Is this a stupid move or what ?

I bought a truck that stood for 10 years.
Didn't have 10% of the issues with the seals I thought I would.
You also get products to put in the fluids to supple up the seals a bit.
I also bought a 20 year truck that never left the air side of a major air port.
Probably never did more then 20mph and only had 120 000miles.
Also very few issues putting it on 500mile runs every day.
I would go for the Mack in a heart beat.

 

If that is what its going to take to keep your bills paid go for it.

You can always buy a newer/nicer truck in the future.

 

How about you buy the Mack for $5,000 and put a for sale sign on it. Ask $15,000. Maybe somebody comes along and buys it for $12,500 or something. Then you take your truck to Peterbilt and you only gotta come up with another $7500. If nobody buys it you just keep driving it I guess.

 

Fix the Pete! Buy some Top Raman for the family. The Mack will be short term help with long term heartache. I have turned a wrench on many a Mack. If you do buy it, remove the hood ornament. I believe that staring at that bulldog's backside causes insanity.

 

I say you go for the Bull Dog and sell the Pete like you planned. with the situation you are in, things can only get better. That old truck will hold up longer than most the brand new trucks sitting on the lot right now if u take care of it. Even if you have to dump an extra $5,000 to get it really nice and every little thing fixed (I highly suggest having the kingpins replaced) then you still have money left over. Just make sure to put 1/2 of it into a maintence account at least until pu get to making some good money again and can spare it.

Pictures will also be helpful......well, honestly I just want to see the truck

 

Why replace the kingpins? They won't wear out from not being used. Mine have been in for over a million miles, keep them greased and they will last longer than the motor.

 

Dave Ramsey could help the OP it sounds like.

 

Kingpins go bad from sitting. The angle of an alignment is set to ride at loaded weight. When a truck sits for years w/o moving it causes them to weaken from having pressure on them at an angle.... at least that's what happened to my FLD from sitting for a year and that's what i was told why they went bad.