Repair or replace??

[racy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pb4uski ...I'm a bit overwhelmed by the responses of just drive it into the ground ... BTW, that is what DW would prefer. ... I take a little more pride in my ride while for DW if it gets from point A to point B safely it is fine with her. The truck is mainly DW's ride ...

So, trade-in the DW. Problem solved.

[Bestwifeever]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pb4uski While I like racy's answer, I'm a bit overwhelmed by the responses of just drive it into the ground - which is an option C that I failed to include. BTW, that is what DW would prefer. My only apprehension is that I have a Thursday golf group that travels to different courses and different people drive each week I am absolutely embarrassed to pull up with this piece of sh!%. I take a little more pride in my ride while for DW if it gets from point A to point B safely it is fine with her. The truck is mainly DW's ride (mine is the turbocharged, 4 door sedan which is really quick and I enjoy driving) but I do use the truck occasionally. I want to think about it more but I think you're convincing me to let it rot and drive it until it dies.

If DW drives it most of the time I would just let her decide what to do.

[MichaelB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pb4uski While I like racy's answer, I'm a bit overwhelmed by the responses of just drive it into the ground - which is an option C that I failed to include. BTW, that is what DW would prefer. ./. The truck is mainly DW's ride (mine is the turbocharged, 4 door sedan which is really quick and I enjoy driving) but I do use the truck occasionally.

Wait a minute. This is her ride, she knows which option she wants, but you're not sure? I have visions of the Space Family Robinson robot waiving its arms and shouting "warning, warning"

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Originally Posted by Bestwifeever If DW drives it most of the time I would just let her decide what to do.

Yup. Make it safe, then take the extra money and set it aside to start a new truck fund.

[Andre1969]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JakeBrake Here's a picture of my veteran truck. It's a surplus DWFP (Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks) 1995 GMC with 192K miles.

Nice truck...I LOVE that color! I know it's just sort of an industrial/commercial vehicle color, and probably wasn't available to the general public, but I like it.

My uncle had a 1997 Chevy Silverado half-ton, extended cab, short bed, that was pretty much shot by around 140,000 miles. The body looked good, but underneath it was looking pretty rusty...frame, crossmembers, back side of some of the body panels, the inside of the bumper, etc. It also had been through two transmissions, and was just not aging well, in general.

I think the biggest factor that did that truck in was that my uncle tended to park it on the grass alot, and that let moisture get to it. He drove it alot in the early years, probably getting to around 80,000 miles within the first three years. But then his job moved him and he was looking at about a 130 mile round trip commute, so he bought a new 2003 Corolla to use, and the truck didn't get used as much, and spent a lot of time sitting.

He let me use his truck as a trade-in last year for a leftover 2012 Dodge Ram. My rationale at the time would be that the Ram would replace both his '97 and my '85, as neither truck was a primary vehicle. But, after I bought the Ram, he would barely drive it. He said it rides too rough, is too hard to get in and out of, and is a pain in the butt to park. And I ended up hanging onto my '85, because, I know this sounds stupid, but I didn't want to mess up a pretty new truck by making it do "truck" work!

Plus, I go into DC alot, and that Ram is a huge pain when it comes to parallel parking and tight maneuvering. And I'd always worry about someone hitting it.

So now, I've had this Ram about 13 months. And it just hit 5600 miles this week. So, like the other two trucks, it sits around alot. But, I make sure it sits on a paved driveway at least, and not out in the grass, so hopefully the rust will hold off for awhile...

[Live And Learn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelB Wait a minute. This is her ride, she knows which option she wants, but you're not sure? I have visions of the Space Family Robinson robot waiving its arms and shouting "warning, warning" .

and totally agree

[NW-Bound]

Quote:

Originally Posted by meierlde It fine if you don't take it on long drives, with water pump seal going the water pumps days are very definitely numbered. If you are not going into the boonies such as west Texas or other areas with similar population density you may be ok, although if when the truck is borrowed the water pump fails hard, someone may be unhappy. BTW 2 years ago a water pump on a 2001 silverado cost $700 including labor.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aja8888 Yes, thanks,I understand the consequences, and the pump is being replaced by me and my son in law this weekend. Fortunately, the old truck never goes far from this area.

This brings back memories of the times I had to replace the water pump on those V8s, back in the 70s.

No matter if the engine was a Ford or Chevy, the water pump was a big hunk of cast iron that was bolted to the two engine heads, with the fan and pump impeller sitting in the middle. Oh, how I had to get a ride to go get a new pump, then swap it out by the side of the road. At least, the pump was quite accessible, compared to those of new engines.

[jazz4cash]

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelover If you really want a new pickup, go for it - that will boost my pension. PM me for a PIN for a Friends and Family discount on the country's best selling truck.

I thought you were retired, but I see you still have the sales bug in your blood.

[Finance Dave]

First off, as most said...leave the dents and rust.

But, as a more generic answer...I do the math like this...

Take the book value of the car as it is. Add the cost of repairs. Use that value, and ask yourself...could I sell it for that much? If the answer is no, don't do the repairs.

Obviously if the math comes out not to repair, you still have to choose whether to drive it as is or buy a new truck, but at least it keeps you from putting more into the truck than would be prudent.

[Ronnieboy]

Not to hijack, but you should also take into account how much insurance will cost. I just noticed my renewal rates for my autos are ridiculous. The van that my daughter drives, 1996 Honda Odyssey, collision only, costs more than the 2012, full coverage Toyota Highlander to insure. The 2002 and 2005 vehicles are more too.

Why does a newer vehicle cost more than a 10+ year old vehicle to insure?

[Andre1969]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronnieboy Not to hijack, but you should also take into account how much insurance will cost. I just noticed my renewal rates for my autos are ridiculous. The van that my daughter drives, 1996 Honda Odyssey, collision only, costs more than the 2012, full coverage Toyota Highlander to insure. The 2002 and 2005 vehicles are more too. Why does a newer vehicle cost more than a 10+ year old vehicle to insure?

One thing that might make a difference...is your daughter listed as the primary driver of that Odyssey? If so, her age might make a difference. Does the '96 have airbags, or does it have those motorized seatbelts? What about anti-lock brakes?

I think that, as a vehicle gets older, it can cost more to insure, to a point, because it's more likely to get totaled out. Often, an insurance company will total out a vehicle if the cost to repair is around 60% of blue book value. So if you have a new $30K vehicle and it gets into an accident that does $12K worth of damage to it, the insurance company is out $12K. But once it's a few years old and only worth $20K, the same accident will total it, and the insurance company is now out $20K, rather than $12K.

But, as the value continues to drop, I would think the rates should start to come back down. For instance, once it's worth $6K, the $12K worth of damage would only cost the insurance company $6K.

One other possibility with the Odyssey...what type of vehicle does the insurance company consider it to be? Back then, the Odyssey wasn't really a minivan (and minivans ain't so "mini-" any more). It was a much smaller vehicle, more of a tall Accord than a real minivan. In fact, the Odyssey is the reason Honda discontinued the Accord wagon. So maybe the premium is high because it's considered a smaller vehicle, and theoretically more dangerous?