Spent about 3~4 hours today pulling out the radio gear, power cables, signal cables, Aux GPS cables, and returning everything to the way it was before I put the stuff in.
Got the shop vacuum out and sucked all the crud out of the car, and cleaned the glass.
I pretty much know everything about this car that needs attention, and some of it I'm going to do (the headlights, again), and some I'll farm out (the detailing). And some items won't get done, like 4 new shocks. I put new brake rotors with high-end ceramic pads on it before we moved here, and the pads show like (maybe) 10% wear. The rotors still look new. The objective at this time is to get it a much presentable condition than it is now. In short, it's filthy! The carpets need to be shampooed, along with the headliner, and the seats need to be professional cleaned. The drivers seat needs a couple of small repairs, the windshield needs to be replaced, the driver's side outside mirror is getting cloudy and should be replaced. If I can find a cheap used one, I'll swap it out. Other than the items mentioned here, it's a rust-free "California Car" that's low-mileage (2006 model year, 87,000 miles), never been wrecked or abused, and always had regular maintenance. Once I get it presentable, we'll start the serious shopping.
And we haven't decided 100% on buying a Gladiator. I've been reading reviews of the other trucks in the size class, and one I want to look at is the Honda Ridgeline. The "Truck People" look down on them for various reasons, but they'll tow up to 5,000lbs when they have the all-wheel drive package, and since I doubt if I'll ever do any serious off-roading, the all-wheel drive capability they have should be sufficient. The Get-Outta-Dodge roads we'd have to use can be easily handled by one of these, as I've seen a couple "Up On The Mountain".
The only thing the magazine reviews faulted them on was the brakes. Soft pedal, lots of travel, and longer-than-average (for the class) stopping distances.
So the game's afoot, and I'm proceeding with the fact that if we really do buy a new car, the Jeep will be traded in or sold to a private party, and we're keeping her Hyundai. The little Elantra is seven years newer, runs like a top, and only has 38,000 miles on it. It's been an excellent car (never mind the two big accidents; wasn't her fault), it's pleasant to drive, gets very good fuel economy, and has been dead reliable except for the time she didn't close the door all the way, the dome light stayed on, and the battery croaked.
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<i>The Fisher Saga</i> Continues - Act III -
Been working on this post since right after Thanksgiving. I'm making very good progress on the Fisher, and will most likely power it up...
Sounds good; I hope it all goes the way you envision. :)
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed!
DeleteI think the Honda is going to be smaller than the Jeep. Either way, both are good choices.
ReplyDeleteThe Honda is a little more... city styling. The Jeep is more country styling.
It's really up to who gives you a better deal, really. And, of course, which one SHE falls in love with.
The Honda is much more "car-like", while the Jeep is a truck. Fully independent front and rear suspensions vs live axles. Coils springs vs leafs, no manual available in the Honda. The Honda unibody structure is more prone to creaks and groans while off-roading, vs body-on-frame construction for the Jeep.
DeleteMany pros and cons to each, and only test driving them will reveal how they feel, respond, and handle.
Good luck with your purchase and God bless.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Linda!
DeleteShe needs to love it, and you need to be able to live with it. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteYou been talking to SLW? I think that's exactly how it's going to turn out.
DeleteSince she is who she is, I've agreed to seriously look at a total of three brands, so besides the Honda, we'll also be looking at a Chevy Colorado. I've been doing the online "Build-and-Price" game. It takes a while to figure out the different models/trim levels, and then wade through the packages and options. I just figured out today that if I pick a particular option package for the Gladiator, it saves $1200 over buying the things "ala carte" like I had been doing.