L
lenny
Guest
Well I retired the old Chrysler today from my possession. I bought this van about 5 .5 years ago with 165,000 miles and paid $2025 in a eBay auction. The purchase was unlike no other. I called the guy as the auction was running and he told me he was a pastor and was looking to get a vehicle with less miles. I bid $2250 as my high big and was outbid so I figured onto the next van to check out. Funny thing is high bidder retracted his bid and I won it for $2025. So I drive to Cadillac Mi to get the van and the Pastor invites me in but it's dinner time and I just so happen to have my pastor with me because he was from that general area and wanted to go along for the ride. When we get there the seller the pastor is just starting dinner with his family (which included his mom and dad) so he insists we stay for dinner. We accept and eat like kings in the company of hospitable people, seemed like I knew them all my life! Anyways while we are eating the wife asked the guy "so, how much did you get for our van" and the guy says "$2025 and she about chokes to death, not really but she was surprised to see it go for a low price but she was happy to see it go to a larger family and I assured them I was going to take good care of it. The two pastors chewed the fat for a while and we left. My wife started calling the van as a gift from God because at that time I was strapped for cash and we did indeed pray for a cheap reliable vehicle and that is exactly what we got,,,so thanks again God for the 563rd time for answering that prayer.
I traded the van to a local kid who is the son of a logger for some fire wood. Recently I replaced the radiator and both driver and passenger window motors and regulators. Last year got new brakes all around, water pump and misc things but as long as a guy keeps up on maintaining a vehicle they will last a good long time. Kyle is coming over here in a while to get the van and I am going to have a good talk with him because many people including myself expect the van not to last 6 moths with a young driver beating it but if he listens to me he can get some good service out of the old rig. The wife and kids all cleaned it up yesterday and there is not even a stain in the seats but she has some rust. Kids are kinda sad to see it go as some good memories have been had because of vacations.
Recently my neighbor smacked his 03 Ford Explored into a guardrail and messed up the SUV fairly good. The passenger door, fender, hood, bumper cover, headlight assembly cracked, side marker mounting tab broken off, tweaked the door pillar, that's about it. I traded the cost of the Ford ($1200) for constructionf labor, bought a door and fender for $300. Screwed a few brackets on which tightened up the cracked headlight assembly. Fixed the side marker. With a block of wood and some moderate persuasion we got the pillar back into shape as it was only off less than a 1/4" All lines are right again except I still need the plastic for the fender. Cleaned up the Explored and took it on our trip to Virginia, got some new Goodyear Assurance tires which are real smooth and quiet. I still prefer the van as it rides better and is more comfortable so we may sell this explorer and look for an 08 Chrysler Town & Country.
Sorry for being long winded but sledding is over and I'm just relaxing, getting ready for the work week.
I traded the van to a local kid who is the son of a logger for some fire wood. Recently I replaced the radiator and both driver and passenger window motors and regulators. Last year got new brakes all around, water pump and misc things but as long as a guy keeps up on maintaining a vehicle they will last a good long time. Kyle is coming over here in a while to get the van and I am going to have a good talk with him because many people including myself expect the van not to last 6 moths with a young driver beating it but if he listens to me he can get some good service out of the old rig. The wife and kids all cleaned it up yesterday and there is not even a stain in the seats but she has some rust. Kids are kinda sad to see it go as some good memories have been had because of vacations.
Recently my neighbor smacked his 03 Ford Explored into a guardrail and messed up the SUV fairly good. The passenger door, fender, hood, bumper cover, headlight assembly cracked, side marker mounting tab broken off, tweaked the door pillar, that's about it. I traded the cost of the Ford ($1200) for constructionf labor, bought a door and fender for $300. Screwed a few brackets on which tightened up the cracked headlight assembly. Fixed the side marker. With a block of wood and some moderate persuasion we got the pillar back into shape as it was only off less than a 1/4" All lines are right again except I still need the plastic for the fender. Cleaned up the Explored and took it on our trip to Virginia, got some new Goodyear Assurance tires which are real smooth and quiet. I still prefer the van as it rides better and is more comfortable so we may sell this explorer and look for an 08 Chrysler Town & Country.
Sorry for being long winded but sledding is over and I'm just relaxing, getting ready for the work week.
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