Major Thinking Going On (Update)

"Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness" (long-voyager-2nd-edition)
08/20/2018 at 07:09 • Filed to: Car Buying

So you all know the van’s HGs are currently on leave, which has us down to the car and the truck. The car is proving a good run around and is completely road worthy now that I rebuilt the suspension. The truck on the other hand decided it no longer wanted to run this weekend, no warning.

So now we’re down to one vehicle (well 1.5, van still runs just no long trips for fear of smoking an engine). I will be hooking up to the truck to hopefully find out why it won’t start this week.

Once I get the truck running again, I’m thinking about trading it off on a Transit Connect minivan. After looking at a few we’ve decided they are the perfect combo of space and utility for us. Likewise, we’re enjoying the lack of payments right now, so I’m thinking on just fixing the van, selling the truck, and running with the 2 90s Mopars.

So my dilemma lays:

1. I trade the truck off and get a Transit Connect, at which I will likely fix the HGs on the van and sell it as we don’t have much need for 3 vehicles.

2. Sell the truck once it’s running and just keep what I have.

Update:

After finding this appear at a local dealer:

I took off work early Friday so I could finally drive one. After finally getting a chance to drive one, we’ve decided we are going to try to find one. Between the excellent seating layout, versatility, and now the way it rides/drives, I’m sold.

Then to add to the good news, I pulled the truck out of it’s parking spot so I could mow when I got home. Low and behold, got it on flat ground and it fired right up. So it wouldn’t start because of the hill it was parked on combined with being under 1/4 tank of fuel!

Saturday I scrubbed the inside of the truck and got it looking amazing, sadly I didn’t take pics, sorry.

Sunday I finally tackled the driveshaft carrier and replaced the u-joints, so that’s all sorted.

So now I’m on the search for a Transit Connect Titanium in the area so we can go make a deal. Once that is in the driveway, I’ll be cleaning the my van up and listing it for sale as well.

DISCUSSION (20)

WilliamsSW > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
08/15/2018 at 17:37

Seems to me that, with your skills, keeping the van and the car on the road will save lots of monies, but at the same time, I wouldn’t blame you for getting something new to take a break from the time you spend on them--

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
08/15/2018 at 17:42

What happened to your last account

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/15/2018 at 18:04

It was sold to pay for this post.

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now)
08/15/2018 at 18:44

i laughed.

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/15/2018 at 18:45

lost when his old PC went poof. his account and info was only on it and now lost for good. hence the new account.

pip bip - choose Corrour > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
08/16/2018 at 06:38

fix what you have would be my decision

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > WilliamsSW
08/16/2018 at 06:51

It’s just been a lot at once. I bought the car knowing it was going to need work, so it doesn’t bother me. But in the mean time of working on that, I’ve had to fix the truck 3 times, and now the van decides it wants to go all Subaru on me, it’s just been a lot at once.

I mostly just want the truck gone, which is what’s got me thinking about just trading it off if they’d give me decent money for it. That then leaves me with what to do with my van, which I will likely keep either way, what happens with the truck will just decide whether I keep it daily material or go a little crazy with it.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/16/2018 at 06:53

Honoyota summed it up.

Computer fried, took everything with it, started over.

WilliamsSW > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
08/16/2018 at 08:40

The truck does seem like your real biggest headache. And you can get decent money for it, so win/ win.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > WilliamsSW
08/16/2018 at 12:05

That truck has been nothing but headaches since we bought it. It spends as much, if not more, time dead in our driveway than it does on the road.

I maintain it meticulously, as I do all my vehicles, but it just doesn’t matter. There is always something wrong with it.

I think once it’s gone I’ll be able to clear my head and get back on track, but right now it’s got me so stressed I’m ready to just sell everything and be done with vehicles for a while.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > WilliamsSW
08/16/2018 at 12:05

That truck has been nothing but headaches since we bought it. It spends as much, if not more, time dead in our driveway than it does on the road.

I maintain it meticulously, as I do all my vehicles, but it just doesn’t matter. There is always something wrong with it.

I think once it’s gone I’ll be able to clear my head and get back on track, but right now it’s got me so stressed I’m ready to just sell everything and be done with vehicles for a while.

Monkey B > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
08/20/2018 at 08:42

do they come with ecoboost in that trim? I hope so. I’d load one up with a bunch of people/things you’d plan on using with it and go on a highway ride for a bit and see if you like it. The NA and ecoboost have similar power figures, but the NA engine and the way it’s geared makes highway driving interesting around mid rpm cruising and you need sudden acceleration....you won’t get it.

Otherwise you get the utility of a minivan with the driving character of a Focus. It’s hard to beat that combo. I always though t the Mazda 5 was underappreciated as well.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Monkey B
08/20/2018 at 10:07

Honestly the 2.5L felt perfectly adequate for a daily driver. It’s no rocket, but 0-70 felt quick enough. It’s got plenty of power to hit the interstate at well over the speed limit.

I don’t think they offered the EB in the US, if they did I’ve yet to see one.

I feel it has way more power than the Mazda 5 manual we drove a while back.

carter [road salt disliker] > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
08/20/2018 at 12:38

How did the TC feel on the highway? Was it as loud at 70+?

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > carter [road salt disliker]
08/20/2018 at 12:50

I thought it felt tight and responsive while being smooth and quiet. The engine makes fun noises when asked to work hard, but normal driving it felt very nice IMO.

carter [road salt disliker] > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
08/20/2018 at 13:00

This is good to hear. I hate reading reviews for cars like the TC. They never seem to understand what they're supposed to be comparing it to.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > carter [road salt disliker]
08/20/2018 at 16:03

I feel that way about a lot of reviews. They go into a utility based minivan expecting a luxury vehicle, or into a m uscle car expecting a sports car, then want to complain about things no one should expect such a vehicle to do.

I hate the way modern minivans drive, so when I heard this was more car-like I had to check it out.

Then I saw the utility of the seating and I had to drive one. Now that I drove one, I have to own one. To me it’s what modern minivans should be.

carter [road salt disliker] > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
08/20/2018 at 16:07

The only thing I’ve heard about the TC that keeps me from looking at it is that it can’t fit 8 x 4 plywood like a regular minivan can. Not sure if you can confirm.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > carter [road salt disliker]
08/20/2018 at 16:13

I’ll have to check it out when we get one. I’m sure you can do it with the hatch open.

Not sure most modern minivans can without removing seats either though.

TheYearIs1990 > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
08/20/2018 at 21:43

Don’t forget option C.

Kinja'd!!!