Lots of Repairs, is it worth it?

[BinaryData]

Hey y'all!

I was supposed to post this a few weeks back, but my ADHD brain filed it under "I'll do this later..." and here it is, only a few weeks later. This post was in regards to my post here; https://www.ramforum.com/threads/new-truck-shopping-questions.208740 about buying a new truck.

Here's my list of repairs so far;

1. Wheel Speed Sensors - Something is very very wrong with these, ever since Les Schwab did my tire rotation 2 or 3ish years ago, I've had nothing but problems. They refused to admit any wrong doing, and my normal mechanic shop couldn't find anything wrong, other than cables not being secured.
2. Transmission or Clutch - Truck doesn't shift correctly, there is a 10s or longer delay when I step on it. When I first got my truck, and I didn't goose it, I'd shift around 2.5k RPMs. I don't shift until 3.5k RPMs now.
3. Brake Job + Rotors - Normal Wear and Tear. I have to do a lot of heavy braking, people in my area don't know how to drive and are notorious for cutting people off. Semi's are the worst about it.
4. Passenger Side Mirror - I smacked it trying to not run over a kid, dog, and the idiot parents trying to stop their kids. I plan to fix this at the end of the month.
5. Headlight Replacements - Need to replace both headlights, and fog lights. Some still work, but I've had my opposite brake light pop after I replaced the other one.
6. Body Work - Front Right Fender kissed a mailbox and it's in rough shape. I've been looking for a replacement after finding out that just painting the fender will cost over $1,000 because of the paint. 3 different body shops in town, and 2 out of town, quoted me similar amounts.
7. A/C Unit - The air condenser has small holes in it. Looks like someone took an ice pick and gave it a few good smacks from the outside. 2 Canisters of A/C mix lasts me an entire year, but I can't buy the cans in Washington State anymore.
8. Brake Lines - Not sure if I have an air bubble in my lines or not, my brother accidentally broke one of the ceramic pads on my brakes and had to replace it. Since that point, I've had nothing but weird issues with my brakes. I don't know how to explain it, but they just don't feel right. I've had Les Schwab, and the local Dodge Dealership all tell me they are fine and working as in tended. I planned to have them bleed my lines but they wanted a crap ton of money to do it. $150 diagnostic fee, Labor was ~$300, and fluids were $150 - $200. I was looking at around $500 - $750 depending on how quickly it was done.

I have less than $10,000 left on my truck to pay off, which was going to be done this year. I'm cashing out stocks from my company, and I'll be getting more than I originally expected, since we're doing so well. I'm wondering if it was worth it to fix some of these issues, or just save myself the time, money and headaches.

I have ~250,000 miles on it. I've put 160k miles on it since I bought it. I bought it for $25k + $5k in extended warranty (absolute joke). I've spent over $20,000 in repairs on it already, half of that was a re-manufactured engine because my 8th piston was vaporized. This was 3 years after buying it.

All in all, it's been a good truck, and I've taken care of it to the best of my abilities. I can do some of these repairs myself, like the mirror, but I'm probably going to end up taking it to a shop for it. The reason being, the last time my brother worked on my truck, he broke things that shouldn't have been broken if it was done correctly. The other issue being, I don't ever buy cheap parts when it comes to critical functions, i.e. brakes. I've learned too many valuable lessons and watch a Fortune 500 company buy "cheap" under the guise of Frugality, and watch them spend thousands later because they were "frugal".



With all that said, of those 8 issues, which do y'all think are something I absolutely should not wait to get done. My thoughts were; 1, 4, and 8. The brakes/rotors won't need to be replaced until my next oil change (3 - 4 months from now).

 

[BenWade]

That sounds overwhelming. If I were you I'd trade it in for a newer used truck

 

[Jeepwalker]

To me that doesn't sound bad... it depends on what your tolerance is...and what skills if any you can apply to the replacement. And also with it's miles/Km...how long you want to keep the truck? Would the $$ put into 'fixing' it be better put towards something with less mileage? Probably...esp if you can't do any of the work yourself. Are you getting the "Geeez it would sure be nice to have a NEW truck feeling"? If so, just shop around and see what you come up with. You can probably find a much newer one for less than you think, with some careful shopping.

But as far as what you posted, here are my thoughts:

Wheel speed sensor: That's easy. Take it to the tire shop and get them replaced. They obviously didn't do it right. Unless there's another problem. But a scan should show which sensor/s are no good. Start there. $150-$200 estimated.

Transmission: Your truck should have an RFE transmission in it. It's real possible and almost likely it needs a new shift control module, or there's something funny in the valve body. Or that it's reaching the end of it's life. Shift solenoids were real famous for getting flaky in the old days. I had one change on an 03 Jeep. BUT... but... first do a scan and make sure there isn't something flaky with engine codes, vacuum, EGR piping (you'd be surprised how much those things can affect shifting). It might be something minor too which hasn't been looked at. Call a couple transmission shops and see what they say after a test drive. If they say it needs to be rebuilt, get a 2nd and 3rd opinion. Lot of times it's something small. Make sure the fluid level is good. Keep your eyes out online for a decent used tranny from a private party...and get your relatives/buddies to help change it. Figure a grand for this.

Fender: Why not look around for a fender of the same color as yours? Check Ebay, call the yards, or your local internet ads. You can change that yourself. $100

Rest: AC.. you can probably live with a while as is. Or get a used/new condenser and have a buddy vac it out...best he can and give it a drink of freon. The compressor front seal is probably not good either. What's the front suspension look like? Brakes? How long is the ticking Hemi engine going to live?

Since you can't do mosts of this work yourself, IMO, you're better off 'investing' in something newer, lot lower mileage, and more reliable. Even if it's a cheaper car/suv which saves you money every time at the pump (and get a trailer to haul stuff). Then pay all that stuff off.

 

[BinaryData]

That sounds overwhelming. If I were you I'd trade it in for a newer used truck

That's what I'm currently weighing my options on.

To me that doesn't sound bad... it depends on what your tolerance is...and what skills if any you can apply to the replacement. And also with it's miles/Km...how long you want to keep the truck? Would the $$ put into 'fixing' it be better put towards something with less mileage? Probably...esp if you can't do any of the work yourself. Are you getting the "Geeez it would sure be nice to have a NEW truck feeling"? If so, just shop around and see what you come up with. You can probably find a much newer one for less than you think, with some careful shopping.

But as far as what you posted, here are my thoughts:

Wheel speed sensor: That's easy. Take it to the tire shop and get them replaced. They obviously didn't do it right. Unless there's another problem. But a scan should show which sensor/s are no good. Start there. $150-$200 estimated.

Transmission: Your truck should have an RFE transmission in it. It's real possible and almost likely it needs a new shift control module, or there's something funny in the valve body. Or that it's reaching the end of it's life. Shift solenoids were real famous for getting flaky in the old days. I had one change on an 03 Jeep. BUT... but... first do a scan and make sure there isn't something flaky with engine codes, vacuum, EGR piping (you'd be surprised how much those things can affect shifting). It might be something minor too which hasn't been looked at. Call a couple transmission shops and see what they say after a test drive. If they say it needs to be rebuilt, get a 2nd and 3rd opinion. Lot of times it's something small. Make sure the fluid level is good. Keep your eyes out online for a decent used tranny from a private party...and get your relatives/buddies to help change it. Figure a grand for this.

Fender: Why not look around for a fender of the same color as yours? Check Ebay, call the yards, or your local internet ads. You can change that yourself. $100

Rest: AC.. you can probably live with a while as is. Or get a used/new condenser and have a buddy vac it out...best he can and give it a drink of freon. The compressor front seal is probably not good either. What's the front suspension look like? Brakes? How long is the ticking Hemi engine going to live?

Since you can't do mosts of this work yourself, IMO, you're better off 'investing' in something newer, lot lower mileage, and more reliable. Even if it's a cheaper car/suv which saves you money every time at the pump (and get a trailer to haul stuff). Then pay all that stuff off.

I do have that new car feel, I've had it for awhile and I absolutely want to get a new Dodge Ram 3500. But I drive 100 miles a day, 400 to 600 miles a week just from work. That's going to add up quick.

I have an ODB2 reader, and I have no codes popping. The Hemi engine I have is probably going to last me another 50k to 100k miles before it goes. I'd say 75k if I'm lucky. The Fender / A/C aren't a huge deal, I can deal with it as long as the heater doesn't go out. Right now, the Wheel Speed Sensors are on my list to get done first. I'll probably have them bleed my brakes while they do the Sensors.

As for a new truck, I have a thread started about it. I made the decision to go back to school, and I won't be able to work nearly as much OT as I used too. I work 50 - 60 hours a week, every week right now, and starting July 1st, I'll be limited to 45, in order to get homework done. I thought about getting a motorcycle and riding for the spring, summer, and fall, that would be a stop-gap and give me more time fix my truck for winter and save for a higher down payment.

 

[Jeepwalker]

Maybe now is a time to evaluate WANTS vs NEED'S. Do you NEED a 3500 dually? IDK what you do....so only you can decide that. If you can get by with something else that works 'enough' and fits in your budget, allows you to get where you want to be money-wise, maybe that's worth considering.

But again, we don't know your situation, what you do, etc. If you're just commuting in a 3500, that seems like a lot of Tk & money spent for something that could be done in a more economical vehicle. But, if you're hauling a Cat 299D3 skid steer all over the place, then yeah, you probably need that dooly. I'm sure that's part of your decision process. But yeah, for now, at least do the things you suggested. Maybe get the tranny looked at and keep an eye out for a used one. Time is the key element that can help you get a good deal on a used tranny. When you REALLY need one, then you don't have too many options and a guy is screwed.

Best of luck with your new schooling and truck!

 

[GTyankee]

If you do not have any warranty, extended or otherwise

STAY AWAY from the dealerships
They charge for a diagnosis & then for the repair, so you are paying twice, at least that is what my dealership does.

A good shop has to do a diagnosis, but then they should apply some of that to the repair if you have the work done by them.
Most Independent shops work that way, they usually also have Coupons in your local Freebie Paper or Book, they are usually found in 7/11 Stores , Laundromats , etc.

Tackle the Safety Items first