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

[5030]

No matter what the vehicle is, I'm allergic to any payment book.

 

[dodge man]

People always talk how great they used to be. I think people often remember the good but not the bad. Putting in new points and setting the dwell, then setting the timing, rebuilding carburetors, even plug wires are much better today. I owned and restored some classic cars and loved working on them but as a daily driver, not as much.

Rust? I hate it, I swear they had leftover salt this year and felt the need to use it at the slightest dusting last month. On classic cars fixing rust might pay off in the long run but it’s a losing battle on daily drivers. I got rid of my last two trucks because of rust and hoping my aluminum body F150 lasts. I can already see the running boards are taking a beating.

 

[riptides]

The older I get, I like the functionality and features of the new trucks. I also like the turn key and go aspects of newer vehicles. Just don't have the time, nor the tools, nor do I want to invest in either, maintaining stuff anymore.

Just changed out a truck tire on the 1500 the other day (picked up a nail). Heavy, and crawling under a vehicle just to set a jack point, yeah....not doing that anymore. Good thing both vehicles have road side service.

 

[Jstpssng]

People always talk how great they used to be. I think people often remember the good but not the bad. Putting in new points and setting the dwell, then setting the timing, rebuilding carburetors, even plug wires are much better today. I owned a restored some classic cars and loved working on them but as a daily driver, not as much.

Rust? I hate it, I swear they had leftover salt this year and felt the need to use it at the slightest dusting last month. On classic cars fixing rust might pay off in the long run but it’s a losing battle on daily drivers. I got rid of my last two trucks because of rust and hoping my aluminum body F150 lasts. I can already see the running boards are taking a beating.

Adjusting the valves, replacing the valve guides every few years. My company truck has 153K miles and still has the original plugs and wires. Aside from a set of brakes and the normal ball joints every year, the only thing it's needed was a transmission. That last was the only thing which they need to improve... and GM is looking at a class action lawsuit about that very thing. GM Will Face Class Action Suit Over 8-Speed Gearbox Issues

 

[stumblinhorse]

My 69 dodge with the original 318 started on the first try after sitting for 6 months yesterday…. No battery charger, -30* at times, no fuel stabilizer. Try that with anything made in the last 15 years….

 

[stumblinhorse]

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.

Lol, doesn’t look done to me 101k…

 

[masseyrider]

I grew up fixing and driving used cars until I could afford something new.
Used to get "hot" safety certificates and drove some rotted out wrecks.
Constantly under the hood adjusting points and timing, carbs, valves etc.
Don't tell me how great those old pieces of crap were.
The muscle cars brakes all sucked and they handled like a Walrus in a china shop.
5 years plus and they were rotting like a dead fish on a sunny beach.
The new vehicles are like comparing a ww1 battle ship to the newest version of the Star Trek Enterprise.
My current everyday ride has 180,000 miles and is 12 years old.
Never touched the engine. Changed the fluids and filters as called for.
Gone thru 3 sets of tires and brakes twice around.
Couple wheel bearings.
Original exhaust but had to replace the manifold gaskets once.
Original paint, rust free, number of chips though.
Find me a 60s-70s vehicle that could lay claim to a record like that.
My first new car was a 77 Smokey and the Bandit TA.
220 hp 10 miles to the gallon. Holes in the floor after 5 years.
My new mustang has 470hp and averages over 25mpg around town. Idles smooth as silk unlike the old muscle cars, gets good mileage and pollutes a small fraction of what the old ones did. It would smoke the Bandit without even breaking a sweat.
The only thing better back then was me. Body anyways.

 

[Oaktree]

My 69 dodge with the original 318 started on the first try after sitting for 6 months yesterday…. No battery charger, -30* at times, no fuel stabilizer. Try that with anything made in the last 15 years….

Not my experience with older vehicles. Had a late 70s F-150 back in the early 80s, that thing was a royal pain to start if it had even been sitting a month, let alone 6. EFI is your friend, carburetors, not so much.
I have had no issues whatsoever starting modern vehicles after sitting for long periods, well other than the need to keep the battery on a maintainer to offset the drain from the electronics.

 

[Oaktree]

The only thing better back then was me. Body anyways.

I'd have to say styling too. Can't think of many vehicles from the last 15-20 years that don't all look alike. Aerodynamic but ugly blobs with tiny windows you can't see out of.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

That's not someplace that you want to break down.

There were spots that it was 1,000 miles to town either way.