TRUCK FINALLY PAID OFF BUT NOW...

I would keep the truck. some years I put quite a bit in mine some years I do not. things like air bags do not go out like a battery or starter, just all of a sudden. just 4 day's ago I ordered a spare alt pulley from e-bay $20.00 & that included shipp. put it on my spare alt & dropped it off to be rebuilt just yesterday. will cost $65.00 the alt was on my truck for 2- 1/2 years. I never had 1 last much longer than 3 years. so I will be ready when I need it, it will be in my side pocket.

never having a payment gave me peace of mind for over 17 years so far. to quote another member on here I would rather have maint. payments, than truck payments plus maint cost.

take your time deciding.

 

If you are thinking that the newer one might not break as much as the older one you may be right, but when the newer one breaks it will be in the shop a lot longer than the older one. I would keep the older one. I think that you will be happier with it in the end because I know I would.

 

Just be thankful you made it to the payoff before this round of repairs, put the truck notes back into the truck for awhile.
Unless you want a glider... Keep the truck!

 

Well the way you worded the original post it sounded like you always took it to a shop. I would not carry 4 airbags either. Never had one go out on me yet but have seen others lose them but only one at a time. My thoughts are if it takes more than a 3/4" wrench then it needs to go to a shop of some kind yours or someone else's where you have the tools to do the job.

I can't fix everything either. Don't have the tools or knowledge depending on what it is.

One thing to consider is that whenever you get unloaded or drop a trailer, drop the air in your suspension so that they do not get over extended when the weight comes off. This will help extend the life of your bags. I see it all the time where someone is running say a belly dump and they don't drop the air when they open the gates. Dang truck raises 4-6 inches.

 

I also say keep the old truck. I am in the same situation as you. I bought an old 2000 fl classic, had 1,864,000 km on it. Last year I spent 34k fixing it. I could be in something nice. But look here, this year so far I'm less than 10k into fixing it. One piece at a time I am slowly rebuilding the whole thing. All that is left to do now is the rear ends and engine. Of which both seem to be running great. Alternatively you could get a new round of payments and hope you don't also have repairs on top of that ... And don't think like some people that say "why would you spend 30,000 for a new motor into a truck only worth 20,000?" - so, the logical thing would be to go out and spend 150k on a new one? No thank you. Spend the 30 and live again, because most of all the other components are still in fine working order. The emissions systems are also still a gamble if they will function as designed in the lab. No emissions systems, no emissions problems.

 

if you lease a new truck, the payments are $2500. and have full bumper to bumper warranty for 500,000 miles.
I've heard the payments if buying, will run close to the $4,000 per month mark.

I've only had 1 time consuming repair in almost 2 years on a new FL. But, that truck was close to the end of it's lease. And i think it was because the mechanics were lazy and stupid. The rest of the repairs have been done on my 34 hometime. And the only time i've had to call road service. Was the coolant hoses towards the end of the last truck.

As for your money pit. A lot on here can say keep it. Yes, you have a lot of new parts. But, you still have a lot of old parts. Your engine will need a rebuild soon, the radiator doesn't last forever. Neither does the trans or rear ends.

I've been in old trucks that constantly break down on the road somewhere. Now i'm driving newer trucks. To which the company has 12. It's cheaper to lease and have full warranty. Then to repair old clunkers and pay full price. Plus motel and lost revenue. We're not breaking down in the newer trucks. And they get traded every 450,000 miles.

While i understand you all don't want the payments. You have to consider the money spent and revenue lost every year vs. new truck payments.

Some guys have great trucks that just keep on rolling. And make no sense to get rid of. Others have money pits. that make no sense to keep.

I won't dump money into a car that's not worth the value. (motor, trans) when i can buy another car, possibly newer with less miles. For the same price.

I know a few o/o's around here. That traded their dump trucks for newer models. The payments are less then the repair bills they were getting.

Everyone has an opinion. But only one guy has the dillema and needs to decide what his best interest will be.

 

I blew an air bag sitting dead still in a parking lot once a weak spot, I suppose. They don't really wear oout so much as they are affected by heat and cold, siting around in the sun (yes I know they should be in the shade under the truck but the sun can reach them from certain angles). Usually it's dirt or rocks that get caught up in them that rubs a hole in it.

 

I vote keep it. Like another member anytime I replace something I think of it as well that's good for several more years. Air bags are something that should last at least 10 years. I replaced mine at 11 years not because they were leaking but because they were looking dry rotted and I figured it was only a matter of time before one failed.

When I removed them the all thread studs threaded into the bottom of them had nearly rusted through to nothing. I recently painted my frame from the cab back. Didn't spend a lot of time on it. Scaled off the rust and loose paint. My truck looks a 1,000 times better now. Next year i'm going to repaint the engine. I look at all the new parts on the suspension and under the hood. I am not afraid to drive my truck anywhere. Any officer inspecting it will know at a glance it's been kept up even though it's older.

You get to a point where you're not really spending that much on upkeep. Bank it and be ready for when you need to.

 

Well, as snowwy said, lots of opinions but it's you that has the decision to make. I am in agreement with all the ones who said keep it, but in looking at your o/p being an 07 do you have a def? Or an egr? If not, good. I too, have had the driveline fly apart (mine was #3 u joint.) Kind of exciting isn't it. (On the phone to my wife when it happened, "what the hell, gotta go hon, bye"). Like gokiddogo, I have put a whack of money into my old(03), and like kiddo says I did just that last year, put $30 k into a truck worth maybe that (actually it was $36, forgot that I had the tranny blow too). I am just over a million miles, and by this time, almost anything can need replacing. But in the last 18 months, it's like dirthaller said, gee, this thing is working almost like a new truck. It's real easy to get discouraged when it seems like you are forever fixing. But like rollin coal says, every time you fix something, you can cross it off the list, it should be good for years. It's easy too feel a bit envious of the shiny new iron sometimes, but it more than makes up for it when you see them on the side of the highway with 4-ways on waiting for a mechanic or a wrecker because of some fault code or sensor problem, as I rumble on by with my old workhorse. Good luck whatever you decide.

 

All the parts you've already replaced are going to last several years now. My theory is if monthly repairs consistently cost more than a payment on a new one, I dump it.