T-boned!

[Chexi]

Me and my tow vehicle got T-boned today on the way into work (4 blocks from my office). It's paid off, and I was just saying the other day how I would drive it until the day it didn't run and was more expensive to fix than it was worth... Don't you just love irony.

[AirTool]

Here is my story:

1. Wife has nice 99 navigator we bought off her dad's lease in 2001. Got a great deal.
2. Paid for on schedule.
3. Early in life gets burned valve (long story) idles rough and throws MIL but runs like scalded ape.
4. Stays in great condition...paint starting to fade...items not working but still runs great.
5. Kids putting wear and tear...great...paid for and old ...no loss.
6. 2009 ...she gets 7-boned in grocery parking lot. 3K damage but offender's insurance pays all. They paint one side and hood, get one new aluminum wheel and running board. Buff out other side to match.
7. MIL always on but I manage inspection with the code reader.
8. 3 months after repair she gets t-boned by 16 year old with new license and old jeep wrangler. Tears up the side just painted. 3K damage but we don't call cops or turn it in. (Giving the boy a break....I wish I wouldda got when I was that age)
9. Wife drives it with one side torn up for a year or so....She's not proud and likes cash in the bank.
10. 2010 makes it through another year without a heater (core leaks 1200 buck repair)
11. 2011 Inspection due and light comes on almost immediately. No chance of passing the test. Drive for 6 months w bad sticker...lucky no cop stops.
12. Spring - wife really on me for a new one. Find "friend" who can "sell" me an inspection sticker....Hmmm.
13. Declined illegal sticker...wife says she's had enough. Order 2011 Expedition and park the Nav in boat storage.
14. New truck due.
15. Go to get Nav and battery shorted. Shows 2 volts...won't take charge. Still under warranty so I go swap for a new one. Battery now worth more than truck.
16. Start her up and (of course) MIL is off with reset. I drive it for a day and no MIL. Hmmm...another day..no MIL. Check with code reader and all the "tests" have cleared so it would pass inspection. I drive it to my usual shop and it passes inspection. I GET THE STICKER. I assume the "fuel trim" data was lost because the battery was dead so long. The default fuel settings must have prevented misfire.
17. Drop the freshly inspected Nav and sign for Forty-something thousand dollar loan at the Ford dealer and leave in a new 4x4 Expedition Limited.
18. What a kick in the *@$&. I tell my wife today if she would have just had a bit more patience on the sticker, she could still be driving one that is "paid for".

Here is pic of the new one. I'm still ahead though...I bet others would a bought two or three in that time.

[wake_fun]

Here is my story:

1. Wife has nice 99 navigator we bought off her dad's lease in 2001. Got a great deal.
2. Paid for on schedule.
3. Early in life gets burned valve (long story) idles rough and throws MIL but runs like scalded ape.
4. Stays in great condition...paint starting to fade...items not working but still runs great.
5. Kids putting wear and tear...great...paid for and old ...no loss.
6. 2009 ...she gets 7-boned in grocery parking lot. 3K damage but offender's insurance pays all. They paint one side and hood, get one new aluminum wheel and running board. Buff out other side to match.
7. MIL always on but I manage inspection with the code reader.
8. 3 months after repair she gets t-boned by 16 year old with new license and old jeep wrangler. Tears up the side just painted. 3K damage but we don't call cops or turn it in. (Giving the boy a break....I wish I wouldda got when I was that age)
9. Wife drives it with one side torn up for a year or so....She's not proud and likes cash in the bank.
10. 2010 makes it through another year without a heater (core leaks 1200 buck repair)
11. 2011 Inspection due and light comes on almost immediately. No chance of passing the test. Drive for 6 months w bad sticker...lucky no cop stops.
12. Spring - wife really on me for a new one. Find "friend" who can "sell" me an inspection sticker....Hmmm.
13. Declined illegal sticker...wife says she's had enough. Order 2011 Expedition and park the Nav in boat storage.
14. New truck due.
15. Go to get Nav and battery shorted. Shows 2 volts...won't take charge. Still under warranty so I go swap for a new one. Battery now worth more than truck.
16. Start her up and (of course) MIL is off with reset. I drive it for a day and no MIL. Hmmm...another day..no MIL. Check with code reader and all the "tests" have cleared so it would pass inspection. I drive it to my usual shop and it passes inspection. I GET THE STICKER. I assume the "fuel trim" data was lost because the battery was dead so long. The default fuel settings must have prevented misfire.
17. Drop the freshly inspected Nav and sign for Forty-something thousand dollar loan at the Ford dealer and leave in a new 4x4 Expedition Limited.
18. What a kick in the *@$&. I tell my wife today if she would have just had a bit more patience on the sticker, she could still be driving one that is "paid for".

Here is pic of the new one. I'm still ahead though...I bet others would a bought two or three in that time.

Well as long as she was alright and not hurt after getting 7-boned in the parking lot and t-boned by the 16 year old

Still driving my 2002 Acura TL that I bought Nov 19, 2001......about 235,000 miles on it. Just keep the old cars going!!!! No payment!

[east tx skier]

2001 Expedition here. Only reason we have it is to use as a tow vehicle and to do some of the heavy lifting that comes up from time to time. Paid $15,700 or so before trade in for it in 2004. Got tired of driving a truck and bought a 2000 accord in 2005 with 105K miles on it for $6,700 with the intention of keeping the truck until the wheels fall off. Sold the accord to my mechanic last month with 180K miles on it for $3K and bought a 2010 VW CC with 40K miles on it for about $6K under book. Still have the Expedition, which has only 106K miles on it. Wife has an 02 Avalon with about 140K miles on it. All run like little tops and reside in the driveway. Boat lives in the garage.

[Chexi]

I would love to buy a car and keep an older truck as a tow vehicle, but unless I am willing to keep the truck on the city street in front of my house and move it every couple of days, I can't, because I have an alley-driveway with no extra space.

[AirTool]

I would love to buy a car and keep an older truck as a tow vehicle, but unless I am willing to keep the truck on the city street in front of my house and move it every couple of days, I can't, because I have an alley-driveway with no extra space.

I'm "spoiled" ....but it isn't as nice as having a boat house. Hoping to do that this winter and build the house in spring. The storage unit is three miles from the lake. The back of the unit has freestanding shelves and is starting to look better than the off-season wake area at Sun and Ski.

I bought the truck for Mrs. AirTool's birthday back in May of 93 (13K new). Up until the purchase of the two new Fords (one becuase of my job, the other story above), it had lower miles than my other vehicles. (Please no more comments on the bug-covered mirrors.)

[Chexi]

The place where I keep my boat is similar but not quite long enough for boat and truck.

[BKinSoCal]

Earlier this year I bought a dedicated tow vehicle. Up until February, my company vehicle was an F-150 4x4. I reached my miles so I had to turn it in and my new company vehicle is a Chevy Traverse...won't quite tow my 230, but it can drive me the 3 1/2 hours across the desert to my River house where the boat is kept. So to compensate for the new company car and to still get free gas when driving to the River, I bought a 1990 F-250 4x4. This truck could tow a house. She isn't beautiful, but the body is straight, it runs well and it starts every time, even when it hasn't been driven for a month.

We contemplated driving my wifes Yukon XL back and forth across the desert, but the money in gas and upkeep and shortened life (without River trips she puts on about 7000 miles a year) easily outweighed the purchase of the F-250. We make about 20 trips a year to our place, which is about 270 miles away.

I'm very pleased with my "new" truck. I have given keys to some buddies and they use it too so they can drive cars to the River rather than their tow vehicles. Saves them some good money too.