utahnix

This car only has ~ 62,000 miles on it. I have only put 2,000-3,000 miles on it (tops) since the rack and pinion was replaced about 9 months ago.

The moment I drove out of the dealership after the rack and pinion had been replaced, the noise was gone, and the steering was nice and tight. Steering was better than ever. Things were okay until about two months ago when it suddenly started creaking again and the steering has become quite loose - not enough to be unsafe, but enough to worry me about the potential for auto problems.

I'm really thinking about trading it in b/c after the wreck, many things on the driver's side went bad. Now, I can't prove it was related to the wreck, but given that I was hit in the driver's side, and given all these things (for the most part) are either in the center or driver's side, I really think the wreck is at fault, but who knows.

- A few months after I got my car back from the body shop my ignition switch went out - couldn't turn the key. Had to have it towed in and had it replaced. Thankfully I didn't have to have keys replaced.
- My CD player now skips when I try to play the last half of a CD (components knocked loose, I'll bet).
- The springs in the driver's seat (near the 'lumbar' area) sweak profusely - just driving down a paved/flat road causes excessive squeak)
- There is a rattle in the dash that I often hear when waiting at a red light. Sounds like plastic rattling against plastic
- I have a rattle (on the passenger side) that sounds like aluminum rattling against something much harder. Sounds like it is coming from the firewall.
- The car shifts hard (feels like releasing tension) just as I pull to a stop (unless I slow it down really slow). The car rattled when it would shift when I bought it (esp when I would accelerate fairly quickly from a stop). The same dealership put a "spacer" of some sort in-between the tranny and engine and fixed the rattle, but has had that "hard shift" ever since.

Some of those issues above are just annoyances. Overall, I've never been broke down... never been stranded. The car has been fairly reliable that way. But as the steering problem gets worse, and as I observe many of these interior issues, I wonder if keeping it is worth it - if it has this many problems at 60,000 miles, what will it look like at 80,000 miles (if it makes it that far)? That's my cause for concern.

Blue Book would rate my car at ~ $6,100 (not considering wreck history). If I get significantly less than that, I may not have enough collateral to buy a new car. That's also part of the problem. So I guess I just I'm looking for insight from various sources on various options and want to make a thought-out, intelligent decision on the matter.

Jurnymn

Clean it up real nice and grease all the fittings and sell it.

utahnix

Thanks everyone for the input. A possible trade in won't occur 'till summer, when I have the money to do so. I'll try and remember to post here again when that happens.

jaw66

Your rack may not be bolted tight enough. The bolts should have been replaced when the rack was replaced. Never reuse old bolts when tightend down the threads stretch they are basically one time bolts. If this wasnt done the bolts may start to back out. At this point your rack will float slightly possibly give a noise and cause your steering to be loose. Good luck.........

GoTigersJoe

I had a 2000 V6 all the way up to 112,000 and my rack and pinion never went out. I doubt it's common...

That being said, it really won't ever be the same. My 66 got hit on the driver side and ever since the steering has been really lose even after it was repaired. If it was anything but my baby I'd have gotten rid of it long ago.

So unless you just have a special affection for this particular car and the money to add a new one, I'd get rid of her.

Lots of 16 year olds are begging daddy for a 2001 Mustang with low mileage right about now..