Time To Let It Go??
#16
Having bought a LS400 a few years back to drive on the weekend and when I have passengers, it appears to be getting close to repair time. I have no issue with repairs, but wowzers!! It appears to be adding up real quick. 1997 LS400 w/ mileage of 187,000. I kept up oil changes religiously and any small issues that has ever presented itself. Latest was new tires & leak repairs which means nothing of course.
I just paid $900 for the leaks (valve cover, cam seals(?), transmission plus gasket & filter service).
The rack & pinion is starting to leak, but they say not bad enough for immediate repair. Projecting about $900 to repair.
Brakes are starting to wear, shop wants 1200 for front & rear (together) with all new parts including calipers. Sounds ridiculous to me but I'm used to doing those jobs myself.
Timing belt time is coming and got a quote for $1200 that will include new caps & rotors, idler pulley, water pump, plus antifreeze flush.
Starter is starting to act up with the random no crank (relay is good/clicking), but when it does crank it cranks normal (no dragging) and fires up fast.
This total comes in at over $4000 and doesn't include the starter repair which I didn't get a quote on. This was all from the same shop keep in mind. They do good work so I have trusted them so far. I'm hearing some minor noise on rough roads leading me to think it's also time for some suspension components to be dealt with. The car rides smooth, but firm so I don't think the struts are gone. Maybe bushings, ball joints or something. Idk. But at this point, I'm contemplating is the car worth putting this sort of money into. I have some decent amount of tools and decent repair skills though I do feel a bit intimidated by the talk of how intense some of the repair procedures on this car are.
I'm starting to feel sick to my stomach to think of the money to be spent, but also to get rid of a nice car. Any insight?
I just paid $900 for the leaks (valve cover, cam seals(?), transmission plus gasket & filter service).
The rack & pinion is starting to leak, but they say not bad enough for immediate repair. Projecting about $900 to repair.
Brakes are starting to wear, shop wants 1200 for front & rear (together) with all new parts including calipers. Sounds ridiculous to me but I'm used to doing those jobs myself.
Timing belt time is coming and got a quote for $1200 that will include new caps & rotors, idler pulley, water pump, plus antifreeze flush.
Starter is starting to act up with the random no crank (relay is good/clicking), but when it does crank it cranks normal (no dragging) and fires up fast.
This total comes in at over $4000 and doesn't include the starter repair which I didn't get a quote on. This was all from the same shop keep in mind. They do good work so I have trusted them so far. I'm hearing some minor noise on rough roads leading me to think it's also time for some suspension components to be dealt with. The car rides smooth, but firm so I don't think the struts are gone. Maybe bushings, ball joints or something. Idk. But at this point, I'm contemplating is the car worth putting this sort of money into. I have some decent amount of tools and decent repair skills though I do feel a bit intimidated by the talk of how intense some of the repair procedures on this car are.
I'm starting to feel sick to my stomach to think of the money to be spent, but also to get rid of a nice car. Any insight?
Last edited by jaaa; 12-17-15 at 07:12 PM.
#17
Personally I'd rather fix the old car money better spent than big monthly payments, higher insurance, and lower quality vehicle, different headaches and huge depreciation of a new car. Plus they just plain want too much for a decent looking car now. The nice looking ones are 200k plus even used.
#18
The brake job I can tackle myself given enough time. I have no issue with that. I have a 3.5 ton floor jack with a couple of stands & plenty of hand tools. I'm a bit **** when it comes to brakes so rotors, pads, & hardware are automatic replacements whenever slight wear is noted.
As far as the timing belt.... damn how I wish they made it chain driven! The last time I did a timing belt job was on a early 90's Galant that included the infamous balance shaft belt hidden behind the timing belt. This was early 2000's(?). Took me a 2-3 days doing the job after work until it was time to go to bed to be back up to work at 5 a.m. But this is a horse of a different color from what I'm seeing... or least it's that intimidating looking. Idk One thing is for sure... with a interference engine, I take no chances on timing belt intervals. May not be immediate, but I definitely wouldn't grossly prolong it as suggested. Good way to lose every cent of your investment even if the car is only worth a couple of grand!
I'll take the tip on the EGR tube as I've constantly read the stories on that and any extra repairs that can be made in the vicinity of another repair only makes sense. That's the one thing I can give credit to the shop for stating with the distributors, water pump, coolant flush and other parts while doing the timing belt. Perhaps $1200 including all parts isn't so bad with that. That I can accept plus the time saved from me struggling between working hours & nightfall (not good to work on vehicles late night when the mind grows tired).
So swallowing the cost of the timing belt job... I can deal with that. Brakes are at my disposal. Rack & pinion can be staved off until it worsens. This leaves the starter job which really isn't up for question. It has to be done or else face being stranded one day. It's not bad at this point.... very random and frequency tolerably low, but it won't get any better with use. So here lies the question on that. On a scale of 1 to 10 in comparison to the timing belt, how hard is the job? How long would I need to set aside if I attempt the job? If I need to take a couple of days off during premium weather then I will make it so being that it will save me close to a $1000 as you estimate, if that amount is correct.
As far as the timing belt.... damn how I wish they made it chain driven! The last time I did a timing belt job was on a early 90's Galant that included the infamous balance shaft belt hidden behind the timing belt. This was early 2000's(?). Took me a 2-3 days doing the job after work until it was time to go to bed to be back up to work at 5 a.m. But this is a horse of a different color from what I'm seeing... or least it's that intimidating looking. Idk One thing is for sure... with a interference engine, I take no chances on timing belt intervals. May not be immediate, but I definitely wouldn't grossly prolong it as suggested. Good way to lose every cent of your investment even if the car is only worth a couple of grand!
I'll take the tip on the EGR tube as I've constantly read the stories on that and any extra repairs that can be made in the vicinity of another repair only makes sense. That's the one thing I can give credit to the shop for stating with the distributors, water pump, coolant flush and other parts while doing the timing belt. Perhaps $1200 including all parts isn't so bad with that. That I can accept plus the time saved from me struggling between working hours & nightfall (not good to work on vehicles late night when the mind grows tired).
So swallowing the cost of the timing belt job... I can deal with that. Brakes are at my disposal. Rack & pinion can be staved off until it worsens. This leaves the starter job which really isn't up for question. It has to be done or else face being stranded one day. It's not bad at this point.... very random and frequency tolerably low, but it won't get any better with use. So here lies the question on that. On a scale of 1 to 10 in comparison to the timing belt, how hard is the job? How long would I need to set aside if I attempt the job? If I need to take a couple of days off during premium weather then I will make it so being that it will save me close to a $1000 as you estimate, if that amount is correct.
#19
The brake job I can tackle myself given enough time. I have no issue with that. I have a 3.5 ton floor jack with a couple of stands & plenty of hand tools. I'm a bit **** when it comes to brakes so rotors, pads, & hardware are automatic replacements whenever slight wear is noted.
As far as the timing belt.... damn how I wish they made it chain driven! The last time I did a timing belt job was on a early 90's Galant that included the infamous balance shaft belt hidden behind the timing belt. This was early 2000's(?). Took me a 2-3 days doing the job after work until it was time to go to bed to be back up to work at 5 a.m. But this is a horse of a different color from what I'm seeing... or least it's that intimidating looking. Idk One thing is for sure... with a interference engine, I take no chances on timing belt intervals. May not be immediate, but I definitely wouldn't grossly prolong it as suggested. Good way to lose every cent of your investment even if the car is only worth a couple of grand!
I'll take the tip on the EGR tube as I've constantly read the stories on that and any extra repairs that can be made in the vicinity of another repair only makes sense. That's the one thing I can give credit to the shop for stating with the distributors, water pump, coolant flush and other parts while doing the timing belt. Perhaps $1200 including all parts isn't so bad with that. That I can accept plus the time saved from me struggling between working hours & nightfall (not good to work on vehicles late night when the mind grows tired).
So swallowing the cost of the timing belt job... I can deal with that. Brakes are at my disposal. Rack & pinion can be staved off until it worsens. This leaves the starter job which really isn't up for question. It has to be done or else face being stranded one day. It's not bad at this point.... very random and frequency tolerably low, but it won't get any better with use. So here lies the question on that. On a scale of 1 to 10 in comparison to the timing belt, how hard is the job? How long would I need to set aside if I attempt the job? If I need to take a couple of days off during premium weather then I will make it so being that it will save me close to a $1000 as you estimate, if that amount is correct.
As far as the timing belt.... damn how I wish they made it chain driven! The last time I did a timing belt job was on a early 90's Galant that included the infamous balance shaft belt hidden behind the timing belt. This was early 2000's(?). Took me a 2-3 days doing the job after work until it was time to go to bed to be back up to work at 5 a.m. But this is a horse of a different color from what I'm seeing... or least it's that intimidating looking. Idk One thing is for sure... with a interference engine, I take no chances on timing belt intervals. May not be immediate, but I definitely wouldn't grossly prolong it as suggested. Good way to lose every cent of your investment even if the car is only worth a couple of grand!
I'll take the tip on the EGR tube as I've constantly read the stories on that and any extra repairs that can be made in the vicinity of another repair only makes sense. That's the one thing I can give credit to the shop for stating with the distributors, water pump, coolant flush and other parts while doing the timing belt. Perhaps $1200 including all parts isn't so bad with that. That I can accept plus the time saved from me struggling between working hours & nightfall (not good to work on vehicles late night when the mind grows tired).
So swallowing the cost of the timing belt job... I can deal with that. Brakes are at my disposal. Rack & pinion can be staved off until it worsens. This leaves the starter job which really isn't up for question. It has to be done or else face being stranded one day. It's not bad at this point.... very random and frequency tolerably low, but it won't get any better with use. So here lies the question on that. On a scale of 1 to 10 in comparison to the timing belt, how hard is the job? How long would I need to set aside if I attempt the job? If I need to take a couple of days off during premium weather then I will make it so being that it will save me close to a $1000 as you estimate, if that amount is correct.
#20
I only mentioned the $1000 because while I was at a Toyota shop getting parts, I asked the service manager how much a starter install would cost for my car. I'm 65 years old and it took me two days the first time I tore the intakes out to get to the starter and then have it put back together. I have since taken the intakes out two more times and I think I could have it done in 6 hours or so now. One of the harder parts of this job is removing the bolts of the upper EGR pipe. Even worse is dealing with the plastic wiring housing that runs along the back end of the engine compartment. You have to get the wiring out of your way to get to the bolts of the coolant bridge. That bridge has to come out to get to the bolts of the starter(and BTW- that coolant bridge on the back side has the bolts for the lower EGR pipe I was talking about for you to replace). I haven't done the timing belt yet, so couldn't compare on how hard it was to do.
#21
A car to match the caliber and fit and finish of the LS will cost you 400-500 per month (easy), unless you buy used then less but you would have to do maintenance. If you spent $2500 on the LS now and drove it for 2 more years, think about the savings
#22
Jack stands. Most jack stands will mess up the rocker panel and under side. I prefer wood cribbing on an LS as I don't want to ruin stuff under there. If you break a bolt in a bad spot no problem the engine may have to come out. Timing belt is probably more straight forward and somewhat easier to access. The starter bolts are just plain nasty to get to, and the clearance to work in is very bad, and that wire harness like mentioned above. To do either project the coolant is drained and you have to deal with some coolant hoses. So why do all that twice?
You do not need to remove the injectors to remove the intake, if you do it just adds more seals and extra mess to have to deal with.
You do not need to remove the injectors to remove the intake, if you do it just adds more seals and extra mess to have to deal with.
#23
Jack stands. Most jack stands will mess up the rocker panel and under side. I prefer wood cribbing on an LS as I don't want to ruin stuff under there. If you break a bolt in a bad spot no problem the engine may have to come out. Timing belt is probably more straight forward and somewhat easier to access. The starter bolts are just plain nasty to get to, and the clearance to work in is very bad, and that wire harness like mentioned above. To do either project the coolant is drained and you have to deal with some coolant hoses. So why do all that twice?
You do not need to remove the injectors to remove the intake, if you do it just adds more seals and extra mess to have to deal with.
You do not need to remove the injectors to remove the intake, if you do it just adds more seals and extra mess to have to deal with.
#24
Hmmm.... well, that's a twist on things for sure. So you're suggesting the timing belt job is easier than the starter if I'm getting this correct. But that both jobs should be done at the same time due to coolant loss? Sounds as if I should just pay for both starter & timing belt job, then do everything else myself since there would only be brakes left in the equation of immediate jobs. Coolant can't be that expensive... I'm sure it isn't, but don't know if they will lower the cost for combining both jobs except for coolant.
Just trying to get up a plan of attack. Doing the brake job myself will save at least 800-900 of $1200 I figure (using premium parts). That knocks down the initial cost in the area of $3,000 (discrediting leaks repair & rack & pinion) to roughly 2 since the brake job had an est as high as the timing belt. I can spring for 2 grand right now especially if that's taking care of major jobs and leaving me with minor stuff.
I'll have to get a good estimate on the starter. They didn't give me one because they stated they could not replicate the problem although the relay tested good. They said they wanted to make sure there wasn't any voltage drops or anything else before assuming starter replacement was needed.
Just trying to get up a plan of attack. Doing the brake job myself will save at least 800-900 of $1200 I figure (using premium parts). That knocks down the initial cost in the area of $3,000 (discrediting leaks repair & rack & pinion) to roughly 2 since the brake job had an est as high as the timing belt. I can spring for 2 grand right now especially if that's taking care of major jobs and leaving me with minor stuff.
I'll have to get a good estimate on the starter. They didn't give me one because they stated they could not replicate the problem although the relay tested good. They said they wanted to make sure there wasn't any voltage drops or anything else before assuming starter replacement was needed.
#25
Hmmm.... well, that's a twist on things for sure. So you're suggesting the timing belt job is easier than the starter if I'm getting this correct. But that both jobs should be done at the same time due to coolant loss? Sounds as if I should just pay for both starter & timing belt job, then do everything else myself since there would only be brakes left in the equation of immediate jobs. Coolant can't be that expensive... I'm sure it isn't, but don't know if they will lower the cost for combining both jobs except for coolant.
Just trying to get up a plan of attack. Doing the brake job myself will save at least 800-900 of $1200 I figure (using premium parts). That knocks down the initial cost in the area of $3,000 (discrediting leaks repair & rack & pinion) to roughly 2 since the brake job had an est as high as the timing belt. I can spring for 2 grand right now especially if that's taking care of major jobs and leaving me with minor stuff.
I'll have to get a good estimate on the starter. They didn't give me one because they stated they could not replicate the problem although the relay tested good. They said they wanted to make sure there wasn't any voltage drops or anything else before assuming starter replacement was needed.
Just trying to get up a plan of attack. Doing the brake job myself will save at least 800-900 of $1200 I figure (using premium parts). That knocks down the initial cost in the area of $3,000 (discrediting leaks repair & rack & pinion) to roughly 2 since the brake job had an est as high as the timing belt. I can spring for 2 grand right now especially if that's taking care of major jobs and leaving me with minor stuff.
I'll have to get a good estimate on the starter. They didn't give me one because they stated they could not replicate the problem although the relay tested good. They said they wanted to make sure there wasn't any voltage drops or anything else before assuming starter replacement was needed.
#26
Do not get to the starter and just replace a part on it. If its going that far into it replace the starter or rebuild that one. I have one that the bearings make noise when cold other wise its okay. Before I work on it I will have all parts on hand. I do not want to wait a week for parts. I will at some point fix the existing starter but not when I'm working on the car, slows things down too much. When I do the starter and timing belt, I also plan on dealing with power steering stuff because the pump will be more accessible, I also toyed with the idea of engine removal, but I'd like to have another resealed one to put in. There is just so much that could be addressed with total engine removal, once out everything else is easy to get to starter bolts would be easy then.
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