Need some Ford (non-mustang) advice guys...

[plainsmen]

Since ya'll are the only real car guys I know I was hoping you'd help me with some advice.

Ok here it goes....

I just found out my '97 Taurus (159k miles) tranny is shot. My mechanic is really reputable and isn't the kind to screw a guy over. I trust him. He's telling me that it wouldn't be worth it in his opinion to buy even a used one and put it in. He said it takes about 12 hours to pull the tranny and put a different one in... even with a smokin deal on labor it would still be about a $500 install. If the tranny I put in was used there's no guarentee it would work. A new one is ..... lots. He said that the tranny on those Taurus are notorious for going out and crazy expensive to replace. Said that they probably tow'd 10 of them in the last 5 years to the salvage yard.

So he's estimating the job to be like 1200-1500 total. Can't guarentee the one they put in is worth a snot. The Kelly Blue on the rig is:

Excellent 2,375
Good 2,025
Fair 1,600

So esentially yeah... it really isnt' worth getting it fixed. The car is otherwise very intact... engine runs good... everything except the A/C works... Tires are good all glass is good..... all window motors are good.

Here's my dilemma. If I take it to the junkyard they'll give me what.... 100-300 bucks for it maybe?

Should I try to sell it outright in craigslist or paper as a parts car? And if so how much?

or I could take it to my dad's place and park it in back.... slowly parting it out myself and selling the parts on Ebay maybe? There would be no rush.... and when I got it stripped down enough I could just use his flatbed to hall it to the junkyard maybe?

I dunno... what do you think? I was just taking it to the shop so I could get it fixed to sell.... the wife wants a little ricer as a commuter... something high gas milagey.

 

[Decurion]

If you take it to the junkyard youll get 100-300 for it. If you try to sell it as is youll get 100-300 for it. My advice is let someone else have this "smokin deal". If you dont believe me, look on ebay.

 

[1320stang]

The transmission was going out in my old '95 Windstar @ 105k miles. I have a buddy that is a former Mopar dealership mechanic that is in the Reserves. One of his reservist buddies is the tranny guy at a Ford Dealership in Texas. We took my van to this guy and he bought a reman tranny and installed it for me. He gave me the tranny at his cost (about $1400 as I recall) and only charged me $100 to install it. I tried to pay him more, but he wouldn't take it.

Also, if it's a 3.8 liter, they have head gasket problems. But anyways, if it seems to be a pretty good car without a whole lot of other problems, I'd consider fixing it. You should be able to get over 200k out of the car, it depends on how many miles you put on your car per year. If you can get 3 more years out of your car, that's $500 per year.

Ebay is showing rebuilt trannys for around $1000. I'd look around locally to see if you can pick a rebuilt one up with a warrenty for about that.

 

[Sicarius428]

Considering the cost of a new car and seeing that most cars are worth more to the owner as a running vehicle, I would just get a rebuilt tranny and install it. Granted if you have some money tucked away or have a fleet of cars to pick and choose from it will probably be a non-issue. For example seeing that my 92 corolla isn't worth a penny, to me its worth more as a running vehicle if I was in the same situation. I would eat the cost and get another tranny. I still have 3 other cars to choose from too. If you were already planning on replacing it this might be a good reason too. Really boils down to where you want to go with it and outweigh your options and potential future breakdowns. Newer car with a newer warranty does give peace of mind.
Kevin

 

[krash kendall]

So, you are wondering if you should start pouring money into a ten year old domestic sedan? I just want to make sure I'm hearing you right.

Been there with a car that was only seven years old. Fix the the tranny then the engine goes. Replace the engine then the second tranny goes the next year. Replace that then the timing belt breaks. Told my friend to bring $100 and a rope and he could drag it away that day. I've been driving the mustang ever since.

 

[plainsmen]

No that's really not my question at all... heh.. I know it's a lost cause.

What I'm deciding on is if I should just try to sell it as a whole parts car on craigslist or the paper...

Or take it to the junkyard...

Or... part it out myself on ebay.

 

[krash kendall]

Take it to the junker or sell it on craigslist, get your cash and move on. Parting it out on ebay will net you what? Five to ten bucks a week? You'll spend more in gas driving to take each part off and mailing them.

 

[plainsmen]

Ya... yer probably right.

 

[plainsmen]

I focking hate talking to Wrecking/Salvage yard guys... it's always such a frickin line of bull*****.

"Oh yeah, I just bought two of those this week for $100 each."

 

[1320stang]

So, you are wondering if you should start pouring money into a ten year old domestic sedan? I just want to make sure I'm hearing you right.

An you're sinking money into a 40 year old car that was never designed to last beyond 10 years. right?

(1320stang) > < (krash kendall)

I've been driving POS's for about 10 years now, a '90 Shadow that was my wife's car when we got married, still have it, my step daughter will drive it to high school in a couple years, it was the car mom was driving when she was born. I've also had a '94 Chrysler LHS that I paid $50 for and drove for 3 years and got $300 on a trade in for my wife's '00 Windstar, and my '89 Isuzu Amigo that I bought for $300 from the original owner who is a friend of mine that I endo'd in early December. All of these vehicles have/had close to 200k on them and for the most part, repairs have been a lot cheaper than a car payment.

I'd still consider fixing it.

 

[xoxbxfx]

I focking hate talking to Wrecking/Salvage yard guys... it's always such a frickin line of bull*****.

"Oh yeah, I just bought two of those this week for $100 each."

hes probably right... sorry to say but those cars are not worth anything. Theywill nickle and dime the car out and hopefully make $300 on the car in parts then scrap it for steel.. My buddy worked for a HUGE salvage company and they paid $4000 for a 2003 Cobra with a locked up motor. It was a lemon law car. Seats alone in the car are worth $1000, then good wheels/tires/trans/everything else. You can sell the cobra core for $1500. I hope that gives you prospective of what a 97 taurus is worth

 

[krash kendall]

An you're sinking money into a 40 year old car that was never designed to last beyond 10 years. right?

(1320stang) > < (krash kendall)

My point is that when you have a single repair that easily could cost more than the entire car will ever be worth it is time to consider a "stop loss" decision and move on to a different, running beater.

And for what it's worth, my 40 year old car is far more reliable than my '97 F-150 has ever been. The car might cost me 50 to 100 bucks in parts to repair once or twice a year while the truck is usually 500 to 1000 bucks.

 

[washMO66]

I don't like the Ford Taurus, just wanted to post and let you all know that.

I feel better.

 

[1320stang]

I know Krash, but you sort of have to weigh all the variables. I know a guy at church that works at Walmart changing oil. He has a '84 LTD that was given to him with a 3.8 that has blown a freeze plug and uses/leaks oil. The car is a POS, but he can't afford anything better, he and his wife live in an extended stay hotel with their couple month old baby. They were living in the park, homeless and jobless when I first met them. The hotel is $150/week, but that includes utilities, cable, local phone, which ain't bad. He's looking at a used engine for $400, a rebuilt one is $1200-$1600. He's presently driving back and forth from work about 3 blocks at a time, a total of about 4 miles. Putting gas in the car makes it worth more than it was before. My point is, if he can put the tranny in and drvie it for another couple or three years, $1500 over that time is only $500/year, a lot cheaper than any car payment he'll have. The car is worth nothing as a trade in, he said it was in nice shape other than the tranny....

 

[1320stang]

Todd has a Taurus as a company car....

 

[Platonic Solid]

I don't like the Ford Taurus, just wanted to post and let you all know that.

I feel better.

I second that. Had to remove the "Y" pipe to replace the oil pan gasket which resulted in the studs breaking into the manifolds - which resulted in the studs breaking into the heads - which resulted in me calling the junk yard and giving the POS away for free.

 

[2nd Mustang]

...and just wait till you have to replace that heater core! You'll have to tear out a good part of the dash.

I had an older 1989 Taurus wagon. The ride was great, if you could stand the engine banging on the firewall in first gear, the transmission slipping, the A.C. freon lines leaking (bad slip joint design), etc.