That was an awesome movie.

 

Honestly, for a truck that old it's best to part it out and move on; otherwise, you're throwing good money after bad.

Remember, it's just a compilation of metal, glass, and wires. Don't get overly emotionally attached to "stuff".

 

I respectfully disagree Gary. 2001 is not old in the truck world and these trucks are among the longest lasting ever produced with simple electronics and bulletproof engines and axles. Heck, they even came factory with grease zerks! Show me a new truck that you can service like that.

The worst part is not only have trucks become cars with cheaper gizmo interiors, they have more than tripled in price. So throwing "good" money away would mean buying new. In just ten years, trucks have gone from low 20s to high 50s. Spending that much money on anything that doesn't say "Ferrari" or "Corvette" on it is just plain moronic. But people love debt and living month to month.

My "old" 1999 has started every single time in 18 years but twice (battery and clutch switch). It has hauled me and all my stuff across country more than 30 times and never broken down. It gets 13mpg in town and up to 18 on hwy. A friend at church has a 4th gen Hemi and gets 13 in town and 17 on hwy. Now where's the advantage? Trucks have tripled in price but get the same mileage? They should be getting 30mpg for the prices they want!

All the parts or repairs to my 'old" 99 have cost less than one month payment on a new one. My full coverage insurance is less than $70/month. I'm getting brand new 33" BFG KO2s installed today and they only cost $798 because of the 16" wheels. Have you priced 20" tires? My clutch was a whopping $300. Priced out an auto trans?

My point is that your implication that he spend money on a new(er) truck may be argued similarly in regards to "good money after bad." I have yet to see a used 4th gen under $20 no matter the trim or mileage. And that is going back to 09. There is a huge truck bubble and it seems to be made of steel. As long as people keep throwing good money at overpriced compilations of "metal, glass, and wire," trucks will keep getting more expensive. If he fixes his truck and gets a couple years of debt-free use out of it, he is being much wiser than spending $1 on a newer truck only to have debt, repairs, and higher insurance.

I know you are a wise person and I'm not picking a fight. My goal is to encourage the OP to do both what is financially wise and what his heart wants. It is obvious he loves his truck, which many of us do, and there will never be another vehicle that means as much to me as my truck does. Over the past 18 years, it is the only thing that has remained with me everywhere I go. Heck, show me a woman who will last 18 years in a relationship. . . but I digress.

 

One of my neighbors bought a fully dressed Ford 1-ton dually with der diesel. It was just barely shy of 70K...... And it gets worse mileage than some of its older siblings...... Not to mention needing DEF, etc.