What could go wrong?

[Rupert]

If I keep the Explorer, what's likely to go wrong in the next 10-20,000 miles? In the interest of considering all options...

The engine is probably pretty good, not sure about the stuff attached to it. Here's what has been done in the last 25,000 miles:
brake rotors
sway bar end links and bushings
acc belt
coolant flush
power steering fluid
drivetrain fluids (transfer, transmission, both difs)
spark plugs
clutch, clutch slave, clutch master cylinder
fuel pump
battery
alternator and belt tensioner
battery cables
MAF

These are the things that are wrong with it now:
first gear syncro is crunchy (not going to fix)
oil leak, smells a bit like burnt oil sometimes (not sure if I should bother to fix it)
sometimes loses coolant (it's a leak, not the head gasket, probably won't fix it)
sometimes I get a CEL for a misfire, which I ignore until the light goes off, probably spark plug wires?
might need brakes soon
might need some work to pass emissions in a year

I'm trying to think of anything else that might break, and especially if it might render the car undriveable. I might be willing to spend a couple grand on it if that would mean reliability for another 15,000 miles (four years probably). It depends on what I think of the various other newer lower mileage vehicles I could get (still haven't seen a 4Runner, XTerra, or Pathfinder; probably start that process in a month when my field season is done).

BTW, the total cost of owning this thing including the purchase price and initial repair bills has been $130/month. Excluding the purchase price and initial repair bills, it's $50/month. Not too bad.

[FoMoJo]

How old is it?

[MrH]

How long have you had it?

Personally, not dealing with that head ache is worth quite a bit to me. I'd dump it just for the convenience, but based on your previous car purchases, you're a much more patient man than myself

[Rupert]

1999, 158,000 miles

[Rupert]

How long have you had it?

Personally, not dealing with that head ache is worth quite a bit to me. I'd dump it just for the convenience, but based on your previous car purchases, you're a much more patient man than myself

Well, based on your own previous car purchases, I have to agree!

I don't mind some short term inconvenience if I can avoid a car loan and spending a huge pile of money to get the same result (something reliable that does what I want). But this discussion belongs in the other Rupert's truck thread...

[shp4man]

1999, 158,000 miles

My advice? Get something newer/lower mileage.

[Rupert]

Right, there is a whole thread for that though. But I want to consider this option as well as that option so that I don't spend a huge pile of money on something that I could have had with a small pile of money.

[shp4man]

Right, there is a whole thread for that though. But I want to consider this option as well as that option so that I don't spend a huge pile of money on something that I could have had with a small pile of money.

Have you ever heard the term "It's gonna nickel and dime you to death"?

[Rupert]

Would you like to be specific?

[giant_mtb]

Lots of people prefer the nickel and dime route.

It's like a lease or loan, but with unpredictable payments.

[Rupert]

It's cheaper than a new car.

[Byteme]

I haven't looked but I suspect trade-in and retail value is very low.  I'd drive it until it suffers a failure that costs more than you want to pay to fix.  Nothing you listed hints that an immediate failure is close at hand.

[Rupert]

What other components could fail and keep it from being driveable? Alternator, MAF, clutch to an extent, those have already failed, but is there anything else like that?

[shp4man]

Would you like to be specific?

Sometimes mechanics have to be like Sherlock Holmes. This piece of evidence:

"sometimes loses coolant (it's a leak, not the head gasket, probably won't fix it)
sometimes I get a CEL for a misfire, which I ignore until the light goes off, probably spark plug wires?"

for example. Which engine does it have? OHV, SOHC, or 5.0?

[Rupert]

I'm not looking for solutions to those problems though. I'm trying to come up with what else might go wrong.

It's the OHV.

[shp4man]

I'm not looking for solutions to those problems though. I'm trying to come up with what else might go wrong.

It's the OHV.

Cracked head/blown gasket is common on that motor. Symptoms are rough run on cold start. Coolant loss. Door latches break sometimes. Normal wear on the rest. 

[Byteme]

What other components could fail and keep it from being driveable? Alternator, MAF, clutch to an extent, those have already failed, but is there anything else like that?

Starter could fail, engine could throw a rod or spin a main bearing.  U-joint could break.  Power brake booster could go bad.  Point is any number of things could happen without any real forewarning.

[ifcar]

It's cheaper than a new car.

Remember, though, that the new car is still worth something at the end. Keeping an old car going means that it's still going to be worth about zero at whatever point you stop shoveling money into it.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Remember, though, that the new car is still worth something at the end. Keeping an old car going means that it's still going to be worth about zero at whatever point you stop shoveling money into it.

Old cars are never worth zero. Even haul it away scrap value of Exploder is probably at least $400.

[12,000 RPM]

It's cheaper than a new car.

In my experience, not really.

And even if you do the repairs yourself, there is still the price of your time. Maybe I am an unthusiast but the last way I want to spend my free time is busting my ass to fix my car so I can get to work.

Ultimately, the decision to be made is what price you put on your piece of mind. 150K+ on a domestic that is already having some issues is about where I woudl call it quits.

Auto rates are dirt cheap bro, if theres any time to finance it's now.