BLDTruth

I have been keeping track of all of the repairs I have done to my truck since June, when I really started getting interested in working on it.

Transmission Flush - $30
Rear Differential Flush - $25
Brake Flush - $10
Fuel Filter - $10
Vacuum Lines - $25
PCV - $10
Tensioner/Idler Pulleys - $60
Airbag Clockspring - $50
Oxygen Sensor - $25
Spark Plugs and Wires - $55
Ignition Control Module - $55
Distributor - $40 (JY)
Ignition Coil - $25
Upper/Lower Ball Joints - $110
Radius arm Bushings/Driver's side bracket - $60
Front wheel bearings/Seals - $60
Rear Driveshaft Universal Joints - $25
Rear Brakes (New Drums/Springs/Shoes/cylinders) $140
Front Brakes (New Pads, turned rotors) $50
Front and Rear Shocks - $160
Front and Rear Sway Bar Bushings/Links - $150
Tie Rods - $190
Coil Springs - $70
Alignment - $150

When you add it up, it's about $1500 just in parts. Some of these things didn't NEED to be replaced but most did. The good news is that a lot of these parts will probably last another 20 years. Just one more thing to consider when purchasing one of these trucks - most people aren't selling them AFTER they get them all fixed up

Martian

that's the key line and exactly why I'm not selling my truck until and unless I really have to... way too much sweat equity put into it

BLDTruth

If you want to have some fun, check out the 2015 forums on this site and elsewhere where the thread titles read things like "Why don't my automatic wipers kick in when it's raining" and "Why doesn't my heated steering wheel heat up enough."

Good times.

ericantonio

I just did my taxes and tallied up all my repairs. My truck only costs me 1K from my old boss. I wanted to learn to fix stuff. Some stuff I needed a pro but after watching him, I could've done it myself. I just wasn't confident enough to do it. Now my truck is worth a few times more than I paid for it. And I learned A LOT!

Martian

*sigh* why aren't men men anymore...

BLDTruth

I think the biggest obstacle for anyone trying to learn how to work on these things is the confidence that you can put it all back together. I was always worried I was going to break something irreparably. Now I grab a beer and a sledge hammer.

ericantonio

I haven't kept up with new cars but really, heated steering wheels? No. I had heated seats before and traded that car in and miss it. But a steering wheel? Heated?

Cars have so much "touch screens" today. So distracting. I rent cars to visit my daughter in college and I love the new ones but I say to myself "hate to fix this when XYZ goes out of it". Yikes. remove 100 things to fix 1 thing.

Martian

Same with automatic wipers and even automatic headlights. Having an automatic transmission I'm fine with because I can still control it with the pedal. But the rest? I can do everything else on my own. I don't need lane assist to help me stay in lane... I took a driver's test and passed it because I'm capable of doing that on my own. I don't need parallel park assist because I bought the truck and I require myself to be comfortable with the dimensions of any vehicle I voluntarily bought, so I should be able to drive it AND park it... you get the idea. It goes on.

BLDTruth

Well I just bought a 2013 Ford Edge a couple of months ago, and there are definitely a few things about it that are technologically awesome. I'm not a big fan of the whole touch screen thing, but the navigation tells me what the speed limit is - pretty damn cool. The Cruise control allows me to digitally set a speed I want and then adjust it (and it responds quickly). It tells me what my real time mpg/tank mpg is at any given moment. The defroster works in about 20 seconds after startup no matter how cold/wet it is.

Oh yeah the heated seats. I'm not giving those up either. But if the seats weren't leather, they wouldn't be so damn cold, so there's that.

I refuse to use the backup camera or the annoying back-up assist warning feature.

Martian

There are signs on the side of road that also have the speed limit...

Don't trust the car to be accurate. I got a ticket in VB because the speed limit was lowered over the weekend and the car I was driving didn't know it.