Vannin' Home
Posted By: cornfarmer The ol' repairs-exceed-value conundrum - March 18th 2019 6:56 pm
So, I took Van-na White to the shop to check a stuck on brake light - while they were checking that out, they found a couple of other problems. Before you say 'dude, of course they found problems, find another mechanic' - this shop isn't that kind of shit show, they're honest, which is why they get my business from time to time.

The big surprise was the manifold has a leak, not big enough to mark the pavement yet, which I would've noticed. If left alone it's obviously gonna invoke head gasket issues...fixing it is going to be a big job that I can't do, so the labor bill is going to be $$$. Another thing is the reman steering box I had them stick in last year is leaking too, but that's under warranty (thank you Jesus). The brake issue above turned out to be the proportion valve, not a big deal, but all of this stacked up together means the total bill will be almost as much as the van's worth right now. I've given them the go ahead on the prop valve, while I figure out what to do.

You know where this is going right? I've put a lot of my own sweat, tears and cash into getting this van to where it is today. It's still an awesome van and the Mrs. and I have had some good times in it. Looming on the horizon are some planned camping trips next month, and a long cross-country drive this summer.

I can handle paying the shop to fix it all, begrudgingly, but want to hear some opinions from you guys.... worms
Posted By: H20Toie Re: The ol' repairs-exceed-value conundrum - March 18th 2019 7:24 pm
Having an older vehicle is one of those things that you have to enjoy for what it is. i think very rarely you can justify it for the value. a newer van is going to get a lot better mileage, handle better and probably have more power. but not going to be near as much cool to drive.

I think for the most part just doing a nice paint job on a van cost more than they are worth, then you have to have nice wheels and tires, oh then comes the stereo and damn your way over the value. now you get to maintenance, unless you did a frame off restoration your always going to have something not working ( even sometime with frame off you still have issues)

but when your cruising down the road having a good time its all worth it smile
Posted By: cornfarmer Re: The ol' repairs-exceed-value conundrum - March 18th 2019 9:49 pm
Agreed about driving cool vans & good times. I'd probably regret getting rid of it, so Mrs. cornfarmer and I are gonna mull it over....at this rate it looks like we'll just get her patched up for spring/summer, but who knows. To replace it would be a lot more out-lay, let alone finding the right candidate....

I keep sizing up those Sprinters from time to time, but I can't justify $15-20-50k or more on one of those suckers....
Posted By: Astrocreep66 Re: The ol' repairs-exceed-value conundrum - March 18th 2019 10:25 pm
Unless you pay cash for a new van I feel like a monthly payment hurts alot more than fixing your old friend. I have 4 aging vans lol. And when something goes wrong with a new vehicle and it goes out of warranty it hurts just as bad if not worse.The repair might be close than the value of your van but has it been a good vehicle and provided enjoyment to the family.😊
Posted By: Xplorer_Loco Re: The ol' repairs-exceed-value conundrum - March 18th 2019 11:00 pm
Honestly, as we get older we need to take more care of ourselves. As teenagers we were immortal, and the world belonged to us.
This is how aging is LOL
It is true, it will cost you to get things fixed, but remember: it will cost you more if you only patch thing ups. Do it right, do it once. OR sometimes we don´t have the money for doing it right the first time, but the second time, and so on. And if you don´t have the cash flow for all the jobs, either save and do all at once (as labor is the most expensive part, and opening and closing the van again and again adds up), or go step by step. Elaborate a game plan with the mechanics. Like in a way so that if one part needs to be opened up, fixed all needed in that area, etc.
Once it is all fixed, you will enjoy it to the fullest. Just preventive maintenance, and good to go. But of course, again, with age, there might be a little here and there once a while, but nothing big, at all!
So, ask yourself: would you like to enjoy the van to the fullest, or be its slave trying to put more blood seat and tears into it instead of fixing for good?
We decided to fixed it all up. Was some money that we put into it, but now it is great, and worth it. And that money, well, if saved, wouldn´t make a big difference to the piggy bank, wouldn´t notice anymore, but the ride is there!
Take care of it as you would with your house: water heater broken? Fix or replace it, etc.
IMO, it is worth it. And ass you say: if you can get it done, do it. Why not? Enjoy it, enjoy the adventures with it, the memories. Because at the end our lives are what and how we lived and experienced it.
The van per se is not the main expense, as I see it, therefor not the main value either. It is the end product, the whole van in its condition (!) that sets the van´s value. Totally worth it! (And oh, not only its condition, but also: the cool road and camping trips, the coolness factor, etc.)

Happy rides!


Posted By: cornfarmer Re: The ol' repairs-exceed-value conundrum - March 19th 2019 12:51 am
Thanks, you guys are right.......I've owned '60s thru '90s cars over the years and I miss driving almost all of them (not the basket cases though).

I think it will all work out, the shop won't be able to fix the manifold until ~2 weeks from now anyway, so the bills can be spread out a little better.

cheers
Posted By: frscke1 Re: The ol' repairs-exceed-value conundrum - March 19th 2019 3:05 am
My red 4x I got for 12.5 in 2002, well the accident (which wasnt my fault) has cost me 18 grand to put back together. I would spend another 18 grand to keep it on the road. Its WAY LESS then buying a new 4x van with higher reg, ins, taxes AND PAYMENTS.

Youll have to pry this chunk of steel from my cold dead hands !


Some times a tank of gas exceeds the value of the van ..... lol
Posted By: tuner4life Re: The ol' repairs-exceed-value conundrum - March 19th 2019 12:34 pm
Here's my take on old cars with repairs such as this... (I have several)

If you plan on maintaining any older vehicle on any sort of budget and a few hundred $ worth of repairs has you mulling over the idea of selling it, than just sell it now and buy some new soulless vehicle that you can trade in every few years. Not trying to come across as rude, I've had friends do this and they are happier because of it. It just depends on who you want to be and what you want to do.

You're going to pay about the same when it comes down to it whether you pay to keep an old vehicle going, or spend it on a payment on a new one. You can not put a price on the enjoyment you get from a vehicle, nor can you keep track of how much you have spent on it if you intend to keep enjoying it lol, And even more importantly, you can never go out and buy a brand new 70s-80s van. If a vehicle is worth keeping around, it's worth maintaining correctly, and indefinitely. I have several cars. The newest being a 2003, and quite honestly, I wouldn't sell any of them no matter how large the repairs become (exceptions being total losses due to fire/flood/etc.something that literally cannot be fixed). This has rendered a couple of them as garage ornaments for a few years at a time, but if you like them, then they are worth fixing correctly, not just a "patch up" repair.

This mentality is what separates the true gearheads from the rest of the modern throw-away car culture.
Posted By: 1959 Re: The ol' repairs-exceed-value conundrum - March 19th 2019 3:04 pm
Oh Boy - Tuner is speakin the truth! Layin it out there!

One has to be dedicated to stay in the game for a long time.

I also have a couple other oldies, one car I have had for about 25 years. It has long since provided happiness value much greater than dollars cost. From here on out, it is all enjoyment profit. As an added bonus, the car continues to climb in dollar value so it is a win-win.

I feel the same way about my van. In my opinion, It is worth keeping and caring for. It is not the best but it suits me fine. I'll keep throwing a little money at it. Transmission is next!
Posted By: cornfarmer Re: The ol' repairs-exceed-value conundrum - March 19th 2019 7:08 pm
Originally Posted by tuner4life


If you plan on maintaining any older vehicle on any sort of budget and a few hundred $ worth of repairs has you mulling over the idea of selling it,



This ain't my first rodeo.....these repairs are more in the thousands of $, hence my first post. But all is well and we're going to get her patched up correctly for our next adventures.

I drive an LR3 and take that one to a specialist when it goes sideways, so it's not like I'm a stranger to higher than average mechanic bills....
Posted By: Uncle_Fester Re: The ol' repairs-exceed-value conundrum - April 01st 2019 5:56 am
I just ran into this same issue this last week, and had to decide..... replace the trans that went out at the cost of $2500 and keep a van I know and love and have worked on hard for the last 5 almost 6 years, that I know what has been fixed, what needs fixed, and basically know inside and out. Or do I take a risk and buy a “new” van for $2500-$3000 and not know anything about ? We decided to go the repair/rebuild route. So tomorrow morning, I will drop the van at the trans shop and put a $2500 trans into a $1500 van and go from there.
It is not a decision to take lightly, BUT, you know this van, have enjoyed driving and working on it, and you can afford to do the repairs, so is it really that hard of a choice after all?
Posted By: newkirkinc1 Re: The ol' repairs-exceed-value conundrum - April 01st 2019 11:48 am
If ya love it do it! lol
© Vannin' Community and Forums