Technical > Automotive > How Reliable are GMC 5.7 liter V8 engines?

reply to DeltaElite

Re: How Reliable are GMC 5.7 liter V8 engines?

New deal is:

$7200 for the 2004 Grand Caravan SXE. 3.3ltr V6
80,000 miles.

My research showed the number 1 problem was the ac compressor going out from people who would run only the front AC and not the back at the same time. This particular model does not have rear AC.

Does not have power sliding doors, so no motors to go bad there.

Drives really nice. Interior is VERY clean. Someone went overboard on waxing up the dashboard though

They agreed to let me take it to my own mechanic for a full inspection prior to signing anything or giving them a dime.

Now I gotta try and get financing through my current auto loan financer. The company they got me approved through wants 22% interest!!! (Cause for some strange reason my FICO took a 60 point hit in the last 12 months - it's down to 590 )

And I'm calling my brother in law who actually owns one to get his take on it. I still have a week to make a final decision.

Remember, this is not going to be my primary vehicle. Once I've done the initial 700 mile round trip, I will be using it only a few times per month. Probably less than 75 miles per month in total.

- FM
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Q: How many theoretical physicists specializing in general relativity does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Two. One to hold the bulb and one to rotate the universe.

reply to FutureMon
Many of the small used car lots make far more money from the financing than they do from selling vehicles. The "company that approved the loan" is most likely owned by the same folks that own the car lot.

reply to FutureMon
OK, math quiz... Have you figured out just how much it will cost, in total, to acquire this vehicle? I'm talking price, interest, sales tax, registration fees, property taxes, insurance costs, maintenance, etc? Once you add all of that up, you may find that it's less expensive to just rent a van a few weekends each month. If you own a vehicle that you only drive 75 miles each month, you still have to keep up with all of the monthly overhead, even if you don't get any gigs that month. By renting only as needed, you limit your expenses to only those weekends when you actually have income to cover them. Just an idea.

Amount financed = $7948 including taxes and registration.

Interest paid over 3 years, if I make only the regular payment will be a little over $3000 making the total resulting purchase price around $11k.

To add the exact vehicle based on VIN to my current insurance policy at an estimated 3000 miles per year of driving will raise my 6 month rate from $288 [$48/mo] to $403 [$67/mo]. Big whoop.

The problem with renting only as needed is that I currently have no place to store the gear. I *could* put it in a storage unit, but that'll cost be maybe $75/mo, and then another, say, $40 to do the uhaul thing each time I need it, crossing my fingers on availability since these are always weekend gigs, and depending on the storage facility the inability to unload the gear after hours. And there's no "spur of the moment" ability to run a gig if someone I talk to wants to hire me for something right away.

Plan is, to "store" the gear in the vehicle. Drive to a gig, unload, set up, run gig, reload gear, go home.

Plus, it will come in handy when I move, which will be happening at least twice over the next year. It will save me on rental costs there.

- FM
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Q: How many theoretical physicists specializing in general relativity does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Two. One to hold the bulb and one to rotate the universe.

Deal is done. I took the dodge to a shop to have it inspected this morning (prior to signing). I basically paid them a half hours labor for a brake and visual vehicle inspection.

The shop said it was in excellent shape except for one thing - the driver side front sway bar linkage was broken.

Carfax showed 3 previous owners (one of which is the dealer I bought it from), and it appears that all scheduled maintenance was performed dilligently.

Dealer agreed to repair the sway bar, drove it home today. Driving it to LA next weekend to pick up my gear.

- FM
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Q: How many theoretical physicists specializing in general relativity does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Two. One to hold the bulb and one to rotate the universe.

reply to FutureMon

The apartment complex is in a good area. It's relatively remote compared to 'the city'. Upper north east end of Seaside opposite a golf course on the edge of Fort Ord.

Plus, the gear all fits behind the 2nd row seating, and it's not going to be higher than the tinted window line. No one at my complex is even going to know there's anything in the vehicle because I won't have to load/unload it there.

The total monthly cost is $287. ($265 car pmt + $22 ins) Go ahead and round it up to $300/mo to include gas (assuming I drive less than 50 miles per month which is what is expected). According to the finance paperwork, registration/title transfer is costing me $33. (My 2010 Kia registration renwal is $190 and it's 4 years newer.)

If I drive more than that it will be due to a paying gig. I'm already looking at 2 gigs per month right off the bat at $200 per night so I'm already ahead by $100/mo to cover incidental vehicle costs. Private parties = $300 or more. Memorial day is coming up, 1st day of summer, 4th of July, etc...

Again the issue with renting something is that I have no place to store the gear when it is not going to be used. And I need the ability to accept a paying gig at the drop of a hat. Not being able to say yes right away will lose me the gig.

There are several other DJ/KJ's I am affiliating myself with in the area who may need me to cover for them or who may refer gigs to me from time to time. In LA I used to get calls at 4pm to run shows starting at 6:30pm that night because their regular guy couldn't make it.

And whenever I do take my vehicle into a shop I generally sit there and watch them while they're working on it...if I needed to leave it for a few days I'd make arrangements for a friend to store it for me. But I couldn't store it there 'permanently'.

- FM
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Q: How many theoretical physicists specializing in general relativity does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Two. One to hold the bulb and one to rotate the universe.

Cool, well the vehicle is a means to an end, so glad to hear you got something that works. And a bonus sounds like you could bring 4 passengers along w/ your stuff.

What's a KJ?

a KJ is someone who runs Karaoke shows (like a DJ spins music).

- FM