Nursing a TV along

[JMitchell]

Just sharing for the conversation, but with the cost of late model 3/4 tons and above I've been taking to doing a lot more DIY on my existing TV.

Normal maintenance examples of course are oil changes, tires, and finding and fixing any leaks.

But now after just adding new tires (After Brakes and a thorough top end gasket set last year) I'm setting my sights on a fall series of Pittman arms, Tie Rods, CVs (4WD) and while that's all down why not do an oil pan gasket?

So I guess if there is a point here it's, when is it too much to keep the old girl pulling? I'm avg about $2500 a year max on maint, which from what I'm seeing is untouchable as far as payments fo even for a 2017 or so.

What's your tow vehicle maint look like? Especially if it's not your daily driver?

[DR60]

This year I put $9000 into a 25-year-old 1/2-ton ram. It still has good paint, a nice interior, and I already own it. For that it has a fresh engine, fresh trans, and new ball joints and bushings up front. For less than the cost of a newer used truck it should last as long as we will be driving. And still no payments. DR

[tuffr2]

My thought - with YouTube (sure they make it look easy) you can do a lot of that work. For me I had a car 17 years. It was new features I wanted plus the car was showing rust.

Plus enough things will go wrong like the A/C or radio that when they add up it is fine to let go.

[laj]

Don’t forget all the recalls on new ones. The ones they don’t have the parts to fix, or really even know what’s wrong. I could go buy any 10 new ones, and never look back, but i won’t even buy one.

I keep driving, and fixing, when needed, my old one. Its never let me down.
The new ones have nothing i want, won’t do anything any better then what i have, and i can’t get a nanual in one.

[Wrktfsh]

Originally Posted by laj

Don’t forget all the recalls on new ones. The ones they don’t have the parts to fix, or really even know what’s wrong. I could go buy any 10 new ones, and never look back, but i won’t even buy one.

I keep driving, and fixing, when needed, my old one. Its never let me down.
The new ones have nothing i want, won’t do anything any better then what i have, and i can’t get a nanual in one.

Parts are hard to get for the old ones. Just waited 3 weeks for ford to get the ECM/lead harness for my 2013 f150 transmission.

[tuffr2]

If you have a manual transmission you got to keep it running. The car I had for 17 years was a manual. That is why I kept it so long, I liked driving it. Oh, I drove it in city traffic without thinking about the clutch.

My friend had a 2011 RAM 3500 dually cab chassis with a manual transmission and a hauler bed. He asked me to help him drive it 1,100 miles. I agree, that was a fun truck to drive. He bought a 40' horse trailer with living quarters and we needed to go get it. The horse trailer empty weighed empty about 10,000 or 11,000 pounds. His truck hauled it really easy.

If you ever get a chance to drive a Mustang GT manual take it. That is a fun car to drive.

[laj]

I have a 1970 mach 1 manual with a 428scj shaker hood in the garage. yup, lots of fun alright.

For older ford parts there are several places you can go that specializes in nothing but older fords.

[tuffr2]

That is a classic car - hope you can keep it going for a long time - zoom zoom.

[laj]

I’ve had it 32 yrs. Had same thing in hs, except it was a ‘69. Good times

[jimcumminsw]

I have a 2008, Dodge Mega Cab 3/4ton, 6.7L Cummins with the 68RFE auto and 3:73 gears, 4X4. As of the close of Nov 2022, I had a little over 144,000 miles on the OD. I have track all of my cost on my truck since new from fuel to maintenance and attachments that have been done of the years I have own and operated my truck.

My fuel cost is $0.24 per mile, maintenance is $0.12 per mile. This includes two complete set of tires, one for summer towing and the other for winter driving with their own set of wheels. The truck has extra capacity axle covers (2,1/2QRTS each) and transmission oil pan (3QRTS) plus an extra fuel filter for the fuel system. Oil changes are now done once a year, and this includes 3 gallons of oil and filter.

This will probably be my last truck and I will try and keep this as long as I can drive.

This is my tow vehicle and if I need to haul something such as get lawn material or wood from the lumber yard otherwise the truck is in my garage.

[Nwcid]

For me the answer is when the cost or hassle of maintenance exceeds the cost of a newer rig. This is why I went form a 2004 that I bought used to a new 2016 truck.

Next is a question of reliability, down time and possibly being stranded while on the road. This is my dilemma right now with our UTV. It is not that old and I have stayed up on maintenance including preventive. I swap or fix any part that is showing any kind of risk of failure. We often do extended trips of 100+ miles by ourselves in areas with no services, often including cell phone serviced. We are now over 11,000 miles and trying to decide at what point it makes more sense from a risk stand point to buy a new machine. Not that new machines are not 100% risk free.

What will you do if you are more than a days drive from home and your TV breaks down and requires more than a few days to fix? Are you going to stay in place? Are you going to pay to have everything pulled home? How much will that cost? Will you buy a new truck on the spot? Just some things to think about. Last year my 2014 TV started making noise on our dive home. Took it into the shop in April, got it back in December due to parts being unavailable. I have no idea what I would have done if that had happened when we were 1500 miles from home........

[Lantley]

Reliability is a big issue. I had 300K on my last truck. While it ran well and never stranded me in the end I became leery of it leaving me stranded in a remote area with the 5er in tow.
Getting stranded with and old 300K truck is not smart. Again the truck was fine for most stuff but towing a 15K RV into remote areas was pushing my limits.
With that in mind it was time to upgrade.
I will also add never buy a truck when desperate or in simpler terms never buy when you must have a truck or when your vehicle is suddenly gone.
Always buy when you are in a position to walk away from the deal vs. being in need of a truck.
The current todays car market is in disarray. Prices are still abnormally high.
The market is in flux.
If you can avoid buying in the next few years do so. The market is slowly improving.
Lastly the technology of the new vehicles is game changing. Integrated blue tooth, brake controllers Android Auto and Car Play, and cameras make a huge difference.
I'm not suggesting you buy just for the latest technology, but I am saying the new technology makes a huge difference in your overall experience and is a surprise big new car bonus.
You don't miss what you never had but once you have it there is a huge WOW factor.
Backing up to the 5th wheel or into a tight space is a much easier task when you have integrated cameras.

[deserteagle5]

Originally Posted by Lantley

Reliability is a big issue.
Lastly the technology of the new vehicles is game changing. Integrated blue tooth, brake controllers Android Auto and Car Play, and cameras make a huge difference.
I'm not suggesting you buy just for the latest technology, but I am saying the new technology makes a huge difference in your overall experience and is a surprise big new car bonus.
You don't miss what you never had but once you have it there is a huge WOW factor.

All that new technology is nice to have. It is also the main source of problems. If you look at owner reports of reliability problems on Consumer Reports, the main problem reported is always the new electronics. Mechanically all the new vehicles are very sound - its the electronics that leave people stranded.

How'd you like to see a message like this pop up on your dash when you're a long way from help?

[Nwcid]

Originally Posted by deserteagle5

How'd you like to see a message like this pop up on your dash when you're a long way from help?

Attachment 388840

I would be thankful that I was warned prior to having a more severe failure that could potentially be more expensive. Either way you could be stranded a long way from help.

Just like when my truck told me I was having a regen problem and I was able to prevent major and $$$$$$ damage.