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Ever felt like saying "To HELL with it!!!" ? - SUPPORT NEEDED!!!

Can Can

Can Can

Pusher Man
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Cochrane, Alberta, Canada
Ever felt like saying \"To HELL with it!!!\" ? - SUPPORT NEEDED!!!

Aw man, I'm on the verge of saying "bye bye" to the world of trucks. PLEASE READ THROUGH THIS, brothers, and then feel free to try and make me feel better.

I've owned my 84 K5 for almost 12 years. She's been pretty good to me(only left me stranded once) and has gotten my family safely home through some of the worst weather imaginable. She brought both my baby girls home from the hospital- basically, the 84 is part of the family and MY identity. I still get lots of comments about how good she looks and I can honestly say that I'm proud to own the ol' girl.

I also own a very cherry 83 6.2 C10. I've had it for 7 years now. When I bought the truck the PO(a finnicky old man) had kept her mint in and out, and I have tried my best to keep it looking that way. This truck gets more attention than a whore in logging camp, especially from truck guys. She towed my TT all over the Canadian Rockies for three summers and has hauled literally 10s of thousands of pounds of building material over the Rockies to my rec property in BC. And seeing that she's a diesel she's saved me oodles of money on fuel.

So now that I've told you the good news, let me fill you in on why I'm so exasperated and why I'm wondering if it's still in my best interest to keep them:

1. The 84 K5 has a tired ol' 305 under the hood. It got about 175K miles on it and is due for a new motor sometime soon(of course, I've been saying that for the last 2 years /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif). It needs springs, shocks, and tires and a few little things here and there. It also has all the frustrating little quirks that you can expect from a 20 year old truck. And do I need to mention fuel costs? /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif I'm to the point where I either sink a load of cash into her in the next year or two or get rid of her now, which would break my friggin' heart.

2. The 83 6.2 was the most trouble-free vehicle I've ever owned up until about 3 months ago. Then the cooling issues started. I've been ready to drive the sucker off a cliff at least a dozen times since February. I'm pretty sure it's head gasket/head related and I am not mechanically skilled enough to tackle the problem myself. I hate to say it, but the truck isn't worth fixing for the price of the repair. But at the same time I would hate to let her go because I NEED a pickup quite often.

I've since bought a little commuter car and am able to take a break from all the stress the trucks have given me lately, but I don't really need 3 vehicles, although it would be great if I could keep them because every vehicle I own serves it's own unique purpose......

I know some of you have been right where I am right now. Please tell me I'm not crazy for feeling like I should cut my losses and ditch the trucks, and please tell me I'm not crazy for wanting to keep the old girls. /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif
 
Re: Ever felt like saying \"To HELL with it!!!\" ? - SUPPORT NEEDED!!!

If you can figure out a way to do it financially, park whichever vehicle is pissing you off and drive something else. This is how I've maintained my sanity with my truck in recent years. Without having alternate vehicles, my junk would have been in the junkyard 3 years ago when the frame bent. In a few months when you have relaxed, go back to wrenching and fix up whatever is messed up.
 
Re: Ever felt like saying \"To HELL with it!!!\" ? - SUPPORT NEEDED!!!

I second the multi-vehicle program. Having to work on your junk to make it somewhere the next day sucks. Its nice to work on it knowing you dont have to have it running at 7AM after finding out you need parts at 10 PM. Just pick away at one of em for a while and you will be much happier.
 
Re: Ever felt like saying \"To HELL with it!!!\" ? - SUPPORT NEEDED!!!

Well, the time comes when you gotta say..Its time for you to go. Its nice to have the 3rd vehicle in case you need it, or if you want to go out and play and get away. I have spent thousands on repairing old cars and trucks to keep them running and then spent way more then they are worth fully rebuilding them. /forums/images/graemlins/deal.gif

Your old 84 sounds like its time to pass it on to someone else. If you can, keep the 6.2 and fix it using the $$ from the 84. You know its reliable and you'll still have a blazer to play with /forums/images/graemlins/woot.gif

Later if you find you really dont want it. Then sell it /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif
 
Re: Ever felt like saying \"To HELL with it!!!\" ? - SUPPORT NEEDED!!!

[ QUOTE ]
I'm to the point where I either sink a load of cash into her in the next year or two or get rid of her now, which would break my friggin' heart.



[/ QUOTE ]
I'm with ya' on that one. I have spent $17K on my K5 fixing it up and building it but today I have almost as many problems with it as the day I bought it stock as a rock for $2100. My point is having to decide to finish or rebuild our older trucks or just baleling out before you dump EVEN more cash into it and go buy something else. I also feel you on the fuel prices. I drive my K5 daily(not lately because of my overheating problem) and spend a lot of cash on fuel and I have buddies with new diesel pickups that are getting 20mpg and are making 800ft lbs of torque. Kind of makes a guy wonder if it was worth building a custom motor to make half that compared to todays technology.

Paul, If I were you I would sit down with a piece of paper/pen and figure out all what needs to be done to your K5 and what it would cost...then add another 1/3 of that total cost to your final sum(things ALWAYS wind up costing more than you thought it would. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif) I never would have figured I could have dumped 17K in mine and I'm not even done! /forums/images/graemlins/yikes.gif How important is your K5 to you? Is it's main purpose just to get you around in bad weather when you need a 4wd or is it your wheeler toy, or something you would like to restore and fix up?

If your K5 isn't real important than I would sell all three of your vehicles and just go and buy a newish diesel pickup. Have you driven/ridden in a new Power stroke Ford or Duramax? They will blow away our older rigs not to mention aftermarket programmers are available and you can gain easely 100HP just by plugging it in and WAY more if a guy goes all out and does the exhaust, turbo, intake, etc.

Also how long do you want to drive an older vehicle? There are a lot of nice features on the newer trucks that really make them pleasant to drive every day.

I am pretty attached to my K5 and can't afford to sell it (to big of a loss money wise) so I am just going to finish it which is paint and interior work, drive it for a few months, and then buy a new 04' 6.0 PS ford or Chevy Duramax and just take the K5 to shows and different stuff on the weekends.

I know exactly how you are feeling Paul, just take some time to stop and think about how much your "girls" mean to you and your money situation and my guess is you will decide what is best to do. /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif
 
Re: Ever felt like saying \"To HELL with it!!!\" ? - SUPPORT NEEDED!!!

I hear ya, bro! Sometimes the K5 gives me so much sh!t that I have to take a break from the damn thing. That's one reason I have a small DD, so I can park the K5 for a few weeks and basically forget about it, and anything having to do with trucks(including an hiatus from CK5). During that time I usually take care of other stuff that's been on the "to do" list for a while. So, if it's possible, follows Tim's advice and park 'em for a while...kinda like timeout. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif


But if that's not an option, then you reach down, give your nutsack a yank, roll-up your sleeves and wrench until you start speaking in tougues and the trucks emerge looking factory fresh.....least that's how I do it... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Re: Ever felt like saying \"To HELL with it!!!\" ? - SUPPORT NEEDED!!!

Keep 'em. If you can't afford to buy new, you're buying another used vehicle & can be in the same boat with them. Right now you know what you've got. Fix your DD first (gotta keep them paychecks rollin' in), work on the toys as $$ permits. Atleast wait for a couple weeks to pass, to be sure you don't make a move you'd regret.

AS far as mechanics (head gasket), not that bad. It'd be a good time to buy a repair manual, give it a try & save yourself some $$.

Besides....it's what sets us apart from everyone else /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
Re: Ever felt like saying \"To HELL with it!!!\" ? - SUPPORT NEEDED!!!

I'm all for having that one vehicle that doesn't need alot of TLC. Takes the stress out of maintaining the old K5. Plus the increased fuel price isn't as painful if you're only driving the vehicle a couple thousand miles a year. So keep up the good fight.

-Scott
 
Re: Ever felt like saying \"To HELL with it!!!\" ? - SUPPORT NEEDED!!!

It amazes me that some people would rather just go out and buy a new vehicle, have a car apyment and higher insurance than fix a few problems and move on /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif My las tvehicle has been paid off for 3 years now and the only reason I would get rid of it would be to trade it in on a new tow rig. I hate having to make a car payment. I would much rather spend the several hundred dollars a month on the /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif or the wife and kids (in that order /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif)
 
Re: Ever felt like saying \"To HELL with it!!!\" ? - SUPPORT NEEDED!!!

Hang in there, I've been there too. Several valid points already made. Bottom line is what do you and your family need?

You could almost combine all 3 (with seating for the whole family, cargo capacity, mild off-road, and mileage) by buying a newish diesel crew cab. And it would also add on longevity, dependability, and comforts... IIRC, your not into the hard-core wheeling, so even an IFS chevy on 33s (like mine) might fit the bill. Selling all 3 and making smaller payments on the much reduced balance would put you in a brand new truck with all the comforts and dependability. I don't care what anyone says, heated leather seats and climate control ROCK.

But if you want to stick more with what you got, then you have a pretty good balance as long as the commuter is working. You let the others sit while you look for deals and cool off, all while saving on gas/fuel costs. That's assuming you can financially support all 3 with insurance, tags, and tied up cash, etc.

Good luck!
 
Re: Ever felt like saying \"To HELL with it!!!\" ? - SUPPORT NEEDED!!!

Spend a couple grand on the K5. You will be better off than buying something for a couple grand that needs a couple grand and a car payment. Not sure what to tell you about the diesel, but if you love it enough, fix it after you're done with the K5.
 
Re: Ever felt like saying \"To HELL with it!!!\" ? - SUPPORT NEEDED!!!

I'd have to say I'm with the guys that are saying avoid the payment. My DD is an 85 shortbox. Doesn't get good mileage and has quirks. I know that I can't afford to throw a couple hundred bucks at it every month so with that in mind I know I can't afford to throw a couple hundred bucks at a payment. Newer truck get better mileage but not that much better. I try to keep up with the problems that need to be fixed. No saying you won't have these with a new truck either. My brother just went through this and went the other route. Sold his old pickup and bought a newer vehicle. Now its got something rattling in the front end still a gas guzzler and has larger payment and insurance cost. Sure it looks nice but it doesn't have a spec of personality.

When I look at my truck and everything is working good I swear it smiles at me.
 
Re: Ever felt like saying \"To HELL with it!!!\" ? - SUPPORT NEEDED!!!

[ QUOTE ]

You could almost combine all 3 (with seating for the whole family, cargo capacity, mild off-road, and mileage) by buying a newish diesel crew cab. And it would also add on longevity, dependability, and comforts... IIRC, your not into the hard-core wheeling, so even an IFS chevy on 33s (like mine) might fit the bill. Selling all 3 and making smaller payments on the much reduced balance would put you in a brand new truck with all the comforts and dependability. I don't care what anyone says, heated leather seats and climate control ROCK.



[/ QUOTE ]well put. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Re: Ever felt like saying \"To HELL with it!!!\" ? - SUPPORT NEEDED!!!

Id say sell the deisel and park the k5 for a while. You'll really regret selling the K5 later on. If your like most of the ppl on this site you've probably put alot of blood sweet and tears into it. Just take the K5 to the rec property and park her for a while.

Nick
 
Re: Ever felt like saying \"To HELL with it!!!\" ? - SUPPORT NEEDED!!!

[ QUOTE ]
I don't care what anyone says, heated leather seats and climate control ROCK.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree, but it doesn't come for free, either, so their are valid points to go both directions.
 
Re: Ever felt like saying \"To HELL with it!!!\" ? - SUPPORT NEEDED!!!

[ QUOTE ]
But if that's not an option, then you reach down, give your nutsack a yank, roll-up your sleeves and wrench until you start speaking in tougues and the trucks emerge looking factory fresh.....least that's how I do it...

[/ QUOTE ]

Words to live by...well said Corby. /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif

The good thing about older versus newer is that if you need a couple months in a row where you spend a few hundred bucks on repairs it ain't that big a deal...miss a month or two because you can;t afford it or it doesn't need and all is still good. Miss a couple of car payments and see what happens...try and find a few extra hundred for repairs when you're making the car payment...

The wrenching, busted knuckles, hours of poring over repair manuals and the occasional venting session here could be likened to the cost of an education. It can and will pay off as you get more and more intimately aware of every mechanical part and system your truck has. You just need to sack up and jump right into it sometimes...and occasionally you will fukk it up and cost yourself some money or aggravation. It does pay off and every mistake is another thing you have learned for life.

Hang tough, have a beer, ignore the truck and the Blazer for a while and then dive right in where you think it'll do the most good.

Rene
 
Re: Ever felt like saying \"To HELL with it!!!\" ? - SUPPORT NEEDED!!!

Gotta say from personal experience that you can have too many projects. Not only will they tend to drain the finances, but eventually motivation and time to work on them wane, and it just isn't worth it.

If you've got a vehicle that will get you to work every day, you are halfway there...what do you see yourself doing in 5 years? Will you need the K5 and the Pickup? If yes, keep both of them, and invest money as you can. Let the registration laps, but don't forget, you WILL need a truck at one point, and if you don't have one, are you going to enjoy borrowing one from somone else, if thats even possible?

If you don't see needing both a pickup and K5, pick the one that you will get the most use out of. I can't see EVER being without a truck or something that can at least pull a trailer (well, I can, the K5 has been down at least a year and it sucks not being able to haul stuff) so I think that will really play into your final decision.

Can only speak from personal experience, but the project vehicles I own now, I own because I see myself never selling them, getting use out of them, and enjoying them. If they don't fit all of those criteria in my future, they are worthless.

Of course, I feel that having a DD that won't fail me, a car that goes fast and handles good, and a truck to haul stuff around and go hunting in, is all I will ever need. I've found those vehicles (well, DD is expendable /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif ) and will stick with them.
 
Re: Ever felt like saying \"To HELL with it!!!\" ? - SUPPORT NEEDED!!!

Well, you guys sure didn't disappoint me!!! /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif

Just so you have a little more background info, my wife and I just bought a brand new Hyundai Accent for dirt cheap(BTW, both the K5 and the 6.2 C10 were paid off long ago). We needed an economical way of getting around, because we put on lots of miles in a month, which means we spend a lot of money on fuel driving 2 fullsize trucks. In the last 3 weeks I've put a total of 2200 kms(around 1400 miles /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif) on the trucks and my fuel bill was a whopping $389!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/yikes.gif That was the main reason we bought the car. It helps that the deal I got from my buddy at the dealership was too good to be true!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif

I guess the reason I'm frustrated is now that we have the car, the trucks have become somewhat obsolete, especially seeing that they both require a certain amount of cash to get them up to snuff. That will change, however, when winter rolls in next October and when I have another load of building materials to haul across the mountains closer to summer. As you can see, I do indeed have a use for all my vehicles and I would be screwed one way or another if I sold one of them right now.

Selling all three and buying a new truck is out of the question- even with the proceeds of the sales I would still have to finance over $25K and I'm not willing to accept that kind of debt at this point in my life.

Anyhow, thanks for the words of wisdom, lads. The best thing about buying a cheap car is that I now have the time to tear into the trucks and getthem fixed up, and I still have enough spare cash at the end of the month to buy parts thanks to the savings I'll incur from the better MPG of the car.

I just had a pow-wow with Rene on the phone and we may have come up with a solution for my cooling woes on the diesel- if I get that fixed I know I'll feel a lot better about things........

Once again, thanks for the input, brothers!!! /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif
 
Re: Ever felt like saying \"To HELL with it!!!\" ? - SUPPORT NEEDED!!!

1. Drive the commuter.

2. Fix your 6.2L and put it in your K5.

3. Sell off the C10 (parts or whole).

4. Get a utility trailer for "pickup-truck" chores (or make one out of the C10 /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif )

[ QUOTE ]
I know some of you have been right where I am right now. Please tell me I'm not crazy for feeling like I should cut my losses and ditch the trucks, and please tell me I'm not crazy for wanting to keep the old girls.

[/ QUOTE ]

You're not crazy. That's life. I had my vehicle "crunch" about 2-3 years ago when I switched jobs and my son was born. You're hinging on only two options. Pull the rabbit out of the hat - invent more.

I'm at the one vehicle solution - plus utility trailer. My Crewcab is part of some kind of 4x4 hobby I plan to take up several years from now /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif )
 
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