Do older trucks have less problems?

[Smokin72on20s]

take a 2wd 95 chevy pickup, will you have more or less problems then a 72 2wd chevy pickup? I know there is alot of factors involved, but in general do older trucks have less problems? i figure they would because of less electrical/simplicity of them. assuming these trucks would be daily drivers.

[skokie]

I think that older trucks are easier to work on. Less wiring to deal with and no computer either. You mentioned a 72 chvy truck vs a 95. These trucks are not equal in the sense that one has been on the road for 32 years and the other 9. Lots of things can happen in that time unless you have done a full on restore to the 72 then in my opinion it would be better than the 95 cause everything in it has been gone through.
Just my 2 cents. got change LOL

[Stocker]

Skokie sums it up pretty well. 30+ years is a long time. Let's say things are maintained and repaired as necessary. Generally, there is less to fail on an older truck, and they are easier to work on, so you're more likely to do the work yourself.

[Tx Firefighter]

Frankly, a newer truck will give fewer mechanical headaches over the course of 100k miles.

You pay for it though.

[shortymac83]

OK, here's an example. I know the new car isn't a truck, but bear with me.

my dad has a 95 Frod asspire for his daily driver. it gets great mileage, starts in any weather, has no problems whatsoever (except a loose muffler that rattles) and is rust and (more or less) dent free. At the end of 3,000 miles, the oil in there looks like the oil in my Olds after 500 miles.

I have a 67 chevy C10. The seatbelts pull out of the floor, you have to disconnect the battery every time you park it or it will suck the battery dry, it won't want to start below 30*F, the drum brakes are glazed, the body doesn't have one panel on it that's rust free, the headlights flicker, the heater core is broken, so no heat, the shifter jams, etc.

Is all that stuff fixable? yes. will it be fixed? yes. I suppose what I'm trying to say is that after 35 years, the truck has had a LOT of time to collect battle scars. the Aspire is 9 years old and spent 6 of those years being towed behind a motor home in neutral. it has 35,000 miles on it, the truck has 106,000 miles on it. ya know what I mean?

[ChevyDude]

The new Chevy trucks are extremely nice, kinda like driving the living room recliner and as Tx Firefigher said...not too many problems until 100 K or so. They also come with a pretty hefty monthly payment along with the requiered insurance. The 67-72 trucks will have the now and then problem that can almost always be fixed over a weekend or many times just a quick run to the parts store. One thing that can't be had with a new truck is the coolness look of the old Chevy Truck....I sold my 2001 loaded ex-cab and now have a 71' SWB Fleet 2wd and a 72' SWB Fleet 4x4. I drive the 4x4 everyday and love everytime I turn the key.

[spencra]

I would say more problems but a hell of a lot easier and cheaper to work on.

[N2TRUX]

In general it depends on how either truck was cared for. If you exclude the possibility that one may have been a POS the day it rolled off the line regardless of the year built, then it depends on how it cared for along the way.

I have a 96 extra cab that gets driven by my Service Manager all day every day. It has 300k+ miles on the original 5.7 motor. The body is a bit rough, and it's starting to use a quart between changes but it starts and runs all day every day.

We change the oil every 5k and "try" to repair things before they become an issue. I have had a few 88-99 GM trucks with well over 100k on them, one with over 200k, and two with over 300k. I have yet to replace a motor.
I hope this doesn't jinx me....

[griesel72]

i agree, i there seems to always be something wrong with all of my older trucks, but most problems are small or i can live with them.

[Warbones]

I'd still go for the old truck. Eventually have a looker would make is all worth while. Plus I'd rather mess with that then something newer.

[GreyHoundSteve]

I would think that older trucks would have more problems but they will be easier and cheaper to fix than a new truck with fewer problems.

[chickenwing]

If you are going to use a 67-72 as a daily driver, you have to dump the money you would have spent on a new truck payment into the 67-72. It wouldn't be a permenant payment! You just have to go through em till they feel loved.
Before mine even hit the road, I replaced all the front suspension wearables, cept the tie-rods. Then I put new drums,rotors, wheel cylinders and calipers on her. Then I put new tires on the fugly rusted out 16.5 rims. Then the fuel tank needed coating and finally the motor. Drove her for a year crushed fenders, fogged glass, rusted rims and all. Then the 700r4 went in and finally paint. Still gotta finish my a/c and do the inside of the bed.

The most bothersome thing for me is just getting everything "in tune". I still have'nt started on my carb adjustment and my tranny shifts way too soon. Even with all the 'lil gremlins I still would rather drive my truck than a brand new one.

If I ever did want a new one, I think my wife would personally drive my truck over a cliff and go buy me whatever I want. Women hate whatever occupies too much of their mans time. Maybe when I'm done with it she will like it...

[Super Duck]

I am doing a tpi swap and drive my truck every day. I would rather drive the 67 than my wifes 03

[GreyHoundSteve]

Originally Posted by Super Duck

I am doing a tpi swap and drive my truck every day. I would rather drive the 67 than my wifes 03

I plan on doing the same thing. Im taking my 67 and slowly (when funds alow) updating EVERYTHING on my truck. My intrior has pw, pl, ps, tilt, cd, drink holder, lcd speedo, compass, ext temp gauge,homelink visors w/ lit mirrors, power heated leather seats and about every other modern convienance i could think to add and i did it on a budget. Yeah i could have gone out and bought a new truck with all these options but for the $400 a month i would have spent on it i added all of this for around $1,500 and picked and choosed what i wanted.

I plan to do EVERY aspect of my truck this way so that my old 67 will rival ANYTHING ANY new truck has on it and yet only has to meet the legal standards for a 67.

[Super Duck]

I am working in the same direction.

[toddtheodd]

I think the real question is this;
What kind of condition will the 95 be in when it's 30+ years old?
Guess we'll have to wait and see.
Todd

[1972]

Originally Posted by toddtheodd

I think the real question is this;
What kind of condition will the 95 be in when it's 30+ years old?
Guess we'll have to wait and see.
Todd

To me years don't matter, I consider miles to be the measurement of service provided to the driver. I have a 1995 C1500 with 183,000 miles (the only problems have been a transmission at 80K and a water pump at 154K) and a 1972 C10 with 135,000 miles. I bought the 95 a few years ago for $3000 and the 72 a few weeks ago for $1300. The 72 will need more than $1700 in repairs/upgrades to be in the condition of the 95 and provide the same reliable service. The newer trucks are far more dependable and if you figure $ per mile to operate I think that they can be less expensive than older trucks. Which do I enjoy driving the most? The 72 of course!

[SCOTI]

If you leave it stone stock, the 95 would be more reliable. But, if you upgrade anything on the motor that might affect the computer, the newer one would be more of a headache to decipher problems because of the sophistcation of the electronics. With a good tuner, this wouldn't be a problem.... but good tuners cost more $$.

The older models are much simpler & user friendly vs. new stuff. The biggest reason new trucks can put 300K on the odometer w/the original engine is that sophisticated computer managing the fuel ratio (which helps extend bearing life), more efficient combustion chambers, & roller cams.

Besides the engines, the suspensions are pretty much equal in their lifespan. My old roomate had to put new tie-rods & balljoints & front rotors on his 92 Chevy SWB before it was 4yrs old (less than 60K miles). The 130K mile '65 SWB Chevy that replaced it still had the original drums, balljoints & tierod ends.... and the original 283/3spd.

[Hooter]

well I have an 81 Ford with over 450 000 k on it, stuff does go wrong, but I have already replaced the tranny, motor, transfer case, rear end and fron end, pretty much a new truck, but what I like is that it is dirt cheap to fix. All the newer trucks might not break down as much, but when they do they end up costing a whole lot more to repair, so win some lose some, but older vehicles only increase in value when you fix them up and newer vehicles lose their value, if you can keep a regular maintence schedule and fix things before they actually break on you then you shouldnt have to worry about reliabilty as much then

[GMC AMI]

Buy a new truck, by the time you pay for all the taxes, title fees, and count the major depreciation as soon as you drive it off the lot you have already paid for the old truck. The old truck is gaining more value provided the up -keep is maintained and who wants a big payment book?

[Tx Firefighter]

Some of you fellows are getting off base here.

He asked if you'd have more or less problems with a new vs old truck. He didn't ask about the price you pay to buy that new truck with fewer problems.

Electronic ignition and fuel injection
self tensioning serpantine belts
much better machining on engine parts

etc....all these things add up to make newer vehicles much more reliable and need less work than old vehicles will.

[GMC AMI]

Is it not common sense that a newer truck would inherently have less problems due to mileage differences? Plus kick in the age factor of the truck components. Tx is right, I am guilty of straying off the center of this thread, My humblest apology.

[67ChevyRedneck]

I bought my 67 bone stock with an I6 and 3spd manual. I drove her for 6 consecutive years. THE ONLY thing I did to her was replace the brake shoes and tires when I bought her. Fired up in 20 degree weather just as well as 90. Only bad thing was that she idled rough for about 2 minutes when she sat overnight. BUT in the past year I've spent over 3K on 350 engine, 700R4, dual exhaust, complete front end rebuild with power disk brakes....In terms of reliability, I think any Chevy truck is the most reliable thing on the road!!!

[chickenwing]

If you want a reliable 30 year old truck, you gotta MAKE it a reliable 30 year old truck. I like a stock look on the outside, but on the inside I want it as modern and effiecient as possible. That's why I have a serpentine set up (well, there is a cool factor) and blah, blah, blah and all new near about everything. She should be every bit as reliable as a 90.

[MrGoodpliers]

How many thumbs-ups do you get with a new truck?