Need input keeping Titan a long time

jolarsen · 08-19-2006, 11:44 PM

A friend has a Chevy 1 ton that he pulls a camper with. Its a 1989, He has rebuilt the engine when it got tired, rebuilt the tranny when it went south also installed a gear splitter at that time, and has put in a heavy rear end when it as well went out. So heres the question. I pull a 26ft camper w/ my Titan. Someday its powertrain will too get tired so should I keep it going as well, rebuild engine, tranny etc. Would it be worth it. Any input will help. Thanks

Mr. B · 08-19-2006, 11:57 PM

As a whole, the American people have slowly evolved into a "desposible" society....when something no longer works the way it should, toss it out and get a new one.....I don't have a readily available opinion on weather thats a good thing or a bad thing, but that's just the way it is......the days of rebuilding vehicles over and over like our dads and grandads did is gone....with a small exception of a few....technology is the blame.

**konigfritz** · 08-20-2006, 07:48 AM

I don't see why not, if you want to keep it. It sure would be cheaper than buying a new one.

BigA · 08-20-2006, 08:06 AM

A lot of times it is cheaper and more feasible to throw something out then to try and have something old fixed. If you are good at fixing things and are experianced at rebuilding engines, and tranny's then it would probally be cheaper. I personnally got rid of my Dodge because everytime I took it to the shop it cost six hundred dollars for all the work it needed to keep going. It finally got to the point of what next? Tranny, Engine? I was not going to put a new tranny or engine into it because it would cost more then the truck was worth . and I could be driving a new truck for less money as I don't do my own repairs nor do I want to spend the time doing my own repairs. I wouldn't be worried about the engine and tranny in the Titan anyway, they will probably last 300K its the rest of the truck that you have to worry about.

Clint · 08-20-2006, 08:45 AM

The parts for the big three are cheaper and more readily availble than the Nissan parts are. So to rebuild it yourself or have it done, a chevy is more economical to do. The rebuild in a Titan would break the bank compared to the others.

Clint

TOK · 08-20-2006, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clint

The parts for the big three are cheaper and more readily availble than the Nissan parts are. So to rebuild it yourself or have it done, a chevy is more economical to do. The rebuild in a Titan would break the bank compared to the others.

Clint

That was the reply I was getting ready to make! Parts are too expensive for a Japanese vehicle to do extensive rebuilds. I never priced them, but I'd imagine the sophisticated Titan engine is 5 to 6 times more expensive than a big block Chevy.

Your best bet for a long term tow vehicle is to emulate your buddy and get a 3/4 ton domestic. Better yet, one up him and get a diesel.

Clint · 08-20-2006, 12:38 PM

To give you a cost comparison, when I was interested in a Titan I called my insurance company and gave them a vin number for a quote on a Titan and a Silverado and they responded with the Silverado my insurance would go down $400 per year from my 3 year old Frontier or go UP $360 from my Frontier. Can you imagine last year a new Chevy would be less to insure than a 2002 Frontier? So from there you could just guess how costly Nissan engines would be to rebuild.

Clint

jolarsen · 08-22-2006, 08:25 PM

Thanks for all the great input. The bad thing is I traded in a Dodge Ram 2500 w/ Cumins diesel 4x4 for my Titan. Needless to say im wondering if I did the right thing. Never the less I love my Titan it pulls my 28ft Outabck TT GREAT so I will probably keep it for about 8 years and then trade it off. Thanks again for the input and any more is appreciated as well...

Waterfowler · 08-22-2006, 09:00 PM

I don't know. There's almost something kinda cool about old beater Chevy or Ford full size trucks or Toyota compact trucks. The idea of an old Japanese full size truck leaves a bad tase in my mouth.

That 5.6 looks expensive, I'd hate to be around when that sucker goes down.

ttugrad95 · 08-23-2006, 02:40 PM

While you will be saving money in the long run by keeping your truck you have to keep murphey's law in mind. The tranny will go out the week after you remodel your house or something like that. To some, like myself, the monthly payment with warranty is piece of mind as well.

TitanGixx · 08-23-2006, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by konigfritz

I don't see why not, if you want to keep it. It sure would be cheaper than buying a new one.

i tend to agree with fritz, its gonna be cheaper that buying a whole new truck!

but i wouldnt buy a new truck if you could get it back to orginal? its a toss up!

TitanTech659 · 08-23-2006, 08:35 PM

I looked up the labor times to overhaul/rebuild both an 05 Titan and an 05 Chevy 1500 6.0 liter. Labor time to overhaul the 5.6 was 37.0 hours. Labor time for the Chevy 6.0 was 34.0 hours. That is to disassemble and clean engine, ridge ream and hone cylinders, inspect all neccesary components, grind valves, and tune up. Both with auto trans. The price of a short block (minus heads, cylinders, ect...) for the Titan is about $4,200. I couldn't get a price for the 6.0 liter Chevy so I couldn't tell you how much difference there is between the two. But the labor is fairly close. Our shop rate is $77 an hour.

TOK · 08-25-2006, 05:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waterfowler

I don't know. There's almost something kinda cool about old beater Chevy or Ford full size trucks or Toyota compact trucks. The idea of an old Japanese full size truck leaves a bad tase in my mouth.

That 5.6 looks expensive, I'd hate to be around when that sucker goes down.

I tend to keep my vehicles for a long time. I have a 99 Tacoma I bought new, and still have an S-10 I bought used in 92, but I'm thinking I'm going to sell the Titan when it's paid off. I really love this truck, but I just don't see it aging well due to the hard plastic interior, flimsy feeling upholstery and complicated engine/trans.

mopar · 08-25-2006, 05:29 AM

Your titan should last a good 200K (AT least I'm hoping). When the engine or tranny die it may be better to get one from a junkyard because I know I can't even comprrehend how the computers would react to a rebuild since as right now you can't really even tune a titan effectively at a local level. But that being said programmers and technology may come along to make that not a non issue.
Trust me I plan on keeping the truck for many years as I've always bought used and ended up swapping or rebuilding engines and trannies that go kaput no mattewr how well I checked them out.

cassio · 08-28-2006, 01:56 PM

rebuild it!!!!

i have an 87 toyota supra that i brought back to life with a new (93-97) toyota supra twin turbo motor...... if you like the car/truck I say invest the time to rebuild it... it will give you a whole new understanding and appreciation for the vehicle IMHO.

-ian