BUY A Truck?

[Ugly Dougly]

Glancing through craigslist's ads for trucks and vans for between $1000 and $2000, I see lots of options. This is how much many of us pay for rentals! Clean it up when you get back, I think, and sell it! Even at a loss it's still going to be cheaper than renting.

Who has done this before? Any great stories?

[epic_elite]

Glancing through craigslist's ads for trucks and vans for between $1000 and $2000, I see lots of options. This is how much many of us pay for rentals! Clean it up when you get back, I think, and sell it! Even at a loss it's still going to be cheaper than renting.

Who has done this before? Any great stories?

if you dont wanna keep it, there's always this...

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/wan/1626966289.html


i wonder how much it would be worth for one of the towtruck drivers expressions when they show up to pick up a crewcab duley from the 70s painted purple with pink polka dots on it.

[trystanthegypsy]

We are buying a cargo van this year... I drove my compact down last year and it needed $1100 in repairs/new tires/etc when I got back. (well it would have needed those soon but the drive from Canada didn't help.) It still needs a new windshield.

Yup, definitely more efficient in my book to buy... The problem is that cheap vans and trucks often require very expensive parts/repairs. You can hope you find one that runs well

[epic_elite]

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/cto/1616989415.html

"I have a 1981 Ford F-250 that runs like a champ would be a great project or work truck."


i wonder what their idea of "project" is.... ::evil grin::

[Captain Goddammit]

I've always gone to Burning Man (and anywhere else) in my own trucks, always older ones.
There's a lot of money to be saved and a lot of convenience in having your own truck vs. renting them, but you have work to do if you don't want trouble. $1000 - $2000 will get you a solid truck, but reality is you need to spend a bit more on a few key items if you want to be reasonably sure of making the trip.

First, you can test-drive around town all you want, but you don't really know what your truck is made of until you load it heavy and point it up a mountain pass. The two biggest heavy-load, steep mountain failures are overheating and transmissions.
Get a new radiator, whether you think yours is fine or not.
A stick trans is highly preferable for this kind of duty, but they're rare in vans or box trucks. If you have an automatic, get it rebuilt whether it seems fine or not. The older, non-overdrive ones like the older trucks we're talking about will have aren't nearly as expensive to re-do as the newer ones. It's basically impossible to accurately asses the condition of an old auto trans. I'd never head over the mountains to BM in a loaded truck with an old unknown-shape automatic.

Don't just leave it in "Drive" and floor it up the hills! That's when you'll blow it up! You'll heat the hell out of the transmission and motor. Slow down, shift down, let up on the gas, and walk it up the hills easy. Be nice to the goddamm thing.

Look at the tires. Tread depth isn't that important unless they're bald, what's important is the sidewalls. If they have cracks, they're trouble waiting to screw you somewhere. Inflate them to the max. pressure indicated on the sidewall fine print.

Replace the belts and hoses. Little shit like that will ruin your day.

[Ugly Dougly]

i wonder what their idea of "project" is.... ::evil grin::

[ygmir]

Glancing through craigslist's ads for trucks and vans for between $1000 and $2000, I see lots of options. This is how much many of us pay for rentals! Clean it up when you get back, I think, and sell it! Even at a loss it's still going to be cheaper than renting.

Who has done this before? Any great stories?

and, pay the extra money for premium AAA and they'll tow it home for you............

I've bought many old trucks.........the heavier duty ones last longer......IMHO.

I have extra tires and my own tire machine, if that helps.

that price range should get you something that will make it there, and back, with a pretty good load.

Lemme know if I can help.

[shiznicks1]

Im in the same boat with ya. Last year was my first and I motorhomepooled. This year im buying a van and a small popup tent trailer. Lucky for my I work at an auction company that sells old school district vans, trucks, etc. so im keeping an eye out and plan to sell it by Sept. Good luck with your hunt though, search auctions, craigslist, pennysaver, auto trader, ebay motors, if you search you will find. Good Luck!

[TomServo]

Glancing through craigslist's ads for trucks and vans for between $1000 and $2000, I see lots of options. This is how much many of us pay for rentals! Clean it up when you get back, I think, and sell it! Even at a loss it's still going to be cheaper than renting.

Who has done this before? Any great stories?

My dispatcher has been trying to sell me his Deuce and a half, and if I had the 3000 bucks, Id buy it. Its multi-fuel....diesel, gasoline, vegtable oil... Is vietnam era though, and runs top speed 55mph.

[ygmir]

Glancing through craigslist's ads for trucks and vans for between $1000 and $2000, I see lots of options. This is how much many of us pay for rentals! Clean it up when you get back, I think, and sell it! Even at a loss it's still going to be cheaper than renting.

Who has done this before? Any great stories?

My dispatcher has been trying to sell me his Deuce and a half, and if I had the 3000 bucks, Id buy it. Its multi-fuel....diesel, gasoline, vegtable oil... Is vietnam era though, and runs top speed 55mph.

they are good........It so happens, I have 3.............
and, they'll do 60 down hill.........hahahaha
I get about 12mpg on highway...........
I even have extra fording kits stuff, to enable it to drive under 12' of water........arctic kits stuff for -40F...................

Dougly, that's the one you should get........a little extra dough, but, they are quite cool, and, at intersections, you always get the right of way........

[Ugly Dougly]

Yg, I was just throwing out a constructive suggestion.

I still have my pickup truck - with the dents from when the wind took my carport and threw it against the side! Ah, BM memories!

I probably will be joining a larger camp this year, and building a yurt for my own use. (Unless there's overwhelming interest in Barbarian Camp.)

[Boijoy]

No Barbarian Camp??? what WILL you do with your summer??

[Dustdevil]

While you are crunching the numbers don't forget to figure in the increased DMV registration for 2010 and the fact that commericial vehicles pay more for registration than private vehicles do. Large box vans and trucks can only be registered as commercial. Also your insurance will cost more for a commercial vehicle. Insurance could be purchased and cancelled, but the reg is for a year.

[ygmir]

another good thing about the M35 is it can be registered as an "Historical Vehicle", allowing for much cheaper registration and insurance, as a "collector" vehicle.

Dougly:
tell him I'll give him 1500 for the deuce (M35)

[Ugly Dougly]

Dougly:
tell him I'll give him 1500 for the deuce (M35)

That's probably meant for TS.
What do you need all those transports for? That's more 2 1/2s than my CARNG company had.