It was a bite, but I accepted it because...well because I had no other option. Either fix it or sell it for scrap as it isn't much good without a transfer case.
So I fixed it. And it was running fine until yesterday, when the fan belt started squealing. Back into the shop for another check. I was fearing the worst, thinking that it was the clutch on the air conditioner pump. I've replaced one on an earlier Jeep and that is NOT a cheap part. Fortunately, the shop figured out that it was "only" the harmonic balancer pulley that was bad. This was another "not cheap" fix, but it wasn't even half the cost of a new A/C pump, so I told them to fix it.
Phone rings this morning. It's the repair shop. While they were replacing the balancer pulley, they discovered a water pump leak. (OK, so now I know where my coolant has been going.) Joy, joy. Again, as my options are pretty limited at this point, I signed off on another not cheap repair. This is getting ridiculous.
An hour later, the phone rings again. Caller ID says repair shop. I know that it hasn't been long enough for them to have finished, so it's got to be more bad news. Sure enough, there's a split in the radiator endcap, too. (OK, so now I know where my coolant has been going x2) Again, nothing much that I can do other than authorize the fix, then go outside and scream in the yard. Cost for this week's fixing fiasco: About a hundred bucks less than last week's repair bill. And it's still going to need new front brakes before too much longer.
If I fix those brakes, the damned thing had better run for another six or seven years without needing so much as an oil change.
If the repair shop calls back again, I'm not even answering.
Do yer own brakes. Easy and a LOT cheaper.
ReplyDeleteThis is not good - your vehicle is eating into your gun-buying budget.
ReplyDeleteWhat The Donald said. Besides, when your trusty vehicle starts nickle-and-diming you into poverty, it's time to raise the hood and drive a new one under it.
ReplyDeleteOh, I hear you guys. I've been half-heartedly shopping for a replacement for a while now. However it's got to be working right before I can sell it for any kind of coin, and that means that I've actually got to pay for these repairs before I can put it on the market or trade it in.
DeleteUm...Does this mean that I should make sure you are completely disarmed before we go pick the Jeep up?
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain. I have been through the repair sticker shock.
ReplyDeleteCrap! That sucks ML.
ReplyDeleteBut you know if you kept it in sublight speeds it might last longer. Just sayin'
ReplyDeleteNaw, when I drive it faster, it equals less hours on the engine.
DeleteWe make money only to spend it keeping old vehicles running because we don't want to buy new vehicles.
ReplyDeleteOh man, I HATE days like that... And yeah, the hits DO seem to just keep on coming once they start...
ReplyDeleteDamn cars. As the owner of a succession of beaters, it helps to be prepared to dump them when they become money pits and move on. But you are right, broken value =0 I had to retire my 27 year old Audi wagon last fall, leaving me to make it through the winter in a beater Jag...It has been interesting so far...Set of Goodyear "all seasons" has gotten me through without problems. Now looking for a fresh AWD beater...It is always something, but NEVER a car payment.
ReplyDeleteEric told me he offered our services (and my garage) to do your brakes. Get the pads and we'll figure out a time to get it done. My truck just fits in there, so yours should fit also.
ReplyDeleteStinks about all the extra repairs. Sad thing is those are pretty simple things on the 4.0, but access on a Cherokee isn't as good as it is on the old CJ.
I stopped using that shop because they seemed to always "find other stuff wrong" when I would get repairs done. It never really clicked until Rhuel told me about the issues he had with them.
Experience with my old jalopies has been that they go through periods of nickle and diming you to death then it'll be good for awhile.
That stinks. Car problems are the worst. Hmm. Sounds like my car. I wish I could afford a new one, but alas, I do not have it in the budget. Maybe horses will come back in style after the Zombie Apocalypse? That way you could buy three of them at that price.
ReplyDeleteWe just had a failed fuel pump in the BF's car. Almost $800 later...all better. Couple of weeks later, he got rear-ended at a traffic light, and the woman (won't call her a lady) took off without exchanging pertinent details. Totaled his poor car.
ReplyDeleteOnly solace was that he'd needed new tires on it and hadn't quite yet gotten around to putting them on yet, so that saved him some $$$.
SO it looks like about 40 bucks for the pulley and about 80 bucks for the radiator.
ReplyDelete1.4 hours for the pulley (figuring $100/hour shop labor in your area,) $140
1.3 for radiator R+R. $130
$390.
$90 bucks for a water pump. 0 .7 hours labor. $160
$550 bucks or so. Lots less than a grand. (and I figured the expensive replacement parts. Labor stays the same......I'm thinking your shop isn't treating you right.
I hear you. I've taken to calling the husband's car The German Lemon.
ReplyDelete