A lot to be said for an old truck

[8X56MS]

I have been looking around at trucks. Fords, GM, Toyota......... The prices aren't bad right now, and there are plenty to choose from.

Still, I have not been able to make myself trade in the old 4Runner. The 1988 Toyota 4X4 keeps on trucking, goes anywhere, gives me 25+ mph on the road, and is mechanically sound.

Yeah, the A/C quit, and there are a few little problems, but it starts every time, goes where I want to go, and I have a killer stereo in it.

With just under 300K miles, I think it has a few good years left in it. Besides, I don't have to worry about scratching up the paint when I am trail riding.

Last month, I drove it from Florida up to Virginia, and spent a week driving the back roads and mountain trails. Zero problems, good mileage.

[buckhunter]

I got the same situation. Have a 93 Grand cheroke. Only 120K. Leaks a little oil and antifreeze. A little beat but not bad for a 93. Starts every time. Just can't let go of it right now.

[skeet]

Oh Heck..I have an ol 81 El Camino for just goin around.. No leaks..64,000 original miles. A/C don't work but what the heck..21 MPG and cheap insurance.. When it dies I'll sell the parts and make a profit on what it cost..an my truck for round the farm is an 88 Chebby 3/4 ton 4x4. 210 grand on it..454 eats gas like wow..does every thing I want it to.

[fabsroman]

If it runs, keep it. I just got rid of my wife's 2002 Hyundai Sonata POS with 143,000 miles on it because it had a leaking heater core (which I tried to repair but threw the towel in on after 6 hours), a leaking power steering pump, an exhaust pipe that was about to fall off, and I needed to do a timing belt change on it too since the plastic belt had never been changed and its replacement interval was 60,000 miles. Meanwhile, the 1998 Ford Taurus has 220,000 miles on it.

We replaced the Sonata with a Ford Focus and I am hoping to get 15 to 20 years out of that car. we took advantage of the $3,000 cash back from Ford and they gave us $750 for the Sonata in pieces. Buying a new car is a waste of money as far as I am concerned unless it is going to be a collector's item.

In my book, the Sonata was a failure, and I am somewhat pissed at myself and the engineers of the car for the issue with the heater core. Nothing should be that freaking difficult to repair.

Keep the 4Runner until it doesn't go anymore.

[skeet]

oh Fabs..you just keep 'em for so long cause you're cheap......Awww heck....me too!!

[fabsroman]

Originally Posted by skeet

oh Fabs..you just keep 'em for so long cause you're cheap......Awww heck....me too!!

Yep, I am cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.

Crazy thing is, when I buy something nice, I buy it to keep it. I still have my 1989 Mustang GT from my high school years with 33,000 miles on it. Still have the 2003 F350. Meanwhile, people I know go through cars like water and don't have a pot to piss in. I've been shooting the same SBE for something like 12 to 13 years now and it is still killing birds. I've been using the same 682 Gold E for 9 years now and the same 391 Teknys for 8 years now. My 682 Super Trap is 19 years old.

Don't get me wrong. I drop some serious coin on stuff (e.g., guns, bikes, and trucks/cars), but I expect those things to last for quite a while and not break in a couple years time or become obsolete next year, as hard as Ford, Beretta, and Colnago try to make everything obsolete by the next model year. I just try not to buy the marketing hype. Didn't buy any of the "new" short magnums and ultra magnums either.

My siblings and in-laws from all sides agree that I am cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep, but if you think I am cheep you should meet my wife.

You have to wonder how this entire recession would have gone if more people were cheep like you and me.

[skeet]

Darn Fabs I'm not that cheap..But I must admit I do have some serious money in older guns and the Farm in Md and the Ranch here. Considering buying another place in the mountains here..before this recession turns into the depression...or maybe wait. If you think its bad now..wait till the gummit stops propping the economy up with our grandkid's and great grandkid's money. Soon I think..right after the election. I'm buying shooting stuff guns reloading etc as much as I can. Selling older things and buying new to weather the storm when the money will be harder to come up with. But they are things I can use to grow food cut fire wood etc etc. May have to get momma a new car. When you break down out here you know you'll be a 100 miles from anywhere

[fabsroman]

Originally Posted by skeet

Darn Fabs I'm not that cheap..But I must admit I do have some serious money in older guns and the Farm in Md and the Ranch here. Considering buying another place in the mountains here..before this recession turns into the depression...or maybe wait. If you think its bad now..wait till the gummit stops propping the economy up with our grandkid's and great grandkid's money. Soon I think..right after the election. I'm buying shooting stuff guns reloading etc as much as I can. Selling older things and buying new to weather the storm when the money will be harder to come up with. But they are things I can use to grow food cut fire wood etc etc. May have to get momma a new car. When you break down out here you know you'll be a 100 miles from anywhere

Yep, we shall see how this recession turns out. I didn't think it was over when others thought it was over. I knew this was coming in 2004, but I didn't think it was going to be this bad. We want to sell this townhouse and buy a single family home, but it is just so hard to part with this place because it is way too affordable compared to a single family home. Ultimately, we will move in 2 years. I just need to figure out whether it makes sense to buy a 10 year old home or to buy a lot and build new with the intent of using Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) and going with solar panels on the roof. Our electricity bill here is nuts at $250 a month during the summer and I have the A/C set at 80. Heating is a little more reasonable, but I would still want a wood burning furnace, with a propane backup, put into a house that we build. I can get the wood for free.

Yep, I am far from convinced that this recession is over, and we are hoarding cash right now. It hurt to buy the stupid Focus, but at $15,450 on the road, it was the lesser of 2 evils versus fixing up the POS Sonata.

When consumer confidence comes back and others have broken their wallet open, mine might open a little. My brothers make squeeking noises every time they see me take out my wallet, and then one of them has to warn everybody about the possibility of seeing moths.

[skeet]

I am afraid that our money will be so devalued it'll be useless. The blasted Chinese will own everything

[fabsroman]

Originally Posted by skeet

I am afraid that our money will be so devalued it'll be useless. The blasted Chinese will own everything

If we suffer deflation like they are talking about, then our money in the bank will actually have more buying power in the US and it will make manufacturing in the US a possibility again. Thing is, it will hurt those people that have a lot of debt because they will be paying that debt off while making less money.

In the end, we are invested in real estate to a degree with this townhouse, in the stock/bond market to a degree with our retirement accounts, and now I am trying to hedge against deflation by putting cash in the bank and/or paying off debt. If the economy tanks and we experience deflation, real estate and stockswill be worth less, so they aren't really deflation proof. Cash and bonds are deflation proof.

Long term, I am expecting inflation as we try to service the national debt, but we might see some deflation here in the short term, which will be the time to buy long term investments when they are cheap. Kind of like how I jumped into the stock market with both feet right after the October/November 2008 crash.

[GoodOlBoy]

Always keep in mind that if it is running and paid off you don't have a car note in a time when everybody is having money and work issues. No job is completely safe these days and knowing that your ride is still your ride no matter what goes a long ways in my book. That's why last year I bought my buddies 79 chevy for $500 cash. Nobody owns it but me. Needs a little work but runs great, and it ain't some gucamanian pos that I have to have a laptop and a billion dollars worth of tools to repair. If I have a monkey wrench and a Phillips head screwdriver I can pretty much change the transmission on the side of the road if I have to.

My 2 cents (which at current money rates ain't worth Jack)


GoodOlBoy

[Okie Hog]

Looked at new small trucks this year but gave it up. i need lockers at both ends and a winch mount. Its impossible to mount a winch on many of the new trucks and you have to go to an aftermarket place to get a front locker. Besides that the prices are horrible.

My 94 Toyota will get new brake calipers, pads and shoes, wheel cylinders, hoses and master cylinder. It will also get the 90 weight in the differentials, transfer case and transmission changed out. That truck has 160,000 miles on it and it should last at least five more years.

[skeeter@ccia.com]

Hate to make the trades with vehicles but there does come a time you think do I keep adding hundreds into repairs + time broke down and working on the thing or do I trade it in and just make the pmts but drive the thing when need to? Do have my dodge ram paid off and the boss had her jeep paid off and is good thing not have the large payments some have like my neighbor with his 2011 dodge ram (get this, both front/rear bumpers already rusted).he sorry traded his 08 in....but economy?..Wife work 25 yrs plastic plant..just came home friday with news...plant closing doors..out of job..now gonna have to pay the med insurance garbage they asking ..but need it..dad always said, make sure pay house, med insurance..with the ticker probs, whew sure glad not owe those bills out of pocket..Just hope I have as much luck with the miles of vehicles as the rest of you..do have 150g on the jeep though..spooky