You better keep running...

...until I decide to get rid of you!

On Christmas Eve around noon I got into the Explorer, 04 model, and as I was backing out of the driveway the "service engine soon" light came on and a few seconds later the "over drive off" light started flashing. Never a good sign for any light to come on.

All I kept thinking was the last time the "service engine soon" light came on my engine blew up. Actually the truck started making a loud noise and shaking and then went dead and that's when the light came on. THANKS FOR THE WARNING! That happened around Oct. 2007. We bought the Explorer used around Oct. of 06 so I was NOT happy at all that the engine blew a year later. No warning...no nothing! Well, we still owed money on it so I had to get the engine replaced; and I do not believe in being upside down on a car loan so I refused to take what little amount they wanted to offer to me as is and purchase another vehicle.

Everything had been going fine up until Christmas Eve. After those lights came on the truck started to shift rough and slip. Yup, you guessed it, the transmission.

A few days later, the inspection from the mechanic confirmed that it was the transmission and told me what the cost would be. After talking to the Bride about our options we decided that putting a used transmission in would be our best route. This time, the truck is paid for and we are enjoying NOT having a car payment and we are really NOT ready to get another car loan.

Well, the truck is finally ready to be picked up this afternoon. I know the mechanic that did the work so I know he did a great job. He said that it drove great so I am anxiously waiting to go pick it up. All I ask now is that the truck keeps running until I decide to get rid of it. I really DO NOT want anything else to go wrong with the explorer.

Through everything though I will say that I will NEVER buy another explorer. I know mechanical things can happen to any car and sometimes automakers have a bad year on certain models but enough is enough. These high dollar repairs along with the normal repairs add up.

So keep running Explorer...you 2004 explorer with a 2005 transmission and a 2006 engine. I'm starting to think about the old Jonny Cash Song, "One Piece At A Time"