I still want a truck, but I want something smaller and easy to park. That is why I drive My Focus wagon as a daily driver. I get the added bonus of fuel mileage and I keep miles off my truck. If I had a smaller truck I would likely just have one vehicle.
A 2002 Ranger 2 wheel drive 4.0 v6 and the heavy payload package could carry 1600 pounds and was rated to tow 3400. I would call that able to do real work. Unless your referring to taking a family of 5 to dinner, then it not so useful. Ford also exported one ton models to other countries. I but those do real work too. Funny thing is, the one tons were four cylinders with 4.10 axles.
I think if Ford kept the Ranger updated like the rest of their vehicles, sales would have been better. It was supposed to be redesigned at one point, but the engineering dollars were sent to the F series to keep it on top when sales started to slip. That redesign was rumored to be a bigger truck more like the Dakota size, which did nothing for Colorado sales. I think Ford was also worried about the ranger cutting into F series sales. If ford ever makes a smaller truck again, I am willing to bet it would be called the F-100. That way it can add to F series sales and keep the name on top.
If I had to replace my truck today, I would seriously consider the Nissan Frontier crew cab. I still want a truck, but I want something smaller and easy to park. That is why I drive My Focus wagon as a daily driver. I get the added bonus of fuel mileage and I keep miles off my truck. If I had a smaller truck I would likely just have one vehicle.
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
I drove a livery Town Car with 580,000 miles...original engine, even the original AC compressor, alternator, and radiator. (Replacements were dated by the mechanic, these were not.) The AC blew cold, it tracked perfectly on the highway, all the electronics worked, the air suspension worked perfectly. Aside from valve seals around 200k, they had never been inside the engine. Serious question: could your Jetta manage another 275k in any way short of a full teardown and rebuild?
Note that 350-400k from a Panther car was the rule at that company, not the exception.
Good question; I'm not sure. Will your Panther last 20 years of salty NH winters? That is how long it'd take for me to hit 500-600k. Also, you don't state how many transmissions it went through? Seems conventional wisdom indicates 150k on an automatic; are you beating by some significant factor?
As pointed out, fuel cost is not insignificant. Since my car is a depreciating asset that doesn't make me money, fuel cost vs replacement cost (depreciation?) also plays into it.
I honestly don't know. My cheapest option is to keep running my Jetta and fixing whatever breaks. That much I know. Every other option costs money, although keeping the Jetta may cost just as much (heater core? various body panels? etc).
Third 4R70W, AFAIK...the shop they use is very, very good and they get ~220-230K on rebuilds. (The same shop rebuilt the 4L60E in my first Caprice and I was pretty impressed.)
Considering the company is still running pre-1998 Vics, I would say yes, they will last 20 years. (The company is in Massachusetts.) All cars are thoroughly rustproofed upon purchase & have been since the mid-90's.
Is your Jetta up for a run to Rhode Island? If so...hit Auto Rust Technicians in Cranston. Superb work, fast turnaround, very good prices. If Jettas have common rust spots, he probably has pre-made repair panels. Also: bring your Tundra, and he can do a full undercoating to prevent a replay of the Jetta scenario.
So at least $4k in repairs to go 500k (2transmissions). I spent about $4k at the 250k mark on clutch and turbo, and those should go 250k or more. (My mechanic at the time had 500k on his with similar repairs. I think he is at 550k now.) 1.9's are pretty durable. I turned the wick up on mine with the turbo, 40% more power, and it's shouldered that pretty well for the last 50k.
My vehicles rust from the top down. Rock chips are a bear. I've started oil coating as I know my Toyotas won't last otherwise--VW has some great rustproofing. Thick layers of zinc, lots of caulk in seems, wax filled cavities. Well, on the MkIV that is--the prior MkIII had serious rust problems. My Toyotas chip paint if you look at them funny.
RI is a long drive (I've actually never been there!). I keep trying to justify getting a flat bed trailer but haven't been able to. Dropping a car off and paying a few hundred dollars in vehicle rental is kinda un appealing, thus the flat bed desire. Making my wife drive shotgun for vehicle repairs? For a vehicle she hates?
My Jetta probably needs $3k in body repairs if I had to guess. Two fenders, one door, one hatch, windshield, rockers. Repaint. Throw in all the other niggling issues and it's clearly not worth it.
Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
I drove a livery Town Car with 580,000 miles...original engine, even the original AC compressor, alternator, and radiator. (Replacements were dated by the mechanic, these were not.) The AC blew cold, it tracked perfectly on the highway, all the electronics worked, the air suspension worked perfectly. Aside from valve seals around 200k, they had never been inside the engine. Serious question: could your Jetta manage another 275k in any way short of a full teardown and rebuild?
Note that 350-400k from a Panther car was the rule at that company, not the exception.
Good question; I'm not sure. Will your Panther last 20 years of salty NH winters? That is how long it'd take for me to hit 500-600k. Also, you don't state how many transmissions it went through? Seems conventional wisdom indicates 150k on an automatic; are you beating by some significant factor?
As pointed out, fuel cost is not insignificant. Since my car is a depreciating asset that doesn't make me money, fuel cost vs replacement cost (depreciation?) also plays into it.
I honestly don't know. My cheapest option is to keep running my Jetta and fixing whatever breaks. That much I know. Every other option costs money, although keeping the Jetta may cost just as much (heater core? various body panels? etc).
Third 4R70W, AFAIK...the shop they use is very, very good and they get ~220-230K on rebuilds. (The same shop rebuilt the 4L60E in my first Caprice and I was pretty impressed.)
Considering the company is still running pre-1998 Vics, I would say yes, they will last 20 years. (The company is in Massachusetts.) All cars are thoroughly rustproofed upon purchase & have been since the mid-90's.
Is your Jetta up for a run to Rhode Island? If so...hit Auto Rust Technicians in Cranston. Superb work, fast turnaround, very good prices. If Jettas have common rust spots, he probably has pre-made repair panels. Also: bring your Tundra, and he can do a full undercoating to prevent a replay of the Jetta scenario.
So at least $4k in repairs to go 500k (2transmissions). I spent about $4k at the 250k mark on clutch and turbo, and those should go 250k or more. (My mechanic at the time had 500k on his with similar repairs. I think he is at 550k now.) 1.9's are pretty durable. I turned the wick up on mine with the turbo, 40% more power, and it's shouldered that pretty well for the last 50k.
My vehicles rust from the top down. Rock chips are a bear. I've started oil coating as I know my Toyotas won't last otherwise--VW has some great rustproofing. Thick layers of zinc, lots of caulk in seems, wax filled cavities. Well, on the MkIV that is--the prior MkIII had serious rust problems. My Toyotas chip paint if you look at them funny.
RI is a long drive (I've actually never been there!). I keep trying to justify getting a flat bed trailer but haven't been able to. Dropping a car off and paying a few hundred dollars in vehicle rental is kinda un appealing, thus the flat bed desire. Making my wife drive shotgun for vehicle repairs? For a vehicle she hates?
My Jetta probably needs $3k in body repairs if I had to guess. Two fenders, one door, one hatch, windshield, rockers. Repaint. Throw in all the other niggling issues and it's clearly not worth it.
Here's the problem with small trucks. Chevy Colorado I just built is $34,615. A similar Silverado is $39,820. In 96, I bought a GMC Sonoma. An equal Sierra was about $10,000 more. If you factor in rebates, The full size becomes more and more attractive. I'd consider a Colorado, but at that price difference, I'd probably buy a full size.
Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
I drove a livery Town Car with 580,000 miles...original engine, even the original AC compressor, alternator, and radiator. (Replacements were dated by the mechanic, these were not.) The AC blew cold, it tracked perfectly on the highway, all the electronics worked, the air suspension worked perfectly. Aside from valve seals around 200k, they had never been inside the engine. Serious question: could your Jetta manage another 275k in any way short of a full teardown and rebuild?
Note that 350-400k from a Panther car was the rule at that company, not the exception.
Good question; I'm not sure. Will your Panther last 20 years of salty NH winters? That is how long it'd take for me to hit 500-600k. Also, you don't state how many transmissions it went through? Seems conventional wisdom indicates 150k on an automatic; are you beating by some significant factor?
As pointed out, fuel cost is not insignificant. Since my car is a depreciating asset that doesn't make me money, fuel cost vs replacement cost (depreciation?) also plays into it.
I honestly don't know. My cheapest option is to keep running my Jetta and fixing whatever breaks. That much I know. Every other option costs money, although keeping the Jetta may cost just as much (heater core? various body panels? etc).
Third 4R70W, AFAIK...the shop they use is very, very good and they get ~220-230K on rebuilds. (The same shop rebuilt the 4L60E in my first Caprice and I was pretty impressed.)
Considering the company is still running pre-1998 Vics, I would say yes, they will last 20 years. (The company is in Massachusetts.) All cars are thoroughly rustproofed upon purchase & have been since the mid-90's.
Is your Jetta up for a run to Rhode Island? If so...hit Auto Rust Technicians in Cranston. Superb work, fast turnaround, very good prices. If Jettas have common rust spots, he probably has pre-made repair panels. Also: bring your Tundra, and he can do a full undercoating to prevent a replay of the Jetta scenario.
So at least $4k in repairs to go 500k (2transmissions). I spent about $4k at the 250k mark on clutch and turbo, and those should go 250k or more. (My mechanic at the time had 500k on his with similar repairs. I think he is at 550k now.) 1.9's are pretty durable. I turned the wick up on mine with the turbo, 40% more power, and it's shouldered that pretty well for the last 50k.
A rebuilt Panther 4R70W is ~$1K installed. Even the built 4L60E in my Caprice (including a rear main seal, flexplate, and adding a cooler) was $1450 (same shop).
Quote:
My vehicles rust from the top down. Rock chips are a bear. I've started oil coating as I know my Toyotas won't last otherwise--VW has some great rustproofing. Thick layers of zinc, lots of caulk in seems, wax filled cavities. Well, on the MkIV that is--the prior MkIII had serious rust problems. My Toyotas chip paint if you look at them funny.
RI is a long drive (I've actually never been there!). I keep trying to justify getting a flat bed trailer but haven't been able to. Dropping a car off and paying a few hundred dollars in vehicle rental is kinda un appealing, thus the flat bed desire. Making my wife drive shotgun for vehicle repairs? For a vehicle she hates?
There's actually an Enterprise next door. What about a one-way rental, get the car there and return it in NH?
Quote:
My Jetta probably needs $3k in body repairs if I had to guess. Two fenders, one door, one hatch, windshield, rockers. Repaint. Throw in all the other niggling issues and it's clearly not worth it.
At this point, undercoating the Tundra might be more important.
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
I drove a livery Town Car with 580,000 miles...original engine, even the original AC compressor, alternator, and radiator. (Replacements were dated by the mechanic, these were not.) The AC blew cold, it tracked perfectly on the highway, all the electronics worked, the air suspension worked perfectly. Aside from valve seals around 200k, they had never been inside the engine. Serious question: could your Jetta manage another 275k in any way short of a full teardown and rebuild?
Note that 350-400k from a Panther car was the rule at that company, not the exception.
Good question; I'm not sure. Will your Panther last 20 years of salty NH winters? That is how long it'd take for me to hit 500-600k. Also, you don't state how many transmissions it went through? Seems conventional wisdom indicates 150k on an automatic; are you beating by some significant factor?
As pointed out, fuel cost is not insignificant. Since my car is a depreciating asset that doesn't make me money, fuel cost vs replacement cost (depreciation?) also plays into it.
I honestly don't know. My cheapest option is to keep running my Jetta and fixing whatever breaks. That much I know. Every other option costs money, although keeping the Jetta may cost just as much (heater core? various body panels? etc).
Third 4R70W, AFAIK...the shop they use is very, very good and they get ~220-230K on rebuilds. (The same shop rebuilt the 4L60E in my first Caprice and I was pretty impressed.)
Considering the company is still running pre-1998 Vics, I would say yes, they will last 20 years. (The company is in Massachusetts.) All cars are thoroughly rustproofed upon purchase & have been since the mid-90's.
Is your Jetta up for a run to Rhode Island? If so...hit Auto Rust Technicians in Cranston. Superb work, fast turnaround, very good prices. If Jettas have common rust spots, he probably has pre-made repair panels. Also: bring your Tundra, and he can do a full undercoating to prevent a replay of the Jetta scenario.
So at least $4k in repairs to go 500k (2transmissions). I spent about $4k at the 250k mark on clutch and turbo, and those should go 250k or more. (My mechanic at the time had 500k on his with similar repairs. I think he is at 550k now.) 1.9's are pretty durable. I turned the wick up on mine with the turbo, 40% more power, and it's shouldered that pretty well for the last 50k.
A rebuilt Panther 4R70W is ~$1K installed. Even the built 4L60E in my Caprice (including a rear main seal, flexplate, and adding a cooler) was $1450 (same shop).
Quote:
My vehicles rust from the top down. Rock chips are a bear. I've started oil coating as I know my Toyotas won't last otherwise--VW has some great rustproofing. Thick layers of zinc, lots of caulk in seems, wax filled cavities. Well, on the MkIV that is--the prior MkIII had serious rust problems. My Toyotas chip paint if you look at them funny.
RI is a long drive (I've actually never been there!). I keep trying to justify getting a flat bed trailer but haven't been able to. Dropping a car off and paying a few hundred dollars in vehicle rental is kinda un appealing, thus the flat bed desire. Making my wife drive shotgun for vehicle repairs? For a vehicle she hates?
There's actually an Enterprise next door. What about a one-way rental, get the car there and return it in NH?
Quote:
My Jetta probably needs $3k in body repairs if I had to guess. Two fenders, one door, one hatch, windshield, rockers. Repaint. Throw in all the other niggling issues and it's clearly not worth it.
At this point, undercoating the Tundra might be more important.
Originally Posted By: whip
Here's the problem with small trucks. Chevy Colorado I just built is $34,615. A similar Silverado is $39,820. In 96, I bought a GMC Sonoma. An equal Sierra was about $10,000 more. If you factor in rebates, The full size becomes more and more attractive. I'd consider a Colorado, but at that price difference, I'd probably buy a full size.
That, too. I just built both...the Colorado (a WT, pretty much stripped except for cruise control) is $24K. A base V6 Silverado is $26K. (A Ram Tradesman with Hemi power, otherwise optioned similarly to the Silverado, is $25,700.)
Here's the problem with small trucks. Chevy Colorado I just built is $34,615. A similar Silverado is $39,820. In 96, I bought a GMC Sonoma. An equal Sierra was about $10,000 more. If you factor in rebates, The full size becomes more and more attractive. I'd consider a Colorado, but at that price difference, I'd probably buy a full size.
That, too. I just built both...the Colorado (a WT, pretty much stripped except for cruise control) is $24K. A base V6 Silverado is $26K. (A Ram Tradesman with Hemi power, otherwise optioned similarly to the Silverado, is $25,700.)
A base Colorado is $21k, and that's an extended cab with a lot more options than a base S-10/Sonoma ever had. Factor in over 10 years of inflation and that isn't bad at at all. But even if you go WT and add a few minor options on, $24k is still pretty decent a savings over a full size.
Originally Posted By: dishdude
A base Colorado is $21k, and that's an extended cab with a lot more options than a base S-10/Sonoma ever had. Factor in over 10 years of inflation and that isn't bad at at all. But even if you go WT and add a few minor options on, $24k is still pretty decent a savings over a full size.
Doesn't sound too bad--about what I paid for my F-150. I gotta wonder what kind of profit margin Toyota has on the Tacoma. It starts at about 18K, and product development costs must be pretty close to nil for years now. Steady sales through loyal customers with minimum marketing costs too.
A base Colorado is $21k, and that's an extended cab with a lot more options than a base S-10/Sonoma ever had. Factor in over 10 years of inflation and that isn't bad at at all. But even if you go WT and add a few minor options on, $24k is still pretty decent a savings over a full size.
Doesn't sound too bad--about what I paid for my F-150. I gotta wonder what kind of profit margin Toyota has on the Tacoma. It starts at about 18K, and product development costs must be pretty close to nil for years now. Steady sales through loyal customers with minimum marketing costs too.
A grand for a rebuilt trans, installed? That does seem pretty cheap. I thought it was on the other side of two.
I've sprayed underneath all of my vehicles this fall with Fluid Film. Should be good to go. Plan to do touch ups at each tire rotation.
I've sprayed underneath all of my vehicles this fall with Fluid Film. Should be good to go. Plan to do touch ups at each tire rotation.
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