What should i do....My truck

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What would you do

  • Give up on it?

    Votes: 12 75.0%

  • Fix it?

    Votes: 4 25.0%

  • New engine? $$$

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    16
outskirtscustoms

outskirtscustoms

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Body: Kokomo, In... Mind: in the gutter. Soul: in
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Well as some of you know my truck has been down for a bit, I ran a compression check and it's a bit low on all cylinders so I know I probably need new rings and might as well rebuild the engine, I got it torn down and also found it needs a new head as this one is cracked right between the valves on cylinder 3. The truck has over 500,000 miles on it (had 250,000 when I got it) and has been a great truck for the $400 bucks I paid for it. The body really doesn't have much rust but the paint is shot and the shock towers in front are starting to go. I really hate to get rid of it 'cause it's been a good truck to me but I'm wondering if it's really worth the effort and the money. I'm a mechanic so I can do it but I could probably get another one cheaper. What do you guys think? Would you fix it or is it time to give up the ghost and get another one?
 
TheFlyingDingo said:
If you think of the truck as your relative, like i think of my car...Keep it.

If its just a truck to get you from point a to be...sell it.
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To me it's just a truck, I have grown particularly fond of the VW Rabbit diesel trucks like this one just because of their small size, great fuel mileage, and their reliability but it's still just a truck to me.
 
TheFlyingDingo said:
I say let it go!
Or fix it...and let it go for more money.
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Well I just got looking on C-list and there's an '86 Ford F-350 crew cab dually diesel with the International 6.9 and 4 speed manual tranny in it for $800. I think I might go check it out, I know the parts for my VW would cost more than that so if it looks good and I can take a small loan from my bank, I might have a bigger truck. MPG's wouldn't be as good but I'd be able to pull home A LOT more bikes :mrgreen:
 
If the truck still runs a little than I would give it to a farmer that needs one. Let him kill once and for all. Then grab another truck. The 350 sounds like a beast but if the price is right than it may be "the one" for now.
 
BrunneCustoms said:
If the truck still runs a little than I would give it to a farmer that needs one. Let him kill once and for all. Then grab another truck. The 350 sounds like a beast but if the price is right than it may be "the one" for now.
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The VW truck is in pieces right now so at the least I'd have to buy a new head gasket to even make it run again..... and with the cracked head and low compression it wasn't running that great anyway. I think I'm just gonna let it go. Maybe I can trade it for a big pile of bikes at the local scrapyard....... :mrgreen:

The F350 looks like a beast in the pics on the add and really bigger than what I need but for the price it's hard to beat, I called the guy and he said it runs great but needs some body and paintwork which is no big deal and it burns a little oil. But what do you expect for a 1986 ford. Especially one for $800.
 
SCHWINNRAY69 said:
Retire it...you would be tired with 500,000 miles :wink:
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Yeah especially since I'm the one who put half the miles on it.......I do drive them kinda hard :mrgreen:
 
A small diesel pickup? We aren't allowed new small diesels by the new laws, but everywhere else in the world is. I just returned from the Philippines, where most of the vehicles are powered by 4 banger little diesels. Even our 9 passenger van had a little diesel. I saw my same truck there with a diesel, 40mpg and plenty of power. I'm jealous. When I bought my Canyon, it was the smallest truck out there, but it's actually midsized. Mahindra has been fighting to get their small diesel truck over here, but our regulations are way too strict, especially when no one else has to worry about standards but the USA.

I would keep the VW diesel truck roadworthy, and just keep the rust at bay for now. I'll bet you can get parts in the junkyard fairly easily. I'd love to have a truck like that for my second vehicle.
 
Wildcat said:
A small diesel pickup? We aren't allowed new small diesels by the new laws, but everywhere else in the world is. I just returned from the Philippines, where most of the vehicles are powered by 4 banger little diesels. Even our 9 passenger van had a little diesel. I saw my same truck there with a diesel, 40mpg and plenty of power. I'm jealous. When I bought my Canyon, it was the smallest truck out there, but it's actually midsized. Mahindra has been fighting to get their small diesel truck over here, but our regulations are way too strict, especially when no one else has to worry about standards but the USA.

I would keep the VW diesel truck roadworthy, and just keep the rust at bay for now. I'll bet you can get parts in the junkyard fairly easily. I'd love to have a truck like that for my second vehicle.
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It's been a great truck but I think it's past it's prime and like beating a dead horse. I looked around a few junkyards and they don't have any VW diesels, they seem to be a much hoarded vehicle around here. They did have a few gas models but no diesels. And it'd cost more to fix than the truck is really worth. I hate to see it go but I think after 500,000 miles it has finally given up the fight.
 
Ratfink1962 said:
The deal breaker is the strut towers, unless your prepared to patch or replace those too. You can get it up and running all you want, but if one of the towers decides to collapse.... your pretty much done.
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Yeah the Indiana road salt hasn't been kind to it. :roll:
 
500k for $400! I would say you got your money's worth. Time to move to the next one.
 
Hay Burner said:
500k for $400! I would say you got your money's worth. Time to move to the next one.
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I only put about half of that on it but I still think I got my money's worth. And surprisingly I've not put a lot of work in it. I'm a mechanic so I do all the work myself anyway but only things I've had go wrong in the entire time I've owned it was just battery, starter, glow plugs, tires, and wheel bearings. And of coarse having to remember to plug in the block heaters in the winter time. :roll: I guess I am beating a dead horse, I mean I've put a quarter million miles on those wheels.

I was kinda hoping the truck would go another 500,000 and out live the K&N filter on it. see if it lives up to it's million mile guarantee..... :mrgreen:
 

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