on the fence about buying new truck or overhauling old one

back in 98 i got rid of my 93 shaker because it was costing me quite a bit in repairs and bought a new one lost it a year and a half later and the old one kept going for 6 more years. The guy that bought it only did the heads and regular maint on it and had no other problems...wish i kept it.

 

I have been a Mechanic for a long time, if you are still looking into getting it rebuilt, the first thing you want to have done is pull the pan, inspect the cam, and the block for fretting. If there is a problem then you can make a decision on which way to go. What ever you do, get the full deal, Now program, with a warranty. Either it rebuilt or a drop in. While you are at it get the rad done and the heater core. Just a thought!

 

yea keeping an old paid for truck is a good idea for the fact that you know what all the little quirks are. i have 998,000 on my 3406E. the big reason i want to upgrade is the suspension. i have the old wishbone style connectors. thats another $2000 for just the parts. i had been given an estimate of $2700 to have it installed. and yea nothing i do to the truck will increase the value of it. so it would be like puttin good money after bad.

 

depends how you look at it. You are fixing it for you, not someone else if you keep it. 2700 thats not much more than a new truck payment which you have to make EVERY month. When it starts costing as much in repairs and down time as a truck payment then its time to think long and hard about a new truck. Otherwise if you like the truck keep it. Its not about getting a return on your parts and repair bills. your going to lose alot more than that on a new one

 

Well said DL550CAT. A new vehicle is the fastest depreciating item i know of.... a car, pick up or big truck, doesnt matter. Drive it home today and return it tomorrow and see how much dealer will give you for it....
IMO the only way to justify new is planning to keep the vehicle for most of its productive, useful life.

 

i think you are going to see alot of people start refurbing older trucks. we just got done with 2 step vans and we have 5 more on the way. for the cost of buying one new step van they can refubish 2. all of your big companies are still going to buy new. but i think you may see alot of owner operators and small fleets going to gliders or refurbing older trucks.

 

yea. yall have a good point. but the EPA may put the kibosh on the older motors. cant meet EPA standards can run them on the road.

DL550cat...what if you dont like the truck anymore?? LOL

 

we are working on a program right now to install dpfs on older trucks. its not going to be cheap to install but atleast we will have another option to buying a new truck with all the emisions on it. i have not seen any paperwork on it yet. hopefully the epa will back down and it wont be mandatory.

 

only problem bolting on a dpf is not going to clean them up enough I'm already hearing of 06 and 07 ISX's having trouble passing

 

I would have hard time keeping a truck I did not like. It had alot to do with getting rid of my last truck that and I spent as much on maint. and repair as a new payment would be for a year. Down the road she went and bought a brand new 1. I plan to retire with this truck and I got along way to go till that happens.