What makes more sense...driving a long paid for old truck, or making huge payments??

   / What makes more sense...driving a long paid for old truck, or making huge payments?? #1  
Retiredguy2

Retiredguy2

Gold Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2015
Messages
313
Location
Michigan
Tractor
Deere 4410
I have owned a Y2K GMC Yukon XL 2500 since it was new, and love to brag that I have saved tens of thousands of dollars by keeping it all this time rather than "trading up" as GM would have me want to do. Mine is very low mileage (currently about 47000) but has never been in the shop for parts or service unless you count the one set of new tires it had installed back in late 2014. I have religiously changed the oil and filter every year and it has also had three new batteries installed, as well as two sets of radiator hoses and belts installed as well as coolant flushes and refills as well as a change of both drive belts each time. I have kept track: My total outlay for parts and service over that period has been probably a total of $2700 spent for everything involved inclusive of a pair of rear window motors and one set of new rear brake discs and pads. I still have a set of new front discs and pads ready to install. I should mention that everything done in the way of maintaining my truck aside from the new tires I have done myself.

Now...my GMC has always been 100% reliable and has never let me down in any way. It amazes me that GM now prices HALF TON models of my truck ($33,000 new) at a price of $75 grand. My selling dealer is long gone but they GM knows I have the truck so they send me email and snail mail all the time to trade in and trade up.

Makes me laugh...what would be the purpose of doing that? No thanks. I will stick with my Y2K model. I always wonder why so so many people just HAVE to HAVE something new that depreciates a third once you drive it home. NO THANKS.
 

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   / What makes more sense...driving a long paid for old truck, or making huge payments?? #2  
I feel the same way. I still have my '73 Chevy K20 which has 97000 miles and still runs fine. I've only used it when I had some hauling to do. I've gone thru several cars in that time. I paid 5000 for it new.
 
   / What makes more sense...driving a long paid for old truck, or making huge payments?? #3  
I still have my 95 Chevy 1500 W/T no optioned truck with 105,000. Rusted out but I use it when I need a truck. Now my 09 Merc has 195k and I will drive that into the ground. My worries are taking it on a trip without a break down.
 
   / What makes more sense...driving a long paid for old truck, or making huge payments?? #4  
I bought my 1991 F-250 Ford used 21 years ago and I'm still driving it.
Hoping to get at least 5 or 10 more years from my wife's 05 Subaru Forester.
Can't get my toys (ATV, snowmobile, motorcycle, side by side) if I'm spending all the money on cars. And I'd rather have the toys vs newer car/truck any day.
I do all my own maintenance/repairs.
 
   / What makes more sense...driving a long paid for old truck, or making huge payments?? #5  
Wow, I put on atleast 20k a year on my vehicle and when it was a company vehicle I put on over 40k a year. Its a 2012 with 154,xxx on the clock right now. I'm going to have to trade it off within the next year or so! If you can afford a new vehicle and want one so be it. A vehicle is a terrible purchase decision but we all do it. I'd love to be able to keep a vehicle 10+ years but I drive far to many miles to do it!
 
   / What makes more sense...driving a long paid for old truck, or making huge payments?? #6  
Great looking yukon.The best truck is one that is paid for.LOL
 
   / What makes more sense...driving a long paid for old truck, or making huge payments?? #7  
I drove company cars (new one each year) for 20 years. When I starting traveling more and more, got the wife a new rig so she did not have to worry about things while I was gone.. then I was home and we kept rigs and kids needed cars, we ended up with some high miles (258,000 on 92' suburban, 180,000 on '98 Yukon).. then kids on their own, me not wanting to work on vehicles (seemed like something all the time) and now we are in 2011 2500HD and 2012 Tahoe that meet our needs. If I had that 2000 Yukon XL, I would keep it.
 
   / What makes more sense...driving a long paid for old truck, or making huge payments?? #8  
If there weren't so much after market parts around, I'm sure GM would refer to that vehicle as some sort of Legacy and hence, no longer supported.

I drive an 08 Duramax with 100K miles that I got at a bargain when GM went bankrupt. No major issues but it's starting to rust and I don't know what to do.

I can't stand the look of pretty much any of the new interiors. So I can't even see spending all that money on something I don't even like.
 
   / What makes more sense...driving a long paid for old truck, or making huge payments?? #9  
Industrial Toys said:
If there weren't so much after market parts around, I'm sure GM would refer to that vehicle as some sort of Legacy and hence, no longer supported.

I drive an 08 Duramax with 100K miles that I got at a bargain when GM went bankrupt. No major issues but it's starting to rust and I don't know what to do.
Click to expand...

I bet you would be pleasantly surprised at the private party value of that truck esp if it is the LBZ motor (I think they dropped the LMM in 06 or so but I'm not a GM guru)
 
   / What makes more sense...driving a long paid for old truck, or making huge payments?? #10  
Retiredguy2 said:
I have owned a Y2K GMC Yukon XL 2500 since it was new, and love to brag that I have saved tens of thousands of dollars by keeping it all this time rather than "trading up" as GM would have me want to do. Mine is very low mileage (currently about 47000) but has never been in the shop for parts or service unless you count the one set of new tires it had installed back in late 2014. I have religiously changed the oil and filter every year and it has also had three new batteries installed, as well as two sets of radiator hoses and belts installed as well as coolant flushes and refills as well as a change of both drive belts each time. I have kept track: My total outlay for parts and service over that period has been probably a total of $2700 spent for everything involved inclusive of a pair of rear window motors and one set of new rear brake discs and pads. I still have a set of new front discs and pads ready to install. I should mention that everything done in the way of maintaining my truck aside from the new tires I have done myself.

Now...my GMC has always been 100% reliable and has never let me down in any way. It amazes me that GM now prices HALF TON models of my truck ($33,000 new) at a price of $75 grand. My selling dealer is long gone but they GM knows I have the truck so they send me email and snail mail all the time to trade in and trade up.

Makes me laugh...what would be the purpose of doing that? No thanks. I will stick with my Y2K model. I always wonder why so so many people just HAVE to HAVE something new that depreciates a third once you drive it home. NO THANKS.
Click to expand...
You are not the norm. We put 30,000 miles a year on our vehicles and most people I know average about 15,000 miles a year. You average 2,700 miles.

The answer is we just plain wear them out.

For me and my family it's about reliability. I have no issue with a vehicle with say 200,000 miles which for us is 6 years of ownership. For you it would take 70 plus years.

You are just not the norm. For the rest of us it's part of life and our family budget!
 
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