Hindsight question
Thread Starter
|
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 23,849
Likes: 20
From: McKenzie River
Hindsight question
Last year, i gave up and sold my 97 ext. 4.0 aerostar. I was in the middle of a move and mass overtime. It was tripping the CEL, and giving a torque converter sensor code. i was told it could be just the sensor, or could be time for a new trans. I just didnt have time to mess with it. It still had OD the only clue besides the CEL was a thump as you came to a stop, fluid still looked OK. it had 158,000 on it at the time and had been one of the best aeros I had ever owned. sold it to a buddy for 1,000$, he never fixed it and sold to some one else so I never found out anymore......Question is did I give up too soon, what are the chances it was just the sensor and not the tranny? I was quoted over 700.00 just for sensor. I figured with my luck it was the tranny Ive heard the trannys were weak, any conjecture or opinions?
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,818
Likes: 3
Hmmm....Seller's Remorse?
I'll venture a conjecture that it was something simple. Despite what you've heard, these transmissions, especially on the "newer" Aerostars, are lot more durable than you would expect. Caveat: With proper maintenance. Those yelping the loudest about poor transmissions are often the same ones who never give a thought to preventative maintenance.
I'll venture a conjecture that it was something simple. Despite what you've heard, these transmissions, especially on the "newer" Aerostars, are lot more durable than you would expect. Caveat: With proper maintenance. Those yelping the loudest about poor transmissions are often the same ones who never give a thought to preventative maintenance.
Thread Starter
|
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 23,849
Likes: 20
From: McKenzie River
yeah, sellers remorse. that was a great van. AND it was my wifes ride at the time and got tip top maint. from me. its a head scratcher the trans. had been serviced by ford the year before and got a clean bill of health, i never used it to tow, thats what f250s are for. I ve always felt bad about dumping it.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 5,720
Likes: 5
From: Washington state
all the rigs from the mid 90s on have went full electronic control, engine, tranny, dash display.
days of DIYer repairs are fast disappearing unless one has an extensive background in electronics troubleshooting.
you could have easily sank $1000 into the rig at a tranny shop searching for the problem with the cryptic non pinpointing OBD codes. only tells one there may be a problem, not specifically where at.
dealerships can easily invest half a million in car manuf. required specialized service analyzers and that much into service tech training to use them. they have to add those costs to the final bill or close the doors for good.
many of us in the future will be driving long distances for manuf warranty service as dealer disappear. there will 75% less in 5 years. most towns under 100,000 will not be able to support a manuf. approved dealer. most new cars will be bought from internet dealers, many owned by the manufs with direct sales.
the first thing we are going to see is 1 yr, 12k mile new car warranties, any longer will have to be third party auto repair insurance policy for $$$$
days of DIYer repairs are fast disappearing unless one has an extensive background in electronics troubleshooting.
you could have easily sank $1000 into the rig at a tranny shop searching for the problem with the cryptic non pinpointing OBD codes. only tells one there may be a problem, not specifically where at.
dealerships can easily invest half a million in car manuf. required specialized service analyzers and that much into service tech training to use them. they have to add those costs to the final bill or close the doors for good.
many of us in the future will be driving long distances for manuf warranty service as dealer disappear. there will 75% less in 5 years. most towns under 100,000 will not be able to support a manuf. approved dealer. most new cars will be bought from internet dealers, many owned by the manufs with direct sales.
the first thing we are going to see is 1 yr, 12k mile new car warranties, any longer will have to be third party auto repair insurance policy for $$$$
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 7,015
Likes: 208
From: SoCal
dealerships can easily invest half a million in car manuf. required specialized service analyzers and that much into service tech training to use them. they have to add those costs to the final bill or close the doors for good.
many of us in the future will be driving long distances for manuf warranty service as dealer disappear. there will 75% less in 5 years. most towns under 100,000 will not be able to support a manuf. approved dealer. most new cars will be bought from internet dealers, many owned by the manufs with direct sales.
many of us in the future will be driving long distances for manuf warranty service as dealer disappear. there will 75% less in 5 years. most towns under 100,000 will not be able to support a manuf. approved dealer. most new cars will be bought from internet dealers, many owned by the manufs with direct sales.
I'm in the process of restoring a classic Mustang, and there is a LOT of aftermarket support for it; I just have to be willing to pay for it. I'm afraid the Aerostar does not, and probably will not, have the same level of support. You can still get some parts from Ford, and maybe even from Chinese re-pro soruces. But if Ford re-organizes, we will probably lose that source for parts. We may have to start adapting parts from other vehicles to repair them, or fab our own parts somehow.
Thread Starter
|
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 23,849
Likes: 20
From: McKenzie River
Its a damn shame too, the aerostar is 3 times the vehicle the " smokeavan" ever was, thats how you can tell theres a caravan ahead of you in traffic, follow the blue smoke.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,460
Likes: 6
From: Florida
quoting 96: ..."or close the doors for good"
let them close their doors. the way to resolve the problem is to buy your next car from a company that is not bankrupt by their own making. If GM, Chrysler and Ford were making efficient and quality cars like Toyota and others, they would not be going the way of the dinosaurs. Quality has no meaning at Ford or GM. Chrysler is irrelevant. My brother in law has a 2007 Chevy Malibu that is literally falling apart everyday, if not that, the wiring is melting.
What garbage!
I have no more sympathy for the domestic car companies or their employees. Let them go bankrupt. It's their own fault for producing garbage and horrible out-of-human-scale vehicles which are ruining the environment.
Paying $25. per hour to a guy sweeping the floor is the way to extinction. Blame the union and the CEOs and everybody.
Cut their pay and send them home. All of them. Look at them begging for billions! The big shots who spend their time in Palm Beach playing Poker. Nahh, let them suffer like the rest of us.
I'm looking forward to Obama and Obiden changing this country around and giving more Economic Power to The People. Enough of corporate favoritism. 8 years was enough. NO MOE. YEEEHAWW!!
Jose
let them close their doors. the way to resolve the problem is to buy your next car from a company that is not bankrupt by their own making. If GM, Chrysler and Ford were making efficient and quality cars like Toyota and others, they would not be going the way of the dinosaurs. Quality has no meaning at Ford or GM. Chrysler is irrelevant. My brother in law has a 2007 Chevy Malibu that is literally falling apart everyday, if not that, the wiring is melting.
What garbage!
I have no more sympathy for the domestic car companies or their employees. Let them go bankrupt. It's their own fault for producing garbage and horrible out-of-human-scale vehicles which are ruining the environment.
Paying $25. per hour to a guy sweeping the floor is the way to extinction. Blame the union and the CEOs and everybody.
Cut their pay and send them home. All of them. Look at them begging for billions! The big shots who spend their time in Palm Beach playing Poker. Nahh, let them suffer like the rest of us.
I'm looking forward to Obama and Obiden changing this country around and giving more Economic Power to The People. Enough of corporate favoritism. 8 years was enough. NO MOE. YEEEHAWW!!
Jose
Trending Topics
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 830
Likes: 0
From: Kitchener,Ontario,Canada
I think we'll be finding in pretty short order, Toyota , Honda & the like are not impervious to recession & even if they are more efficient at production of cars (& if they are it's not by much), they still need a market to sell to, they still make the same types of vehicles that the big three do, & the way things are running currently....... they might not have much of a market very soon!
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 5,720
Likes: 5
From: Washington state
Honda has ended their F1 racing program saving over a billion US$.
Toyota has cut their program and i expect them to totally drop F1 next year.
look for Toyota to drop the NASCAR Craftsman Truck series next year also, their PU sales have sank. that Yota V8 pig struggles to get 15 mpg empty. neighbor cries to me all the time about his Tundra gas sucker, he had to quit commuting in it this summer.
i look for NASCAR to end. after all the hell that Detroit got on Capitol hill, i don't expect them to produce anything over 80" wheel base, 2500 lbs gross weight and any larger than a 2L 4 banger.
we won't see any of the American Three associated with NASCCAR fuel suckers next year.
it was fun driving that big American V8 muscle car iron. i quit taking mine out, the snears were not worth it.
guess we got what we wanted in the end?
Toyota has cut their program and i expect them to totally drop F1 next year.
look for Toyota to drop the NASCAR Craftsman Truck series next year also, their PU sales have sank. that Yota V8 pig struggles to get 15 mpg empty. neighbor cries to me all the time about his Tundra gas sucker, he had to quit commuting in it this summer.
i look for NASCAR to end. after all the hell that Detroit got on Capitol hill, i don't expect them to produce anything over 80" wheel base, 2500 lbs gross weight and any larger than a 2L 4 banger.
we won't see any of the American Three associated with NASCCAR fuel suckers next year.
it was fun driving that big American V8 muscle car iron. i quit taking mine out, the snears were not worth it.
guess we got what we wanted in the end?
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 7,015
Likes: 208
From: SoCal
I guess that's a big part of it; so many Americans exercised their freedom of choice, and demanded all these goods and services, without thinking about their long term ramifications (or whether they can afford them or not). Of course, in more affluent times, the companies that provide these goods and services, at home and abroad, are more than happy to oblige, and give us everything we think we want. On top of that, we had a government that not only did nothing to promote such foreign concepts as conservation and ecology, but promoted policies that actually rewarded conspicuous consumption, it was a disaster waiting to happen. This is not what democracy is about. With no vigilance and self-control, we will lose our freedoms to other forces.
We've all seen the recent huge drops in gas prices, and they are expected drop to levels not seen in 20 years. Combine that with the recent economic down turn that's hammering the auto industry and forcing the to offer huge incentives to buy their cars, especially those gas guzzlers, this is the perfect time for everyone to go out and buy that big SUV that they've always wanted. My opinion only, but this is one of many examples of "just because we can, doesn't mean we should".
We've all seen the recent huge drops in gas prices, and they are expected drop to levels not seen in 20 years. Combine that with the recent economic down turn that's hammering the auto industry and forcing the to offer huge incentives to buy their cars, especially those gas guzzlers, this is the perfect time for everyone to go out and buy that big SUV that they've always wanted. My opinion only, but this is one of many examples of "just because we can, doesn't mean we should".