Question Re: Buying A Diesel Vs A Gas Truck

[ThinkingDiesel]

Hi everyone,

So I am familiar with the legendary longevity of diesel engines. I recently came across statistics proving that per-capita between 2005 and 2012, there were as many diesel trucks with over 300k miles as there were gas trucks that made it to over 200k miles. But that, as they say, was then. What about now?

I am also hearing that the federal emissions equipment is literally strangling diesel engines. And essentially, that newer diesel trucks are facing many costly emissions "after treatment" issues (the DPF, boost, etc). Basically, the federal government is requiring diesel engines to swallow their own tobacco juice rather than breathe naturally.

So this hits me with my fear of owning a diesel: are they truly STILL as long-lived as they need to be, and what are the costs of diesel maintenance vis a vie gas truck maintenance?

The performance of diesel engines is clearly superior: 1,000 ft/lbs of torque is simply insane. I also understand that diesels hold their resale value superior to gas trucks. And of course they get better mgp, especially when towing. But I would like to get a better handle on how reliable and durable diesel engines are WITH THE SMOG JUNK, and how expensive they are to maintain vs gas (also WITH THE SMOG JUNK).

Are diesels still the clearly superior truck they used to be with the government-mandated emissions requirements?

 

[XOLATEM]

Hi there and what a whopper for your first question.

I cannot speak for anyone but myself with any authority and here...I suspect the people here all have diesel trucks for a myriad of reasons but I think that a common thread here is that all of us are mechanically inclined and like to be in charge of our own destiny...however it turns out...and nobody here is afraid of breaking down occaisionally and asking for help from other, brother diesel heads.

That being said...and specifically this part of the site...where the trucks are and technology is older and proven...we both love our trucks both for their simplicity and durability and their form and function...as well as the fact that by the pure virture of fixing them up and using them like they were intended long past their original warranty period we are supporting red blooded american aftermarket industries.

So...I hate to say it but I suspect you are asking a good question to the wrong crowd...we don't care about mileage and emissions and original longevity to the inth degree like you seem to...if you are fearful of breaking down and having to work on your own truck and having to keep a few spares around like engines, chassis's transmissions, and other etcetera and sundry...

...Then you just would not understand...

I hate to be blunt (but I alway am...according to my Girl..)...

but it sounds like you should buy a new truck with a factory warranty.

Now...you are probably going to get a lot of answers lots better than mine from all of the Fine, Well-Meaning Folks here...and there are a lot of them that I have seen in the short time I have been on here...and many of them are going to argue and advise all about the finer points of why we all are here...

But it is all going to boil down to commitment...

Do you love your truck...or is it just a commodity to you..?

The other thing that comes to mind is...if you really want people that are in the know to really answer a question like that...then ask someone who can and is willing to and has the time to answer a question like that from a cold, clinical, and logical perspective instead of a...

WE LOVE AMERICA AND THE WONDERFUL THINGS WE CAN BUILD WHEN SUFFICIENTLY MOTIVATED....perspective...

There is a beauty to 'form and function' that non-mechanically inclined people will NEVER understand.

It is a largely emotional thing...we cannot even sufficiently explain it...completely...and we don't even try...we do our thing and don't care what anyone else thinks...we don't have to justify it to anyone...for any reason...we feel righteous about it...as well...

 

[ThinkingDiesel]

Hi there and what a whopper for your first question.....

So...I hate to say it but I suspect you are asking a good question to the wrong crowd...we don't care about mileage and emissions and original longevity to the inth degree like you seem to...if you are fearful of breaking down and having to work on your own truck and having to keep a few spares around like engines, chassis's transmissions, and other etcetera and sundry...

...Then you just would not understand...

I hate to be blunt (but I alway am...according to my Girl..)...

but it sounds like you should buy a new truck with a factory warranty.

Thanks for your response, and for your honesty. I truly appreciate both.

To be clear, I actually AM planning to buy a new truck with a factory warranty. I'm sorry I hadn't made that more clear. But I am also planning to keep my truck for a long time. In fact, I'm hoping that in buying this diesel truck, it will be the last truck purchase I ever make - and by that I'm NOT declaring I hope I die soon. No, I'm hoping that diesel trucks are the incredible, durable machines they have historically been relative to gas engines.

I hope wanting to buy a new truck doesn't disqualify me from all the great things you said about the diesel community. But yes, given the fact that I have never owned a diesel, I would rather not jump off the deep end into the pool and buy something that has a lot of problems. I'm a disabled veteran, and crawling under or climbing over and engine is not nearly as easy for me as it would have been in years past.

So when the warranty expires on my new diesel truck, just how good are these trucks? ARE they a good long-term investment? I'm talking about the new emissions junk strangling the new trucks. Is that true? Has the federal government robbed diesels of their most famous characteristic? If you old diesel veterans are saying, "Those new diesels are pieces of junk; stay with the older, proven stuff," then I'd very want to know that.

If the fact that diesel trucks are no longer any longer lasting than gas trucks in spite of the significant higher cost of ownership, though, I wouldn't want to join that club. I want to join a club of people who have great vehicles that last and last and last and go and go and go.

 

[Rdnck84_03]

I have been around some of the newer ones, can't say that I am all that impressed with them. When you ask about longevity, they have been engineered to safely make it past the warranty period. Don't expect either gas or diesel to make it much past the warranty without expensive repairs.

Electronic failures are the biggest problem, since absolutely everything is electronic controlled.

I wouldn't keep one if it was given to me, gas or diesel. I would sell it to fund building an older vehicle that was originally built to last as long as possible, not just past the warranty.

James

 

[XOLATEM]

I have been around some of the newer ones, can't say that I am all that impressed with them. When you ask about longevity, they have been engineered to safely make it past the warranty period. Don't expect either gas or diesel to make it much past the warranty without expensive repairs.

Electronic failures are the biggest problem, since absolutely everything is electronic controlled.

I wouldn't keep one if it was given to me, gas or diesel. I would sell it to fund building an older vehicle that was originally built to last as long as possible, not just past the warranty.

James

Thanks for crystalizing the situation, Rdnck_03...I musta have felt that a sensitive chord was struck in me and could not focus on a succinct answer but you have related my feelings as well for the bottom line choice.

And to the OP...thank you for your commitment and sacrifice to our country...I am sorry that you are not feeling as able-bodied and somewhat vunerable when it comes to repairs and maintenance on something as important as your transportation...and ultimately your freedom you have rightfully earned.

We will see if any one else chimes in on this...

As an aside...yes, newer diesels cost more in the long run and electronics are problematic at times and it is a continuing problem to find people that are willing to spend nearly all of their spare(?!) time studying the technology and investing in the tools to be knowlegeable enough to be able to diagnose and repair anything these days in the time that the buying public seems to DEMAND without finding something to complain about and trying to smear their reputation on a percieved slight.
The buying public is largely ignorant of the sacrifices that true mechanics make to keep them on the road...and with people getting paid to NOT work...it ain't getting any better.

So...to the OP...my advice to you and anyone like you...take the time to find a good mechanic and don't be quick to judge when you feel inconvenienced...mechanics eat a lot of ...sh...uh...cr....well, you know...in order to bring their service and talent to you and others...

I have known a lot of mechanics and most of them started out with a love for their profession...and a willingness to 'do what it takes' to be successful at it...but the whiny buying public beat a lot of their passion and commitment out of them over time by grinding away at their patience and understanding.

Oh, and just because the mechanic takes a while to fix your vehicle...give him or her a little slack...they are people too...and they need and want a life as well as a job...and your vehicle is not the only one they have to fix...and a lot of the time the information they need to fix your machine is just not forthcoming just yet...the technology is always evolving...always.....and sometimes ...because of various factors...the stars just don't line up correctly for things to go well...

It really is a wonder that so much gets done in so little time allotted...

 

[ThinkingDiesel]

Hi there and what a whopper for your first question.

Also...like many things...to start something like a big back-and-forth on why we choose to use our trucks...especially if it is your first post on a site you just joined...it is really not my place to say...but you don't have any skin in this game...you just got here and why should we care..?

Tell us why we should take this seriously instead of helping out other people that have shown their mettle..?

We got trucks to attend to and love on...

I'll probably get flamed for all of this but it won't be the first time my first gut reaction got me in trouble.....

Okay, so I noticed this last part of the first response and wanted to kind of deal with it. I mean, I also joined an RV forum for the pursuit of what/which trailer to buy: the size, the age, and try to get a sense of any kind of parameters. I joined and posted last night. And I got 15 responses and every single one of them was sincerely helpful. Not one of them was hitting me with, dude, you don't deserve our time. Get the hell outta here.

I've got to say, not one of those helpful people demanded I prove why I ought to be taken seriously and satisfy a demand as to why they should care. And you're in charge of this group of people so you can say, "Why should WE care?"

kind of a downer to get that as my first response, just saying.

If that's the kind of thing I have to do here, then I should find a different forum, I guess. Because I didn't join the forum to provide proof that I'm worthy. I just want to understand more about diesel trucks and what I should look for, and yes, whether I would be better off with a diesel or a gas truck and whether I could get a quality used truck or would need to buy a new truck.

If this is NOT the forum for people like me who are considering a new truck and want to know how reasonable our investment is, then I hope I can find that different forum.

Now, Rdnck84_03 offered a response, that no, he's not impressed with the new diesels, that - if I'm understanding him correctly - that a new diesel truck is basically no more reliable or durable than a new gas truck. And that instead of putting my money into a new diesel truck I instead ought to put that money into building an older vehicle.

I mean, that might be really good advice, if new diesels aren't worth their money. In fact, it's kind of what I'm worrying over and wanting to have more clarity on: just how good are these new diesels and are they worth it? But the problem I have is that I'm not a mechanic, only have a basic knowledge of gas engines and zero knowledge of diesel engines, and wouldn't know what I was doing to build an older truck.

Rdnck84_03 focuses on the electronics that fail. I was worrying over the swarm of emissions junk that reroutes everything for a purpose having nothing whatsoever to do with actually making the vehicle run better or last longer.

But I don't know how to "build a truck." Plus, I'm a veteran with a buttload of physical disabilities and crawling under or over trucks is just not something that I should really try to tackle.

My brother is great at restoring older cars and building them to suit his needs. But I'm not and my brother is a fair distance away.

I just want to know what truck to buy that's going to be a good vehicle for my family. That's all. I don't want to join a cult. I just want a good truck is all. Over the years I've joined and belonged to other forums - motorcycle forums, car forums - and there were always people willing to help someone with what that person needed.

 

[ThinkingDiesel]

XOLATEM,

I appreciate your recent response more than the first for the reasons I just explained.

You say, "As an aside...yes, newer diesels cost more in the long run and electronics are problematic at times and it is a continuing problem to find people that are willing to spend nearly all of their spare(?!) time studying the technology and investing in the tools to be knowlegeable enough to be able to diagnose and repair anything these days in the time that the buying public seems to DEMAND without finding something to complain about and trying to smear their reputation on a percieved slight."

If the first sentence is true and "newer diesels cost more in the long run" - and here I'm comparing this to gas trucks, because that's the real essence of my question - then I'd have my answer.

I'm too old and too busted to become a diesel mechanic. And by the way, thanks for honoring my service, which is how I got so old and busted. I sincerely appreciate that.

I was hoping that I could buy a diesel truck, have it rigorously maintained, and literally never have to buy another truck as long as I lived. Because the one I would be buying now would last.

So I've heard that diesels last something like 2 1/2 times as long as a gas truck. If that is true, I like the math. I'm willing to spend the extra money and spend on the higher maintenance to get that kind of payback. That would be what would make "the technology" you mention valuable to me. I know that diesels have greater performance especially under tow, but I'm trying to get some grasp of what I would be getting into with a type of truck I have never owned before.

So from what I'm hearing, neither one of you thinks new diesels are worth it?

 

[XOLATEM]

I am curious as to why no one else has chimed in on this...maybe it is too soon because they are busy and/or maybe they have ordered popcorn and are sitting back to watch how it plays out.

I am the wrong one to ask about a new truck...

anything that makes me have to raise the frigging cab and disconnect the AC, brake lines, coolant system, steering, and everything else just to change out the injectors is seriously gone in a perverted direction.

And...I don't need or want anything to 'think for me' in making decisions about locking the doors, dimming the lights, removing my keys, stopping without skidding, etc, etc, etc...

I disconnected the door speaker in The Girl's Truck just so I would not have to listen to that verdammt chime that some Karen figured it needed....and She does not miss it...it took her awhile to notice....heheheheh...

And I was a hard-core Ford lover...for most of my life...but I would never buy one of those abominations.

I am sorry that I unloaded on you...I should have kept my trap shut...but I seem to never do...

And...I don't speak for everyone on here...and me using the term "we' was wrong.

And...this site has been the best thing since sliced bread for me...I have learned a lot and am extremely appreciative and if I have done anything to tarnish this sites reputation and honor...I am deeply sorry and regretful.

You are a broken down vet...you say...

I am a broken down mechanic that has heard enough whining to last three lifetimes.

The buying public can be a bunch of self-centered childish a----les...

I should have had a video system in my office...I would be a youtube millionaire now...with the way people tended to lose their cool when it came time to pay for fixing their vehicle.

I have heard and dealt with every excuse, whine, threat, and what- have- you that you can imagine...all designed to take from me and give to them...up to and including going to court to justify why I made decisions that ultimately were designed to ensure that the vehicle owner has a reliable machine for as long as they decide to keep it.

My mission was to give value for the dollar...whatever it took...and mosttimes you have to suggest and sell more than what the vehicle owner thinks they need...because...I was the 'expert' and ultimately responsible for the results.

My crowning achievement in that arena was seeing and hearing the judge reviewing a work order and saying that he did not see anything wrong with it.

And I am done with updating my scan tool with Snap-on...especially after I needed to scan a 2004 cadillac and the update...I was assured...would cover it...and when I called the company to find out why it did not...they told me 'tough stuff' and if I called again they would charge me...

effem... I am done buying tools that cost a sizeable portion of my income well on into perpetuity just to eke out a living fixing stuff well into the night for people that don't appreciate the sacrifice.

I don't have children...you know why..?

I was working double shifts just to make ends meet and could never find a "decent, helpful, understanding woman" that I could trust to have children with and not eventually force me to pick up the kids at the church parking lot while her new boyfriend skulks in the passenger seat and have the kids resent both their parents for breaking up an otherwise functional family.

Oh, and also paying for "the lifestyle for which she has become accustomed..."

We have all seen it play out at any parking lot in this country at one time or another...the "Handoff"...two vehicles and X amount of kids and resentful and vindictive parents and sheepish boyfriends/girlfriends and everyone pretending that 'everything is normal and ok'

It isn't...and it never will be 'normal'.

I resolved that I am never going to be one of those people....never.

So...I find solace in buying the truck that I would have gotten if I could have afforded it in 1985 and I have spent two years in my 'spare time' fixing it up ....lovingly....in anticipation of using it in a number of ways...

Not all of the people that I fixed stuff for were unappreciative...a lot of them were model customers...but that went by the wayside incrementally when it became a lot more expensive to own two or three vehicles...a lot of people were just trying to get by with one...and also people seemed to not have any friends or relatives to help them out with transportation while their car or truck was being fixed.
That is an eroding societal problem.

I got off on a tangent there....I am just waiting for a moderator to tell me...."Uh...maybe you should find another site to vent..."

When you find your trusted mechanic...remember that they are 'in the trenches' as well.

Always conduct yourself professionally when dealing with them...be patient as well.

Given your training...you should not have a problem.

 

[Rdnck84_03]

@ThinkingDiesel you are correct in the diesel engine lasting 2-3 times longer than a gasser. The biggest problem with anything manufactured after about 2003 is as you stated earlier, all of the government mandated crap attached to it.

We have at work a 2010 f250 6.4 diesel and a 2016 f350 6.7 diesel.

The '10 has been a great truck most of the time. With that being said, we have also had some serious issues with it. It has been at the dealership between 4 and 6 months at a time 3 different times. The first time was a little over 6 months while under warranty. This is the reason we have the '16. Current milage is 235k.

The '16 has in my opinion been a pos since about the time we got it. It had overheating issues before the first oil change. Had a plastic intercooler tube exploded with 34k on it. Since it was under warranty only a dealership could fix it, 3 weeks before they even had an opening to get it in. I could have fixed it myself in about 30 minutes, but would have cost almost $400 for a piece of plastic and the company owner wouldn't approve it. It has been in for numerous other sensor issues since. Currently has 165k.

The majority of the activity on this forum is from the '94 and earlier diesel owners. I think I speak for most people here in the fact that we want the least amount of electronics possible to keep the reliability up.

And also thank you for your service!

James

 

[ThinkingDiesel]

Thanks a lot for the thanks for your service, Rdnck84_03. It matters to us. I'm not a Vietnam vet - my wars were a little more modern - but ever since Vietnam many vets have had a dread of giving it all on the line, and then coming home to hate and contempt. There are STILL a few haters, but veterans ever since deeply appreciate being appreciated.

And thank you also, XOLATEM. I truly do appreciate your words. Thanks also for your explanation as to where you're coming from. I can only say I came out of the Army diagnosed with PTSD AND depression. My wife will attest that I am not an easy man to live with as a result. But for reasons I will spend the rest of my life not understanding, she stuck with me. Or otherwise I would have ended up like what you describe ... and deserved it. I literally was capable of trusting only two people on this earth: my wife and my mother. And ultimately came to see just enough through their eyes to finally recognize that "my normal" was NOT normal. And quite frankly STILL isn't. But at least I finally stared trying to get the help I needed.

Anyway, I'm hardly rich. Elon Musk is probably safe from me passing him on the billionaire's list. But we could swing a new truck if we do a little budgeting. And again, the reason I want a newer truck is to try to avoid the issues I can't fix both due to lack of mechanical knowledge and due to physical limitation. I served as a paratrooper, and every parachute landing fall was basically a controlled crash. And some of the crashes were less controlled than others. I hit the ground really hard a whole lot of times carrying a whole lot of weight. I dare say even the NFL guys can't boast about hard hits around me.

I would LOVE to be able to learn to truly get into my diesel engine. And I'd be willing to try, but I'd rather kind of tippy-toe into it with a nice pretty warranty to back me up and be able to learn gradually rather than buy a used truck and have something important blow up that I'll need. I can maintain rifles and machine guns and mortars and parachutes and various other things that are pretty useless for me to know how to maintain nowadays, but engines? Not so much.

So I'm kind of looking for a way in.

But again, my plan would be to keep this truck FOREVER. I doubt if I could arrange to be buried in it, but you get the idea.

And yep, a good orthopedic surgeon and a good mechanic are two specialists I respect. Basically mechanics being surgeons who operate on cars and trucks. Good lawyers are up there, too, but hopefully my days of needing those guys are done.

 

[XOLATEM]

On this, I think that I can speak for everyone here...

Thank you for giving your all so that we can live in relative peace and freedom...I am sure that everyone that reads your story is rooting for you to achieve everything you strive for.

When there was only WW2, Korea, and Vietnam vets the vibe in this country was different...and as time passes and water goes over the dam things constantly evolve.

That 2004 Cadillac that I was trying to scan belonged to a Commissioned Officer that was home for a few weeks from Afghanistan. I wanted to help him any way I could. He needed his car to be reliable for his family here while he was away. When I got no help from Snap-on on something I was promised and had paid dearly for I never forgot it. They lost a good customer.

People that have never been out of their home country will never experience culture shock. Those that have...know what I am talking about. Then...when they return to their home country they then experience reverse culture shock. I sympathise with the Vietnam Vets and anyone else who has gone through that experience...it isn't a thing that you can just shake off.

Once you get yourself ready to take the plunge and choose a truck you will probably find plenty of help to learn all about it. We Americans just seem to be that way. If you want to learn about the older, more basic diesels then this place is the best I have seen yet.
If you have the time...you might find someone near you that could use a hand or some company while they are wrestling with their truck.

Actually...I have a better idea...since you probably have continuing education resources and need to keep busy and have something to sink your teeth into...why don't you look into an electronics course and learn how all of the components work so as to eventually get yourself a diagnostic skillset and be able to fix stuff for other deserving Vets..?

Just an idea...

 

[Black dawg]

I didnt catch if you do much towing?

Since fuel injection was introduced, the gap in longevity between gas and diesel has mostly closed, especially with light use.

 

[ThinkingDiesel]

Actually...I have a better idea...since you probably have continuing education resources and need to keep busy and have something to sink your teeth into...why don't you look into an electronics course and learn how all of the components work so as to eventually get yourself a diagnostic skillset and be able to fix stuff for other deserving Vets..?

Just an idea...

Hi Xolatem,

Very sorry I was "gone" for so long. My wife and I went to Central CA to take part in our daughter's wedding, and I didn't think about bringing forum passwords with me when I left.

Thanks for your gracious words about veterans and veterans defending the the freedoms granted by the Constitution we all swore and oath to defend. It's beyond sad that we keep going through these periods - and yes, Vietnam was the worst - where people who call themselves "Americans" proceeded to spit at the flag, the Constitution and the warriors who were sent to far-off foreign lands not at their own request or desire or interest, but under orders. And the politicians who send us are so often weasels and just conveniently change their policy positions mid-way through and suddenly the warriors find themselves wondering whether what they did was worth it after we fight for ground that is now being abandoned and called a worthless and even an immoral cause.

Vietnam veterans were the most betrayed of all.

My dad fought in both Korea and Vietnam. He was quiet about it. But that hurt was there, not too far beneath the surface.

Now, as for your suggestion re: my considering pursuing training in automotive electronics .... eet is breelliant! I actually DO have educational benefits and your idea makes a lot of sense. And I'm actually interested in how protons and elections do what they do to cause mischief.

P.S. by the way, I am now considering a dually truck. Never wanted a dually, never thought they were anything other than just more money to spend on tires. But it sounds like the more towing you're towing, the more drw makes sense.

I basically want to get a truck that would handle ANY towing I would ever want to do.

I'm currently looking at the F-450s. But still looking at every truck on the field.

Black dawg, my wife and I are planning on basically spending several months a year RVing and just seeing the country every year for at least a few years. I don't know exactly what that means either. But my wife is very excited about the idea of going to a whole bunch of different places.

As for diesels not lasting longer than the gas trucks, the only thing I can say is that while I was in Central Cal, I picked up a "Truck Paper" that is a catalog of used semi-truck tractors for sale. It is amazing how many of these trucks are being offered (and for $50k plus) with well over 600,000 miles on them! I'm just saying, I don't think any of them are gas trucks, and I don't think I'm seeing gas trucks with anywhere near that kind of mileage.

I'm glad I picked that thing up: if you start doubting the diesel, looking at those trucks will restore your lost faith in these engines.

 

[Rdnck84_03]

Yes the commercial diesels are designed much heavier than anything that comes in a ligh duty truck.

The new light duty diesels really aren't getting all that many more miles than the gas engines. I am always watching marketplace and Craigslist and on average newer than about 2003 gas and diesel trucks are all pretty much worn out beyond being cost effective to repair by around 300k. This is just a rough average, there are always exceptions.

In my opinion with the life expectancy not that much different now. If don't plan to tow up towards the top of the capacity most of the time, I don't think a diesel would be cost effective for you. The initial cost is higher for the diesel, the matinance cost is about 3x- 4x higher .

Oil and filter change on a gasser is around $30- $40, on a diesel is around $120- $150.

Truthfully if I were going to buy something newer I would probably buy a Toyota tundra. My father in law had an 08 tundra, truck had 360k and still towing 10- 12k # with it up until my step son wrecked it. Had 1 trans rebuild at around 320k They are very capable for towing.

James

 

[ISPKI]

Ive been working on vehicles for around 15 years now, both gas and diesel, old and new. Oldest vehicle I worked on was late 60s, newest was 2021. I currently own a 94 superduty idi, a 77 datsun, a 2007 MS3, and a 2012 Volvo.

I can tell you right now, modern electronics are a hell of a lot more reliable, efficient, cost effective, easier to diagnose and to replace, than old mechanical or old electronic systems. Plugging in a cheap scanner can tell you exactly what item is malfunctioning without even opening the hood. Some vehicles dont even require a scanner to diagnose an electrical component. Our volvo for example, will give you a location and part# on its display of any electronic part that fails, right down to a tail light bulb. Newer vehicles have safety systems in place so that if something fails that could cause massive permanent issues they will shut down or switch over to limp modes or other protocols to try and prevent massive damage.

Newer vehicles are perfectly capable of lasting far longer than older vehicles. My coworker runs his volvos until 400-500k before trading them in for a pre-owned model. The issue is not in their design but in the mentality of our current culture. Most people dont want to own older vehicles that are slower, less comfortable, with less features, and worse performance overall. People want new stuff because newer stuff is better in the eyes of the majority of individuals and realistically, newer is better in almost every way except for cost, probably. Back in the 80s and 90s, vehicles were generally good for 100K before they were usually clapped out and rife with too many problems to be worth fixing. 100k was their intended life expectancy. New vehicles are warrantied to that mileage and exceed it without batting an eye. I have put well over 100k on every vehicle ive purchased and not a single one has failed me. The only vehicles ive had any significant issues with, ironically, have been my old IDI trucks but thats mostly due to negligence from previous owners.

If you are planning on being on the road frequently hauling a small camper of sorts and you have the money to spend on a newer truck, then an old truck likely doesnt make a whole lot of sense for your lifestyle. These older rigs, unless they have been extremely well maintained (the vast majority have not been) then they are not going to be nearly as carefree reliable as a newer rig with far less years and miles on it. Even a good condition older diesel is going to have more issues come up simply due to the fact that its all older hardware. All the wires are going to be old and more brittle than newer wiring. All the coolant hoses, fuel lines, vacuum lines, bushings, everything right down to the switches on the dash are going to be old and more prone to failure than a newer vehicle. All the old plastic parts are considerably lower quality than what new vehicles have. Take, for example, the lock cylinder. These trucks have junky sand cast pot metal assemblies that are renowned for being total crap and failing. Wrap your head around how big of a pain it would be to stop at a fuel station in north-west-middle-of-no-where, hop back in your truck and your lock cylinder jams because it broke. Now you are down for days just trying to get your hands on the part and down for hours trying to replace it. New vehicle, ive never even heard of a start button failing but I know that they just pop out of a plug and can usually be replaced with no tools and inside of 5 minutes.

I certainly love my old trucks and just vintage vehicles in general and they have their place for many people, but they arent going to come anywhere near the performance, comfort, or reliability of a newer vehicle. Contrary to what many may believe, newer technology only gets better, not worse.