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Oh Deer! Yours is such a good looking truck too; sorry that happened. Yours looks like my '94 dakota, which also got smashed on that same corner - smells like a curse
"it's always better to invest in what you have vs what you don't know (some other used vehicle)"
I second that emotion Steve! I wouldn't know where to begin with buying a more modern vehicle.
Today i went ahead and cashed the insurance check -$3700 and I got in touch with an old friend who does body work and he'll be cheap so I'm hopefull that he'll get me back to normal.
Thanks for sharing your story; it makes me know i'm not alone!
"it's always better to invest in what you have vs what you don't know (some other used vehicle)"
Completely agree. I just spent $5,200 on my 29 year old Dakota. Didn't really need to spend that much because I replaced a lot of stuff simply "because I was there" while fixing other stuff. But people think I was nuts. My thinking is I could not find a better truck for $5,200. My truck has never been in better shape and for what I see $5,200 gets you these days, no way!
The only thing on my truck that does not work is the ash tray light. Everything else works and works like it is new and it also looks great inside and out. Also, there are no clunks, squeaks, or rattles. I always babied that thing and kept it in the garage. What do you get for $5,200 today? Headaches! Your point is spot on.
There's so much actual junk out there being produced today, if you can keep what you have (what you know) on the road I'd do it...and not to be all that 'green' because I'm not I'll say this, which the green crowd doesn't like to hear, that there is nothing greener than that which has already been built...because no matter the emissions or the fuel economy, you do not have to expend resources to build it again...maintain, yes, build from scratch no.
But that's not what the green crowd wants to hear because their 'green' is all about batteries and virtue signaling...which is anything but green if you look at the battery manufacturing.
I don't think this way to be green but to be conservative of the abundance of resources we do have and to not be wasteful...and because I don't want to spend the multiple thousands that it costs now to buy a vehicle...and besides, like I said, so much of the stuff produced today is junk....GM Equinox / Traverse...junk, Trailblazer, Envoy, Bravada...junk....I'm seeing cars barely 6 years old in the scrap yards because 1) no one took care of them but 2) they are just junk to begin with.
EDIT: the deer I managed to hit just popped up out of the ditch and there was nothing to be done. I was just fortunate that they didn't get far enough in front to destroy the radiator etc. I was able to drive away that night, no broken glass, they destroyed that whole side but never touched the windows or even moved the passenger side mirror!!
Steve
Last edited by glenlloyd; Sep 2, 2022 at 07:48 PM.
Since finding clean body parts in the mid-west secondary market is so tough I opted to 'rig' up my lights on that side so I'd still pass legally but I didn't do any immediate sheet metal repairs. Last week I managed to get a replacement red hood and passenger door, the fender unfortunately was no good, but I do have a good fender in green and the local Autozone carries premixed Flame Red in aerosol cans...so I'll be painting that fender in the near future. I also got a replacement bumper but I'm still lacking the driver fender (forward area where front valance / spoiler attached is rotted out or a patch for that fender.
What I'm getting at is that unless it totally destroyed your vehicle I think you're better off if you can, to just rebuild it and go on with life....it's always better to invest in what you have vs what you don't know (some other used vehicle).
I'm fixing mine...and actually I'm swapping trans to MT too, which might seem like dumping money into something that's not worth it, but that's ok...it has never failed to start for me...despite weak fuel pump.
My .02
Steve
Personally, I'd replace the parts and worry about painted them later. Get it back on the road then deal with paint. In the mean time, nobody will cut you off in traffic.
Personally, I'd replace the parts and worry about painted them later. Get it back on the road then deal with paint. In the mean time, nobody will cut you off in traffic.
Oh it's on the road...in fact it went 120 miles yesterday driving down to a place I own, so I can cut the grass.
And today it hauled everything (except driveshaft) that I need to convert to MT...she's still moving, and the lights are patched together good enough to keep law enforcement happy. Still need to find a decent driver fender though.
That beautiful truck looks the same model as glenfloyd's; yours is a '94? I have one but I like driving the '91. I may spend the money on the 94 and keep the wrecked 91 for a backup ride. I can get the air fixed on the 94!
