Oh, I have dealt with quite a few issues, over the 15 years I have owned mine. The "planned obsolescence" or "I hate it when accountants tell engineers what to do" driveshaft u-joints, the leaking axle seal, the starter contacts, the flaky digital clock, the flaky fuel gauge, and the biggest one was when all symptoms very much appeared to be a blown head gasket, when all it really was was one failed injector. Very, very glad I did not replace my head gasket, only to find that the major problem still persisted.
And don't get me started on the major PITA messy and difficult oil draining procedure. Out of all of the vehicles I have ever owned over the last 40 years, this vehicle is the biggest PITA with which to change the oil. One should NOT have to remove a heavy pan in order to change the oil. NOTHING, besides a filler cap, drain plug and oil filter should ever have to be removed in order to do very routine maintenance such as an oil change.
But with all of that being said, I love mine dearly. We have been through a lot in the last 15 years. There is no other vehicle out there, where I could buy it for $9k with 106k on it, drive it for 15 years until it has 213k on it, then have it still be worth about $5k. This vehicle hauls canoes and kayaks on the roof, a mountain bike on the back, my dogs inside, pulls my trailer, does incredibly well offroad for a 2WD, and I can sleep diagonally in the back, when the rear seats are down. There is no other vehicle out there that can give me a value like that. And the worst part is, when this vehicle dies (head gasket will likely blow in the next few years), then it is irreplaceable. There is no other vehicle out there that can do what this vehicle does at a price like what I paid, and that fairy tale of vehicle value that came along with it can never be repeated. It was once-in-a-lifetime good fortune, plain and simple. Luck.
