Hugh: Any problems that I have encountered with my truck have been fixed free of charge including the rental. Ya it was frustrating but there was no cost associated with it. It is often times easier to work with Fixed costs then the maybe my truck will blow up and I will have to buy this or that. I got in my old truck the other day and was like HOW THE HELL DID I DRIVE THIS POS.

Jon

MnFastBoat
 

I am glad you posted this thread. I am in your same shoes. The trany in my Burb just died 2 weeks ago. My trany guy told me $800 for a custom heavy duty rebuild of my Tubo 350. I have not done as much prior work as you but I did put a fresh 468ci in it last year. I also am at about the same dollar amount and tring to justafie the monthly part. In three years I will also be more finacialy sqared away. I think I will then buy a couple year old 2500 Avalanche?????? Perplexed in Seattle

Sometimes you have to look at thing in a way other than financially. The way I see it, the best way to get your money out of a vehicle is to drive it out of it. I usually buy a new truck every two years. I look at the loss at trade in as a cost of doing business for me. I have to have a truck, just as a carpenter needs a hammer. I spend a lot more time in that truck than I do in my recliner. On the normal rotation, I should have traded in last year, but I have not had one bit of trouble with this truck, and am afraid if I trade, I may end up with a lemon. It still looks great and runs better. 96,000 miles and only oil changes, three air filters, and a set of brake pads.

After you put the extra money into a new tranny, there is no guarantee that something else major will go.

I got a deal for you, I have a new truck with only 415 miles on it, it is a Chevy silverado LS 1500 Ext cab v8 selling for 25,000$ sticker on truck is 30,000.



717-291-3222

art carr

You get what you pay for! His converters are huge. And with most late model overdrive trannys the converter is the weak link. And I've seen alot or drums break in the Chevy OD trannys. Art Car makes all the hardparts that fail with the stock units. And I got good money for it when I sold it on ebay. I don't know what year or tranny you are working with but I just put a new GM converter in my 97 Suburban (has 140k) and the converter was a little over $200 so when you look at the cost of the GM tranny that comes with a converter it's really not that bad with the warrentee. I would DEFENTILY stay away from a local rebult converter if you rebuild it locally.

ragtop409
If you fix you truck I would try and find turbo 400 to put back in. Towing with a th350 behind a bigblock is just asking for trouble. The real slick setup is try and find a 4L80E. Its like a TH400 with overdrive, the street rod guys have the computers to make them work in other vehicles.

And yes the death of a tranny is HEAT! And don't forget to blow out the tranny cooling lines when you put the new one in. I know so many people that don't do this.
Good Luck

Hugh-
I'll throw in my $.02, first have you checked out any salvage yards for any possible trannys from wrecks? I know that some will say that you are buying the same problems but if you can find one that might happen to be out of a low milage wreck then you should be good for 20-30k? miles??? Is it a 96 burban?

Food for thought, you could spend the coin now and fix the burban figure out what you'd be lookin at per month for a payment and start puttin that into the bank to get used to paying that payment. That way you have the down payment in a year or so and the new payment won't hurt near as much.....

ok now I just might have to do this :)
It is a 1989 burban wiht 190,000 miles on it

It WILL be put to rest :)

I will NOT be buying me truck until next year :(
Hell why buy one over the winter when it will get all dirty and some SOB will run into it in the snow just my luck right now

I will wait until the unveiling of the new and not so clad Avalanche
I really like what I have found.
I have grown found and excepted the plastic door ding protectors.
But these pics of the new removed body armor is sweet looking
I likt the functionality of the 'switch'
it serves me for who and what I tow, haul, transport that is why I like the Avalanche over anything else.
I like the side compartments, removable LOCKING sections on the bed, the removable rear glass for long haul air flow.

To those stating, I have already been making payments to myslef for such an occasion. Just not in the same amounts as a true payment.
Bills are important ot be paid :( adn i trully do not need the truck until spring now :(
Can borrow one last time to scrub and winterize ouch!! that hurt.

Thanks for all the opinions and Ideas, but tihs will benifit everyone more in the long run.
Especially and hopefully my boat motors come spring of 2004 or 5 :)

Hugh You should give me a call I know a realy good trany guy and a hell of a lot cheeper and fast.

Check out Metro truck sale's They specialize in 3/4 and 1 tons a year or two old out of Missouri jest tell them what you are looking for .
Hay I finely got my boat back together if you have a day off I'm going to hit the lake a couple time befor the snow flys today would have been grate.

GOTTAHAVEIT I agree whith Cool is the way to be.

MnFastBoat,
I think the refinancing and getting debt free is the number one thing to concentrate on. Any chance of getting the new truck thrown into the refinancing?

The zero percent interest is nice but the cash back would be a better choice. If you can afford it there are some great deals out there. If you buy new make sure you get a good price. You should be able to buy at the dealer invoice and possibly some of the hold back money on the right vehicle.

Leave your engines alone until you get everything paid for.

Dan