Vehicles... .

[theotherwaldo]

I've been considering getting a different vehicle for a while now.
My old SUV, which was purchased almost a decade ago, had 100,000 miles on the clock when I bought it.
Now it's got over 200,000 and getting a bit iffy.
I'm pretty used to iffy - the first car that I drove by myself was a 1918 Dodge Brothers touring car that was used to haul stuff around the ranch in Northern California was not the worst, and it didn't even have an electrical system - but now I have the option to get something better.

The problem is, what should I get?

I don't believe in buying new cars. In fact the last new car bought in my immediate family was a 1957 Bel Aire that was bought by my grandparents on the occasion of my birth.
No, I'm more interested in a ten to twenty year old pickup.
Problem is, not only is the price way up on these vehicles, but most of them are accessorized up the yazoo.
The only accessory that I demand is air conditioning. Everything else is just something else to break down.
I even prefer roll-up windows and a stick shift.

Is there anything like that left in these luxury-loving days?

 

[wiscoaster]

My favorite vehicle ever was my 1990 Ford Ranger:

But ... I had to fix the A/C three times and the fourth time it quit I finally gave up and got another vehicle.

I have a Honda CR-V now, but it's really too small and if I ever splurge on another vehicle it'll probably be a Honda or Toyota small pickup. I don't like the "new" reincarnated Ranger.

 

[Howland937]

It's my firm belief that every devout liberal such as yourself should drive a Subaru with lots of bumper stickers. Make it easier for the rest of us to spot you.

Seriously though, the prices of pickup trucks on the used market have been astronomical for a while now. If gas/fuel prices keep jumping $1 a week, you'll probably be able to find your dream truck for free...sitting along the highway out of gas.

 

[wiscoaster]

... every devout liberal such as yourself ...

huh?!?!? who you referring to?!?!

 

[sota]

I like my Jeep Liberty.
It's not great on gas (18mpg is a good tank for it.)
But...
it does tow heavy things.

it plows.

it hauls 4 bicycles on a hitch carrier without a hitch (snicker )
it's basically a mule.

Mine is a stick 4x4 v6.

 

[Howland937]

huh?!?!? who you referring to?!?!

I was kidding...

 

[wiscoaster]

I'm such a dummy ....

 

[theotherwaldo]

I guess that I can afford to buy my truck now.
The City has apparently promoted me to a Director's position and pay - and somehow neglected to inform me... .

 

[wiscoaster]

Hah!! Pretty funny!! Reminds me of my own experience once where I opened up my pay envelope and the amount was wrong -- way too much!! I went to the office manager to get it straightened out only to be told that the amount wasn't wrong because I'd just got a raise, and my boss had apparently forgot to tell me.

 

[unspellable]

This sort of happened to me. I was a senior engineer at Jet Propulsion Lab. They transferred me to Marshal Space Flight Center and Lo! I was a subject matter expert!
On the vehicle side I bought a used Honda Odyssey. It gets twice the gas mileage my wife's Lexus gets.

 

[theotherwaldo]

(Haven't been to JPL Pasadena since my trade school drafting class visited, back when they were designing the Space Shuttle.)

Speaking of odd vehicles, what are the oddest ways that you have traveled to work or school?
I've kayaked to work and school, also gone to and from school on horseback or muleback.

I'm considering commuting by electric bicycle right now... .

 

[wiscoaster]

I'm considering commuting by electric bicycle right now... .

I think they're pretty cool. Thinking of getting one.

 

[sota]

if you can afford it, Juiced Bikes are pretty sweet.

 

[sota]

picked up a 2004 Chrysler Sebring GTC convertible 5spd for $900. 198k miles on the clock.
good:

• everything mechanical works
• no crash damage
• good tires (5 years old by date code, but no checking and plenty of tread)
• clean wheels
• body is straight
• frame is straight
• underside looks perfect for its age

bad:

• a clutch
• complete refresh of the suspension front and rear (everything rubber has failed, as expected for the age)
• front engine mount (actually just doing all 4, because we have to take 3 of them out anyways to do the clutch job, and they're like $16ea for all 4)
• 1 hose clamp (some dumb ass put a worm gear in place of a spring clamp. don't EVER do that on a plastic fitting!)
• a new top (original now 18 year old top is done)
• a good deep cleaning inside and out
• driver's front fender (lower part is rotted because people don't clean their cars right)
• steering wheel (looks like someone sanded the damn thing smooth. why??!!)
• headlights polished
• driver's rear window regulator
• either res-kin the seats ($700 for everything!), or i'm hoping to pick up a parts car with the cloth interior instead of leather, and do a swap.
• eventually, a paint job (not horrid, but there's spotty clear coat failure. we're going to try something in the interim)
• couple spots of rust repair (nothing serious)

and of course all the usual maintenance things like fluids and plugs, that I do any time I buy a used car (unless there's documentation showing when it was last done.)
plan is to have the car fully sorted in about 2.5 years when the kid starts driving, and it'll be his. yes he's taking on the work (sweat equity) in exchange for not having to buy anything, except gas when the time comes.

 

[wiscoaster]

...yes he's taking on the work (sweat equity) ...

This is a good plan.

 

[sota]

This is a good plan.

Yep.
Even if he NEVER turns another wrench after he moves out, I want to at least instill in him what it takes to maintain a vehicle, and hopefully impart enough understanding so that when a "mechanic" tells him his flux capacitor needs a fluid change, he'll know it's bullshit.
Also with any luck, when he starts driving it, he'll respect it more than if just some money changes hands.

 

[theotherwaldo]

I'm getting ready to mount up one of those 88cc 2 cycle engines on my old college bike, just out of curiosity.
It'll be interesting to compare it to the electric bike... .

 

[Selena]

(Haven't been to JPL Pasadena since my trade school drafting class visited, back when they were designing the Space Shuttle.)

Speaking of odd vehicles, what are the oddest ways that you have traveled to work or school?
I've kayaked to work and school, also gone to and from school on horseback or muleback.

I'm considering commuting by electric bicycle right now... .

I went to my Jr High on horseback once. It was fun, I ended up getting chased by a county sheriffs deputy. To city people it's odd that I have driven a 4440 Deere Tractor to (high) school but around here it's just another last school day. I once did an "ambulance" run in my uncle's "snowcat", including bringing the patient to the hospital. I won't discuss the aftermath of that one.

 

[theotherwaldo]

Still haven't found the right truck.
They're all stuffed with delicate little gadgets and fragile accessories that I don't need.

On the other hand, I picked up a kayak to replace my old home-built plyak that finally just rotted away.

 

[LiveLife]

senior engineer at Jet Propulsion Lab.

(Haven't been to JPL Pasadena since my trade school drafting class visited, back when they were designing the Space Shuttle.)

Wow, small world.

Grew up in Arcadia/Pasadena area and after High School, parents moved to Altadena near JPL because they wanted to be ABOVE the smog layer. I found JPL/La Cañada Flintridge area beautiful and thought about living there.

Attended Caltech Saturday program in Junior High and remember NASA/JPL doing a presentation on Space Shuttle and passed around a sample of ceramic tile used for insulation. It was so light and airy ... Remember the demonstration picture of blow torch of several thousand degrees heating a 1/2" thick ceramic tile with kitten on top apparently not affected by heat below.

I've been considering getting a different vehicle for a while now ... problem is, what should I get? ... old SUV ... had 100,000 miles on the clock when I bought it ... Now it's got over 200,000

I don't believe in buying new cars ... more interested in a ten to twenty year old pickup ... only accessory that I demand is air conditioning. Everything else is just something else to break down. I even prefer roll-up windows and a stick shift.

Is there anything like that left in these luxury-loving days?

Stepfather's hobby was restoring classic 40s-60s cars and spent my teenage years turning wrenches and maintaining average 7-9 vehicles that were coming and going.

As to durability, after college, bought a brand new Nissan Hardbody truck that ran forever but for Four Wheeling offroad fun, I returned to basics and got 74 Scout II with remanufactured engine with manual everything (But it came with full/pick up roof so when I drove around as convertible top, I carried the pick up top in the bed in case it rained). BTW 345 V8 used for Scout II is the same engine UPS used for their brown trucks as main crank bearings were almost twice as wide as Chevy 350 ... Incredible stout motor that just kept going and going (I believe UPS racks up several hundred thousand miles before engine rebuild and this is mostly stop-and-go driving very hard on engines). And Dana 44 axles with straight cut transfer case gears let me go anywhere offroad (I welded on custom rollcage for safety but never needed it).

During 28 years of marriage, we always kept 4x4 Chevy Suburban and 4x4 Chevy Truck for towing toy trailers with quads for family fun at Pismo dunes/desert riding. Our third suburban (89, 95 and 97 all bought used) with 5.7L (350 ci) Vortec V8 was easy to maintain and literally ran forever getting 18 MPG on freeway loaded or not. 88 GMC truck had 350 V8 and 94 2500 truck (both bought used) had 454 V8 with 4.10 gears that got 10-12 MPG empty or loaded but it towed like a dream (We did buy new 2008 Chevy 1500 4x4 and for retirement, wife wanted 2018 Ram 1500 crewcab 4x4 with 3L V6 EcoDiesel and Outdoorsman package for 3.92 gear ratio/extra super cooling for towing and it got 26 MPG pre EPA flash and 27 MPG after ... Wife likes trucks ... Me, SUVs). My daily driver 2003 Buick Le Sabre (Bought used in 2008) with Vortec V6 was also easy to maintain and ran forever as I drove it like wife's C5 Corvette Z06 (Bought used and would average 19 MPG on freeway and 10 MPG while doing 150 MPH ).

Still haven't found the right truck.

Hard to beat 90s Chevy trucks with 5.7L (350 ci) engine with my preference going to 97 and newer Vortec V8.

For smaller truck, Toyota trucks with 22RE engines are good for several hundred thousand miles.

Ford Ranger (Rebadged Mazda pickup) is another consideration.