Cost of truck repairs vs. buying another one?

Anonymous-0 · Oct 29, 2008

I took my 2000 Chev 2500 4X4 in to get a quote for basically a new front end. $3700+ with labour at $105/hr.! Mechanically the truck seems pretty good. The brakes were done about 2 years ago and it has 285,000 kms. I'm going to get another quote just to see if I really need everything in the first quote. I don't really need a 3/4 ton gas hog most of the time and I do a lot of driving out to my land(45 minutes one way). I'm thinking of maybe getting a smaller truck, like a Ranger or a 1/2 ton that gets decent mileage. If I do need to spend over $3000 to fix my truck, I was thinking of maybe spending a little more and getting a good used small truck and fixing the big one when I have a little better finances. What is a good used truck that gets good fuel economy? The 6.0 litre is pretty thirsty for what I need. The other thing I was wondering, was if I'd get any kind of trade in for my truck the way it is? Any opinions would be appreciated. Dave

Anonymous-0 · Oct 29, 2008

What's wrong with your truck (body damage or just worn parts)? Here in Germany, diesel is the popular choice for vehicles (especially pickups and SUV's) that drive any distance. The Mitsubishi L200's get 30+ MPG with a 130HP motor.
I had a F250 4x4 that I only used to make a 5 km loop twice a day to check on horses and bring a little hay (at 8 mpg). At the same tie, I have a 1 axle wagon for my tractor that hauls more and is easier to load and unload and a utility trailer for my car that holds an easy 20 bails of hay. I was hard headed for a couple of years and finally sold it to a German that had just got him a horse and some cowboy boots and needed a pickup to complete the package. Now, I use the utility trailer and my ATV for just about everything local, and bought a 97 KIA Sportage to satisfy the 4x4 need and better mpg.
Take your parts estimate (if they itemized) and go to rockauto.com and look up the parts, you may find it to be about a 3rd of what your estimate is. Then find a private mech to do the work. Just an idea.

Good Luck,

Dave

ericlb · Oct 29, 2008

if the truck is in pretty good shape overall body wise and mechanicly, id fix it,if you trade it in the dealer will maybe give you a grand for it,the new trucks are rediclulos, in price and not too well made either as far as fit and finish, also seem to have a lot of computer problems, due to economic reasons these days people are keeping their automobiles a lot longer than they used to, so if you get a late model used,these days you run the risk of getting a truck with a problem nobody can fix, the original owner traded it in to get rid of it, with your truck you know its history and what you have, may as well fix it and keep it fixed and run it untill it just wont go anymore, my chevy is 27 years old and still going strong

tlak · Oct 29, 2008

You need to find a local independent shop. They still work for $20-50hr. That'll knock a chunk out of the price. Then shop around for parts. I've seen as much as $5 difference on a $20 part.

Anonymous-0 · Oct 29, 2008

First guy that looked at my truck drove up in a 3 or 4 year old F150 4x4(mine was a '89 F250 4x4). I asked him the obvious question of what he wanted with my old truck, and he said his wouldn't pull a horse trailer. The kid that ended up buying it spent a few weekends and a few bucks taking the body off the frame, wire brushing and painting everything. Buffed the paint and fixed a couple small dents and couple of rust spots and sent me some pics. I about cried.
That's a FORD though, a chevy won't be nearly as good but it'll try. Just kidding :lol: I'd check out rock auto and get a shop manual. Nothing is really that hard. Do everything yourself and take it to a front end alignment shop for the adjustments.

Good Luck,

Dave

Mike M · Oct 29, 2008

Here in the USA for some odd reasons ? we aren't allowed to have those small high MPG pickups.

Dave 2N · Oct 29, 2008

BINGO!! on the independent shop. I've always tried to find and independent I can trust and stick with them. Keep the dealer's work to a bare minimum and only as needed.

Rauville · Oct 29, 2008

I would think there would be some good old used trucks up North that would provide cheaper transportation than spending $3700.

Nothing wrong with driving something a few years old to save money.

I bought this old Chevy 4x4 for $1100 at an auction a couple of years ago. I'm the second owner, and like to drive it better than my DuraMax. With that little 250 six cylinder and automatic it's cheaper to operate, plus with the factory 8-track it's a real chick magnet!

Good Luck

glennster · Oct 29, 2008

dont know what all you need on the front end, but i ran some quick numbers for you. new lower ball joints, uppers come with control arms, new tie rod ends, new idler arm and pitman arm, all installed for about 1660.00 with an alignment., for a k2500 new silverado 4x4. dont know how the wheel bearings are, new ones are 443.00 each side, napa can get the parts a lot cheaper, these are new oem stuff.

Anonymous-0 · Oct 29, 2008

Go ahead and do your homework on a trade and see if you want to do it.

Anonymous-0 · Oct 29, 2008

Sometimes the dealer will be cost competitive. I needed some warranty work on my F150 so when I was at the Ford dealer I asked what the price was on some new tires. When they gave me the quote I said Costco would do it for less and showed them the price for the very same tires. They verified the price and sold me new tires for the same price as Costco. Doesn't hurt to ask.

Germ · Oct 29, 2008

I'd really think twice about putting almost $4000 dollars into a truck that has almost 180,000 miles on it. That truck might run another 100,000 miles or it might run another 100 miles. You are probably getting at the point that it will nickle and dime you to death. There are lots of good newer trucks for sale right now at bargain prices.

Anonymous-0 · Oct 29, 2008

(quoted from post at 04:20:04 10/29/08) Here in the USA for some odd reasons ? we aren't allowed to have those small high MPG pickups.

You say that as a joke, but there must be some truth to it.

In 1986 I bought a VW gulf diesel from a buddy that had brought it back (Missouri) from Germany. It got 50 mpg driving me on country roads back and forth to work and around 60 mpg on the highway.

I have a VW Passat wagon with a 2.0 5sp that I between 25 and 30 mpg when I am pushing it along between 90 and 110 mph and almost 40 mpg when I can force myself to drive 60 mph.
There's got to be a difference between European spec vehicles and American specs, I'm just not smart enough to know what it is. I buy my VW parts through rock auto, so it's the same vehicle that was sold in America.

Go figure

Dave

Anonymous-0 · Oct 29, 2008

That's nice! Even though it's a Chevy, it's nice. A drawback of being in Germany is the shortage of trucks like this.

Dave

Anonymous-0 · Oct 29, 2008

The price wasn't at a dealer. It was at a large tire shop. I need what you listed and one bearing assembly. The price they gave for the bearing was $611.00 and a friend of mine said he bought the same bearing at a dealer for around $500.00. I also asked how long it would take and they said it ccould be done in a day, yet the hours on the quote add up to 13.8. It even says total savings of $280.00. I don't see where they're saving me anything. I'm going to smaller shop today to get a price. Their shop rate is $84.00. Pretty hard to find anyone much cheaper. Dave

Wild Bill · Oct 29, 2008

The cheapest vehicle you will ever drive is the one that you are in at the time

Anonymous-0 · Oct 29, 2008

I looked up what a front 4wd bearing would be for a 2000 3/4 ton on rockauto. They are around $200. $611 sounds like a major rip off.

Goose · Oct 29, 2008

When I was a Claims Adjuster doing vehicle service contracts, we shied away from large tire and muffler shops, brakes specialty shops, etc.

For instance, they won't just slip in a new pair of front brake pads and send you down the road, even if that's all you need. If they can't sell you a complete four wheel brake job with all new rotors, pads, drums, shoes, and hardware, they won't touch your vehicle. They all seem to subscribe to P.T. Barnum's line of thinking. And apparently it works or they wouldn't stay in business.

Anonymous-0 · Oct 29, 2008

Well for me not a hard question, my oldest rig is 37 years old my newest is 19 years old and I'am the only one that has ever done any repair work on them. I personaly think I haved saved a bundel over the long run, not only on repairs but ins. no bank loans cheaper license fee's. And they were built a lot better than todays {junk}.

RodinNS · Oct 29, 2008

Dunno... that sounds awful steep for some front end work.
Mabey look around some more?
Do the work yourself?
I know I'd loath the idea of spending that kind of money on a truck that old... because they do seem to start nickle and diming you at about that time.
Seems to me like you could do a lot of work yourself for a grand or so. Did that on my Ranger and it would be about a grand anyway.
For what it's worth, for the kind of driving I do, I get anywhere between 15 and 24 mpg with mine. That's a 3L, 5 speed, 4x4, short box... plain jane truck.

Rod

keh · Oct 29, 2008

Other guys have addressed the repair issues well. I went the same route you did some years ago. Small truck experience: 84 Nissan diesel, 34 mpg, forget about finding one now. 92 Ford Ranger 4cyl 26.5 mpg, not much pep but cruised with traffic after getting to speed. 93 Mazda 4 cyl 26.5 mpg. It was the last all Japan model, later Mazdas are Ford Rangers. 05 Toyota Tacoma, 28 mpg sometimes 30. Was going to get an 05 Ranger which is rated at 30 mpg but couldn't get together with dealer.
All these were 2 wd. If you get 4x4, it will probably cost 2 mpg.

I have had larger trucks that get poor gas milage for serious hauling during this time.

Older Toyotas and Nissans did not get very good gas milage.

Since the late 80s Chevy full size short bed trucks get around 22mpg with the 350 v8. I once had a 87 S 10 chevy 4 cyl 2wd automatic that got 22 mpg.

KEH

Don-Wi · Oct 30, 2008

You ain't kidden!!

I just had some work done on my car by an independent guy after the other shop ripped me off for what they did. They used to be better befroe he hired a service writer that drives about 1 hr. for a job that could easily be had a lot closer to his home. Last time I had my car in there they did their 100 point inspection and told me that my rear driver brake cyl. was leaking. My rear passenger side would lock up when cold but they said "Nope, it's the driver's side"

I just had it in at the other guy's shop, told him to look at the brakes when he replaced the light switch in the steering column. He didn't find anything wrong, said he didn't do anything to the brakes, yet they don't act up anymore.

Cost me less than $200 to hav the switch replaced too. MOst shops that's a minimum $500.

Donova from Wisconsin

Cost of truck repairs vs. buying another one?

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