Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Dump money into a old truck or move on?

alright I have a 1985 Dodge D100 4x4 360ci V8 with around 100k on the odometer. I have had it for 4years now, and I only put 6k miles on it. When I bought it for $500 it was in decent shape as it was garage kept with absolutely no rust. Now it has surface rust as I live close enough to the beach to get a little bit of salt spray.

Out of those 4 years I have had to put a new rotor, cap, plugs, and wires on. As well as had the front break lock up so I had to replace the rotor and pads. So all in all I have only put around $200 plus fuel (8mpg average).

Now I am at a cross roads, it needs a new distributor, carb rebuilt/replaced, and new tires. I will probably put a new caliper on the front as I don't know why it locked up in the first place.

So I am trying to figure out what to do. Do I put $1500 into it to make it last a few more years. Or would you sell it for $500+ and along with the $1,500, I would have spent on it, start shopping for a replacement. Probably another early 90's 3/4ton.

What to do?

I'd opt to put $1500 into it. You're unlikely to get a truck in better condition, with new tires, for $2k.

Does it burn much oil?

the age old question.

you could spend more money on a truck that needs more work. if it is reliable and costs < $500 a year in parts, i'd keep it.

Take a look at what you can buy for $2000...then keep the truck.

I guess it comes down to do you have more faith in how some stranger maintained a truck or your own practices.

Had to tell how much oil it burns. I haven't been tracking it but I would guess a quart every 500miles.

I had been a great truck and only broke down once. I forgot it did need a new rectifier right after I bought it. So add another $5 to the parts list.

I am on the fence as it has been such a good runner so far. I have been looking and it looks like $2k doesn't buy a whole lot, but $4k does. It is amazing how you start trying to justify just a few more dollars at a time. Its main use is mostly just dump runs and firewood. Then the occasional trip to town.

Well then keep it for sure!

Minor repairs.

You get rid of it and try something else, there's no telling what you'll end up with.

I'd keep it. Is it a D150? Those small bolt pattern 5 lug wheels are kinda famous for eating up wheel bearings. Probably better look at them when you do the brakes. Distributor is only $50 from rock auto and rebuilding a carb is easy.

I don't think that truck owes you anything. the costs you state are nothing compared to the cost of a new vehicle. I would drive it until the wheels fall off! of course I do that anyway. I have a 1981 Toyota 3/4 ton pickup with 385,000 miles on it.

I'd rock that truck!

I have an f150 with 386000 miles on it. I know it probably isn't the truck to take off across the country but it's reliable (engine and trans 100000) for a dump and hunting truck so I desided that if I can keep it going for $1000.00 a year it's a bargain.

move on

You put 2K into it and it is still worth $500.

At the mileage you will start to keep putting more and more into it.

been there done it and wished i had purchased a different vehicle...

I'm not sure. The paperwork says D100 custom. I cannot remember the gvwr but it was the larger of the 2 I was able to find. To get the right parts I have to tell the people at auto zone that it's a W150 to get the right parts. So I have no idea.

You pay for a vehicle in 2 ways......1. Car Payments or 2. Repairs?

If reliable then dropping 2000.00 is nothing. If the vehicle shows other future repairs or issues then I would get rid of it.

I would keep it - you know this truck and what it needs. Any used vehicle you buy will be full of unknowns - some of those may be incipient seriousness.

If you are correct about what it needs, you can handle most of the issues yourself (dist, carb rebuild, tires) and those parts costs are relatively low. I would examine the caliper situation before replacing anything - if the pads are good, disc brakes usually are either OK or obvious trouble.

That advice above about checking the wheel bearings is good, esp on a 1/2 ton truck. You get to check the brake pads/shoes while you are at it, and regreasing the bearings is a MUST once out. Do not overtighten the adjustment nut.

i just put 2300$ into a 1986 chevy k20 that i bought for 2600$... now id drive it cross country. but its getting used for a plow truck, i love the old iron.

If you had a front brake lock-up it was probably the piston sticking...replace the caliper and if it was me,I'd replace my brake lines at least the front flexible pair and the line between the gas tank and frame rail.
The distributor should still be good with only 100k on it(my '95 has 229k and is fine),you can buy a factory rebuilt carb(replace the fuel filter/s).
Put a set of decent tires on it and when it gets to 150k you're going to think,Damn that $1500 was money well .spent

Sounds like all that was done was normal maintenance stuff.

Zero maintenance trucks only exist on the Internet.