I only paid $600 for my 1 ton truck with 70000 miles. But then I paid $700 for a parts truck with a dump bed. But now I have a good beater work truck for about $2600.
Half-ton pickup redux
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Ashful
Minister of Fire
Seasoned Oak
Minister of Fire
I qualify ,my brother gave me this truck.
Hats of to you Jetsam ,you have a rare quality in that you are not the least bit extravagant or and you dont have that keep up with the jones sickness. I could care less what others think of what i drive and where and how i live. What ever i do or buy ,its all for my family and my own pleasure and use ,never to impress. Too many out there spending money they dont have ,buying things they dont need ,to impress people they dont even like! How nuts is that!
WoodyIsGoody
Minister of Fire
I agree strongly with this sentiment.
Keep in mind, buying for function and value does not limit you to buying used. I always buy new vehicles, well, since 1995 anyway. It has nothing to do with impressing anyone, I buy the machine I need. New vehicles come with new tires, new fluids, new wiper, new filters, new engines, new gas tank senders, etc. I can also order them to my required specs in terms of final drive ratio, engine size, tow capacity, etc. without having to shop around the used market looking for a match in the elusive three-way triangle of specifications, price, condition. I end up with the vehicle I NEED, not the one I FOUND.
The net effect of this decision is I save A LOT of time for either doing things I enjoy more, or, freeing up time to make more cold, hard cash. I bought my 1993 van new. I didn't sell it until seventeen years later, 2010, when needs changed and I bought my F-150 XLT new. It's seven years old and I've spent almost zero time/money on it. I won't replace it until I see an electric truck I like better in 10 years or so. Was it cheap? In terms of money, no. I needed 4x4 for horse/hay/firewood duty in muddy fields and roads, not to mention mountain snow. Was it cheap in terms of time/practicality? Yes, very much so. A screaming deal!
New vehicles are not necessarily bought to impress.
Seasoned Oak
Minister of Fire
I agree Woody , nothing at all wrong with a new ride. Keeping them a long time makes sense too, cuz you know it was taken care of since new. Is why i decided to put the money in repairs for this truck cuz it was always cared for well.
Seasoned Oak
Minister of Fire
Wish this truck had a tachometer in it , Its so quiet i cant tell when to downshift. Upshift has a dash light but i dont think its that accurate. Rides like a car ,after the last 15 years in a 3/4 ton truck im used to my fillings falling out going over RR tracks empty.
I've never really been a big truck guy. My current '03 S10 ZR2 has been the best vehicle I've ever owned. I've hauled a full box of firewood + big steel dump trailer also filled with firewood and while I wouldn't want to haul that load long distances it pulls it home no problem.
Sadly I live in Michigan so I'm always fighting rust. This summer I had to patch a hole in the box where the rust got it, but it's still going strong.
Plus it eats snow for dinner which comes in handy as my road is one of the last to see a plow truck.
Sadly I live in Michigan so I'm always fighting rust. This summer I had to patch a hole in the box where the rust got it, but it's still going strong.
Plus it eats snow for dinner which comes in handy as my road is one of the last to see a plow truck.
Seasoned Oak
Minister of Fire
Anyone familiar with smoke on a warm startup. Cold startup no smoke. Once motor is warmed up each start produces smoke for a few seconds. This is a 93 V6 half ton chevy. I think its valve seals.
Seasoned Oak
Minister of Fire
Soundchasm
Minister of Fire
I'm the last guy to know anything automotive, but if I ever get another small truck (Tacoma 4wd bought new in '02), the very first thing I'll do, perhaps even before waxing it, is get a set of Timbren helper springs for the rear. They don't come into play unless you're loaded, so it's a stock ride otherwise.
Since I had a camper shell, I had to install a 1" lift kit to get the gap back, but these things are amazing. No signaling aliens with headlights, no squatting, weaving, bobbing or drifting around. It is a VERY confident feeling. Almost every weekend me and my little trailer are out at 6,000# GVW. 4600# for the truck and 1400# for the trailer. No instability at all. None.
And for the scores where there wasn't a second trip, I'm sure I've loaded 1500# or more for close trips. Slow and steady no problem...
https://wheelersoffroad.com/product...timbren-rear-suspension-enhancement-kit-2626/
Overall, this is the best "one and done" solution I've ever seen. Stupid truck would squat with a 32 oz Big Gulp straight from the factory! I was embarrassed to get 160# of softener salt.
One other thing - make note of where the CAT scales are and go use them. Cheap, cheap, cheep. Very helpful to have the facts to stick within guidelines. Also useful when people are shouting MPG results.
You've got quite the thread here!!
Soundchasm
Minister of Fire
Hah! My bad...would rather have air bags like the air lift setup. timbrens are solid and non adjustable. the bags arent very expensive and you can adjust them to whatever you are hauling from stock ride to 7k camper i haul with yukons and avalanches. they come with caddy type suspension and i want that whole reason i like it on back roads i live on, but they are not safe feeling like a 2500 when loaded, and with dual rate shocks like kyb gas adjust and air bags you cn make it feel like one with any load
blue black smoke is oil, white is water, like intake or head gaskets. you can look at the plugs typically and see whats going on
blue black smoke is oil, white is water, like intake or head gaskets. you can look at the plugs typically and see whats going on
Seasoned Oak
Minister of Fire
Its a shame when you have to throw away factory parts from a new truck. Poor design . My tacoma (1999) was the same ,a few cement blocks and the bed was riding the bumper blocks. MPG was terrible and lots of expensive parts kept failing,not to mention rust rust rust. Promptly got rid of it an d all the problems that came with it at only 76000 miles. Been driving various GM trucks since 1985 and never had one near as useless as that tacoma. Ill stick with the home team.if I ever get another small truck (Tacoma 4wd bought new in '02), the very first thing I'll do, perhaps even before waxing it, is get a set of Timbren helper springs for the rear. They don't come into play unless you're loaded, so it's a stock ride otherwise.
Stupid truck would squat with a 32 oz Big Gulp straight from the factory! I was embarrassed to get 160# of softener salt.
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You've got quite the thread here!!
that's all I buy now they are the most reliable, cost and looks don't matter to me if its in the shop all the time
not really the home team though every parts says hecho en mexico for some reason, lol
not really the home team though every parts says hecho en mexico for some reason, lol
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I see there was some chat about collector plates. I have them on my 1978 F-150 long box. They cost $200 here in Wisconsin then after that you never need to buy tabs again. The restrictions are, twenty years or older, no use in January, other than then you can drive anytime You can haul anytime. No commercial use, must have at least one other vehicle with standard plates.
I suppose a antique vehicle would mostly be driven during the summer when the days are long. But it is overly restrictive IMO and here in Wisconsin there is no such rule. On the other hand I think that daytime driving is safer.
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its usually pa that has the laws that make more sense than ny. not in this case i guess. here they get 50/yr basically same as any car the only thing you save on is insurance.
wish they had the option of one time fee, but that would be less in politicians pocket never happen
wish they had the option of one time fee, but that would be less in politicians pocket never happen
Seasoned Oak
Minister of Fire
Been trying to determine that since you asked ,id say blue. Im pretty sure its valve seals but thats such a big job ,when actually its just annoying not really a big deal,Think ill just live with it.
Seasoned Oak
Minister of Fire
That seems high ,i paid $75 in PA. I drive the truck whenever i want to ,no restrictions. the notory said its not supposed to be your only vehicle but dont ask for proof of another. Antique plates have more restrictions ,classic very few.
Here in Wisconsin when you apply for the collector plates they automatically check to see if you have a normally plated vehicle to drive. You do need to send specifically shot photos of the vehicle that your wanting collector plates for but they don’t seem to deny less than pristine examples as I’ve seen some that didn’t look too good with the special plates on the road. Yeah the $200 might be more than some states for the plates but it saves the $75 minimum a year thereafter and if your like me I keep my vehicles for many many years now. Me being 55 now both trucks I have now I’ll problably have until I kick the bucket and my daily driver car I’ve had for 15 years now and I’d like to get 20 out of it, a Toyota.... so it’s doable.
A valve job can be a big job on some cars or trucks but on my ‘78 F-150 it’s not bad at all as everything in the engine bay is wide open and there’s not much to getting the single head off and out of the inline 6 300 engine. Well, there’s a photo for that...lol
PS, I paid $1000 for this truck in 2010 and I put another thousand into it for new window seals and some engine work. You may have figured out that I can talk about my trucks all day long lol...
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Seasoned Oak
Minister of Fire
The cost of the classic plate was only about $10 more than the regular plate . Technically you not supposed to haul cargo in it but i rarely ever get stopped for any reason so i figured id try it. I have another 3/4 ton truck for hauling anyway. Those plates are $158 yr but will be $10 YR after this yr for retired folks 62 and over. (Me)
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