Planning The Fun
1 hour ago
Wednesday, May 9, 2018
Sell the van?
I just put another $430 into the van. It's getting to the point where I'm seriously thinking about selling it. Repairs are starting to add up. My mechanic tells me there are some other potential expenses not that far down the road.
It's a hard decision as I'm not really in a position to buy another tow vehicle. My lovely wife even mentioned selling the sailboat too as we'd have nothing to tow it with. I'm not in too much of a hurry to sell the boat, as we can always keep in the lake for the summer. I've enough family and friends with trucks willing to pull it out of the lake for me. For that matter, I could even build a ramp and winch it onto my beach for the winter. There are options.
We haven't made any firm decisions. In the mean time, I've a lot of hauling to do with it. A friend has offered about three cords of firewood for the cost of taking it away. There's also a lot of junk to trailer to the dump this summer too.
I'm not sure if I'll sell it as a camping rig, or strip all the gear out of it and sell it as a stripped van. Heck, I'm even sure if I'll even sell it at all. Maybe after I have an in depth conversation with my mechanic I'll be in a better position to decided. This information has thrown a monkey wrench into some of our plans. Oh well, life is full of little disruptions.
-Sixbears
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It's kind of a bummer either way.
ReplyDeleteSuch is life. I'll deal with it and move on.
DeleteStick with seriously questioning the mech. Who knows, it might actually be an easier fix if a major component replacement might actually be cheaper.
ReplyDeleteHad a long talk with him today and went over the vehicle. Could turn into a really expensive repair.
DeleteThis being the prime reason ,that I've always been my own mechanic.
ReplyDeleteAffordability !
I lack the tools for one of the potential issues. Expensive, no way around it. Good to know for sure.
DeleteI always look at repair expenses on older cars like "it's cheaper than a big monthly newer car pymt".
ReplyDeleteAnd I've finally decided to sell my 1985 F250 diesel truck. It just sits unused. Too many vehicles here.
I had the same truck! Sold it to a farmer for farm use when the body got too rusted to patch anymore.
DeletePut a new engine in my 2003 Astro Van and gave it to my daughter when hers finally died. Cheaper than buying a new tow vehicle for her needs. Wish they would make the Astro again.
ReplyDeleteMy wife and I met a young woman who'd converted an Astro into a camper van. Did a nice job. She bought her's used off of Canadian Defenses Forces, at auction.
DeleteBoats and floats are easy to pull with a couple 2x10 runners, a gallon can of Crisco and a come-along. That said even putting a couple thousand in to the van is cheaper money than coughing up the dough for a newer one. Especially if it sees more use than just camping. But then I am always surprised how reasonably priced used camper van prices are. Perhaps they are all roached out too.
ReplyDeleteI'm putting a plan together on what to do. My budget is limited, after all. Kicking around some interesting ideas.
DeleteAlways hard to decided at what point a vehicle is a money pit. That being said have you thought of retiring it to pulling the O,day around the north east lakes and coast. Most mechanics like to repair to as close to factory as possible. Some things are not ever going to be to his liking on a 20+ Y/O van.
ReplyDeleteThe mechanic's concerns are valid. Went over it with him today. I could fail when I'm 2000 miles from home, and that would be a bad thing. For the next few months it should be fine, especially since I'm staying in New England with it. Probably sell it in the summer.
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