Here is the history of my vehicle.
Day 1
Mileage: 97500 mile
Starting form the day after the purchase date.
I have picked up the truck on Friday afternoon hoping to collect some flooring timber from a local building supply store...
I nothiced the brake warning lamp was flashing on the console. I just assumed that the brake pad was closed to the limit...
So I thought...
As I attempt to drive off from my drive way suddenly the brake pedal dropped to the floor...
"What the..."
Pulled the hand brake and jumped out of the cab to inspect the brake...
There is some fluid dripping from the rear axle...
It turns out that I drove nearly 200 miles on busted brake line the night before...
Am I lucky or what...so I thought but I was merely deceived by apparent luck and the worse was yet to come...
Price of Copper brake pipe: €20
Price of brake flaring kit: €30
A few fittings: €10
Total: €60
Estimated towing fee: n/a (my neighbour is a garage)
Estimated labour: €50
Material and consumable: €10
Saving: €0
Day 2 Back to Top
Mileage: 97500 mile
Oil and Oil Filter change
The most basic of all the maintenance work. Not a bother.
6.5 Litre of mineral oil from a local motorfactors plus oil filter
€18 for the oil and €8 for the oil filter.
Cost of basic service by a local garage: €65
€65 - €36 = €19 Saving
Day 3 Back to Top
Mileage: 99000 mile
I thought wheel alignment needed done as the truck was no longer driving in a straight line...Actualy it was a majour effort to stay in course...
I took it to a tyre shop and told that the whole thing was seized up...gulp!!!
So I went and bought a butane torch...
Sure it was really really stiff but somehow I got it sorted out.
Cost of butane torch: €18
Estimated cost of work at a local garage: €65
Saving: €47
Day 4 Back to Top
Mileage: 100000
Reverse lamp Wiring problem...
I just noticed that the reverse lamp was not working one evening. Which would not be a good thing so I Looked at it my self. I turned out that the terminals and section of the wiring has perished.
A reel of 2.5mm^2 cable: €25
Block Terminals: €2
Estimated disgnosis and repair cost: €45
€45 - €27 = €18
Day 5 Back to Top
Mileage: 101000
Engine does not start one morning eventhough the engine is turning over...It turns out that there was another perished cable between ignition and fuel shut off solenoid.
Cable: I already had
Block terminals: I already had
Potential mechanic call out charge: €85
Saving: €85
Day 6 Back to Top
Mileage: 105553 mile
The timing belt as due for change as a scribble on the inside of the bonnet said "T-belt 58,000" The clock was reading 105,553.
Also the water pump was starting to leak at this point so it was a good time to change it along with the timing belt.
The quote from a few local garages were ranging between €450 - €850.
No way...
So I bought a Gates timing belt set from a local motor factors for €45 approx.
Water pump and thermostat was from Milner Offroad for €45 and €13
A tube of RTV sealant for €3.50
A lot of things were seized up so it took me full 8 hours with bruised hands and...
The total cost was €106.5.
€450 - €106.5 = €343.5
Day 7 Back to Top
Mileage: 107550 mile
In day I was looking at the truck from a distance and noticed there was massive negative camber on the front right wheel...Also it was getting increasingly harder to stay on couse as well despite the recent wheel alignment job...
Stuck my head into the front fender and noticed something really really diturbing...
It looked like the front upper arm as corroded so much so that the upper ball joint was about to drop out of the upper wish bone...
Ouch!!!
This one was really expensive as no motor factors supplies it...I had to place an order directly with a Mitsubish dealer for a whopping €250 a side...
I was totally gutted and beaten mentally...
Thanks to all the seized up nuts and bolts the job was not easy...
Ball joint separating fork: €14
Upper wish bones: €500
A can of WD40: €3.50
Total: €517.5
Estimated cost of repair by a local garage: €650
Saving: €132.5
Day 8 Back to Top
One afternoon I noticed my exhaust noise was getting rather "sporty" :-)
Sure enough it has rusted through at the usual base of just before the back box...The rust was quite extensive I had to do a bit of grafting work.
So I bought a box of 2.5mm arc welding rods for €9.30
Borrowed an arc welder form work for the weekend.
An empty 55Gal drum from work also for some patching material.
A quote from a local Exhause centre: €85
Saving: €75.7
Day 9 Back to Top
The first DOE test (since I bought it).
The vehicle failed the first test due to the following issues.
- Rear brakes barely working.
- Parking brake below required level.
- Broken leaf on one of the rear springs
- Worn shackle
- Leaking power steering box
- Failed brake lamp
- Worn Ball joints
- Worn track rod ends
Costs
Rear brake shoes: €60
Pair of leaf spring kits: €190
Set of Ball joints: €30
Set of track rod ends: €30
Bottle of ATF: €20
Rebuild steering box - Free
Total €330
Quote from a garage: (didn't bother asking) €530 estimated
Saving:€ 200
(to be continued)