Opinion: Fix or Sell?
03-15-2013, 09:19 PM
#31
Junior Member
Thread Starter
So... Back on topic. I'm in a very similar situation as the OP only my truck has about 60K fewer miles on it, and I'm still on the original engine.
I've already forked out quite a bit on necessities like U-joints and rotors (which are brutal at the register for 7-luggers, and the cheap[er] ones don't last), and aside from the surprises like the starter, the radiator, and the coil-packs, I too am in need of a trans rebuild - along with ball-joints, tie rod ends, & new shocks, and the front pinion seal is leaking, and might as well do the bearing, right? ...that's only a $150 part, but while I'm spending the $, and the pumpkin's open for the labor anyway, I might as well get the limited-slip unit rebuilt, and since the axles are out, new seals & bearings there @ $70x4, and then I'll have a little money for fun stuff ...maybe. It's pretty tough to think about brand-loyalty when $10K can get you a pretty sweet used Hemi, and you've got that much in catching-up to do with your Ford.
This stuff adds up quick, but I'm convinced that if I just keep at it, I'll have a reliable & good-looking effie. In the mean-time, I've put the little trim pieces on hold, and I'm looking for deals on hub upgrade parts, and fixing what I can, and saving money for a down payment in case I can't.
The cheapest way I know to get a rebuilt trans into my F150 is to pull the trans myself, buy the torque converter & rebuild kit, and call around the transmission shops and see who will do a "bench-rebuild" for cheap & honor a warranty on it. It's only ~6 hours of labor to R&R the transmission, and around here a bench-rebuild runs about $400, so including good quality parts & all, I can have mine done for under $1,500 if I can work the system just right.
Brutal truth: You can pay $X/month to finance a newer truck or pay $X/month maintaining yours (unfortunately, I'm stuck doing both, but...) that belongs to you. There is hardly any money in the truck the way it sits. If you enjoy it, then continue to fix it & enjoy yourself; like I said, I'm convinced that one day I'll have a pretty nice F150 if all goes well. Aftermarket upgrades = total loss when sold on the vehicle as a whole. Most folks are like me & want a vehicle as close to stock as possible so it can be modded it to suit personal flavor. If you want to get the most money out of your truck, you'll need to part it out. ...and uh, those are leather seats you got there, huh?
I've already forked out quite a bit on necessities like U-joints and rotors (which are brutal at the register for 7-luggers, and the cheap[er] ones don't last), and aside from the surprises like the starter, the radiator, and the coil-packs, I too am in need of a trans rebuild - along with ball-joints, tie rod ends, & new shocks, and the front pinion seal is leaking, and might as well do the bearing, right? ...that's only a $150 part, but while I'm spending the $, and the pumpkin's open for the labor anyway, I might as well get the limited-slip unit rebuilt, and since the axles are out, new seals & bearings there @ $70x4, and then I'll have a little money for fun stuff ...maybe. It's pretty tough to think about brand-loyalty when $10K can get you a pretty sweet used Hemi, and you've got that much in catching-up to do with your Ford.
This stuff adds up quick, but I'm convinced that if I just keep at it, I'll have a reliable & good-looking effie. In the mean-time, I've put the little trim pieces on hold, and I'm looking for deals on hub upgrade parts, and fixing what I can, and saving money for a down payment in case I can't.
The cheapest way I know to get a rebuilt trans into my F150 is to pull the trans myself, buy the torque converter & rebuild kit, and call around the transmission shops and see who will do a "bench-rebuild" for cheap & honor a warranty on it. It's only ~6 hours of labor to R&R the transmission, and around here a bench-rebuild runs about $400, so including good quality parts & all, I can have mine done for under $1,500 if I can work the system just right.
Brutal truth: You can pay $X/month to finance a newer truck or pay $X/month maintaining yours (unfortunately, I'm stuck doing both, but...) that belongs to you. There is hardly any money in the truck the way it sits. If you enjoy it, then continue to fix it & enjoy yourself; like I said, I'm convinced that one day I'll have a pretty nice F150 if all goes well. Aftermarket upgrades = total loss when sold on the vehicle as a whole. Most folks are like me & want a vehicle as close to stock as possible so it can be modded it to suit personal flavor. If you want to get the most money out of your truck, you'll need to part it out. ...and uh, those are leather seats you got there, huh?
03-16-2013, 02:23 AM
#32
03-16-2013, 02:41 AM
#33
I guess once you have a mortgage you look at things differently... but even when i was 18 I never wanted to pay the note on a new truck.
Buy a couple years old with low miles and just have to search and search and search and find one that is still in brand new condition.
Too much depreciation on new vehicles. Id rather put the money into my house.
03-16-2013, 11:10 AM
#34
Agreed, you can buy one still under factory warranty for thousands less than new. I learned this when I bought a car with 600 (yes, six hundred) miles on it for $22K, and just the year prior it had sold new for $35K +. It still had 2.5 years & 35,400 miles left on the factory warranty, along with a clean history. Unless I was special ordering a ride that was just exactly like I wanted it from the factory, I'd go pre-owned FTW. 
03-16-2013, 12:34 PM
#35
Did this post ever turn into a sh*t fest really fast,AGAIN OP lives in Canada not the US
Last edited by qwikz74; 03-16-2013 at 12:42 PM.