Well, age and mileage are against you. This vehicle has
already outlived its expected lifespan. However, if you
really do love it and want to keep driving and enjoying
it, fix one thing at a time, keeping in mind how much
you're spending and how many new problems come up.
Catalytic converters aren't cheap and you need to know
what emissions system you have in order to get the
right one or you'll be wasting your money. The
emissions decal under the hood will tell you. To put
this in perspective for you I have a 2003 S10 Pick Up
that I bought 13 years ago with 264,000 miles on it. It
now has 312,000 miles on it and costs very little for
repairs. This past year I had to replace the starter, front
brakes including a caliper, the radiator, and a few
vacuum hoses. The air conditioner stopped working
several years ago and I'm not going to spend the
money to fix it. I have to prime the fuel system every
time I start it by turning the key on, waiting a few
seconds, turning it off, then immediately starting it. It's
the fuel pump. I'm not spending the money to replace it
until it dies altogether. It always starts, runs well, and
takes me where I want to go. So as long as the repairs
are small, I'll fix it. If something major goes wrong,
costing more than $500 I'd have to think about it. A
thousand dollars or more, and the truck is gone! I think
it's up to you but you will eventually reach the point
where it's one thing after the other and you're throwing
good money after bad. Would I put a lot of money into
an 18 year old vehicle with 261,000 miles on it?
Absolutely not. But that's just me. Hope that helps!!
Jim
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