Keep current truck forever or try to afford a new one every 5-10 years?

   / Keep current truck forever or try to afford a new one every 5-10 years? #61  
So what are you all thinking about the cost of new trucks? I am thinking that I am going to buy “disposable” vehicle. Something used that I don’t mind putting miles on that I can replace with something else if it gets to expensive to repair. I would only drive my 1 ton Cummins Ram for hauling etc. No trips to the store or running to the city. Try to keep my current truck literally forever. Since it seems that the replacement of a similar truck is $75k+ today, and probably more in future. The current truck will always suit my needs.

Probably a wash in the long run for cost. But I am not sure when I see new truck costs.

What is everyone else thinking on this?
That’s what I’m doing. My 2007 Dodge 2500 has one of the coveted 5.9 Cummins engines. It’s in great shape and only has 156K miles. I only drive it when I need a truck and I do all maintenance annually. Everyday I drive my Jeep or the wife’s car. I’m hoping to have the truck for at least another 10 years.
 
   / Keep current truck forever or try to afford a new one every 5-10 years? #62  
My old co worker neighbor friend, my dad's age, drives a 97 f250 super cab, 4x4, 7.3, and had 500,000 on it a decade ago. Dallas TX is probably 5 hours away. If he goes to see his daughter in Dallas, they go in that truck. Only thing ever happened, he had to put a vacuum pump on it. Besides normal wear and tear things. Truck looks new. He does cat around in a 97 4x4 reg cab truck, just saw him in it an hour ago. My dad has a 96 7.3, 147k I think, that he keeps parked but when we haul calves to the sale, it gets used. Still very good trucks. I have a 2001 4x4, F350, 97k idling in the background because I don't use it any more, I just crank it now and then. My brother has an 02 7.3, 4x4 reg cab, still runs good. Only had a clutch put in with over 20 years of use. Lives a mile from me. You may can tell, we like Ford. But if I had to buy a newer truck, no Ford, it will be a Dodge. 6.9 and 7.3 Ford's were good. I don't want any of the newer ones. I have actually seen newer Ford's driven across the scales at the scrap yard. It was running rough. Man said he done fixed it twice, not again. Seen people spend 20,000 getting the newer trucks repaired because of engine trouble. Ford and GM. I've taken dodge's apart and rebuilt those diesels. They ain't so bad.
The old Ford trucks with the International 7.3 motor were great; the problem is that engine outlasts the rest of the truck. I share your opinion on the newer powerstrokes, and prefer the Cummins. Of course there are plenty who hold other opinions.
 
   / Keep current truck forever or try to afford a new one every 5-10 years? #64  
I bought a brand new Ram Power Wagon in 2018. Plan on keeping it forever. I DO NOT like the mechanics of the newer Power Wagons. I didn't think it could be possible - the newer Power Wagons are even more electronic and computer controlled. After four years - still learning about all the "features" on my Power Wagon.

As a senior in high school - worked in the summer for the forest service. They had the old military style power wagons. No electronics or computers. Everything was mechanical and worked every time.
Those were fun old vehicles. But I was left stranded in the woods a few times with bad fuel pumps and carburetor problems, so I wouldn’t agree that they worked every time. But overall, they were tough and reliable field vehicles.
 
   / Keep current truck forever or try to afford a new one every 5-10 years? #65  
My 2004 Chevy Silverado W/T 1500 in 2020 with 93k miles on it.

View attachment 796021

Now with 101k miles on it.
View attachment 796020
I don't really put lots of miles on my truck, but I mostly haul my tractor around to work sites now and then. Else I have a 2014 Chevy Cruze TD i use for work commuting. New vehicle prices/interest rates are just unobtainable these days.
Looks like it required a little bit of body work. I have actually seen three trucks that met falling trees, but never one repaired after that experience.
 
   / Keep current truck forever or try to afford a new one every 5-10 years? #66  
Those were fun old vehicles. But I was left stranded in the woods a few times with bad fuel pumps and carburetor problems, so I wouldn’t agree that they worked every time. But overall, they were tough and reliable field vehicles.
I always had a fuel pump, and other gadgets with me. Drove a 75 model all the way up in the Arctic circle in Alaska. Left out of north Louisiana.
 
   / Keep current truck forever or try to afford a new one every 5-10 years? #67  
   / Keep current truck forever or try to afford a new one every 5-10 years? #68  
My 2004 Chevy Silverado W/T 1500 in 2020 with 93k miles on it.

View attachment 796021

Now with 101k miles on it.
View attachment 796020
I don't really put lots of miles on my truck, but I mostly haul my tractor around to work sites now and then. Else I have a 2014 Chevy Cruze TD i use for work commuting. New vehicle prices/interest rates are just unobtainable these days.
Looks like my kind of luck. lol
 
   / Keep current truck forever or try to afford a new one every 5-10 years? #69  
My 2000 7.3 isn’t what I would consider easy to work on. A 2000 gas burner is better but it’s still computer controlled. They went to computer controlled injection in the early 90s. Vehicles have been hard to work on for way longer than people want to admit. And the “easy to work on” vehicles aren’t half as good as more modern vehicles. Those same era vehicles were done with 100k miles.
Computer control was introduced to the F series diesel in the 94 1/2 Powerstroke model.
Pre computer 94 1/2 IDI diesels are super easy to wench on. With proper maintenance it is not uncommon to get 300-500k miles from them. The body / support systems will fail way before the motor.
Are they equal to the 7.3 PS? Not in HP or torque. Their reputation is "They'll never get there 1st, but they will always get there"
 
   / Keep current truck forever or try to afford a new one every 5-10 years? #70  
On another forum I frequent I saw this K1500 Suburban for sale the other day. I think someone got a pretty good deal.

 

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