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Another idiotic decision

10039 Views 149 Replies 48 Participants Last post by  danithomme
Hello fellow drivers,

My car is a 2004 Lexus LS 430 with approximately 150k+ miles. No major repairs throughout ownership. Excluding wear and tear such as brakes, tyres and suspension, minor ones are the door actuators, oil leak (engine gasket) and cruise control. Now, I am hit with a $6000 bill for the transmission. Anyone with the ability of making logical judgement would sell the car in the blink of an eye but my heart often overrides the brain.

A few months ago, the car was sluggish occasionally going in reverse but once it was given enough time to warm up, it reversed without any problems. Fast forward to last week, instead of difficulty in reverse, the car was sluggish to accelerate. Again, the car drove fine after a few minutes. Two days ago, the car did not move upon start up unless the engine hit 2000 rpm, which is ridiculous. My experience is that the car only hits 2000 rpm or above when travelling 60 mph+.

Although as ignorant as I am, I do not need a dealer to tell me the transmission is failing. What it is beyond comprehension is that at this astronomical repair cost, the dealer would only put a re-manufactured one to my car. If the donor car has more or less the same mileage as my car, if not more, it is just a matter of time for the donor transmission to fail. Perhaps I may be better off to roll the dice, buy a used transmission from eBay and pray a transmission shop will do the job right at a fraction of the cost. The pain of losing my love is still excruciating and certainly I do not want to experience anything similar again (over the years, I have developed bonding of some kind with this car). Selling it is the last thing I hope for.

Are Toyotas made to last? I will leave this to your judgment. My answer to that would be 'depends'. Honestly with the age of this car, it is understandable that something starts to fail. As with my other newer LS, a failing suspension at 26k miles is ridiculous. This is why my jaw drops each time reading stories of Prius / Camry / Corolla that never breaks at unbelievably high miles. Why is not the case for Lexus?

Thank you for taking the time to read.
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You think that's bad? I drive a 2013 Range Rover Evoque and deliver with Uber in it. I have to get my timing done for $3700 in December. It's at 136xxx now and I bought it at 118xxx.

I am honestly not mad about it. I have it wrapped with Carvertise and work two apps at once. I'm currently sitting outside a warehouse waiting on packages whole getting paid a "guaranteed minimum wage". Then I'll turn on Uber while delivering packages and do food runs on the way back. I make $20+ hourly doing UE alone. I made $180 yesterday in 6 hours for example. This is Texas as well, where the minimum wage is still $7.25.

My plan is to trade it in for another vehicle next year. Either outright selling it and buying something cheaper or using it as a down payment for something. Probably a cargo van so I can do larger deliveries.

Consider alternative transportation if that's your situation. You could get an electric scooter or ebike and do local runs with no gas/insurance costs. Just use your car to position you to better spots. Maybe get a generator and a spare battery to swap out so you can drive longer.

I have this all through an LLC so I do it mostly to build credit. I'll eventually be able to just finance without anything through the business. I love my Evoque but it's just a work vehicle. I don't have full coverage but have PIP so unless I'm at fault or don't go to the hospital then I'm covered for another vehicle.
How embarrassing for you.
Driving an old beat up Gas Guzzling Land Rover is not smart business. All of your efforts wasted on Uber when you could be working a real job at much better pay. You are embarrassing.
There's your problem right there. These cars are the most unreliable cars on the road today in addition to being overpriced.
laser1 said:
Driving an old beat up Gas Guzzling Land Rover is not smart business. All of your efforts wasted on Uber when you could be working a real job at much better pay. You are embarrassing.
It's an Evoque. Not a mid 80s Discovery. You probably couldn't afford it and that's why you're mad. I was a trucker for 6 years and make more now than then. I was joking with my post but if you read my strategy then you'll see I'm covered if anything happens. I make more than 3700 in a month and after that one repair on good for another 100k miles.

What you don't realize is that most new Land Rovers use the Ford Ecoboost in the USA, one of the most common and reliable gas motors out there.

It's honestly a great vehicle and works great for deliveries due to being AWD, and I'm in a hilly city. There's traction control settings for rain/snow/gravel. I also get a lot of compliments for style. I only get 20 MPG, though.

The thing is that I don't just do UE, although I did for a few months. I've made 1200 in a week doing it alone, and the minimum wage here is 7.25.

I have another gig app delivering packages that pays for when you wait at the warehouse. I turn UE on while delivering to take short runs along the way or get runs going back to the warehouse. I also have a 20 hour part-time Amazon job and deliver to/from work. It's about 8 miles to Amazon from my place, then another 8 to the warehouse, so I basically use UE to get paid to travel between areas. I also use it late nights when the other jobs are closed.

It ultimately works out better than just UE because I put way less wear and tear on my vehicle. My Amazon job is only 18 an hour but it's just 4 hour days. I still make 150+ a day and work 6-7 days a week. I don't dont even work 8 hours a day, usually 6 or 7, and a lot of that is waiting around.

As for everyone else, Uber and UE is a good business opportunity. I make way more than a 9-5 just doing UE. I've been diamond status for 6 months. Sure there's car stuff but get insurance and possibly a maintenance plan if you can afford it. Consider selling your car and getting another or using another means of transportation. I bet someone delivering on a scooter would make a killing doing it and it's something I'm considering doing. As for me, I could sell my car broken for over 10k and buy another good car. If I do sell I'm going electric. Just plan appropriately and build for the future. Do an LLC and build credit while you can. That way in a few years you can spin off your business into any other business you want. These people are haters and you're wrong no matter what you do in their eyes. I'm surprised they're not kicked off the forum.

My other reason for doing UE is that I'm finishing my bachelor's at ASU, so it's entirely free. I'm almost done and just need a few more semesters.
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Ford Ecoboost in the USA, one of the most common and reliable gas motors out there.
OMFGLOL.

The words "ecoboost" and "reliable" don't belong together.
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OMFGLOL.

The words "ecoboost" and "reliable" don't belong together.
An inline 4 with a timing chain and direct injection compared to a v-8 or rotary engines with timing belts are far more reliable. Look at any Ford work truck. They're all 3.5 Ecoboost these days.
Look in Yelp to find high reviews for a quality affordable transmission place or Google maps, read reviews

Or

Go to a different dealership....they are not all the same.

once working as a car buyer, "sometimes" rebuilt engines or transmission are nothing but a crap shoot....a gamble...same as buying anything refurbished

Love your Creator, people are lost loving things. Things are meant to be used.

It's like your dinner... you ate, consumed it already. Preventative maintenance helps keeping the vehicles in good working order. When the vehicle was first displaying issues, should have been repaired most likely

Key take your vehicle in for preventative maintenance ... Pay a little now or a lot later

I drive a Toyota and needs struts but has 220k miles other than breaks the entire drive train runs perfect. My Maxima didn’t need tires for like 6 years. A transmission going on your car doesn’t mean another car like yours with the same miles is due for transmission issues. Sometimes things just break.
..
Hello fellow drivers,

My car is a 2004 Lexus LS 430 with approximately 150k+ miles. No major repairs throughout ownership. Excluding wear and tear such as brakes, tyres and suspension, minor ones are the door actuators, oil leak (engine gasket) and cruise control. Now, I am hit with a $6000 bill for the transmission. Anyone with the ability of making logical judgement would sell the car in the blink of an eye but my heart often overrides the brain.

A few months ago, the car was sluggish occasionally going in reverse but once it was given enough time to warm up, it reversed without any problems. Fast forward to last week, instead of difficulty in reverse, the car was sluggish to accelerate. Again, the car drove fine after a few minutes. Two days ago, the car did not move upon start up unless the engine hit 2000 rpm, which is ridiculous. My experience is that the car only hits 2000 rpm or above when travelling 60 mph+.

Although as ignorant as I am, I do not need a dealer to tell me the transmission is failing. What it is beyond comprehension is that at this astronomical repair cost, the dealer would only put a re-manufactured one to my car. If the donor car has more or less the same mileage as my car, if not more, it is just a matter of time for the donor transmission to fail. Perhaps I may be better off to roll the dice, buy a used transmission from eBay and pray a transmission shop will do the job right at a fraction of the cost. The pain of losing my love is still excruciating and certainly I do not want to experience anything similar again (over the years, I have developed bonding of some kind with this car). Selling it is the last thing I hope for.

Are Toyotas made to last? I will leave this to your judgment. My answer to that would be 'depends'. Honestly with the age of this car, it is understandable that something starts to fail. As with my other newer LS, a failing suspension at 26k miles is ridiculous. This is why my jaw drops each time reading stories of Prius / Camry / Corolla that never breaks at unbelievably high miles. Why is not the case for Lexus?

Thank you for taking the time to read.
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Reading some of these stories and seeing what mechanics make and how they rip people off really makes me consider consider changing my career.
Where I live we have a place called Mavis tires, they lure you in with reasonable tire prices but then tell you you need repairs and unfortunately a lot of people fall for it.

Some dealerships are getting $100 per hour, I know them mechanic is not making that much, but oh my God.
Reading some of these stories and seeing what mechanics make and how they rip people off really makes me consider consider changing my career.
Where I live we have a place called Mavis tires, they lure you in with reasonable tire prices but then tell you you need repairs and unfortunately a lot of people fall for it.

Some dealerships are getting $100 per hour, I know them mechanic is not making that much, but oh my God.
My dealer quotes 139.99/hour
Look at any Ford work truck. They're all 3.5 Ecoboost these days.
And talk to the mechanics who work on them. They're as bad - if not worse - as the old 3 valve 5.4 liter Tritons. Absolute garbage.

I was a Ford guy since way back - 7.3 liter powerstroke diesel possibly one of the best engines of it's kind. When they ditched that for the 6.0 liter based on the International motor, their quality took a dive directly into the shitter. Now, they're plagued with electonic problems and the 6.7 liter diesel is complete shit as well.

EcoBoost does not hold up in the long run. Just ask anybody beyond the 150k-200k mile mark how they feel. Meanwhile, my old E-350 with 475k miles on it keeps on trucking.
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Hello fellow drivers,

My car is a 2004 Lexus LS 430 with approximately 150k+ miles. No major repairs throughout ownership. Excluding wear and tear such as brakes, tyres and suspension, minor ones are the door actuators, oil leak (engine gasket) and cruise control. Now, I am hit with a $6000 bill for the transmission. Anyone with the ability of making logical judgement would sell the car in the blink of an eye but my heart often overrides the brain.

A few months ago, the car was sluggish occasionally going in reverse but once it was given enough time to warm up, it reversed without any problems. Fast forward to last week, instead of difficulty in reverse, the car was sluggish to accelerate. Again, the car drove fine after a few minutes. Two days ago, the car did not move upon start up unless the engine hit 2000 rpm, which is ridiculous. My experience is that the car only hits 2000 rpm or above when travelling 60 mph+.

Although as ignorant as I am, I do not need a dealer to tell me the transmission is failing. What it is beyond comprehension is that at this astronomical repair cost, the dealer would only put a re-manufactured one to my car. If the donor car has more or less the same mileage as my car, if not more, it is just a matter of time for the donor transmission to fail. Perhaps I may be better off to roll the dice, buy a used transmission from eBay and pray a transmission shop will do the job right at a fraction of the cost. The pain of losing my love is still excruciating and certainly I do not want to experience anything similar again (over the years, I have developed bonding of some kind with this car). Selling it is the last thing I hope for.

Are Toyotas made to last? I will leave this to your judgment. My answer to that would be 'depends'. Honestly with the age of this car, it is understandable that something starts to fail. As with my other newer LS, a failing suspension at 26k miles is ridiculous. This is why my jaw drops each time reading stories of Prius / Camry / Corolla that never breaks at unbelievably high miles. Why is not the case for Lexus?

Thank you for taking the time to read.
Are you sure about the mileage on the car? 150k miles for a 2004 is very low miles. And you're an Uber driver which means you're putting a lot of miles on the car. I drove Uber with a 2008 Honda and I had almost 300k on that car. A transmission made by Toyota/Lexus should last longer than 150k miles. Perhaps it's something else, as many people have already said. Plus, when deciding what to do you can't let your feelings for the car influence your decision making. It's a machine after all, not a person, and it might not even be worth 6k. If the car is worth less than what it would cost to fix it then it's time to move on to your next car. Hopefully, it's not the transmission.
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