It depends on how long you plan to keep it. It's not all about how much the van is worth.

Think about it this way: If you replace it with a new vehicle, with a payment of $250 per month, after 4 months, you are even (assuming no major repairs on the replacement). But after that, you have a payment that you didn't have before.

Here's what I think: Get a second opinion, and evaluate the cost based on the overall condition of the vehicle, factoring in how long you think you're going to keep it. If it needs the repair, at $950, and you plan to keep it for a year, that's less than $80 per month. Pretty cheap, if you ask me.

 

Right. Its about what it costs to keep vs cost to buy new/another one. Out of pocket, thats it.

 

I had hubcaps with broken tabs and they were making one-per-revolution noises that sounded like they were coming from the bearings, or brakes.
The sound was louder on turns, too.

 

I've got an estimate of $750 to replace both.

Prise for wheel hub assembly is about $CDN 135.
http://www.autopartsway.ca/autoparts2/index.cfm?fetch=detail~ID=1999~Dodge~Caravan%20FWD%20LE%203.8%20V6~241440~241440~22
If you have a little mecanical skills and tools, you could do it youself, it is not to hard.

 

this is an example of how you apply yourself can save you a lot of money. $750 to replace both wheel bearings is a great price if you cannot do any of the work yourself. If you spent $500 in quality tools and do it yourself, you'd be even and have $500 in tools to fix other things. This inturn creates a snowball effect on saving/making money. The bearings are about $250 for the pair. it takes 1-2hrs to do the repair.

 

Personally, there's no way in **** I would pay anywhere NEAR that.

Replacing the front bearings on the Caravan is actually easier than many cars because you do not need a press. It's all nuts and bolts. Too bad you don't live near me, I'd do it for $400 parts included.

I just searched ebay and found dozens of front wheel bearings for $35.00 each.

Get the parts from ebay and then put an ad on Craigslist advertising Mechanic Help wanted, $200.00 to replace front wheel bearings on 1999 Dodge Caravan.

I have no doubt you'll get a taker and for about $270 you can get that taken care of.

 

Cool, didnt know you can actually get help from craigslist. Hmmmm, maybe I can find a guy who could help me with a trans rebuild project............It might even be fun. Wife might not like it though.....LOL

 

The problem with waiting is you add other items to the damaged list. My wife's car had a bearing going, by the time she told me and I found time to replace it, the heat generated from the bad bearings had welded the hub to the half shaft. I had to remove the steering knuckle and my dad-in-law took it to his old shop. They applied about 50 tons of force to it and couldn't separate it, bent the knuckle tho. So instead of replacing just a bearing/hub assembly, I had to get a knuckle and half shaft too. Waiting costs $$$.

-Andrew