I love my 1997 RL but it needs about $1,600 worth of work if I am to keep it - - The EGR Valve needs to be cleaned and I really should replace the timing belt.

What should I do? I realize you love your cars too, but am I being really stupid to invest that much in a car with 180,000 miles and some dents?

Advice needed! (and I am NOT going to try to clean the EGR myself!)

 

HA! I was in the same boat as you about 9 months ago, except I have a 96 RL with 224K miles! My advice is this: If there is nothing else wrong with the car and it runs well and you don't have a new car itch, then go for it.

I did it... I spent $1600 on a new timing belt, water pump, and got the EGR valve cleaned. THEN I got the new car itch AFTER I did all that... that was a bad move. Sold my car for $3K... if you take off the $1600 just spent, I only netted $1400. That was NOT good.

So if you want a newer car... sell it before you do the service.
If you plan to just keep this car for a while... do the service.
If you don't want to put any more money into it and just plan on getting a new car when you have to, then keep it as it and drive it till the timing belt snaps...

Hope this helps...

 

Thanks! I have a guy coming to buy today who will give me about $1,500 but I think I would rather drive it into the ground before I did that. I DO already have another, somewhat newer car, so I do not really need the RL.

Still on the fence, but I don't think $1,500 will make me part with it.

 

For $1600 you can then drive it for another 100,000 miles. Might need a new radiator if that hasn't yet been replaced. That's about it...

 

Keep it and drive it until it becomes un-drivable lol.

I've never heard of a timing belt failure on an RL. The 3.5 liter is never put under too much pressure since its a torquey motor.

Just dont abuse it, change the oil and keep going until it dies.

That's what I'd do, and then sell it for parts or as a whole on craigslist and get a fair amount.

I'd bet it will last another 2 years at least, especially if the RL is your second car

 

I definitely wouldn't get rid of it for $1500. You can get the EGR valve cleaned and NOT do the timing belt for a few hundred bucks. Find an independent shop that will do it for $200. I know they exist in my area for that price. The dealer wants like $400-$500. It's nuts.

Then just drive it until the timing belt snaps. I agree with the other comment above... the timing belt prob won't snap for a while yet.

 

All of you have been helpful, and I thought so in the pit of my stomach -- the darn car is just too nice (not outwardly perhaps with its dents and scratches) a drive to let it go.
I am going to get it cleaned so that it can pass the next inspection and shop around the price.
Again, thanks!
R

 

Good choice! If you were really resourceful, you could try to clean it yourself, but where you have to get to is really cramped next to the firewall, so if you don't want to get all scratched up and stuff, I'd just pay the few hundred to have someone else do it.

That was my BIGGESST GRIPE about the 1st Gen RL... that EGR port clogging thing. Dreaded P0401. Every few years, you'd have to get it cleaned.