Just because you have an older truck doesn't mean it has to be a junker. There are a couple different contractors around here who have several older trucks (even as far back at 60's-70's vintage) and they have a pretty good name in the community and stay plenty busy. Granted, these trucks have been nicely painted, have nice 'vintage' lettering on the side, always kept clean and I'm sure they are in excellent mechanical shape. These trucks range in size from pickups to tandem dumps. In some regards I think people get a better first impression by such a setup than the guy that goes out an buys a new truck every couple years and runs it in the ground.
In all honesty, I think this might be the direction I'll have to go with my business. As far as trucks built for work go, Detroit is really going backwards IMO. Now almost every model is full of computer screens, navigation, frivolous electronic crap, no more manual transmissions, poor fuel economy/reliability, huge and awkward body styles, and the list goes on. For $50K I could buy three used trucks, pull them in my shop and rebuild them top to bottom.
As for your last statement, in the 80's and 90's that was 100% true and I'd agree completely. Once the horsepower wars started in the diesel pickups they became a 'hot rod' and status symbol to many people and lost many of their good work truck attributes.
I'm far more impressed with somebody maintaining an old vehicle in good shape, than somebody driving a less than 2 year old vehicle - the minimum (typical) effort the new one takes is only a willingness to go into debt. A concrete contractor driving 100k+/year should have plenty of cash flow, to do whatever he wants - his choice. Agreed, not every 1 ton buyer is a poser - some of these trucks are worked for real.
New - more reliable - debatable. Without getting into brand names..... seen one line of recent p/u's that is basically "Check the oil, and change the front end". Another brand, cylinder deactivation era, goes through enough motor oil that I jokingly refer to 2 stroke technology being quietly re-introduced. Both symptoms on both trucks are
widely known in the trade.
In any type of equipment, complexity tends to reduce lifespan. Many otherwise solid vehicles get scrapped because few people want to put $1000+ into replacing an electronic control module. Governments and obviously car companies are more than fine with that, and many consumers never look at the numbers past what the monthly payment is.
I do actually like appropriate applications of technology. The Prius is an impressive piece of tech, but it won't save the world, and it has been over-hyped. Totally agree with one post here, few people understand what has gone into manufacturing a Prius, let alone something basic like Embodied Energy in all products.
People also tend to forget about things like intended use. Talked to a lady last year, who drove a Prius from Calgary to Ottawa, towing a
small trailer. Got 18L/100km (13 mpg US). I could haul a much larger 10,000# trailer with my 7.3, and still do better than that. Like many, I got a good laugh when Al Gore's son got that hefty highway speeding ticket, driving his Prius ! :laughing:
I'm actually
for appropriate energy conservation, where it makes sense..... BUT, you can't get away from some pretty simple Fizx....... it takes Energy to accomplish Work.
Rgds, D.
