Time for new wheels...

[golfnut]

You can get a sport sedan that has plenty of zip...

I had a 2004 Acura TL with 6 speed.... very quick acceleration and has summer sport tires so it handled really well... top speed was 155 mph...

It was quicker and faster than my 87 Firebird Formula with a 5.7 liter engine... I think it topped out at 140 ish.... I think the Acura was also quicker in the 1/4 mile....


And it was a luxury car when I was not thrashing it around, which BTW is close to 99% of the time (that is not thrashing)....

I have the exact same car. Bought it new and still going strong (only 89.000 miles on it).

 

[RE2Boys]

The days of vehicles with fully manual transmissions are numbered as the more modern 6 and 9 speed transmissions beat them on mileage. (a far cry from the old 3 and 4 speeds). Many however have a mode where it will shift only when you manipulate the lever but with no clutch involved. Sometimes such transmissions will say shift denied if you try to downshift to far and potentially over speed the engine. So as long as you stay within the engine rpm limits you can drive like a manual. (One other issue is the auto start stop and combining it with a transmission with a clutch)

Fully agree, but the OP talked about zoom zoom, and to me the manual keeps you intimately involved in the mechanicals and the act of driving. I'd never own a manual in an heavily urban area, the shifting to get to the grocery would take the fun out of driving. But it is my idea of a true driving machine. Doesn't need to be fast, but decently fun. It's part of my dream retirement truck, no interest in the luxury land yachts that populate most truck owner's driveways. Only about a third of the folks I know with a truck actually use it as a truck, most it is just a big expensive showpiece for hauling the kids and a load of mulch once in awhile. For that, I just borrow my cousin's trailer and tow with the minivan.
Gotta a lot of respect for a friend who's in construction, he waited two months to get a true work truck (vinyl seats, vinyl floor, etc), saved him a bundle.

 

[MRG]

Gotta a lot of respect for a friend who's in construction, he waited two months to get a true work truck (vinyl seats, vinyl floor, etc), saved him a bundle.

Hard to find stripped like that. My first 4x4, a 68 Ford had nothing on it, no radio even. Great for getting clean open up the doors and blast the mud right out.

 

[pb4uski]

....We have a plastic cover in the back of our SUV that can be taken out and hosed down... ....

DW just left for a Girl Scout meeting and told me she was taking the truck. I asked her... why the truck? She said that she planned to stop at a farmer friend's place on the way home and get some cow manure for her garden. Try that with your SUV, plastic cover or not.

 

[RE2Boys]

DW just left for a Girl Scout meeting and told me she was taking the truck. I asked her... why the truck? She said that she planned to stop at a farmer friend's place on the way home and get some cow manure for her garden. Try that with your SUV, plastic cover or not.

That's a job for a utility trailer, not a luxo truck!!!

You know they had to call them Sport Utility Vehicles because they really make lousy utility vehicles. Can't carry as much cargo or passengers as a minivan and can't tow or haul crap (pun intended) as a pickup. So they made up a new name and sold it to the public at a premium.

Last week tree trimmers were working on my trees to clear power lines, asked them to save any wood that would suitable for splitting, our Boy Scout troop splits & sells the wood. Anyway, first thought, to get it out of my yard, was to get my cousin's trailer but realizing they were no longer than four feet, my son and I through an oversize tarp in the back of the minivan and loaded about a thousand pounds of wood and hauled it over to the Scout's woodpile.

 

[Hermit]

That's a job for a utility trailer, not a luxo truck!!!

You know they had to call them Sport Utility Vehicles because they really make lousy utility vehicles. Can't carry as much cargo or passengers as a minivan and can't tow or haul crap (pun intended) as a pickup. So they made up a new name and sold it to the public at a premium.

Last week tree trimmers were working on my trees to clear power lines, asked them to save any wood that would suitable for splitting, our Boy Scout troop splits & sells the wood. Anyway, first thought, to get it out of my yard, was to get my cousin's trailer but realizing they were no longer than four feet, my son and I through an oversize tarp in the back of the minivan and loaded about a thousand pounds of wood and hauled it over to the Scout's woodpile.

Did you check to make sure the wheels were still straight afterwards?

 

[pb4uski]

Did you check to make sure the wheels were still straight afterwards?

What does it matter? It's not his trailer... its his cousin's trailer.

 

[REWahoo]

What does it matter? It's not his trailer... its his cousin's trailer.

You might want to re-read how they hauled that wood...

...an oversize tarp in the back of the minivan and loaded about a thousand pounds of wood...

 

[Walt34]

He wants to get another pickup truck as his next vehicle. Men seem to need trucks, although I haven't quite figured out the reasoning behind that, yet.

Oh, it's very simple:

 

[pb4uski]

You might want to re-read how they hauled that wood...

I stand corrected. But it isn't as bad as I thought:

The Dodge Grand Caravan SXT and SE — as well as its new 2009 Cargo Van trim level — have a payload capacity of 1,500 pounds, according to Chrysler. Payload capacity is the amount of weight a vehicle can carry and includes cargo and passengers.

 

[Texas Proud]

I have the exact same car. Bought it new and still going strong (only 89.000 miles on it).

I only had 45K but totaled it out last year

Best car I ever had... I do not like the newer models, but most people will...

 

[foxfirev5]

Looking forward to getting rid of my company crew cab pickup this Friday. Nice ride on the open road but a pain in the city. Also I've never found the need for a pickup vs the small SUV and 12 year old Lexus DW and I have. We've built houses from the ground up, and maintained two residences without the need for a pickup. You can pay for a tremendous amount of delivery fees before you'll ever recover part of the additional cost. Call it a lifestyle choice. Just like my DW did when we bought the new Lexus. And she'll probably live with that for another 5-10 years before she'll admit I was right.

 

[misanman]

One of the reasons I like the Miata and the f150 is that they are rear wheel drive. I've never really liked the way front wheel drive vehicles handle. Most all light duty SUVs are really front wheel drive disguised as all wheel drive.

Sent from my XT1575 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[meierlde]

An alternative to delivery that is still cheaper than getting a pickup is to rent one for a day at maybe $70 or so from enterprise. It is cheaper than $85 delivery fees from some places. Essentially the times you need a pickup you rent it.

 

[Music Lover]

Fully agree, but the OP talked about zoom zoom, and to me the manual keeps you intimately involved in the mechanicals and the act of driving. I'd never own a manual in an heavily urban area, the shifting to get to the grocery would take the fun out of driving. But it is my idea of a true driving machine. Doesn't need to be fast, but decently fun. It's part of my dream retirement truck, no interest in the luxury land yachts that populate most truck owner's driveways. Only about a third of the folks I know with a truck actually use it as a truck, most it is just a big expensive showpiece for hauling the kids and a load of mulch once in awhile. For that, I just borrow my cousin's trailer and tow with the minivan.
Gotta a lot of respect for a friend who's in construction, he waited two months to get a true work truck (vinyl seats, vinyl floor, etc), saved him a bundle.

Just like many people who have a truck and don't really need one, most people would be better off with an automatic and let the computer shift for them. Shifting manually may be fun for some, but the reality is that the overwhelming majority of folks can't shift as well as a computer.

 

[38Chevy454]

I just have to comment on OP's thinking the daughter's car with 115K is not reliable or can't be trusted. That is fewer miles than any of my vehicles, except my motorhome and F-650. I guess having ability to do my own car repairs and understanding how things work gives me a different outlook.

Newer cars have way more than 115K of life, as long as you have done sufficient preventative maintenance. It sounds like OP wants an excuse to get a new car, that is fine. I just do not agree that the 115K car is a POS and unreliable.

 

[meierlde]

I just have to comment on OP's thinking the daughter's car with 115K is not reliable or can't be trusted. That is fewer miles than any of my vehicles, except my motorhome and F-650. I guess having ability to do my own car repairs and understanding how things work gives me a different outlook.

Newer cars have way more than 115K of life, as long as you have done sufficient preventative maintenance. It sounds like OP wants an excuse to get a new car, that is fine. I just do not agree that the 115K car is a POS and unreliable.

It partly depends on where the car is driven. If long distances thru the western us, then the issue of reliability does come up as help could be 100 miles away at some times. If in the east or in town its not so much of a problem. There are places where there is still no cell service in the US so that one could wait a long time for help to arrive.

 

[HF63]

I am going to buy a 2017 F350, diesel, lariat. Aluminum body. An F350 is not a lot more money than a F150, and is MUCH more truck.

And I can write it off, so it's even better.

The Toyota's are OK, if you just need a going to the grocery store truck.

Has Ford sorted out the problem with the international diesel engines, they were very good in the 90's and some where in 2000's they started to really suck. At one point Ford and International where in court with regards to the crappy engines.

 

[Jack_Pine]

Has Ford sorted out the problem with the international diesel engines, they were very good in the 90's and some where in 2000's they started to really suck. At one point Ford and International where in court with regards to the crappy engines.

Have had 3 F350's in a row. The 04 6.0 diesel was problematic. The 12 6.7 I have now is a great engine sans the EPA stuff. Just had the EGR cooler replaced.

Could not image life without a truck. Possibly if you had a trailer but even then.........

 

[Senator]

Have had 3 F350's in a row. The 04 6.0 diesel was problematic. The 12 6.7 I have now is a great engine sans the EPA stuff. Just had the EGR cooler replaced.

Could not image life without a truck. Possibly if you had a trailer but even then.........

I concur. I have a 2003 7.3 PowerStroke Diesel. The newer 6.7s are good from what I have heard. The aluminum bodies, combined with the extra frame strength should make for a great towing truck. I am hoping to avoid a dual real wheel truck.

My first vehicle was a truck. I have always had a truck, that is if you consider a Ford Courier and a Ford ranger a truck. Even simple things are difficult to load in 4-door car.

The difference in price between a F150 and an F350 is minimal, with the same options, it used to be ~$2K. If you look at the capabilities, the F350 is a lot more truck.

 

[Hermit]

Has Ford sorted out the problem with the international diesel engines, they were very good in the 90's and some where in 2000's they started to really suck. At one point Ford and International where in court with regards to the crappy engines.

I didn't research it this morning, but I am pretty certain Ford no longer uses International diesels and hasn't for a few years. They make their own.

 

[ls99]

Read through the thread.

Just not enough to have a Pickup, 98 GMC Z71 1500 rust bucket with over 200K miles, on it. I haul wood, rocks, plow through 2 to 3 foot snow drifts, drag logs, travel god awful nasty roads to my mancave. Need 4 wheel drive year around to get there. It is on final legs, fouling plugs, rust holes galore. Looking for a used GMC Z71 1500 of some vintage as replacement, so long as it any color other than balck, white or red. The used market seems saturated with those colors.

But also need a suburban 99 GMC 3/4 ton to conveniently haul my 18 foot kevlar kayak and terrorize shiny new korvettes, bmws, audis and small sports cars with.

Plus a guy must have a car, 95 Jaguar for going to the Y, coffee runs and Sunday drives.

DW can have her Imelda Marcos size collection of shoes amd her Cadillac.

Decadence, I say, is good since we can afford it after a lifetime fo frugal living.

 

[zinger1457]

Pickup trucks typically retain their value very well. If you look at the list KBB comes out with every year of the top 10 'best resale value vehicles' pickup trucks usually dominate the list.

 

[Car-Guy]

Read through the thread.

Just not enough to have a Pickup, 98 GMC Z71 1500 rust bucket with over 200K miles, on it. I haul wood, rocks, plow through 2 to 3 foot snow drifts, drag logs, travel god awful nasty roads to my mancave. Need 4 wheel drive year around to get there. It is on final legs, fouling plugs, rust holes galore.

I had a mid 90's Z71 too, great 4WD truck. Mine had about 200k miles when I sold it. Have you tried to use some "non foulers" for the fouling plugs? You can do each bad cylinder for about $5 and it is a very simple ~2 minute fix per cylinder. It may very possibly extend the life of your engine for a while. I've used the trick/fix on some older vehicles that I didn't want to do an engine rebuild on and it's worked for me a number of times.

Rust holes just add character to a work truck.

 

[Bamaman]

I too have a 03 F250 7.3 diesel with a tuner on it. After 13 years and 130K miles, it's still running, driving and looking like new. And it's still worth a bunch of money on the used car market. The value in such a truck is fuel mileage, little maintenance (other than oil) and they'll last a long, long time. By the time the engine wears out, I'll be about 95 years old.

As someone with 24 years in the car business, I tend to stick to cars with high resale value, very low maintenance and incidence of repairs. I'm telling most people to stick with cars like the Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys for day to day transportation. You cannot beat their quality, resale or overall cost of driving them--and the mid 30's mpg is incredible for such vehicles. My daily car now is a Lexus IS250 and our people hauler is a late model Ford Explorer--another great buy.