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Wife’s car went boom

hallett21

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Well sorta.

2010 Chevy equinox with 130,000. Timing chain is toast and there’s metal in the oil. 4 cylinder 2wd.

I can get the chain, sprockets, water pump etc done for 2k. Car blue books for 4-5k private party. Did I mention it needs to be smogged? Lol.

Car also has a decent dent in the front quarter panel that was quoted at $1,400.00 to fix.

Mechanic says timing chain will get it to pass smog but is worried the motor will eat itself soon after.

I don’t believe in selling it to some poor sap and having it ruin their life. But spending 2-3k to get 2k back doesn’t make sense either.

So can I trade it in as it sits? It runs but sounds rough. Or should I park it in the wrong part of town?

Also with a budget of 40k OTD what suv does everyone like?

Needs to tow our Hallett vector locally in havasu and back up a steep driveway. Needs 4x4 for mammoth. Currently it’s just us and the dog but I imagine our first kid will be riding with us in the next few years. Wife will be commuting from Woodland Hills go LA 4-5 times a week. And finally need it to be over 6,000 GVWR for write offs. Planning on looking at CPO.

Thanks!


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4Waters

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Post the car for sale in the baja bug thread, it's a good donor motor for those, they haul ass with an ecotec.
 

Xring01

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We have a 2013 Lexus GX460...
Basically a V8 4 Runner... even though its Front wheel drive... standard...
Ours is a 4X4..

We love it... Extemely comfortable. Offroad it if we want... tows damn good.

But the fuel economy is not the best... So thats the biggest con...

Other than that... I highly recommend them.
 

D19

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We got an all wheel drive V6 2019 Ford Flex for the same intentions you have and we love it. It's roomy like a full size truck inside and has all the creature comforts and doo-dads you could want. You can launch the Hallett with it and fit 7 adults inside. I was skeptical til I drove one, they're awesome! Just stay away from the FWD.
 

Ouderkirk

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At 130K, the motor & trans are fairly well used. Wheel bearings are going to need to be replaced, and much of the suspension is going to need service too.

Parking it in a bad neighborhood leads to higher insurance premiums and potentially a fraud conviction with minimal return

Do what you can to give it a buff and puff and offload it on a dealer.

The Lexus 460 is good. As was stated it's a 4runner with a higher roof line and a V8. Be forewarned about the 4.7L V8 and the air injection system and make sure that anything you buy has had that fully checked out/serviced. It's covered by warranty in the 5.7 Sequoia & Tundra to 160K miles but not at all in the V8 4Runners and 460's and it's like $3000 to repair. I have a 4.0L V6 4Runner 4WD and it tows my 20 Eliminator Sport 454 easily. Been super reliable. It's just the right size and gets 21+MPH average.
 

pronstar

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Take it to CarMax as-is.
They’ll buy anything.
Literally.

With a kid in the way you need room.
$40k buys a nice CPO Tahoe

Our 2018 CPO Suburban we recently bought was $38k



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nowski

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Should have bought a Chevy!!!

A couple of years ago while the flatbed was unloading the neighbors truck I yelled out "Should Have Bought a Chevy". The neighbor yells back it is, point taken...
 

DrunkenSailor

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You could get an rt durango with the hemi 2x4 for just under 40k.

Personally the flex with the 3.5 ecoboost will get better gas mileage.

Fix it drive it until it Chernoby'sl and wait for the bronco?
 

TGIBFTGOG

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State (CA) has a BAR buy back program - Car has to run, drive, and not pass smog. $1500 if you are poor, $1000 if you are not. Get cash and do not sell someone your problem. Car goes to the crusher.
 

C08H18

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I've had a Suburban for 15 yrs now. 5.3L, 250K miles, pulled a lot of trailers in the 4K-7K load range. The suburban before that gave us 12 yrs also. As kids get older, you're wife will love the room and easy access into the back seat. I would recommend a CPO Tahoe w/ 5.3L motor as PRONSTAR recommends. Does buying used meet the IRS write off?

You appear to know how to work on stuff (and not afraid to) - the parts that do break or wear out and plentiful and rea$onable. Air ride, transmissions, suspension etc are easy to come by.
 

sintax

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Post the car for sale in the baja bug thread, it's a good donor motor for those, they haul ass with an ecotec.

maybe you missed the part where he said "Mechanic says timing chain will get it to pass smog but is worried the motor will eat itself soon after." Pretty sure thats some bad karma.
 

pronstar

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I've had a Suburban for 15 yrs now. 5.3L, 250K miles, pulled a lot of trailers in the 4K-7K load range. The suburban before that gave us 12 yrs also. As kids get older, you're wife will love the room and easy access into the back seat. I would recommend a CPO Tahoe w/ 5.3L motor as PRONSTAR recommends. Does buying used meet the IRS write off?

You appear to know how to work on stuff (and not afraid to) - the parts that do break or wear out and plentiful and rea$onable. Air ride, transmissions, suspension etc are easy to come by.

Used qualifies for Section 179 [emoji106]


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warpt71

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We got an all wheel drive V6 2019 Ford Flex for the same intentions you have and we love it. It's roomy like a full size truck inside and has all the creature comforts and doo-dads you could want. You can launch the Hallett with it and fit 7 adults inside. I was skeptical til I drove one, they're awesome! Just stay away from the FWD.

Another vote for a Flex. Ours is FWD and launches our 20.5 Carrera jet boat just fine. I have heard that 2020 is the last year for them and am seriously thinking about getting another one. Ours is a '14 with 133,XXX miles on it. Not much wrong, but we like the car enough that we would buy another
 
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4Waters

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maybe you missed the part where he said "Mechanic says timing chain will get it to pass smog but is worried the motor will eat itself soon after." Pretty sure thats some bad karma.
No good performance rebuild candidate
 

Bigbore500r

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You can get a "take out" motor with 6 month warranty for $1500-$2000. Pay mechanic to swap the motor. This is where I recommend LKQ, and @rivermobster will recommend Walker 400. Both are salvage yard operations that can get you a quality replacement OEM take-out motor, probably cheaper than you can patch together the motor you have which has serious issues.
 

rivermobster

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You can get a "take out" motor with 6 month warranty for $1500-$2000. Pay mechanic to swap the motor. This is where I recommend LKQ, and @rivermobster will recommend Walker 400. Both are salvage yard operations that can get you a quality replacement OEM take-out motor, probably cheaper than you can patch together the motor you have which has serious issues.

All true.

But on a ten year old GM product? Probably best to just sell it to either one of those places. Stop the bleeding while you still can! :D
 

Bigbore500r

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All true.

But on a ten year old GM product? Probably best to just sell it to either one of those places. Stop the bleeding while you still can! :D

Ford owners are like Uncle Rico, hanging on to that one touchdown pass from 23 years ago......
Except the 7.3 wasn't even their motor :D

613Mkol2XSL._SY550_.jpg
 

RCDave

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You can get a "take out" motor with 6 month warranty for $1500-$2000. Pay mechanic to swap the motor. This is where I recommend LKQ, and @rivermobster will recommend Walker 400. Both are salvage yard operations that can get you a quality replacement OEM take-out motor, probably cheaper than you can patch together the motor you have which has serious issues.

What's a better alternative? LKQ or Walker 400? :D:D:confused:
 

hallett21

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Well she said no to flex lol. She likes the Grand Cherokee. We drove one on vacation for a week and were pleased.

I want her to drive 4-5 cars to get a good idea of what she wants.

I like the Tahoe but not sure she’ll want to drive that every day.

Trying to get something that gets an honest 23mpg or better. Not a deal breaker but something to shoot for.


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rivermobster

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Ford owners are like Uncle Rico, hanging on to that one touchdown pass from 23 years ago......
Except the 7.3 wasn't even their motor :D

613Mkol2XSL._SY550_.jpg

Are you Seriously gonna go there??

Pop quiz...

Where does the engine AND trans in a GM diesel truck come from even today?

Hint: Neither of them come from GM! Bwahahhaha!
 

Bigbore500r

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You forgot about the trans...

GM can't build their own transmissions either. :rolleyes:

Ford hasn't buying their powertrains from someone else for how long now Mr History??

:rolleyes::p:D
You went the history route, I just corrected it lol

We both use the same damn transmission in cars and 1/2 ton trucks so pipe down :D

I suggest we both bash Chrysler and then move along ....
 

rivermobster

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You went the history route, I just corrected it lol

We both use the same damn transmission in cars and 1/2 ton trucks so pipe down :D

I suggest we both bash Chrysler and then move along ....

I'm sorry, did you say 1/2 ton?

I thought we were talking about real trucks. My bad.

:D:p
 

D19

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Well she said no to flex lol. She likes the Grand Cherokee. We drove one on vacation for a week and were pleased.

I want her to drive 4-5 cars to get a good idea of what she wants.

I like the Tahoe but not sure she’ll want to drive that every day.

Trying to get something that gets an honest 23mpg or better. Not a sea breaker but something to shoot for.


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My sister just got a fully loaded Grand Cherokee with the Hemi. It's pretty cool.

Our original plan was another Tahoe. If I had a heavier boat we would have got one, but it didn't make sense as a daily commuter for her. I was getting 13 mpg in my Tahoe. Some people claim better mpgs in their Tahoes and they might get them but we both drive fast. The Flex averages 17.

If you want an honest 23mpg, you better start looking at Kia and Hyundai LOL
 

TITTIES AND BEER

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Well sorta.

2010 Chevy equinox with 130,000. Timing chain is toast and there’s metal in the oil. 4 cylinder 2wd.

I can get the chain, sprockets, water pump etc done for 2k. Car blue books for 4-5k private party. Did I mention it needs to be smogged? Lol.

Car also has a decent dent in the front quarter panel that was quoted at $1,400.00 to fix.

Mechanic says timing chain will get it to pass smog but is worried the motor will eat itself soon after.

I don’t believe in selling it to some poor sap and having it ruin their life. But spending 2-3k to get 2k back doesn’t make sense either.

So can I trade it in as it sits? It runs but sounds rough. Or should I park it in the wrong part of town?

Also with a budget of 40k OTD what suv does everyone like?

Needs to tow our Hallett vector locally in havasu and back up a steep driveway. Needs 4x4 for mammoth. Currently it’s just us and the dog but I imagine our first kid will be riding with us in the next few years. Wife will be commuting from Woodland Hills go LA 4-5 times a week. And finally need it to be over 6,000 GVWR for write offs. Planning on looking at CPO.

Thanks!


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Timing chain and trade in :)
 

CoolCruzin

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Junk it and buy the wife a nice car
Like a Jeep or Shelby or corvette
 

mash on it

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Just out of curiosity, what tows the boat now?

Dan'l
 

Jefftowz

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Another vote for Flex. If you need the broken towed lemme know.
 

hallett21

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Just out of curiosity, what tows the boat now?

Dan'l

My ram 3500 4x4. Trying to not use my truck for havasu and mammoth since I already average 35k a year in mileage.

IMG_2705.jpg



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COCA COLA COWBOY

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I just bought a used Lexus GX460 for the tax write off myself. I negotiated $30,700 for a loaded 2016 with 37k miles. I love it. I honestly don't need my truck anymore. This thing does pretty good offroad, is extremely comfortable, decent room, easy to park everywhere (I live in a Metropolitan area. Best part is Lexus is just a Toyota and from what I hear from a mechanic I know that worked at Toyota, they never have many issues.
 

pronstar

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I just bought a used Lexus GX460 for the tax write off myself. I negotiated $30,700 for a loaded 2016 with 37k miles. I love it. I honestly don't need my truck anymore. This thing does pretty good offroad, is extremely comfortable, decent room, easy to park everywhere (I live in a Metropolitan area. Best part is Lexus is just a Toyota and from what I hear from a mechanic I know that worked at Toyota, they never have many issues.

Tons of folks build them up to be incredible overlanders. They’re supremely capable off-road (with good tires) and there is TONS of aftermarket support for them.

King makes shocks for ‘em also [emoji106]

Because, you know...stock sucks [emoji4]


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NicPaus

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I just bought a used Lexus GX460 for the tax write off myself. I negotiated $30,700 for a loaded 2016 with 37k miles. I love it. I honestly don't need my truck anymore. This thing does pretty good offroad, is extremely comfortable, decent room, easy to park everywhere (I live in a Metropolitan area. Best part is Lexus is just a Toyota and from what I hear from a mechanic I know that worked at Toyota, they never have many issues.
Throw a TRD supercharger on it and report back. I towed with a TRD Landcruiser and it was phenomenal bouncing off the speed limiter at 97 or so not even noticing the boat behind it.
 

jetboatperformance

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I look at these cars regularly with engine failures for warranty considerations , around 80 K they start to get noisey (chains) , deterioration leads to pervasive particle travel and engine failure , Chains and tensioners are just the beginning , wouldnt fix it , cut your losses and trade it IMO
 

BajaMike

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Take it to a dealer where you want you buy a new car, do on a Sunday afternoon when the service department is not open and trade it in. The sales manager who does the appraisal will not notice it running rough, don’t offer any info, tell them you want the new car at $200 above invoice (have them show it to you) and you want $2000 for your car and settle for $1000 for the trade.
 

COCA COLA COWBOY

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Throw a TRD supercharger on it and report back. I towed with a TRD Landcruiser and it was phenomenal bouncing off the speed limiter at 97 or so not even noticing the boat behind it.

I'll keep that in mind! My plan is to drive it for work until about 140-150k miles, then lift it, bumpers and leave it at the river for an offroad cruiser.
 

C-2

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Ford owners are like Uncle Rico, hanging on to that one touchdown pass from 23 years ago......
Except the 7.3 wasn't even their motor :D

613Mkol2XSL._SY550_.jpg

Holy crap that’s funny, and well played. Might have to steal it.

Carry on....
 
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