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

[Deere Dude]

I'm easy on brakes too.... what you describe is a big problem up here, due to Winter salt.

High capacity pickups with rear disc brakes used as just a personal vehicle are pretty much the worst situation...... most of the time they never carry any noticeable load, so the rears basically do no work. To keep ahead of this, most vehicles here really need to have disc brakes serviced (cleaned, properly lubed) at least once a year.

In our climate, I prefer rear drum brakes. I'm hearing that some recent light truck brakes (w. vehicle stability systems) have deliberately changed the rear brake bias - some of that change may have been done to address calipers seizing too often.

Rgds, D.

My brakes were never checked out before that point and the truck was used as a grocery getter quite often and sat in the garage months on end at times and that would explain that. I was told when I bought the truck it had heavy duty brakes but I still babied them because I didn't want to wear them out.
When I looked at the pads after 10 years and being replaced I swear they were close to half inch thick yet. The pads were good but the truck wouldn't slow me down like it should because of the rusty rotors. That don't happen anymore. I give them a workout even when the truck is empty.
Hey dear, hold my beer and watch this!!

 

[not2old]

I too had rear brake problems because I didn't use my truck enough and without carrying much weight. I discovered that the warning lights had failed and that the rear brake line had rusted to the point that I'd lost all the rear fluid. I now check the fluid on all my vehicles regularily and don't trust the warning lights.

 

[crazyal]

Personally I like the new features in cars. We often take trips in the country and being able to push a button and find out how much gas is and have it mapped out so I know just how far out of the way is nice. Never having to remove keys from my pocket to open a door (or dealing with frozen locks) or start a car is great. The power rear door on the Rav4 is great when you're pushing a full shopping cart and it's raining out. I never really cared much about them in the past, kind of thought they were just unneeded gimmicks but as I embrace change I actually find a number of them are very useful. Even the USB port (which I swore I would never use) turns out to be a nice feature. A lot of stuff today use a USB cable to charge them. I lost count of the number of cigarette outlet chargers that got ruined because the connector on the end got wet (or possibly salt on it) and corroded. Now it's just a simple cable, less bulk in the glove box, much easier and cheaper to replace. Things like rear view camera and blind spot monitors are just nice. Why wouldn't you want have extra aids. I don't have the lane departure warning system or the braking system but wouldn't mind it. Even the electric power steering is nice. No more power steering fluid, no pumps, no hoses, none of that nonsense. Maybe long after I no longer own it the rack will need replacing but that's most likely true for a hydraulic steering rack as well.

 

[Steve1300]

My needs and my age (and physical ability) change. My old truck didn't.

That is why new was necessary. If those items above don't change, then there is no need to change the truck.

I liked my old F150. If things didn't change, I'd still have it.

 

[tcartwri]

I have to say, stuff I once thought frivolous i now wouldn't do without.

 

[murph1]

I have to say, stuff I once thought frivolous i now wouldn't do without.

Like heated seats!

 

[CADplans]

Like heated seats!

We purchased our second car with heated seats,,, last Fall.
When we went looking,, the wife's only demand was heated seats,,
she did not even care what the color was,,, :confused2:

A decade ago,, I would have laughed at you if you told me one day I would own a mini-suv,,, :laughing:

 

[3930dave]

Progress/change in certain areas appeals to me. I like the old (50's era) Dodge Power Wagons, but if I had to drive coast to coast on a schedule today, I know a modern truck would get me there more comfortably.

Added features are great, so long as they are working.

My issue with added complexity, is reduced reliability/functionality. 2 true stories:

Christmas eve, down at my friend's commercial shop. Lady had stopped in to the convenience store next door to grab a bag of milk. Left minivan running, with a kid strapped into a car seat in the back - van locked, line of sight to the cash. Comes out, keyfob doesn't work, no mechanical locks on exterior. Comes into the shop in a panic. While a couple of us started looking at the least invasive way to break into the van, another mechanic managed to tear her fob down and fix the switch/wire problem - not many people are going to be able to do this on the side of the road.

#2. Same shop, long term customer stops by to chat with the owner. He knew they had a new car, and asked how they liked it. After eyes rolled up, he was told..... just after they got it, the wife twangs the sideview mirror pulling into the garage at home. Hubby comes home to upset wife... he talks her down, says no big deal, well get that "buffed out" . Hubby goes to hop in the new car to go to work the next morning - No Start. It had to be towed to the dealer to have the mirror fixed and the Lane Departure system reset and calibrated.

That mirror was twanged on a modern Subaru. While I'm usually impressed by the drivetrain Fuji puts in those products, what I do find ironic about it happening to this brand is the lifestyle marketing Subaru runs with. Canada has plenty of remote areas to put canoes and kayaks in the water - many of those have pretty tight spots to park your vehicle into - imagine jockeying that vehicle into a tight cove and tweaking said mirror on a tree ? We're talking about places where even today you could be walking a very long time to get cell reception.

Modcons are great so long as the keep working, or at least don't disable a critical function when faulty.

One function I would like to see on modern cars/trucks is low oil shutdown. Why can I buy a $300 generator that has it, but not a $90k truck ? Today, I don't buy the A faulty Sensor Might Leave Somebody Stranded argument. Vehicles already have critical sensors on-board that will take an engine down when they fault, and as most vehicles have in-dash screens already, it would be trivial to program an Override Low Oil Sensor Now command.

Rgds, D.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I'm driving a 2003 GMC 1500HD, 72K on it right now. Just this past year, I had a few issues that had to be repaired. Broke a valve spring coming back from Florida, had to have that repaired by a shop, then I had to replace the ignition cylinder and every brake line on it. This spring I need to replace the rockers and cab corners, I've already got everything I need for that job waiting in the garage.
Prior to that, it had been an issue free vehicle, so I knew that I was going to be spending some maintenance money somewhere in my future.
Once that's done, I guess I'll just keep driving it. I got an itch once to trade it once and was darn near insulted by the two dealer offers I was given, especially when I considered how much they were asking for their trucks. I'll just let the wife sell it in a yard sale once I've departed this world!

We do keep the wife in newer vehicles, trading about every 3-4 years.

Dealers love folks who trade in their cars. Do you guys ever look at their used car lot prior to trading in your car. The same vehicle that you are trading in for $10K trade in allotment will be $20K on their lot. Even if you look up the value on Kelly Blue book so you have an idea of the trade in value, you still get screwed. I never trade in a vehicle. I prefer to sell it for a low ball Blue Book value to an individual than allow dealers to make thousands off me.

Now I may PO a few folks here, (any car salesmen reading this) but a car salesman is about the lowest life form there is, he/she makes a living lying their *** off daily and making their customers believe that they are telling the truth. They are just below a politician in believability .

 

[ovrszd]

Like heated seats!

That's in the top three for my wife, along with Ventilated Seats and Heated Steering Wheel......