Sarge, the only thing I'll add to your thoughts is...I'm not sure the newer vehicles are made as good or better than the older ones. Example, I drive a 2018 Ram 2500 at 53,000 engine shut down it was under warranty and I got a new engine. With in the same month I talked with three other trappers that had engines go out...needed new engines?! These trucks were 2020 and under?? Trucks ranged from Dodge, Chevy and two Toyotas. Coincidence? I hope so. I know these guys ...all trucks very well maintained. Just don't know....
I think a guy needs to go backwards...like start searching for a Ford F250 4x4 with manual lockouts that has been babied...mileage might be around the same and you could work on them.
Thoughts?

It's almost always cheaper to repair than replace and that has never been more true than now. At the price of new and used trucks, you are looking at some major upgrade costs. You're looking at $20-30k minimum to do much of a jump in years and less miles. And then you have a used truck that you don't know what to expect or what's wrong with it.

You know your truck. If it was me, have a trusted mechanic really check over the rest of the drivetrain for you before making a move, but a good new or rebuilt motor will probably buy you quite a few years of reliable service.

That's not even counting depreciation!

True- Once a car gets to a certain point, there isnt much depreciation- at least not like at first. AND if the vehicle is a popular one, starts gaining value to a point. Kind of like the old 64 VW bus that was found in a barn worth 10000. Trouble is, with me, when they are done, they are done. there is nothing left and the scrap guy gets it.

As a mechanic, I agree with one of the earlier replys.. it will turn into a money pit. The biggest concern you should look at is DEPENDABILITY. Will it leave you or someone else stranded at night or in bad weather.? Replacing major components is a plus, but there are 200 other things that fall apart at high mileage. Not from abuse, just normal wear. Been there, done that. I don't want my wife to or one of my kids who borrowed my truck to be stranded. Now you add the cost of a tow truck. For me, I would look very hard at what that truck will sell for, add a few bucks with it. Look at dealer incentives and see what's out there. I don't like to have a car payment and I don't. BUT it can give you piece of mind driving something dependable.

Vehicles are high today and the cost to repair them is unaffordable making many good vehicles with any major issue disposable. New vehicles are under warranty but after that repairs are crazy expensive. A lot depends on your capabilities to do repairs or your are at the mercy of others to keep one running today as progress and technology has made simple repairs impossible.

Just picked up a older mini truck for my collection the computer it needs is available for around $500- $1000 and if the problem that fries them is not found it could fry the new unit. So a lot of research is needed that most folks don’t have the time to look into something like that it’s either figure it out or pay someone to do it.

Some people really don't get it. Or they just don't care. Thinking about buying a new truck and assuming there is a point of equity is just plain silly. You are upside down the minute you drive it off the lot and you will probably never get above zero equity. In the meantime, you have paid ALOT of interest to the bank. It's your money, and it's the way people operate these days but it's sure not for me. I wouldn't be anywhere close to where I am today if I had given most of my income to the bank.

I have a friend who is caught in the trap. He has a boat, a camper, a car and a truck and a mortgage and making payments on all of them. I think even his furniture is on a loan. Everything is done through automatic payments so he doesn't feel the pain as bad. The company he works for puts his paycheck in his account and the banks take it out. He doesn't even really like his job, but at this point he has no other options.

Debt is a trap.

To the OP, you're in a tough spot and that's what our leaders want for you, they're trying to push us all into dependency. I wish the best for you and I'll be watching because I'll be in the same situation in about a year or so with my 2010 F-150. I usually sell at 250-275k miles and buy a good used truck with around 100K, it's the most economical way to drive a dependable vehicle. But with the price of good used trucks these days it's pretty difficult.

It depends on what's wrong with it and the cost to repair.

your assuming trucks depreciate much any more other than that initial hit leaving the lot it is just crazy how they hold value

my dad keeps checking his KBB 2014 F150 6.5 foot box 4 door with the larger back seat the 5.0 v8
he told me in 2019 it was worth 16k by 2022 it was up to 22K.

it is in excellent shape for a truck that has been in 2 major accidents , he got rear ended in 2015 and lady went into his drivers wheel at an intersection in 2017

no rust always garage kept , not driven in the winter hardly at all because he goes to FL right after Christmas

I believe it my son bought a 2011 last year paid 16 and it has a touch of rust , more miles and doesn't have the 4 doors and large backseat just the small back seat.

I paid 6k for my 2004 gmc 1500 2wd in 2/20 pre covid
don't think I could replace it with the same thing including the rust for under 8 today


SGT it you don't fix you can probably sell your body to someone who will for good money.

But this hyperinflation is the only reason for the numbers, those dollars do not have the same value.

I say rebuild them . 4 years ago I bought a 1993 Toyota with blown motor but good body and frame. I order long block 1400 and installed myself with new clutch total investment with some other stuff came out to 2700 . Have around 18000 miles on it only drive in winter . I just spend another 320 for all new front end ball joints and cv axles . Everyone talks about reliability I drive it over 300 miles over 3 passes every weekend sometimes at -40 to go trapping and my kids Borrow it Constantly . Insurance is only 127 every 6 months with towing. I own 2 of them and the other one is my daily driver witch was also a rebuild I have a total of 3000 invested and could probably sell for double that . Just bought my wife a used 2010 Ford Escape last year from older couple had 17,000 miles on it and gave 6000 for it runs great . I feel people talk them self in to new vehicles by say things like I need a reliable vehicle for my kids / wife . If they brake down they all have phones it is not like there driving 500 miles away from civilization every day . In all fairness I see brand new ones being towed more then the old ones . We have become a throw away nation . I also own a 2004 F-150, that I just did upper and lower ball joints for $419 total because I bought all new arms with ball joints and was 119 to have a alignment done. I have friends that spend well over a $1000 bucks a month for a truck and insurance payment and in the end they will not get a third of the money back when they sell it .

I have a 96 f150 with the 5.0 and manual transmission and have had to replace quite a few parts over the years it is still better then the expensive new or newer used trucks.

I waited too long and had to rebuild motor and tranny at the same time. Might be easier to make payments on a new, dependable rig than to have to fork out 12k next week and still have a fixer-upper. Mine was $12,500 to get it out of the shop. Glad I had a good emergency fund, wouldn't have been fun if I had to borrow to fix it!

Look on the bright side: A lot cheaper to do it at the same time than otherwise!

Sarge I’m driving a 2000 F150 4x4. She started having some issues around that time…injector coils I believe. She now has 451K on her and only a couple hundred shy of 452K. 4-wheel drive still works and the AC still works and that’s all I need. She still has the original motor and transmission. I think I’ve got my moneys worth out of her.
Now I don’t travel out of state or anything, it’s just my hunting and trapping vehicle. I get a full maintenance check on her once a year along with oil changes still every 3K miles. Think I spend about $800 a year maybe. I’ve thought many times about a new truck, but even if I bought one I’d still drive this one, lol. For vacations we take the wife’s vehicle, so a new truck really isn’t needed.

If it satisfies your needs, and you have confidence in it, pay for the repairs. If it doesn’t satisfy your requirements or you don’t have confidence in it, sell it before it needs a 6000$ engine. Buy new or used and hope for the best. If you have 5-7 thousand for a repair, add that to what you can get selling it…enough for a decent used vehicle? One with less mileage?

Big decisions.

If it were 4x4 I'd say fix it, but 2wd? How does anyone get by with that? lol

it's a lot easier to get pulled out when you do get stuck cause your not nearly as far in.

I don't know the answer to this question anymore. Lower miles generally means more reliable most of the time, but not always. Fixing vehicles is not cheap anymore, and parts aren't that easy to get post covid.

At 60-100 an hour just in labor, it adds up quick. But, so do payments at 300-1000 a month.

The newer vehicles are questionable. For sure the bodies don't hold up long anywhere there is salt. And with all the electronics who really knows what your getting. My buddy owns a body shop and he and I are in agreement. With all these computers I'm sure they can program them from the factory to fail at a certain point .

I have a truck with 82 000 on it and 2 more years of payments. Part of me wants to get rid of it now while its still worth something. I could sell for what I owe. But, on the flip side the replacement truck isn't cheap either. I know what I have for a truck right now, I know it's history.

I think if you a have a reliable and honest small mechanic , it might be easiest to drive an older vehicle that is semi easy to work on yourself or with the small mechanics. If you have to take it to a dealer the costs will be in the thousands each time it goes it most times.

The issue is there are 3 problems these days. Vehicles are stupid $ anymore. The repairs are stupid $ these days. And the vehicles are not half as good as the old ones.

Honestly I think the best option is to get an older vehicle (like nothing newer than 2000) and do the repairs yourself or something that a mechanic can work on quickly keeping the labor costs down.

You can make a lot of repairs if your not shelling out $500 a month in payments. But you can also eat a lot of payment saving up quick if your gave many repairs to fix.

This is what I have. He's a professional and reasonable. I believe he can fix anything. He also has a machine shop. As an example, he patched my rusted frame and it only cost me $300. That included taking out the gas tank, sanding, cutting out the bad spots, fabricating and welding in the patches on both sides, and painting.