This thread is to explore and document my journey for a replacement for my truck. It is bit of soul searching with the help of collective madness of this forum.
At this point I have spent a little over $20,000 including purchase price, fixing issues, PM and upgrades. It is finally at a point where it is dead reliable (we just returned from a 1000 miles trip in 90 degrees heat and loaded to the gills!)!
So why am I thinking about a replacement? Well - I have a new front locker sitting on the shelf and I am wondering if it is time to build up a new truck with the locker etc instead of spending money on fixing issues on this rusty truck. The basic question I am asking is: do I spend $5k on this truck and keep driving a beat up $25K truck? Or do I buy a nicer example and spend additional $10-$15K and driver around in a nicer $25k truck?
What I love about it:
At this point I have spent a little over $20,000 including purchase price, fixing issues, PM and upgrades. It is finally at a point where it is dead reliable (we just returned from a 1000 miles trip in 90 degrees heat and loaded to the gills!)!
So why am I thinking about a replacement? Well - I have a new front locker sitting on the shelf and I am wondering if it is time to build up a new truck with the locker etc instead of spending money on fixing issues on this rusty truck. The basic question I am asking is: do I spend $5k on this truck and keep driving a beat up $25K truck? Or do I buy a nicer example and spend additional $10-$15K and driver around in a nicer $25k truck?
What I love about it:
- Very reliable
- Goes pretty much anywhere I point it - except big rocks!
- Smooth and quiet ride on highway
- Rough on the outside so I don't mind when I scratch it some!
- Paid off
- Frame is largely rust free - still has some spots that will need to be addressed
- Body rust: I have spent about $2000 fixing body rust issues so far. Rear quarter panels are the biggest issue - some rust on the rocker panels too. I think it will take another $2k to $3k for the remaining issues
- Frame rust: There are still some spots that need addressing (hard to picture but most cross members have surface rust)
- Hard to work under the truck since pretty much every bolt is rust-welded.
- Body panels are beat up! I have slowly learned how to avoid body damage while wheeling but the damage caused so far is pretty significant
- Still needs a few mechanical items: such as front LCA bushings, Front Diff bushings, replace leaky steering rack etc.
- Exhaust is original and is probably on its last legs - definitely has surface rust