Anyone rolling in a 589 yet?

Oh I definitely got 100k into my 37k W900L over the 10 years I've owned it, but I bought it from the original owner with only 640k miles on it so the wiring never got hacked into thank god. I just had 8 air bags show up in the mail for it today that were about 1150 bucks and the Radiator I put in it back when I bought it just started leaking so that's probably gonna be another 2k doing it myself. Resale doesn't matter if you're going to make your money working the truck, but back during peak covid I saw trucks like mine going for 100-120k and that was #### tempting lol.

I think a new truck can make sense if you're going to run 100k+ miles a year and then dump it before you get past that 500k warranty period and get another one, but I like running 50-80k miles a year and spending lots of time at home cause I'm a single frugal guy with just my dog and I so no need to work too hard.

 

I've done just about everything on that list as well! lol. No hood or bodywork for me though. I got a Herd Texas super road train bumper that has taken lots of deer and a fender bender with no work needed. One of these days I gotta pull it off and bend the steel sub frame back 1/2" or so and maybe weld up some of the scratches before polishing it, but it'll still explode deer as it is.

I'd probably be well under 100k if i had started doing work on the truck myself long ago, but I'm just now starting to get comfortable working on the truck myself and not feeling like I'm gonna mess stuff up. Unfortunately I don't have a shop and live in Nebraska so working outside sucks 10 months out of the year lol.

A new 389 for 175k is just a dream now. Those were the good days before they turned the covid money printer on and everything really went to hell. I think those 90s trucks are gonna look better and better as trucks transition fully to digital dashes and mandate automatic braking system,ABS,TCS and whatever other nonsense they can think of.

Or maybe I'll be wrong. Everyone keeps saying that these old trucks will one day be uninsurable or they'll make us run E-logs. Hasn't happen yet, but this insurance renewal shopping around one company wanted a picture of my truck and a 3rd party DOT inspection because of my trucks age so who knows how it's gonna go.

 

I know financially keeping my 2004 is probably not the correct business decision, but I can't get comfortable in any of the new trucks, I can't stand the layouts. I like the quiet and the fuel mileage part, but changed my gearing and threw an 18 speed in and get about the same mileage as something new in the open deck world, and can still have alot of fun bobtailing the truck. My plan was when I bought my truck to keep it for about a year and get something newish, then covid happened , between pricing and al the supply chain crap that went out the window in a hurry. I will more than likely be around $200,000 in when I get my truck all the way done, but f it that is what a new truck costs anyway now.

 

Yeah getting an old truck baselined is a real pain, but once it's done it's done for a while usually. You know my fuel lines made it over 30 years before they started giving me trouble. I'd guess these new ones I put on will make it 30 more. I'm dreading the point I gotta redo wiring or airlines, but they've made it over 30 years and once done will probably make it 30 more as well.

That 100kish you had into the truck was from 2019 to 2025 so about 6 years of operation. I think it's going to be even more on a new truck if you look at maintenance on it over that time period. An X15 VGT turbo can run 8k instead of 2k for a non vgt turbo. That def system can run more than an overhaul on your N14. The x15 overhauls I'm hearing can run 40-50k vs 20k or so for the old N14 and the X15's seem to frequently blow at 300-500k due to their emissions system running too hot with too much back pressure IMO. The ABS system needs maintenance and that may not have even existed on your old 97 W9. It doesn't on my 95.

The constant nickel and diming stuff does get frustrating if you run far from home though I understand that for sure and if your health isn't so good with your back and all nothing wrong with getting a new more modern ride even if it costs a little more. Biggest downside might just be getting a few less arm pumps from the kids passing through the small towns lol. My flat top W9 gets lots of arm pumps my old Volvo never did even though I pulled the 3406E from the Volvo and put it in the W9 go figure! lol

 

When I had my FLD and W900 I paid extra to pump the value up a little just so they wouldn’t get totaled if I smacked a deer or something. But I would’ve taken a bath if the accident was bad enough for a total.

 

Seen this little feller this morning. First short hood I’ve seen… square headlights too? All that fancy with a Pacar and an AMT…