[updated:LAST EDITED ON 10-Dec-02 AT 01:24 AM (EST)]I know that if I ever sold my bronco I would be sad!!!! It's like a member of the family.
This is what I would look like if I sold it!

 

Another thing about taking the Bronco to the shop instead of fixing it myself: first, like I said if I have to take a day off of work this costs about what the shop labor charge is, or more; second, if the shop does it and the part or workmanship is defective, then they have to repair it; and third, I don't get into these f-d up situations where you are fixing one thing, and something else breaks or is found to be bad, and it is getting dark and you are tired and don't have a ride to the auto parts store etc. I'm only 38, but I have been there too many times and I am too old and tired of working on vehicles to go there. So I take it to the shop for the larger stuff. Believe me, I have done plenty of work to this truck myself too, it's not like it goes to the shop for every little glitch. I don't mind so much taking it to the shop now and then, even the cost of it, because my shop is honest and does good work, and if there is a problem afterwards they take it right back immediately and fix it. But three times in a month is bad and totally ruined my holiday budget, which is why I am getting so frustrated.

 

JBronco:

I hate to hear of your bad luck. Like everyone here, I hope you get a bit of a break from repairs.

In fact, as a new Bronco owner, all this talk of repairs kinda scares me! So far mine is running just fine at 98,8xx miles. I DO have a pesky oil leak that I can't find. It's above the oil pressure sending unit. I replaced the valve cover gaskets, but to no luck in solving the problem.

I think that after putting so much time and $$ into your Bronco, DEFINITELY keep it. I know I can't stand to see losing money on something of mine. I had an s-10 that I got rid of and I paid good money for some mud/at's and I had to watch them go back to the dealer. I just didn't have the $$ to get cheap replacements so I could sell the good ones.

I'm kind of in a good situation because my wife just got hired at my company, so we can car pool starting in January if we need to. For now, the bronco stays on the road...but repairs can be done in spare time since I have a ride to/from work and the parts house/junkyard.

good luck and hope everything settles down for you...

:-X12 have a merry one....

 

Well...the shop called, good news and bad news (of course). Good news is that all the repairs are done and it is $480 instead of $550. Bad news is that there is still a coolant leak at the intake. I didn't even know there was a possibility of coolant leaking from the intake, I thought it was just oil. It was a small leak, but still. Soooo, yeah go ahead and fix it, of course do the valve cover gaskets now while the intake is off (they leaked). May as well change the plugs while you are down there, I was going to do it anyway. So there goes about another $500, I just hope this is IT!!! For a while anyway. I've pretty much resigned myself to the fact that unless I win the lottery, I will be keeping this truck for the rest of my life and will rebuild the whole drivetrain one day and be done with it (since the body is straight, the interior is nice, and it drives nice). Please, please, please let the engine and driveline hang on for a couple of years so I can save for this, at 105K they at least should be ok. BTW - it just sems that I have had an extraordinary time keeping coolant in this truck. The cap is the right pressure, and the hoses and all seem to feel right and it does not run hot. But coolant leaks that I have fixed in the last 15K (not counting preventative hose fixes) are:

Upper hose leaked at connection to the water neck.
Lower hose leaked at the connection to radiator.
Crossover hose for throttle body coolant
Radiator
Intake gasket
Freeze plug
Timing cover bolt (after repair)

As preventative maintenance, I replaced all other hoses and now the heater core. This truck has had the coolant drained so many times I must have the worlds cleanest 105k water passages!