TL/DR... so what: So timely this subject... Just off the phone with the shop... for $3300 in maintainence items for the '85 - I could / would do most of it myself, but for the pile of pre-winter honey-do projects (doing them gladly). This after the exhaust pipe finally "gave it up" and had to be replaced from the downpipe back - still needs a turbo + Injector Pump. Precipitated by consecutive fully loaded / trailered long hauls (2x a month 500 mile round trip).
Wife's last two cars we purchased new - a 2000 Odyssey and a 2019 Pilot - resale values drove those decisions. The van has been incredibly reliable (put aside three transmissions consumed in 150K miles - two warrantee units), it was built in what I now know is the last era of "Honda reliability". The Pilot (<35K miles) is a nightmare - worse by far than my +25 and +35 year old trucks, even or worse than the maint animal v12 BMW (+150K). The Mrs. notes that 5th Honda is the last one she'll ever buy.
For 20 years my two BMW's have been commute cars into/out of the Bay Area, zero regrets. Key learning - use an envelope budgeting method for the maintainence (self: put $500 a month "in the jar"), that seems to have averaged out over the years. I do not miss car payments - not one bit. Pilot + BMW insurance is 10 times (yes, 10x) both trucks. Keeping old trucks running is not free, frankly it is expensive. I find the major barrier is time spent on research and BS.
On the '97 - identification and fitment of parts is very difficult (I'm being kind) - manufacturers are so vastly optimistic - I never purchase parts with no return policies. Example - try to find outside mirror assemblies - none of the three manufacturer's mirrors fit. On that project I gave up, ordered some gigantic Velvac RV mirror heads and customized the mounts for the existing assumbly frames. I'm returning my 3rd set of 1997 Light Truck Parts & Illustration manuals - somehow companies selling manuals think newer sets (2003, 2006) cover 1997 trucks.
Running down Northern California's 101 a week ago - I rolled these musings (
@IDIBRONCO's too - prescient of him! ) through my head, and decided just three things frame my decision to keep my trucks running. 1) Paid For. Not paying $70K for new; Ford, Stelantis, and GM have lost their minds. 2) +600 mile range empty or with full load of tools and trailer 3) same fuel mileage loaded or not and gets me home just the same.
