2 Months $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
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Senior User
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 395
Likes: 1
From: Central Coast, California
2 Months $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
I have had the truck for two months and the project is going well. I think I have spent about 4K so far. New leafs, inner seals on dana 60, two new rotors, one calipher, up pipes, 2002 F150 seats, body molding, new front grille and lights, powerstroke decals, wheels and tires, ball joints.... gotta slow down.... truck is almost back together. Also bought turbo housing because of a broken stud. Next month will be short...Scan gauge, turbo back exhaust and Flip chip. I live in California and I do not like smog. I bought this 97 F250 Super Cab in favor of spending 60k on a 2011. Plans are to make my way around the truck. This truck will serve as my tow vehicles for my other toys but it deserves to be built right...if not the only person I can blame is myself. Wife is laughing because I could not pull the trigger and buy a new truck... I just could not do it...
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 20,418
Likes: 196
From: AZ
Sounds like your wife wanted you to pull the trigger? For the most part I love my truck but lately with all my problems I feel like driving it into a lake (someone just said that a little while ago). I keep dumping money into mine but its a lot cheaper then a new one.
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,168
Likes: 10
From: San Ramon Ca.
Can't say that I blame you. I have an 05 that I bought new and I have no regrets about it. It's great vehicle and on long trips very comfortable. Does everything I need it to do. But the 97 is my baby and always will be. I could do without the 05. But not the 97. The kids are all grown now and the youngest is off to the Navy in June. You made a great choice IMHO. One suggestion. Never change one caliper. Should be done in pairs. Looks like you have a good plan!
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Senior User
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 395
Likes: 1
From: Central Coast, California
Thanks for the caliper tip, I will pick one up on the way home for the weekend. I have had some newer trucks but the 97 F250 is like my 65 fastback, some things you just got to have.... I got a 51 Ford truck also that is just got to be around.... New truck, too much money to drive off the lot and watch the value go down... when I was younger and could not afford it, I would have bought it...now I can afford it but it does not really make sense... ....who wants pay 600 to 800 a month when you could be buying upgrades...
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 21,285
Likes: 15
From: Nutter Fort, WV
A post running down in the IDI section not long ago was about how much you had in your truck.
I use my 86 for business use, so I have very accurate records of expenses for it.
In the last 13 years, my total expenses for that truck were slightly over 64,000 dollars.
So my total operating expenses including repairs and upgrades were about enough to buy a 2011 F 350 the way I would probably order it.
When you start figuring taxes, interest on the loan, payments and increased insurance costs, you sure can spend a lot of money on an older vehicle and be ahead in the money game.
I use my 86 for business use, so I have very accurate records of expenses for it.
In the last 13 years, my total expenses for that truck were slightly over 64,000 dollars.
So my total operating expenses including repairs and upgrades were about enough to buy a 2011 F 350 the way I would probably order it.
When you start figuring taxes, interest on the loan, payments and increased insurance costs, you sure can spend a lot of money on an older vehicle and be ahead in the money game.
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 4,738
Likes: 103
From: FL
I'm right there with you on the driving it into a lake part... these fuel prices are not helping things either. Haven't driven mine in 2 weeks, wonder how pissed she'll be when I take her out for beers tonight. and how pissed the bar tender will be when there is a '97 ford pickup parked on a bar stool.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,955
Likes: 2
From: Wyoming
Thanks for the caliper tip, I will pick one up on the way home for the weekend. I have had some newer trucks but the 97 F250 is like my 65 fastback, some things you just got to have.... I got a 51 Ford truck also that is just got to be around.... New truck, too much money to drive off the lot and watch the value go down... when I was younger and could not afford it, I would have bought it...now I can afford it but it does not really make sense... ....who wants pay 600 to 800 a month when you could be buying upgrades...
Keep up the good work!
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 395
Likes: 1
From: Central Coast, California
A post running down in the IDI section not long ago was about how much you had in your truck.
I use my 86 for business use, so I have very accurate records of expenses for it.
In the last 13 years, my total expenses for that truck were slightly over 64,000 dollars.
So my total operating expenses including repairs and upgrades were about enough to buy a 2011 F 350 the way I would probably order it.
When you start figuring taxes, interest on the loan, payments and increased insurance costs, you sure can spend a lot of money on an older vehicle and be ahead in the money game.
I use my 86 for business use, so I have very accurate records of expenses for it.
In the last 13 years, my total expenses for that truck were slightly over 64,000 dollars.
So my total operating expenses including repairs and upgrades were about enough to buy a 2011 F 350 the way I would probably order it.
When you start figuring taxes, interest on the loan, payments and increased insurance costs, you sure can spend a lot of money on an older vehicle and be ahead in the money game.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 21,285
Likes: 15
From: Nutter Fort, WV
I have owned my 97 for just over a year now.
If I do a 13 year projection using the figures I have for the first year expenses, just a bit over 80,000 dollars.
One thing I know for sure, if I dropped 50K plus on a truck, there is no way I could operate it 13 years on the remaining 30K.
If I do a 13 year projection using the figures I have for the first year expenses, just a bit over 80,000 dollars.
One thing I know for sure, if I dropped 50K plus on a truck, there is no way I could operate it 13 years on the remaining 30K.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 395
Likes: 1
From: Central Coast, California
I am putting money to the side for a new engine and tranny. Tranny was just done before I purchased with some very nice upgrades. I am also collecting parts like extra computer etc. Got me a nice storage cabinet just for parts.
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