You guys aren't going to believe this/need opinions now.....

[Greg D]

ROFLMAO, well - maybe I should be pissed?
Something here is WAY wrong.
1999 Chevy Astro 2wd Cargo Van 4.3 SFI

Fuel pump without a wiring pigtail attached to it
$284
on Autozone's site also listed a "Fuel Pump and Tank Assembly"
just for shits & giggles I clicked on it
$319.99
It gets better;
the pump & tank has a 2 yr warranty and includes new straps to hang it on.
the fuel pump that doesn't have the wiring installed has a 1 yr warranty.
Am I the only one who thinks this doesn't make any sense?
Heck, by the time you install the wires, and swap out the pump figuring your time is worth at least the price of a 12 pack it's cheaper to buy a the whole tank because it's about 1/2 the dang work plus you have a NEW tank too.
BTW, the fuel tank alone (no straps) is $259.99.

[36truck]

What else would you expect from chebbie parts. That is odd for sure.

[ezernut9mm]

how about going this route?

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/cto/1512575148.html

lol, hey it gets 27 mpg. (i actually believe that).

[Greg D]

LOL, Chris. Actually the ideal vehicle for me for a car to run would be a later Crown Vic wagon with a 5 speed manual - I doubt Ford made one though.
Wish I could build a car to run
Late 50s or early 60s Sedan Delivery, 3.8 V6 with a 5 speed. This would really be the ticket.

[jwh f-100]

Oh I believe it and most likely if you check with a radiator/fuel tank place the price would be even better yet... Sounds like the way to go though..

[61 Merc]

I know what it is like Greg, my daughters 95 Grand Am needed a new ABS connector as a wire was broken at the sensor connector. The price for the kit, which comprised of a new connector, about two feet of wireand crimp-on connectors, cost $175.00. Went and pulled one off a junker for nothing. Works well now.

Dean

[6166 Junkyard Dog]

HERES What happen this past trip, had a alternator problem, we carry a spare one for reason Ford in most cases do not carry one in stock for 6.0's reasons unknown, anyway at a Ford dealersip in NM Tested bad alternator, so they installed a new one , well worked get over in Texas guess what started it over, well after 500 miles back at Ford reason found out that the Ford mechanic left the battery side post wire loose causing the wire to start arc causing the post to burn up that killled my new 275.00 alternator and guees what Big Ford dealership no alternator in stock had to push to get one spent all day at Ford again, reason Ford mechanic leaving one wire loose been,,,,,, moral of story still need to look over anybody's work no matter who they are now have to fight with a dealership to see what going to do about it

[Uncle Skip]

If you think thats bad, wait until the Obama gang gets done with Government Motors.
They're going to make spare parts so expensive that you'll be forced to buy a new car rather than fix your old one.
They are already planning to outlaw old engines by damaging the blocks.
Save the planet with new technology and such crap.
Its part of the plan.
U@ss

[6166 Junkyard Dog]

Skip this last trip most yards we went to where they had older vehicles, they are now gone and full of clunkers one hadat least 4000 of these, lot of them in Texas seen like that as well as the rest of the country Bottom line Obama Motors gets there wish, crushed all the old stuff, then made room to get the clunkers off the road into the yards so then they can be crushed, which I doubt that since they have been extended to March, then when March comes around they will extend it longer since it will still cause more delay andhave seen more clunkers in the insurance auction, meanwhile some yards that did not get clunkers are hurting now since they have newer stuff but can't sell since the yards with clunkers are selling way less to have cash flow, good for the consumer but days are limited to the older single operation yards,, this is just the tip wait it will get worse when if you wreck your older vehicle they will total it for minor damage since parts are gone to the crusher,,, this last trip I have seen so many very nice vehicles trashed to the clunker program, WHAT A WASTE, To some people that would have been glad just to get something that ran where they had nothing in the first place, as I walked those yards it really opened my eyes to feel such a waste here

[62galxe]

try front end parts for a 2001 dodge 2500 2WD.
idler arm $179.99
pitman arm $113.79

[ICEMAN6166]

the dodge fuel pumps are not any cheaper but they have the same deal as the GM
same thing happened to a friend working on a dodge in his shop for a customer

pump without wire or pump/tank combo. tanks are plastic as is most of the pump.

also couple different styles, look the same but not, makes junkyard hunting the right one a pain.

[Greg D]

Went out today to see if I could figure out exactly what's wrong with the 99 - dam dead battery. Astros will run the battery down if you don't start them - well it won't run of course. I will now also have to take 1/2 the dam dash apart just to check the fuel pressure too - POS.
The 04 has a howl in the diff, gets louder from 55 - 65 and changes when you let off the gas. That probably needs rebuilt. After the one manager down at work telling me "you gotta have a cargo van" I run around 90% of the time with the dam things basically empty. That particular guy is good at BS ing drivers and then they get pissed later over it. Won't let us run trucks anymore - he says "the cargo isn't secure". That makes the assumption that the only topper you can buy is the aluminum type. One of those steel utility toppers is made from heavier steel than these dam vans are - how is stronger metal "less" secure? dumbarse. If he were still route manager I wouldn't have gone back - don't need the frustration (the guy doing that now is great when otherone doesn't get into things and override him).
Found a REAL nice 93 Explorer 5 speed - has a coolant leak. From what the guy is telling me it sounds like an intake gasket - won't take a van on trade though. The last 5 speed Explorer I had that body style got 26-29 MPG on the highway - beats these vans by almost 10 MPG.
I can run the car til next Monday so I have about a week to sort this out.
Some of the guys run FWD minivans. I don't think that is much better of an idea. A minivan is basically a bigger, heavier box on small car suspension & driveline, not a recipe for a long lived work truck.
Good old panel truck with a 5.0 and an AOD or 5 speed would be the ticket, geared right it would get good mileage and be near bullet proof. I can't build one in a week though.
Nobody makes anything any good anymore. Most of what was left out there got trashed in C4C. Full size wagons are near impossible to find in decent shape and Ford hasn't made one in an eternity. Makes me so mad sometimes I just want to hand out ass beatings on a Santa Claus level of generosity.

[Greg D]

Average trade on this 04 Astro would be about $2000.00 - $2500.00 - tell them $2000.00 trade difference for 24 months and I'll take it. I am half temped to take it down and trade it one this - at least I could reach the engine without taking 1/2 of it apart. It would be a little better on gas anyway. If I could run it for 2 years and still get $800 - $1000 back out of it I wouldn't bitch.

http://omaha.craigslist.org/ctd/1478788143.html

[ICEMAN6166]

dont do it

windbags have spendy front end issues.

after ss last year went to visit my mom, hers was making some ps pump noises, i thought low fluid but ws not.

stepdad took it into the dealer, whole pump and rack unit needed replacing, not cheap and out of warranty. not high miles either. they got it fixed and then the trans started acting up. so they traded it in for a lincoln.

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automoti ... ndstar.htm

[rbcyouthdude]

what do you haul?

[Greg D]

RBC, mostly haul light weight but it can be bulky.
I did a little checking Brian. 90s Windstars have enormous amounts of troubles, the 02 and up apparently rates very good as trouble free with basically no issues with the front end or the head gasket issue the early ones had.
A few of the guys run them at work - doing pretty well for them.
I only need it to run out for a year or 2. By then I will be onto something different other than route cover and will ditch it - I want a run I can do with a car or maybe a custom built Slick with a hard tonneu. If I am on a route I can slip a truck in (especially if it comes and goes someplace other than the office because they will never see it).

[Greg D]

Won't be buying the Windstar - they sold it.

[ezernut9mm]

greg, just get a ranger with a topper. those things last forever and get good mileage with the 2.8 and 5sp.

[Greg D]

Can't run a pickup with a topper - they won't let us anymore. Those are precisely what I used to run, 4 cylinder rangers (or Mazda B2500) with a topper. I ran the 91 I had for 275,000 miles! Still ran good when I traded it in.
This would be stupidly easy if I could run a truck - used steel utility topper with the dual side opening doors - happy land! Even F 150s with V6 5 speed does real good on gas and holds more than these POS vans. Can buy them cheap too - heck you can get a new one in the low teens.

[Greg D]

Well now that the battery was recharged;
Checked the fuel pressure - 0 - zip - zilch. Mind you I not amazed by this.
Swapped a couple of relays for other systems I know are working - poor mans relay test - same result.
Mind you there was 20 minutes of interior disassembly so I could get to the schrader valve to perform this minute and a half or so of testing.

Now for the real point of this post;
At the local parts stores pump prices range from $290 - $465.
I looked on Ebay and they range from about $75 to the local prices.
Some of the cheaper ones are from
Top Rated - 100% positive feedback sellers
have the correct replacement part #
similar warranty - that doesn't require professional mechanic installation to be valid.
So do I spend $300 at AZ or $75 from a place I don't know?
Obviously the decision on just the dollars says Ebay.
There is a certain inerrant risk with these online deals and the price difference makes you wonder.
Do I chance it? - after all $225 buys alot of Slick Parts.

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=1999+c ... =1&_ipg=50