Cordell Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 I am having a bad day, and to further annoy me my truck has decided to blow a brake line. My first reaction was to pull it in the shop and patch it up, but I am greeted by gas dripping out of the tank, a rust hole through the frame, and generally poor condition. I've gotten a few years out of this truck, but I debating if I even want to fix it. It'll need at a minimum, gas tank, gas lines, brake lines, and all the front end parts to make it somewhat safe, but it does have some structural rust that is in the middle of the frame. It's a 95 S10 with 250k, am I stupid for even considering fixing anything? I know that I'd tell a customer to get a new car, but like most customers I don't want to pay for a car. Obviously it wouldn't cost me anything other then time and parts. Sorry to rant just annoyed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssFo Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 I think I would look over CR for something nice but needs a mechanics touch to be real nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 Scott, I had an excellent time last winter driving Cleetus with some Winterforce tires for snow/ice traction. Looking forward to using it as a snow DD when I can this coming season. My point in saying that is that now is a good time to look for a sub-$1500 2WD truck. The S10 has served you well...time to see if you can shave 100k miles off your beater for less money than the parts/labor to fix your S10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STEVE-O Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 you will far exceed that trucks value in repairs, I would sell it as is or scrap it and looking for a replacement for sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 http://atlanta.craigslist.org/eat/cto/5231280071.html <-rust-free 4x4 S10 with a stick for $2k. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky31186 Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 Junk it. Buy my police car, mess with people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRTurbo04 Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 How much money we talkin here? Most expensive part is what the tank? Find a nice one from a yard buy the other parts you need, enjoy the truck another 50k miles for a few hundred bucks if that. I will even help you work on it. By that i mean sit in a lawn chair watching lol. Getting another beater you run the risk of having to sink $ into that one too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geeto67 Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 ...It'll need at a minimum, gas tank, gas lines, brake lines, and all the front end parts to make it somewhat safe, but it does have some structural rust that is in the middle of the frame. It's a 95 S10 with 250k, am I stupid for even considering fixing anything? I know that I'd tell a customer to get a new car, but like most customers I don't want to pay for a car. Obviously it wouldn't cost me anything other then time and parts. Sorry to rant just annoyed. part the thing out of whatever is left that is good, take the money and put it into a new beater, and then set the rest of the carcass on fire so some dumbshit doesn't try to fix the thing down the road. The structural frame rust is really the deal killer that drops the value of the truck to 0 - so any money you put into the thing is solely paying for your use, and how long do you expect to go before the thing needs more money? second Generation S-10s aren't really expensive trucks - the nicest ones below 100K miles are like $5K. Why not find another one (maybe a ZR5 or something) and transfer whatever is good off your existing one to that one and call it a day? here's an extended cab ZR2 that could probably use some parts off your rig and it's $1800: http://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/5232029597.html and here is another one: http://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/5225946108.html normally I am all for saying fix it and see how long you can keep it going but once you get into unsound frame where the car is on borrowed time against nature and even if you welded it the value drops to zero anyway it isn't worth it. Find one that is structurally sound and fix that one instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbs3000 Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 http://atlanta.craigslist.org/eat/cto/5231280071.html <-rust-free 4x4 S10 with a stick for $2k. Haha nothing like 1200mi round trip for a beater. I'd trash yours and move on to something a bit more sound and less miles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cordell Posted September 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 part the thing out of whatever is left that is good, take the money and put it into a new beater, and then set the rest of the carcass on fire so some dumbshit doesn't try to fix the thing down the road. The structural frame rust is really the deal killer that drops the value of the truck to 0 - so any money you put into the thing is solely paying for your use, and how long do you expect to go before the thing needs more money? second Generation S-10s aren't really expensive trucks - the nicest ones below 100K miles are like $5K. Why not find another one (maybe a ZR5 or something) and transfer whatever is good off your existing one to that one and call it a day? here's an extended cab ZR2 that could probably use some parts off your rig and it's $1800: http://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/5232029597.html and here is another one: http://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/5225946108.html normally I am all for saying fix it and see how long you can keep it going but once you get into unsound frame where the car is on borrowed time against nature and even if you welded it the value drops to zero anyway it isn't worth it. Find one that is structurally sound and fix that one instead. Yeah, I know thats the right answer. I sure wouldn't tell a customer to fix it, because it isn't safe and it's not worth finding out when it'll break. It just sucks, I don't want to deal with it. Eventually I will just lease my daily and get rid of it outside of warranty, the last thing I want to do is do more work after work. I just don't want to give up my extra money to make payments right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 Scott, crazy as it may sound...could you get some snow tires on the 'Vette? Back in the '00s I drove my '95 Corvette with Kumho Ecsta's in some really crappy winter weather. That was WITHOUT snows and lowered on wedges/lowering bolts. My FiL DD'd his '02 Z06 for years, albeit that was only about 5 miles on city streets... It can definitely be done...will keep the C5 running on a regular basis in the wintertime, and with a fiberglass/aluminum structure you don't have to worry too much about rust... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cordell Posted September 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 Scott, crazy as it may sound...could you get some snow tires on the 'Vette? Back in the '00s I drove my '95 Corvette with Kumho Ecsta's in some really crappy winter weather. That was WITHOUT snows and lowered on wedges/lowering bolts. My FiL DD'd his '02 Z06 for years, albeit that was only about 5 miles on city streets... It can definitely be done...will keep the C5 running on a regular basis in the wintertime, and with a fiberglass/aluminum structure you don't have to worry too much about rust... The thought has crossed my mind, although I'm not thrilled with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87GT Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 The question you need to answer is do you really want to spend $5k on fixing your truck? If no it is time to sell and buy a new beater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 The thought has crossed my mind, although I'm not thrilled with it. It f**king beats dumping hundreds of dollars into a 250k-mile beater...plus, you can see on CL all the time that even if you wanted to bail on the "Winter 'Vette" plan in '16, getting rid of used snow tires is not an issue. Think about all the RWD Infiniti/BMW/Mercedes $30k-millionaires that get around relatively well in the winter... I love my beater tee-ruks, but there is a time when it's not worth it to get one repaired. Sounds like the S10 is done; time to drive the 'Vette more often and either keep driving it through the winter, or at least bide your time until you find a better winter beater in the next few months. TL;DR - don't feex the S10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2 Sweet Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 Agreed with the others, might as well move on to something else. Sorry to hear man. How bad is the rust on the frame? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geeto67 Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 Eventually I will just lease my daily and get rid of it outside of warranty, the last thing I want to do is do more work after work. I just don't want to give up my extra money to make payments right now. What's your commute like right now? I had a friend make a compelling argument for leasing a nissan leaf last week. He pays $218 for a leaf lease. It costs him almost nothing (maybe $20?) to charge it for a month at home with 220 volt hookup. his commute is less than the leaf's range and there is a charge station at work. His focus St was $300 a month plus $220 per month to fill with gas. The way he looks at it leasing the leaf is like pre-paying all his monthly transportation costs up front instead of over time at gas stations and the cost of owning the car is almost free. for anything else beyond the leaf's travel distance he takes his wife's car or his project car. says it only happens once or twice a month. it really only makes financial sense if your gas cost is close to or more than the price of the leaf monthly payment. people don't always factor the operating cost into car ownership. sometimes reducing that makes the payment a little more palatable. at the end of the day though, you still get stuck driving a leaf. If you want to keep it in the GM family, I am sure you see used volts at the dealership - same principle - as long as your commute is within the electric range and you can charge at work and home it's basically a giant golf cart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geeesammy Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 Buy a $1500 SL1 and enjoy life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cordell Posted September 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 My wife and I have decided that the S10 needs junked and taken off the road for everyone's safety. She works from home so we'll just share her car for awhile, and give us some more time to figure things out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geeesammy Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 Just don't wait until Late Jan./Early Feb. when all the taters come out showing their over priced junk for tax season preparation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc1647545523 Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 I know of a Buick you can borrow. It's just sitting at the Hangout with a battery charger on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted September 22, 2015 Report Share Posted September 22, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
POS VETT Posted September 22, 2015 Report Share Posted September 22, 2015 A C5 does not have aluminum chassis/structure. Its steel chassis is corrosion resistant up to a good point, but it's not as good as aluminum. Its subframes and most of suspension components are aluminum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grudes Posted September 22, 2015 Report Share Posted September 22, 2015 As a smart man in the shop once said "The quality of the repair cannot exceed the quality of the vehicle". Time for something new. Maybe a 2000's 2wd full size truck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Bastard Posted September 22, 2015 Report Share Posted September 22, 2015 The electric car idea seems like a good idea to me. The Leaf seems to have a couple cool features, one of which is that it can power your house for a while if the power goes out. Also it seems to have a pretty decent range, more than 100 miles on a full charge iirc (guy at work daily drives one from marysville to worthington and back everyday, he says he enjoys driving it almost as much as his 2010 corvette grand sport). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssFo Posted September 22, 2015 Report Share Posted September 22, 2015 My beater is a lease. For $250 a month it's worth not having to worry about fixing something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.