Should I just buy a new one? Opinions welcomed.

[marc11]

About this time last year I purchased a 2004 FX4, it was/had everything I wanted inlcuding a manual transmission which is not as common as I thought.

Anyway, since that time it has been one problem after another, new alternator, new front shocks, new rear brakes and drums, pinion seal, axle seal, hub bearing, rotors and pads and new tires. All this in 10k miles.

I also flushed and filled all the fluids, new fuel filter, air filter, PVC and plugs.

Since that time, I also found the paint on the door started to chip off, turns out the P/O had the door painted, it wasn't hit or in an accident, we found out someone keyed the hell out of it. So I had the door stripped and painted right, matches 100%. (btw the car fax was clean with only 2 owners)

Long short of it, I like the Ranger, its easy of maintenance and cheap/available parts. And I am thinking had this truck been taken care of better, maybe so many things wouldn't be so wrong. But now the rear pinion is starting to hum and the seal where the front drive shaft enters the diff is leaking, more money and more work. And who knows how long the clutch will last, no idea how the P/O drove it.

I am done with this truck, I shouldn't have purchased it. So, do I cut my loses and sell it/trade it in, or keep fixing it? WWYD?

 

[Mark_88]

No...you've probably done all the routine maintenance that should have been done by the P/O and because they didn't do it...you bought into it...

I'd hang on to it...they do pay for themselves after a short while...

 

[marc11]

Yeah I wasn't so much concerned about the normal maint stuff, that gave me peace of mind, it is more facing the couple of hundred it is going to cost me to get the pinion preload or lash right, then the what ever to replace the front seal, then the next what ever breaks.

On the one hand it is silly to spend 25k on a new truck instead of a couple of hundred/thousand to keep the one I have running, but on the other hand, I only paid $10k for this truck a year ago and it is probably still worth $9k if I sell it. The longer it goes and if I need to keep dumping money into it, at some point I am afraid of being behind the curve.

 

[iceracer60]

^^+1 mark is right, and thats why they call it preventative maintenance. obviously the p/o didnt take care of it and it led to earlier wear and tear on critical components

 

[93Ranger4x4]

I'd hang onto it, i traded my 01 4wd ext cab on 33's for my diesel and i wished i woulda just kept the ranger after about a year or so of driving the diesel.

 

[BlackBII]

As I was reading your post I was thinking to myslef..."Well, it sounds like he's got all the regluar maintenance taken care of."

How many miles on this truck total?

Doesn't look like any 'problems' to me, just regular things. No vehicle can go forever without something being changed/fixed/new/etc.

And with new trucks, you will always be behind the curv. EVERY new vehicle depreciates. It's only the old and rare ones that appreciate, like my Fiat 131

 

[TRX501RYAN]

Id say your getting close to having everything fixed by the sounds of it, should have much left to throw at ya, just keep up on things and you may be okay from now on, id hope

 

[BlueThunder]

May as well keep it dude. You've already invested plenty of time and money in it. Go ahead and get it right and be done with it. When you are finished you will know exactly what you have.

 

[feellnfroggy]

Instead of replacing stock with stock which really is blowing your money, I would take advantage of the oppurtunity to dig in. Your backlash needs adjustment, I would use that oppurtunity to do you gears. Since you know ahead of time start looking for an inexpensive set of gears that fits your wheelin/dd needs. If the wheel bearins go maybe looking at doing your hubs to manuals. Stuff like that. If your not interested in modding though, I dont know what to say. If you sink 10k into gettin that truck to last 4 yrs its better than the 16-20k youd pay for a new one. I say keep it.

 

[partsguy84823]

Keep it... I don't have much else to add...

 

[PickupMan04 FX4 L2]

Well your in a lil pickle id say. ive been where you are except i went through with what your thinkin. i shoulda kept my 95 instead of getting the 04. i knew what i had after i put the 95 back together. i still sold the damn thing. im doing it all over again with my 04.

keep it and fix it and drive it till the wheels fall off.

 

[Taragon]

Where are you located?

If youre close, I'll redo your backlash and preload for free, you buy the parts, and food.

 

[tony314]

After all of that. You should keep it. Buying another Ranger doesn't mean you won't have the same issues or even worse. You know whats been done on your truck now so why risk another buy that could turn south?

 

[marc11]

Where are you located?

If youre close, I'll redo your backlash and preload for free, you buy the parts, and food.

Way up in NY, too bad, my wife is a great cook. But the bad news is, I got in my truck yesterday to drive to work and the clutch went on it, started to slip as I went up the hill near my house. Turned around, took the day off and purchased a new Tundra double cab. I know, don't kill me for not getting an F-150, which I think is one of the best looking trucks out there, but Toyota was practically giving the truck away and 2.9% 60 month financing to boot.

So, $12,500 down payment, $7000 for my truck and 60 really low payments and its mine. I get it in two weeks, it is coming from the factory.

 

[Mark_88]

Well, a new clutch would have been $600 installed by someone else...and that would probably do the truck for a long, long time...someone else will benefit from your experience...and that may be a good thing...you may actually meet the new owner and see the smile on his or her face...

I wouldn't have gone that route regardless of how my financial situation was....I hate making payments...paying interest...and paying for five years to me is too much commitment...but if you can handle it and need a reliable vehicle then there's not much you can do when a truck leaves you high and dry...