Moment of weakness, like to hear your thoughts...

[tclark]

Well my wife always thought I would eventually be buried in my 93', gosh I love this truck, I mean they don't make them like this anymore thats for sure. But lately I have been thinking maybe it is time to replace the old girl. This is my only vehicle so it is a difficult decision. I am really torn as to what to do. What really got me thinking was last fall when I went out west with the slide in camper on back, my transmission went out between Casper and Laramie Wy. , sure I got 270,000+ miles out of it but just like everything else, me inlcuded, the years slowly add up and I just don't know if I can trust her on the long trips. She has climbed the mountains faithfully for me for many years, but I am thinking maybe its time to retire the old girl. I sure can't afford one of these new fancy trucks, never wanted one really, I am proud to drive down the road in my 93' she is clean and straight and has been well cared for, but I am wondering if it is time to get something with a few less miles? I hate this!

 

[KSommer]

DON'T DO IT!! i've driven the newer ones, and it only makes me love mine more.

1. the A pillars are HUGE, big blind spot for me.

2. you know your tuck's history, since you sound like you would buy used, do you realy want someone else's problems?"

kent

 

[Featherman]

Dilema

Hey TC:



I am by no means the authority on the issue but can only offer you my opinion based on my experience. My first Diesel was a 3rd gen '04. I drove it for a year but I just could not justify that kind of dollar for a vehicle. I always wanted a first gen and one came up for sale; made the deal flew down to drive her home. I have not regretted it one bit.



270k out of a transmission is darn good I would think. I think you'd be hard pressed to say the same with a newer truck. I could be wrong but what it cost to replace the transmission in one of the newer trucks would not cover the selling cost of your truck.



Nearly everything else you need to maintain is mechanical and from what I've read and heard you've only driven a third of the trucks potential life span. :-laf



My dilemma was a reverse of what you are going through and I do not regret selling the '04. I've been offered twice what I paid for my 93 on numerous occasions.



Yes the newer trucks offer softer rides and some creature comforts and if this what you're looking for then it may be the right decision for you.



Others will chime in shortly... ... ... ... ... I only offer my opinion and am not bashing the 2nd and/or 3rd genners.



Good luck on your decision... ... ... .

 

["Mad Max"]

TC,

Keep that classic 1st gen pardner. The problems you're having are the same problems you'll have with a new truck, and the instant you hear the first rattle of the first loose part on the new truck you'll wish so much that you'd kept the 1st gen.

Anyone can go 'get' a new truck, but very few actually own the classic.

There are some very good upgrades to ther 1st gens that I've read about and installed on my rig that it rode and drove like a new one.

I installed 2nd gen seats - just like a new one

I upgraded the auto shifter handle to the 2nd gen handle with the od in the tip - just like a new one.

I upped the power to 253 hp and 630 tq - at the tires! - more than a new one.

I added a couple nice to haves - which I'd do to a new one anyway.

Point is, with a 1st gen you can have both - new truck features... with the classic old school lines.

Keep 'er bud, and make it better .

- M2

 

[Philip]

My brother in law had the same thoughts you do. Three years ago he traded a 92 W250 in. It was clean, one owner with 125k on it. No mechanical problems at all.



After 3 years he wishes he had kept the 92. It did anything he wanted to do. It got better fuel milage, it rode better than his 2002 does. He found out the extra power of the 2002 wasn't needed for his type of driving and hauling. Plus it was payed for.



If you drive auto's all the time. They can die with little or no warning in any year model. If your trans got a good rebuild it will last for many miles now.



You have a hard choice to make.

 

[chunter]

I had the same thoughts back in 2000 and traded in my 92 W250 w/240K trouble free miles for a new 2001 2500 QC 4X4. Granted the 2001 rode nicer and had more creature comforts, but then I was faced with lift pump and track bar issues with the new truck. While I was still not thinking straight I sold the 2001 and bought a 2003 3500 QC 4X4 with the HO cummins and the 6 speed... then one day I saw the light and realized that the 1st gen Dodges should be a lot more reliable at 200k+ than any of these new electronic wiz-bang gizmo trucks. Now I am back in a 92 W250 with 190k on the ticker and the truck sounds and rides like what my perception of a truck should be. Once I replace the broken down seat it will probably be comfortable too

Don't get me wrong... the 2nd and 3rd gen trucks are nice, but they are just too expensive and too complex for my simple mind.

 

[cojhl2]

Wow,, what a concensus! I'll throw my 02 in also.



If your current Pickup body is sound with no rust and the wiring hasn't been trashsed there is no way a newer used vehicle would be a better deal thatn your current used vehicle regardless of the milage.



You know what is wrong with your current pickup and will only take somone elses word for another one.



A few payment equivalents will fix that transmission.



Although the road between Laramie and Rawlins is one bad place to be broken down the chance a well maintained engine for which you have observed all along will fail you is pretty slim. And that is the only major surprise I can think of. .



Well,,, ok Water pump, Alternator, etc

 

[rlyons]

Look at it this way, you can replace the engine transmission and rear end for a heck of a lot less than a new truck and ride for 15 or 20 more years.

 

[CLiberty]

One more vote for keeping and fixing the old girl! New is nice but old is classic, like others have said, getting rid of it is a move you might very well regret.

 

[tugboatphil]

tc,



Don't listen to these guys. It sounds like your truck is on her last legs. These 1st Gens are really a big problem. Tell you what I'll do, since the transmission has already gone out and you don't trust her on the long trips, you probably wouldn't get much for a trade in. I'll come out there and give you $1500... oh, what the heck, I'll go $2k. End of problem. :-laf :-laf



KEEP IT!!!

 

[cguthrie]

Just buy another one and keep the 1st gen too. Look at my sig



Chris

 

[MLKramer]

They can haul me to the bone yard in mine or bury me in it . It's old, it's got a mind of its own sometimes. It rides like one of the old R model Mack tractors. It even breaks down now and then, shakes ,rattles and rolls, not to mention being totaled twice. But I wouldn't trade it for a new one. If there is anything left of yours better do like me and KEEP IT. :-laf

 

[MN Cummins Lvr]

Look at my sig... . the 92 is currently getting more miles than the 05. My vote would be to keep your fine old girl In fact, I stopped by my local dealer yesterday to shoot the breeze with the guy I bought my 05 from and he told me to let him know first if the 92 goes up for sale. What does that tell you? :-laf

 

[DieselBuzz]

Not here

"It even breaks down now and then, shakes ,rattles and rolls, not to mention being totaled twice. But I wouldn't trade it for a new one. "

You might be asking the wrong people if you are looking for reason for buying a new truck.

 

[CHolman]

TC, As much as you love your truck you'd hate yourself for selling it. How much would a dealer give you for a trade anyway?, not much... If you deside to sell it though, I'll up the bid to $2,500, sorry tugboatphil...

 

[dclassens]

I have never owned a first gen myself, but a first gen 12v is what got me interested in the TDR. I still have my eye out for a nice for a nice 2wd first gen. I have big respect for these trucks!!

 

[RailroadJim]

Lets compare the the 1st gen to everything else, better fuel mileage, less electronic gizmo stuff to go out and no lift pump issues, many out there with over 1 million miles on them still running perfectly with transmission rebuilds every 250k(maybe) and regular maint. as required, plus holding their value and many actually going up in value as time has proven their worth. Everything else?... usually worse gas mileage, lift pump, suspension issues, electronic stuff that typically fails before mechanical parts, and how many miles will they go before major engine work? who knows. So you can own your 1st gen that's familiar and proven or a used late model which will have the same problems if not more but much sooner in it's life cycle, or a new truck under warranty that looses $5,000 in value the minute you leave the lot and perpetuates updating so you don't get upside down on your note eventually never owning any vehicle "out right". Okay the last one is a bit of a stretch but i think the logic is sound.

 

[DKasper]

My first was a '99 QC -- great truck, lots of power, not a single problem in 100k. Reliability A+!

That said, I have more fun in my '93 W350 than I ever had in the '99! :-laf

A buddy of mine just sold his 2003 to get out from under the payments and bought my D350 -- It was hard to see it go, but I couldn't justify having 2 trucks. He loves it! He's got a mile-wide grin on every time I see him in it.



You can fix a lot of things for the cost of a newer truck.



If you are after absolute reliability and don't have time to do the work yourself, maybe something newer would better suit your purpose. But one things for sure -- my '93 & I won't part company until I'm dead!!



Tough choice -- good luck!



Dave

 

[cojhl2]

Didja see that 1st gen on ebay was at 9900$ last i looked.



Mine looks a little rough,, Im gonna get it painted as soon as I can get the $ together(been saying that for 4yrs now) but it is in the fields so does not have a pretty life.



Im like some of the rest of you guys,, not going to get rid of it until and only if the body falls off. But in East WA we have no salt just dust so the body is in good structural shape.