Mensa Society or Loony Bin?

[Ol'TrailDog]

Well, after much cogitation I am on the edge of making a major decision. Therefore, I thought I would solicit the brethrens comments, advice, and even derision... . gently please.



Tomorrow I will trade down my 04 for a 97 3500 4x4 club cab.



I can not say enough good about how my 04 has been. The steering, ride, brakes, axle ratios, and 6 speed transmission are vastly superior to the 98 or 02 I previously owned. I have no complaints except for 2 u-joints. And of course the FUD about ball joints and injectors failing at any given moment - :-laf



I really liked my 98 12v figure another 12v is what I want to tinker with and keep running long term.



The sole reason is to remove myself from the payment treadmill, hence becoming debt free, and sock away the payments for property - or build a new place on our current paid off property.



Secondly, I figure I would use the 97 for truck purposes, e. g. firewood, camper, hunting, and inclement snow condition, and purchase an older car that gets GOOD GAS MILEAGE. Of course I want a VW TDI. The fuel prices are not going to get any better, imho.



The only car I have ever had was my first $75 VW bug. So, it will be a big change driving a car. If my wife and I lived in the same location we could probably get by with my truck and her Subaru, but that isn't going to happen soon with the job situations.



What say ye?

 

[67guzzler]

The sole reason is to remove myself from the payment treadmill, hence becoming debt free, and sock away the payments for property - or build a new place on our current paid off property.

I think it's admirable to get finances in order & you're still going to have a nice 2nd gen to haul around in. I think it's great.



To make it worth it, however, you need to be sure having the 97 AND a VW TDI (if it's your goal to have both) would save you money when it's all said and done.

 

[CStansbury]

I can sympathise with you OTD because unfortunately I have considered doing the same thing except it would be so I can still have a truck and my wife can get a "new" used car or SUV. Her car is starting to worry me as more and more repairs are starting to occur and I am afraid it is going to leave her sitting somewhere. I would defintely mis my '04. 5, but currently it is the only way we could afford to get her something reliable. Hopefully the car will hang in there a while longer and I won't have to ditch my new truck. We'll see. A nice '97 12v QC would definitely not be a bad thing. Especially if it came from a TDR member who has taken care of it and dealt with issues like the KDP already. Best of luck to you TrailDog.

 

[makelemen]

The cost of transportation is not cheap. Getting off the treadmill reminds me of my step daughter who had one year left in payments on a Tacoma shows up with a new Tundra one afternoon. She announced that her payments were only $10 more a month. Turns out that she leased the Tundra and I don't think that she'll ever get off the treadmill. I am afraid to figure out the cost per mile on the 4. 5. (Wear & tear, taxes, Title, gas, depriecation, and ??) Buying new instead of 2 years used is not the best finincial decision I could have made, however, the 88 4X4 Toyota SR5 truck I bought with 3 miles on it is still running strong (looks like crap) at 200k. I hope the Dodge does as well.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Lessee - I think the saying goes something like this:



"The bitter taste of endless payments lasts LONG after the sweet smell of something new has faded from memory"...

 

[DHayden]

Nothing beats being debt free, it's amazing how fast you can save money to buy what you want flat out when your not making those interest payments. I wish I was disciplined enough to hold onto my money allot sooner.

 

[rbattelle]

Tomorrow I will trade down my 04 for a 97 3500 4x4 club cab.

The same thing happened to Vaughn MacKenzie. Another one bites the dust.



Best of luck with the 12v, I'm sure she'll serve you faithfully.



-Ryan

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

Whew! Spent the day swapping beds, bumpers, wiring, and stripping the goodies. How come I always fix a truck up real purty -- and then sell it. Won't I ever learn?



I also called about a brown 97 2500 4x4, nv4500 in Craig, CO that had only 39K original one owner miles. It sold yesterday -- yeesh, I might have been happy with a 2500. Someone got a sweet rig.

 

[67guzzler]

Hang in there man... "I feel your pain. "



Hmm... . Does that make you feel better or worse?

 

[Tomeygun]

Well, after much cogitation I am on the edge of making a major decision. Therefore, I thought I would solicit the brethrens comments, advice, and even derision... . gently please.



Tomorrow I will trade down my 04 for a 97 3500 4x4 club cab.



I can not say enough good about how my 04 has been. The steering, ride, brakes, axle ratios, and 6 speed transmission are vastly superior to the 98 or 02 I previously owned. I have no complaints except for 2 u-joints. And of course the FUD about ball joints and injectors failing at any given moment - :-laf



I really liked my 98 12v figure another 12v is what I want to tinker with and keep running long term.



The sole reason is to remove myself from the payment treadmill, hence becoming debt free, and sock away the payments for property - or build a new place on our current paid off property.



Secondly, I figure I would use the 97 for truck purposes, e. g. firewood, camper, hunting, and inclement snow condition, and purchase an older car that gets GOOD GAS MILEAGE. Of course I want a VW TDI. The fuel prices are not going to get any better, imho.



The only car I have ever had was my first $75 VW bug. So, it will be a big change driving a car. If my wife and I lived in the same location we could probably get by with my truck and her Subaru, but that isn't going to happen soon with the job situations.



What say ye?

I say go for it! - Nothing says lov'in like a 12v!

The question is how fast will a #10 plate and 370's find thier way into that truck???

 

[jungledave]

I think it would be great to have a non electronic truck in case of nuclear war!!! Joking aside I have a TDI and it is also electronic and VW stuff is very pricy. Mine is new so I don't have to wory about it for another 50k. I have my 05 TDI Jetta wagon 5sp for sale but It's $24k It gets 39mpg in town!! My first diesel was an 02 and I still have to stare at everyone I see coming down the road and I personally would be pretty happy sitting in a 98 quad 12v truck.

 

[jwduke]

Hate to see you giving up your '04, but a guy has to do, what a guy has to do to keep his head above water.



I saw a "sweet" '01 the other day I'd rather have, but I probably would loose the farm trying to trade down.