Thread: Dilemma - sunk cost fallacy

Originally Posted by tzioup

So I had Mornington Prestige take a look at the car, their first line was similar to Ritter's - 'I wouldn't spend any more money on that car'

Your first post said that it would "break your heart" to kill this car.. Believe me, I know what you mean. I guess it's time to give thought as to what you would need to spend to get a replacement for it that was anything like as good as a D2. $4500 doesn't come anywhere close.

Originally Posted by tzioup

The chassis crack was the main thing again, and from the laundry list Ritter gave me, they gave me some conservative ballparks:

• All steering tie rod ends need replacing - $500
• Front axle upper and lower ball joints need replacing both sides - $1200
• Sway bay D rubbers need replacing front and rear - $100
• Engine fan bearing worn/freeplay - $580 (to change the bearing and punch a couple of grub screws through the aluminium housing)
• Right transmission mount split - $150-200

They also reckon my front shocks and springs need replacing - which will only make the crack likely to grow until that's done, but isn't a particularly cheap bandaid if I don't end up keeping the car. Quoted $1500.

A lot of that seems reasonable, apart from the spring/damper quote. It's a fairly simple job so the parts would need to be high qual to justify that. It's a job you could probably tackle yourself with a good jack and some decent tools.

The ball joints aren't fun so that's not a bad price IMO. I'm doing mine soon, along with the engine mounts and I'm not looking forward to it, but it CAN be done at home. Same thing about the jack and tools.

Originally Posted by tzioup

On top of that the rear brake pads are still low,

Hardest part doing them is getting the stupid wheel off, and yours are probably not frozen on, as they have been off.

Originally Posted by tzioup

and I still don't have any signal to my reverse lights/camera. I pulled the XYZ apart a couple of weeks ago and it had been changed to the 2003ish model which replaced the rotary contacts that failed in the old ones. Still, I sanded the contacts and put it back together, but no signal. I feel the fact I lost the signal when the transmission was reconditioned is unlikely a coincidence but I'm unsure where to look from here.

Loose or broken connection, pinched wire, blown fuse.... Easily done during a transmission change. Surprised MP didn't diagnose that one while they had it.

Originally Posted by tzioup

BUT BACK TO THE MAIN ISSUE AT HAND...



All (kind) opinions welcome...

Staying out of that, apart from saying that you'll love taking the radiator out.....

Back to the first point. How much do you like the car? With what you have already done, and if it's in good overall condition then you will find it hard to replace it IMO.

I know $4,500 is a “chunk of change” but as Jay tee said, it won’t go very far in buying a replacement that will have the capability of your D2.
you have a treasure in your friend Who will weld up the chassis.
best. Jeff.

Originally Posted by tzioup

.....engaged the suspension lift, squirted soapy water everywhere, no leak. Now keeping a bottle of soapy water in the car, but I feel it's unlikely to be a hose leak if it's inconsistent...?

That could be due to folds in the airbag sealing a leak, although at full ride height that seems unlikely, unless the bag is touching against something that is sealing it.

Originally Posted by tzioup

[*]All steering tie rod ends need replacing - $500

Hmm, tie rod ends cost about $45 each. There are only 4 of them (2 on the track rod, 2 on the drag link) or is the D2 like the P38A in that the whole track rod or drag link has to be replaced because the tie rod end on one end is crimped in and can't be changed?

Originally Posted by tzioup

Oh and re: the chassis crack recall bracket - they're apparently obsolete. If anyone had the part number, or better yet, the specs for the bracket, that would be really helpful as I could get a mate to make one up without faffing about measuring everything up under the car.

I'm surprised LR don't have any. Here's what Scouse wrote in 2010. He worked for a dealer at the time.

Originally Posted by Scouse

The number is actually KVZ000120.

There's over 400 of the patches sitting in LRs Australian warehouse.

I really doubt they'd have sold all of them. Note KVZ, not KUZ.

Originally Posted by p38arover

or is the D2 like the P38A in that the whole track rod or drag link has to be replaced because the tie rod end on one end is crimped in and can't be changed?

Yes. I have one taking up space in the back.

Originally Posted by p38arover

I really doubt they'd have sold all of them. Note KVZ, not KUZ.

No, but they could easily have disposed of them.

True.