Used Vehicle Rant!

[Motzart]

Well my 91 Ford Explorer Sport took a dump after 3yrs of ownership.
Front spring carriage rotted out and the spring went BOING!!

Shame too it only had 91k on it. :(

Well the body was looking bleak(NE winter salt)so it was time to find another vehicle.
Sooooo I went on a hunt......
OMG used vehicles with the banks being idiots about lending $$$ for new ones went threw the roof!!
I decided to get another 2dr Explorer 4WD.......crap....even with 150k+ they are bringing $1600+! Rediculious!

I watched the local Craigslist for something to pop up.
I hafta have a 4X4 where I live as I'm up on a hill in a rural area.
FINALLY after 2 weeks of watching a 1995 4WD Sport with 104k came up.
Posted at 5:10pm and by 6pm I paid for it. :D
He wanted $800 for it....I got it for $650....which is a deal and a half in my area.
It's needs rear sping shaclkes....rear brakes are shot......runs great and the body is pretty decent.
Back hatch was rusted shut...2in of bottom rotted off....fianlly got it open and swapped it for my neighbors as he is scrapping a 1996.
Only other rust is the rockers which are easy to fix.
Pretty loaded with PW....PL.....Auto with OD....Factory working AM/FM/CD....ect ect
The tires are good Firestone Wrangler AT's with 80% tread left
(Yeah I drive older stuff....cheaper to fix......something I can pay CASH for and no payments)
Time I get done with it I'll have about $1000 - $1100 in it and I can't come close to buying one with that low of miles on it for that!

Just couldn't believe how much used vehicles are bringing even with high mileage!
Cars....Trucks....Mini Vans...4WD's....don't matter!
Anything you could get last year you can tack on a extra $1000 or more this year!

[ben62670]

The scary thing is once they start rusting they keep rusting. Check those brake lines real good. I used to do the "farmers undercoating" when I lived up north. A small garden sprayer, some drain oil, and a trip down a dusty road would keep things from rotting.

[Motzart]

The scary thing is once they start rusting they keep rusting. Check those brake lines real good. I used to do the "farmers undercoating" when I lived up north. A small garden sprayer, some drain oil, and a trip down a dusty road would keep things from rotting.

I might see about some Naval Gell before I do any body work....supposed to stop rust somehow. Ever heard of it?
Yeah I had brake lines go bad on my old explorer and just recently on our Mini Van. Had to have my Brother-In-Law do the Van cuz of that ABS stuff.
Something about bleeding the box wrong can really mess things up.

I hate the Winters up here with the salt and all!
But at least I'm not shaking....flooding....burning or getting tornado'd.

[fossy]

More people have to buy used with the economy the way it is , so people can get a little more $$$ for used.

No payments is the way to go for sure..

[ben62670]

We had a tornado warning this evening It happens a lot where I am:( As for rust removal I have used Ospho will good results.
http://www.ospho.com/
You can get it at HD, or Lowe's. I forget which one I used. Also check out your local hardware stores. You can then used a product called extend after the rust removal.

[Motzart]

We had a tornado warning this evening It happens a lot where I am

Oh I know....I was born in St Louis MO and lived there till I was 6yrs old.
I remember very well those big twisters and very violent thunder storms!!

We have tailends of twisters here now and then and PPl get all excited about em.
Too hilly here to have a full blown one(no pun intended)
They usually bounce the hill tops here now and then or follow the river bed for a short way.
I have seen a F3-4 when I was a kid so I know what a REAL one is like!!

[Motzart]

No payments is the way to go for sure..

Not to mention that a 1995 or older don't hafta be put on a machine for inspection here in NY. ;)

[Motzart]

As for rust removal I have used Ospho will good results.
http://www.ospho.com/
You can get it at HD, or Lowe's. I forget which one I used. Also check out your local hardware stores. You can then used a product called extend after the rust removal.

Yup that Ospho is about the same stuff as the Naval Gell.....same result.

[nooshinjohn]

POR-15 is fantastic too...

[sucks2beme]

I had a couple of cars rot out under me. They of course were some of the best running cars I ever owned. What will blow your mind is getting under an old Texas vehicle down here and being able to actually turn bolts and
brake bleeders without breaking them. No long wd40 soaks or heating!
My 11 year old truck is still using the original exhaust!

[Motzart]

I had a couple of cars rot out under me. They of course were some of the best running cars I ever owned. What will blow your mind is getting under an old Texas vehicle down here and being able to actually turn bolts and
brake bleeders without breaking them. No long wd40 soaks or heating!
My 11 year old truck is still using the original exhaust!

Sand and heat is your only enemy there.
Glass and paint get sand blasted pretty good there and Arizona.
Dunno about bearings and U-joints tho?

[cnh]

I'm in New England myself and the salt is a DEADLY problem for cars up here. Lost a good vehicle a couple of years ago, brake-linings completely eaten away! Black Ice for at least 6 months, snow every time there is a bit of humidity in the air...nothing ever melts...more salt, and more salt. My front lawn may not birth grass this year because it has 'salt' as fertilizer....

cnh

[bobman1235]

I always get a kick out of people who say they don't want to "waste money" on a car wash in the winter.

[cnh]

I'm with you bobman...but I would add that I have a few friends who tried to do just that and ended up having to replace a number of their windshields, froze their locks and experience other damage. Up here we're talking about the temps being below 32 degrees for a few months. And those are the highs. Plus with all the salt, even if you washed the undercarriage every week you're still fighting a losing battle. Salt is on the ground 'everywhere' for over 6 months.

cnh

[bobman1235]

It's definitely not a solution but it helps stave off the rust and rot for a while. Salt is much worse of a problem when it sits for a long time, rather than getting washed off and re-added every week.

[Motzart]

Up here we're talking about the temps being below 32 degrees for a few months. And those are the highs.

cnh

Hell here for several weeks it didn't get out of the teens for highs.
Night time was single digits and below during that time.
Wreaks havoc on your heat bill as well as salt on your ride.
My old Explorer took a dump around January and I had to drive the Dodge Mini Van. They didn't take care of the roads that great....probably due to the economy. Boy that was hell getting to work and home.
I work 3rd shift so I hafta travel to worst part of the night and morning.
10pm till 6:30am just when the weather is the worst.
Really learn to appreciate a 4X4 despite the gas mileage real fast! :D

[Motzart]

I'm with you bobman...but I would add that I have a few friends who tried to do just that and ended up having to replace a number of their windshields, froze their locks and experience other damage. Up here we're talking about the temps being below 32 degrees for a few months. And those are the highs. Plus with all the salt, even if you washed the undercarriage every week you're still fighting a losing battle. Salt is on the ground 'everywhere' for over 6 months.

cnh

Yeah people don't think sometimes and make a real problem for themselves.

Pretty bad when the roads are white here and it hadn't snowed for a few days. Residue from all the salt used! At my work they salt the driveway 2-3 times a day....sounds like a gravel road when ya drive over it from so much salt.
Probably at least 2 tons of salt a day......SERIOUSLY!!
It's a wonder any grass grows near the driveway during the summer!

[exalted512]

move to texas! Then you dont have to deal with all that BS :)
-Cody

[greg2350]

The scary thing is once they start rusting they keep rusting. Check those brake lines real good. I used to do the "farmers undercoating" when I lived up north. A small garden sprayer, some drain oil, and a trip down a dusty road would keep things from rotting.

POR-15 will stop that rust in its tracks and will never return wonderful stuff. I used it on my 68 chevelle 8 years ago and the rust has not returned. From what I have read its better than powder coating, stronger, more resistence, great stuff.

POR-15® is a high-tech, high performance rust-preventive coating designed for application directly on rusted or seasoned metal surfaces. It dries to an incredible rock-hard, non-porous finish that won't chip, crack, or peel, and it prevents rust from recurring by protecting metal from further exposure to moisture.
Use it to coat rusty frames, floor pans, farm equipment, marine equipment, or even a heavily corroded battery tray.


http://www.por15.com/POR-15/productinfo/1GB/

[ben62670]

POR-15 will stop that rust in its tracks and will never return wonderful stuff. I used it on my 68 chevelle 8 years ago and the rust has not returned. From what I have read its better than powder coating, stronger, more resistence, great stuff.

POR-15® is a high-tech, high performance rust-preventive coating designed for application directly on rusted or seasoned metal surfaces. It dries to an incredible rock-hard, non-porous finish that won't chip, crack, or peel, and it prevents rust from recurring by protecting metal from further exposure to moisture.
Use it to coat rusty frames, floor pans, farm equipment, marine equipment, or even a heavily corroded battery tray.


http://www.por15.com/POR-15/productinfo/1GB/

Thanks Greg. I have an old 68 bronco that will need to be done. Damn welded seams all over the place. I really want that vehicle back on the road:( I don't care about the 8mpg city, or hwy!

[Airplay355]

I drove to school one morning and it was -14 degrees in Maine. Even the subaru dealership here stopped washing cars when it was below freezing because people were having problems.

I went to see them on a day that was above freezing so I got a car wash. Not like it matters much though, my car has 168k on it and I'm sure it's on it's way out. Oh well :D

[Motzart]

I have an old 68 bronco that will need to be done.

Now there is something I haven't seen here for years!
They all rotted away. :(
I worked at a used car lot years ago and He had one of those forsale at the time.
I believe it was a 1971 but same thing....it had a 302 V8 and 3 on the tree....drove it a coupla times...it'd sh** and git!
Guys used to restore those much the way many do the Jeep CJ's today.

[Motzart]

my car has 168k on it and I'm sure it's on it's way out. Oh well :D

It's amazing how many cars....trucks and SUV's are on the road with 150k+ miles on em and still going.
Lot with 200k+ even....all depends on the care that's been taken of them over the years.
Anyone that bought em new definately got their $$$$$ worth.