Hey guys,
I am curious to know how much money everyone here has put into their FSJs. And more importantly, how do you rationalize the cost to yourself (and others for that matter...half my friends think I am crazy )
I bought mine earlier this year and the engine blew up 2 months later while I was on a road trip 300 miles from home. I guess my rationalization is that these are old cars and you should go into this hobby (i call it a hobby because these are emotional vehicles...completely irrational if you think about it) understanding that things WILL go wrong and you WILL end up spending more money that you had originally planned. Don't get me wrong, its a lot of fun and I certainly enjoy driving the wagon, but you just have to think of it as a hobby - not just a car.
When I was shopping for my wagon, I really wanted to get one that was aesthetically in good shape, and thats basically what I got. If it had been all dented up with a cracked dash, I probably would have just let it go to the bone yard when the engine died, but everything else was in such good shape, I felt a duty to get her back on the road.
Once I get the wagon running again (new engine was installed yesterday), I will have spent WAY more on it than I had originally planned.
$4500 purchase price
$1100 new brake system
$400 new shocks
$400 misc parts to get all the door locks and windows working
$650 engine repair (new lifters, before the engine finally blew up)
$3000 for new engine
$1200 labor and parts to install new engine
Thats over $11k and I am sure there will be other things down the road.
Even at $11k, I challenge anyone to find a new late model car on a lot that turns heads like a GW and is as enjoyable to drive
I am curious to know how much money everyone here has put into their FSJs. And more importantly, how do you rationalize the cost to yourself (and others for that matter...half my friends think I am crazy )
I bought mine earlier this year and the engine blew up 2 months later while I was on a road trip 300 miles from home. I guess my rationalization is that these are old cars and you should go into this hobby (i call it a hobby because these are emotional vehicles...completely irrational if you think about it) understanding that things WILL go wrong and you WILL end up spending more money that you had originally planned. Don't get me wrong, its a lot of fun and I certainly enjoy driving the wagon, but you just have to think of it as a hobby - not just a car.
When I was shopping for my wagon, I really wanted to get one that was aesthetically in good shape, and thats basically what I got. If it had been all dented up with a cracked dash, I probably would have just let it go to the bone yard when the engine died, but everything else was in such good shape, I felt a duty to get her back on the road.
Once I get the wagon running again (new engine was installed yesterday), I will have spent WAY more on it than I had originally planned.
$4500 purchase price
$1100 new brake system
$400 new shocks
$400 misc parts to get all the door locks and windows working
$650 engine repair (new lifters, before the engine finally blew up)
$3000 for new engine
$1200 labor and parts to install new engine
Thats over $11k and I am sure there will be other things down the road.
Even at $11k, I challenge anyone to find a new late model car on a lot that turns heads like a GW and is as enjoyable to drive
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