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Bored after 4 years...

Z

zorrex

Enjoys the Abuse
Joined
Mar 26, 2007
Messages
11,840
Location
South Amherst, MA
So after 4 years of owning the Contour, I'm actually a tad bit bored with it. I don't really want to get rid of it, as it has been highly reliable transportation for me, but I'd like a more exciting vehicle to drive that won't cost me much initially, will be fun and semi-reliable, and I'll be able to turn around and sell if anything comes up that doesn't seem worth fixing, all the while keeping the Contour, which will be easy to keep running. Having only one vehicle is KILLING me currently. I can't freaking drive my Contour, like, at ALL lately due to the most massive coolant leak ever (I go through 3 or 4 gallons of water a day). Way too much of a pain to have to barely manage in the meantime and risk not being able to get to work.

So I've been looking for something like this:

http://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/1254868928.html

What do you guys think? I need to check with my insurance company and see what they have to say...

EDIT: Or maybe this....

http://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/1269655912.html

I'm just thinking about it...
 
Hmm. Well I'm looking for something that won't give me emissions issues in MA, so 1995 and older. I just want to drive it and not worry about it at ALL, and if there is a major repair I need to do, I may just sell it and then invest into another Cherokee. I effing love the Cherokee. Fell in love with my gf's (at the time) 1993 Cherokee Sport. Thing was a champ.
 
Oh, they run like tanks, and handle like one too! Even with the head/exhaust mani issues, the engine will outlast the body on it. When you go and look at one, get under it and check everything...even the floor. They rot out pretty bad. Double check both rocker panels, as the older ones for some reason rot out right before the back wheels.

Usual problems they have are wheel bearings, u-joints on both front half shafts, u-joints on the drive shafts, and the front ends tie rod ends...all of them. :laugh:

If you do get one, I suggest a complete fluid flush in everything.
 
zorrex said:
Naturally. I'd immediately put in new oil, new coolant, and probably drain + refill the tranny.
Click to expand...

I would recommend changing the oil in the pumpkins too.

I do suggest you go to http://www.naxja.org/forum/index.php. Best Cherokee resource I've ever found aside from the Haynes manual.

Edit: For the oil change I suggest you go with a Rotella oil. Can't remember exactly which one I'm running, but it has a higher content of zinc in it...which is something the 4.0L needs.
 
frenchblueC2 said:
get a motorcycle for some thrills :cool:
Click to expand...

Trust me I've thought of that, and not to knock you and Mike, but I need something with a bit more practicality. My car is nearly useless unless I'm transporting myself and small stuff. A Jeep Cherokee would be an awesome hauler, gets only 6-8 less mpg than the Contour, and is MUCH MORE FUN! Not to mention it could have practical use at my job. I don't always have a company vehicle at my disposal...
 
zorrex said:
Trust me I've thought of that, and not to knock you and Mike, but I need something with a bit more practicality. My car is nearly useless unless I'm transporting myself and small stuff. A Jeep Cherokee would be an awesome hauler, gets only 6-8 less mpg than the Contour, and is MUCH MORE FUN! Not to mention it could have practical use at my job. I don't always have a company vehicle at my disposal...
Click to expand...

How many miles do you drive a year? 6-8 mpg less can end up costing you a good amount over the year if you drive a lot.

If you're on a limited budget, taking that much of hit on gas mileage can really hurt you.
 
CSVT1214 said:
How many miles do you drive a year? 6-8 mpg less can end up costing you a good amount over the year if you drive a lot.

If you're on a limited budget, taking that much of hit on gas mileage can really hurt you.
Click to expand...

Thing is, I'd split time, so I'd really only be losing 3-4, if that. In fact, the Contour would probably get the daily drive to work, over 70mi per day, with the Jeep getting the job to go for joy rides out with friends and stuff...:shrug:
 
zorrex said:
Trust me I've thought of that, and not to knock you and Mike, but I need something with a bit more practicality. My car is nearly useless unless I'm transporting myself and small stuff. A Jeep Cherokee would be an awesome hauler, gets only 6-8 less mpg than the Contour, and is MUCH MORE FUN! Not to mention it could have practical use at my job. I don't always have a company vehicle at my disposal...
Click to expand...

well you never said anything about being practical or hauling in the first post.
You said you wanted excitement, reliability, cheap and easy to sell off. :p

and you're not knocking us. We're wasting our money in ridiculous quantities. I don't deny it. :laugh:
We have practical cars, and then we have the fun ones.
 
frenchblueC2 said:
well you never said anything about being practical or hauling in the first post.
You said you wanted excitement, reliability, cheap and easy to sell off. :p
Click to expand...

I know, lol. I probably seem like I'm contradicting myself...But basically, the Contour would be a daily to work (unless I knew I might need to haul stuff or whatever at work, I didn't clarify that before), and the Jeep would be more of a weekend vehicle, and maybe I'd drive it to Big Y on the weekends when I work. I dunno. I'm just thinking about it...If I can get a running one with some minor body damage I'd totally do it, cuz it'd be super cheap, and I could probably sell it for the same if not more than what I paid for it... Does that make a bit more sense? Maybe? lmao :laugh:
 
What is your living situation like? Will you be able to have two cars when you move?
Apartment leases can be picky when it comes to vehicles. I absolutely agree with you on the pain of relying on one older vehicle for transportation.

I'll keep my recommendations out of this thread, since my idea of a practical, but fun cheap vehicle is quite different than a Jeep. :D
 
Why not a Cougar? You drop the rear seats and end up with a most capacious boot. Not to mention the well established knowledge base on both forums.

You could get a loaded '00 model for $3k or less easy.
 
I would look at a zx2. Not sure if it's up your alley but I had one up and running and modded as a back up car for about $900 that ran a 15.2 mid summer. Fun little cheap cars.
 
Zorrex, what's your budget? I'd personally get something from a used lot that comes with a warranty (one of those Jim Moran / Fidelity type deals). The thinking is that you are not going to drive it every day, but when the crap hits the fan and you need to be at work, that vehicle will be reliable and not just semi-reliable. For me, the Ranger is my ultimate fall-back vehicle. Yes, not the most exciting to drive but it has an excellent reliability record.

BTW, completely agree with CSVT1214 on the MPG issue. The speculators are slowly driving up the price of crude again, and with state governments running tight budgets, raising gas taxes is pretty easy for the legislature to do. Oregon's per-gallon tax went up 6 cents.
 
since u looking at a cherooke, why not look at some 1st gen to second gen Ford explorers? I have over 282,000 miles on my 96 explorer eddie bauer but I have the bullet proof 4.0 OHV V6!!! the 1st gen is 91-94, and the 2nd gen is 95-01.
 
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