Richard Wahlstrand 69 #1 Posted April 30 During my career at the big green tractor company, about 30-years ago at a company event I met a respected older employee who was a tool and die maker at one of the factories. I learned that his everyday vehicle was a 25-year-old or more pick up. He said that co-workers teased him about driving an older vehicle. His response was, "Anyone can have a new one. Not everyone can have an old one." That stuck with me. Richard on the East Coast of Iowa 4 8 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 24,302 #2 Posted April 30 Wise words... 2 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ri702bill 7,478 #3 Posted April 30 Richard - Welcome. Yup, old pickups are a lot like well worn slippers - they just feel right. Mine is a 1999 Ranger 3.0 5 speed 4x4.. Bought it in 2001. 103000 well maintained miles...... 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ranger 1,666 #4 Posted April 30 I can relate to this. Many years ago, I had an older truck, driving around 60mls a day to work, before I had a company vehicle. Some of my colleagues used to ask me why I didn’t buy a new vehicle for work. My answer was why? “Why buy a new car to drive to work, to earn money to pay for the car to drive to work?” My old truck did everything I wanted, for a tiny fraction of the cost of new, and didn’t depreciate in value anymore! I could buy another truck every year for 20 years for the amount they lost from the value of their ‘New’ vehicle as soon as they left the dealership! 6 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OutdoorEnvy 1,473 #6 Posted April 30 Sadly that sentiment and wisdom is getting harder to come by these days. 2-3 times a year my wife tries to get me to upgrade my truck. It's a 2004 Chevy, and I have to tell her it's not really an upgrade based on how I look at it. Still have the truck...BUT did get a bigger boat last year! 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EB-80/8inPA 1,527 #7 Posted April 30 I could see this morphing into one of those discussions about regrets over cars once owned but sadly sold. I don’t regret selling the old ‘78 F150 though, it was not exactly what you’d call “well maintained.” That Gas Hog was rough when I bought it and just got worse with each passing winter. Its drivetrain was good though (if getting 8 to 10 mpg is considered “good”), and went on to repower something worth salvaging. I wish that guy luck. I’ll drive this Tacoma until the wheels fall off, or the frame snaps, or ICEs are outlawed, or I croak. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handy Don 10,757 #8 Posted April 30 18 minutes ago, OutdoorEnvy said: 2-3 times a year my wife tries to get me to upgrade my truck If you like living dangerously, you might idly wonder if it’s time to “upgrade" your partner We’ve always invested in maintenance to get the longest sensible useful life out of something. But when the cost/aggravation/safety of keeping it gets to the tipping point, it’s gone. To me, 8-10 mpg on a daily driver is a waste of resources absent some other compelling value in the vehicle--good decision to move on! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 52,229 #9 Posted May 1 (edited) My wife and I both like to get our money's worth out of a vehicle. We have only traded off one car with less than 200K on it and that was because it was a POS that the dealership had in for warranty repairs more than we had it. It was only two years old and we took a beating on depreciation but knew if was going to be a money pit once the warranty was up. The Dodge Dakota I bought in 1996 was the toughest one to let go of. Four cylinder five speed got better than 30 MPG and never let me down but after 260K it was going to need all new front suspension which would cost more than the value of the truck. Edited May 1 by 953 nut fat finger 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OutdoorEnvy 1,473 #10 Posted May 1 14 minutes ago, Handy Don said: If you like living dangerously, you might idly wonder if it’s time to “upgrade" your partner LOL! I don’t and I won’t. She’s a keeper. Like a WH bought new back in the day… 2 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JimSraj 346 #11 Posted May 1 51 minutes ago, EB-80/8inPA said: I could see this morphing into one of those discussions about regrets over cars once owned but sadly sold. I don’t regret selling the old ‘78 F150 though, it was not exactly what you’d call “well maintained.” That Gas Hog was rough when I bought it and just got worse with each passing winter. Its drivetrain was good though (if getting 8 to 10 mpg is considered “good”), and went on to repower something worth salvaging. I wish that guy luck. I’ll drive this Tacoma until the wheels fall off, or the frame snaps, or ICEs are outlawed, or I croak. Was that a 351 Cleveland or Windsor in that ‘78 f150? I don’t remember which one would pass everything but a gas station but I had the one that was thirst for about 4 months. Couldn’t stand the $$$$ that required. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
daveoman1966 3,633 #12 Posted May 1 In the fall of 1994, I paid--- at auction in n/w PA ---$2700 for a 1991 S-10 Pickup with 4.3 engine, Auto trans, 2WD, and is a long bed (7-1/2'). The odometer quit at 198,332 about 3 years back but the speedo is good. A/C quit -so what. I've been driving it for 30 YEARS.... the S-10 is 33 YEARS old---and I'm a young 75. It's a keeper! 4 2 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
8ntruck 6,478 #13 Posted May 1 I used to use my '72 C10 as my daily driver to the plant. Another guy had a beater Mustang that he drove. Both of us took some grief about our chosen vehicles. One day, another guy came in with a brand new Santa Fe suv. He took to parking way out in the parking lot where nobody else did. The guy with the beater Mustang and I started to park right next to him. His reaction and annoyance with us was worth some chuckles. 4 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marv 861 #14 Posted May 1 Why give up a good thing? I still have my Dodge Ram pickup I purchased new in 1996. Reminds me of the best thing that ever happened to me. Got it on my wedding anniversary, Marv 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fordiesel69 234 #15 Posted May 1 I drive a whole fleet of old retired mint undercover crown vic p71s because they are of post apocalyptic quality you cannot find in today's vehicles. Also a whole fleet of classic wheel horses as again nothing is technically built better or easier to work on. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
8ntruck 6,478 #16 Posted May 1 got pictures? I supported production on probably 4 versions of steel wheels that went on police special Crown Vics. Was lead engineer on the dies for two of the versions. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EB-80/8inPA 1,527 #17 Posted May 1 23 hours ago, JimSraj said: Was that a 351 Cleveland or Windsor in that ‘78 f150? I believe it was the 351M. It had the 8-bolt valve covers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JimSraj 346 #18 Posted May 2 Yup, 8 bolt valve covers , a mark of the 351m. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beap52 607 #19 Posted May 2 Bought my '71 El Camino new--still got it and drove it today. Bought 1947 Chevrolet Sedan Delivery in '72--Still got it and drive about 600 miles per year. Got married in '78--still got her. Some things a fellow just doesn't want to let go. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
