Truck Value/Fuel Prices

[special-K]

I see alot of reference by members to the wonderful fuel prices we`ve been greedily graced with making it hard to get sell or get good money for our trucks.I disagree.There have been fuel consumption concerns for over 30 years and minimum mileage requirements increasing every so many years.In the`70s great American cars could be had for dirt cheap while owners went out and bought econoboxes.With each major price increase we are traumatized,then get used to it.Now,this thread isn`t about fuel prices or whether we`ll ever get used to these prices.It`s definately way past a "get used to it" price,there`s no argument it is a world changing event.
What my point is...who`s buying these trucks for economy?How many are bought for daily drivers or sole transportation?I`ve been running mine somewhat daily in spring summer and fall for many years.But,with present fuel prices,I see myself plotting my driving more,thinking twice about running around,and maybe just using them less.But,I don`t have anything newer that gets any crazy-good mileage anyway.The fuel prices may be effecting late model gas-guzzler resale values,but I don`t see any change in desire to own what we like.I`ve always said,"If I lived somewhere that won`t rust my truck I wouldn`t need a late model."If I lived where driving a 67-72 daily was possible without ruining the body,I`d be looking to work closer to home.We can`t all do that,but that`s what my solution would be.I can`t believe I`ve spent so many years living where I had to stop running trucks in the winter.If it were up to me,my location would be based around being able to just run old stuff.That`ll finally change,I hope.
I just see these trucks sitting/resting more.But desire not residing at all`except for the relatively few that use these trucks as their sole transportation.Heck,if I lived in Arizona of other sunbelt state,I`d just spend more time running my Harley whenever I didn`t need to carry much of anything.That would be my enjoyable way of "averaging out" the expense.
We see guys swapping-in late model running gear and increasing fuel economy to comparable to anything new.It can get expensive.But,not as much as what a new truck costs that will decrease to 1/2 the sticker price before it ever begins to age.I expect to see more upgrading in the future.Cuz we really want to drive these trucks and no stinkin`oil baron is gonna take that away!!!!!!

[mrein3]

There are so many ways to respond to this post.

1. You really shouldn't be using a truck like this as a daily driver. I wish I could. I love the power and acceleration in my 383. However I'd have to put $100 - $200 worth of cab insulation in it and a 700r4 before I'd even consider driving it to work every day.

2. I see you live in MD. I live in MN. I'm guessing that in MD you put your car away for the winter if you like it just like here. I've learned to deal with that fact. I purchased my 1972 Chevelle in 1984, 2 weeks before I had a driver's license. It has not seen salt since 1986, the first winter I could afford a "winter beater". Winter beaters of the past become parts cars of the future. Trust me, I lived in Phoenix one winter. Making me move there would take an increase in salary that nobody would pay so that isn't going to happen. I've been to LA, Long Beach, and Costa Mesa, CA. Once again, you couldn't pay me enough money to live there. I wouldn't even consider raising a child in those environments and I have a 3-week old baby. So it is 18 years before I'd even consider a move to the SW.

3. You don't need to spend a lot to get a car that gets "crazy-good mileage". I owned a 1994 Ford Escort for a daily driver for 288,000 miles and 14 years. It cost me 10k new and the maintenance was so low I hardly considered it an expense. When I GAVE it to a friend it was still averaging 38 mile per gallon. Yes I said 38 miles per gallon AVERAGE. I didn't drive it much other than to work and back and it is all freeway but facts are facts. You don't need to buy a hybrid to get decent mileage. Ask a Prius owner what they REALLY are getting for mileage and if they are truthful you'll see that those fictional 50+ mpg numbers are one time on a 55mph highway the rest of the time they get 40-45mpg tops. So now ask your self is it worth a hybrid premium to get slightly better mileage than something made here in America. Plus they are ugly.

Long story short - I've owned this truck for 14 years and don't see any reason to sell it. Oil baron, eco-nazi, or other.

Last night my truck (4x4) pushed two docks in the lake. Yet another reason not to live in the SW. Every day after work I go home to my lake home - something not to many folks down there get to do on a working man's salary. I'll take 4 months of salt and ice in trade for 8 months of fishing every day, no pollution, a lot less crime, and a reason to own more vehicles (winter cars and daily drivers).

You know what they say, the grass is always greener...

Stay home. Keep your truck. All is good in the world.

[gcburdic]

Can I get an AMEN??!?!?!.....those posts made me feel like I was at Sunday morning church!!!...

[Chevyholic]

I believe that fuel prices simply eliminates the "casual" owner. The person that has always liked these trucks, but otherwise wasn't necessarily a "passion". Someone who would have turned our trucks into a daily driver for the sake of trying something new. Those are the people who are missing out now. The people who grew up with these trucks just like having them around, kind of like a security blanket. They remind me of simpler times.

Growing up my Dad owned a 47' that we used for camping in the Sierra Nevada mountains every Summer. Later it was a 63', then a 71', then a 75', so on, and so forth. I mean, can you even remember what new car smell was like before plastic? Remember how the old leaded gas smelled? I love the sound those old heavy doors make when they close, or the hood coming down. I love the fact that I have only two seat belts in my truck and have three kids begging me to let them be the one to ride with me to Home Depot. I hope my old truck rubs off on them like my Dad's rubbed off on me.

To me, the thing is, these are more than transportation, so I don't even look at them as such. These are time machines, memories, hobbies, passions, frustrations, and nostalgia all rolled up into one glorious .

That's worth a lot more than $4.00 a gallon and always will be.

[Down south truckin]

Here's my way of thinking,I think that the fuel prices have affected the value of our trucks because usually they are a hobby or a extra in life,and since all of our extra money is going into our tanks we have no extra money to spend on these awesome trucks so in the long run the price of gas has affected the "value" of these as well as other classic cars and trucks ...Mike

PS I know this is true for me because if I had the kind of loot that I had 7-8 years ago I would be buying up these suckers left and right.There are tons of good deals to be had.

[jcdeuce]

Well lets see, My daily driver gets about 13 MPG and my 68 gets about 15MPG. I live in texas...Gulf Coast. I live about 7 miles from work and have found that the only time I dont drive my 68 to work is when it is forcasted for rain. I have loved these truck since I can remember and of all things gas prices would never change that. Besides the value of my truck is to me, if Joe Schmoe says my truck is only worth 10 dollars well then its only worth 10 dollars if i sell it to him..

[bobthecop]

For me, when I get my truck finished, it will be a vehicle that I can repair and when it is done I will have no payment, so the price of gas really is not an issue since I'm not making a payment and buying gas. It takes a lot of gas usage to justify a 300-400 payment to get 5 or 10 more mpg in a daily driver.

[boundstaffpress]

I drive my 67 k10 most every day to work. It's only about 5 blocks, so I can afford it. Soon I'll switch over to my bicycle because the weather will be predictably nicer. These decisions are made based on comfort, not gas prices.

I think rising fuel cost will eliminate some excessive spending when it comes to buying one of these trucks, but I don't think we will see an overall drop in prices. Vintage hardly ever works that way. Like was said above, the casual owner will cap his spending, but the guy who want the truck cause it was like his dad's or because he always thought it looked tougher than any other will still buy and restore vintage iron. Whatever the cost.

[pumpkin]

Driving my truck is one of my pleasures in life, so I drive it as my daily driver. People spend huge money on new vehicles to drive. Whats a new SUV cost? I can put $20,000 into my truck, have something nice, that I enjoy driveing, and will hold its value based on the condition I keep it in. Life is to short for me to spend my time driving a piece o crap econo box. Gas may be getting up there, but in reality, I think its just been priced low for too long. If you look at what percentage of you parents, or grand peratnts pay check went for gas, vers what persentage we pay now, I think we are getting a better deal. I remember my parents haveing to budget for gas. I just fill er up when its empty. When I weigh the factors, I still come up with the sme thing. Hell the thousand bucks a year I'ld have to pay just to insure the piece o crap buys me about 4 months of gas. Plus the maintanace, repairs, and smogg testing for something that I realy don't like anyways.

[toomanytoyz]

Originally Posted by Chevyholic

I believe that fuel prices simply eliminates the "casual" owner. The person that has always liked these trucks, but otherwise wasn't necessarily a "passion". Someone who would have turned our trucks into a daily driver for the sake of trying something new. Those are the people who are missing out now. The people who grew up with these trucks just like having them around, kind of like a security blanket. They remind me of simpler times.

Growing up my Dad owned a 47' that we used for camping in the Sierra Nevada mountains every Summer. Later it was a 63', then a 71', then a 75', so on, and so forth. I mean, can you even remember what new car smell was like before plastic? Remember how the old leaded gas smelled? I love the sound those old heavy doors make when they close, or the hood coming down. I love the fact that I have only two seat belts in my truck and have three kids begging me to let them be the one to ride with me to Home Depot. I hope my old truck rubs off on them like my Dad's rubbed off on me.

To me, the thing is, these are more than transportation, so I don't even look at them as such. These are time machines, memories, hobbies, passions, frustrations, and nostalgia all rolled up into one glorious .

That's worth a lot more than $4.00 a gallon and always will be.

You Have Summed it up Rather Well................

Thanks, Rick

[BB72CHEVKT]

[QUOTE=mrein3;2704302]There are so many ways to respond to this post.

1. You really shouldn't be using a truck like this as a daily driver.

I sold my 06 crew to drive my 69 45 miles round trip per day. I surely did not think gas would get this expensive. The 69 is not running so great and has a bad exhaust leak and is getting 9-10 mpg. My truck payment was $300 a month with a good down payment and good interest rate. I am still saving money because the cost in fuel between the 06 and 69 is not $300 more per month and I am only carring liability insurance. Please give me your reasoning as to why my truck should not be a daily driver.

[suville]

My 68 is a DD, gas is gunna be what ever the greedy moguls want to charge for it and when you consider the payments and manditory full coverage insurance on a new(er) jellybean with wheels just to get mileage you spend a bunch more than just puttin in gas in a vehicle that has no end to parts availability not to mention you dont need to pay a shop upwards of $100 per hour to fix it! I'llnever own anything newer than 72 cept my Harley its a 1974! Guess you could say I'm stuck in a time warp and happy to stay there! Enjoy your trucks yall!

[streetstar]

::[quote=BB72CHEVKT;2704410]

Originally Posted by mrein3

There are so many ways to respond to this post.

1. You really shouldn't be using a truck like this as a daily driver.

I sold my 06 crew to drive my 69 45 miles round trip per day. I surely did not think gas would get this expensive. The 69 is not running so great and has a bad exhaust leak and is getting 9-10 mpg. My truck payment was $300 a month with a good down payment and good interest rate. I am still saving money because the cost in fuel between the 06 and 69 is not $300 more per month and I am only carring liability insurance. Please give me your reasoning as to why my truck should not be a daily driver.

I think he was referring to places like Minnesota, where he lives, and other rust belt states ----

--- your in Texas and i'm in Oklahoma, so we can rock on

I mainly get paranoid about other drivers --- even if its my new $2400 "beater truck" ---- if it gets wrecked hard, its gone forever. If it gets damaged otherwise, then my un-restored, un-molested truck has now been officially molested

I love driving it though, but mainly use it for chores (between my place and my mom's, i take care of 15 acres in the spring and summer),

It does take me back to a simpler time and reminds me of my dad's old truck, just like a previous poster said, --- you can't put a price on that

It is funny that my near 40 year old truck is in roughly the same shape as my dad's was in the early 80's. These trucks had rocker panel issues, even when they were only 12 or 13 years old.

[69long"n"low]

You guys are right on the money my truck is a DD and i love it. I do have to put it away for the winter but i dont mind the thing is a beast to drive in the snow lol. But this year with the gas getting more expensive it motivating me to start the restoration on it so the gas prices arent all bad.

[BB72CHEVKT]

[quote=streetstar;2704445]::

Originally Posted by BB72CHEVKT

I think he was referring to places like Minnesota, where he lives, and other rust belt states ----

--- your in Texas and i'm in Oklahoma, so we can rock on

I mainly get paranoid about other drivers --- even if its my new $2400 "beater truck" ---- if it gets wrecked hard, its gone forever. If it gets damaged otherwise, then my un-restored, un-molested truck has now been officially molested

I love driving it though, but mainly use it for chores (between my place and my mom's, i take care of 15 acres in the spring and summer),

It does take me back to a simpler time and reminds me of my dad's old truck, just like a previous poster said, --- you can't put a price on that

It is funny that my near 40 year old truck is in roughly the same shape as my dad's was in the early 80's. These trucks had rocker panel issues, even when they were only 12 or 13 years old.

I get it now. I can't imagine having to deal with that so the thought never came to mind.

[Number98]

Well said man.....

Originally Posted by mrein3

There are so many ways to respond to this post.

1. You really shouldn't be using a truck like this as a daily driver. I wish I could. I love the power and acceleration in my 383. However I'd have to put $100 - $200 worth of cab insulation in it and a 700r4 before I'd even consider driving it to work every day.

2. I see you live in MD. I live in MN. I'm guessing that in MD you put your car away for the winter if you like it just like here. I've learned to deal with that fact. I purchased my 1972 Chevelle in 1984, 2 weeks before I had a driver's license. It has not seen salt since 1986, the first winter I could afford a "winter beater". Winter beaters of the past become parts cars of the future. Trust me, I lived in Phoenix one winter. Making me move there would take an increase in salary that nobody would pay so that isn't going to happen. I've been to LA, Long Beach, and Costa Mesa, CA. Once again, you couldn't pay me enough money to live there. I wouldn't even consider raising a child in those environments and I have a 3-week old baby. So it is 18 years before I'd even consider a move to the SW.

3. You don't need to spend a lot to get a car that gets "crazy-good mileage". I owned a 1994 Ford Escort for a daily driver for 288,000 miles and 14 years. It cost me 10k new and the maintenance was so low I hardly considered it an expense. When I GAVE it to a friend it was still averaging 38 mile per gallon. Yes I said 38 miles per gallon AVERAGE. I didn't drive it much other than to work and back and it is all freeway but facts are facts. You don't need to buy a hybrid to get decent mileage. Ask a Prius owner what they REALLY are getting for mileage and if they are truthful you'll see that those fictional 50+ mpg numbers are one time on a 55mph highway the rest of the time they get 40-45mpg tops. So now ask your self is it worth a hybrid premium to get slightly better mileage than something made here in America. Plus they are ugly.

Long story short - I've owned this truck for 14 years and don't see any reason to sell it. Oil baron, eco-nazi, or other.

Last night my truck (4x4) pushed two docks in the lake. Yet another reason not to live in the SW. Every day after work I go home to my lake home - something not to many folks down there get to do on a working man's salary. I'll take 4 months of salt and ice in trade for 8 months of fishing every day, no pollution, a lot less crime, and a reason to own more vehicles (winter cars and daily drivers).

You know what they say, the grass is always greener...

Stay home. Keep your truck. All is good in the world.

[leddzepp]

I drive my truck every day, and plan on doing so no matter what gas prices are.

[Brock]

I've got a 2005 F-150 (I know...) its got the smaller V-8 and gets 16-17 MPG (I drive 16.5 miles to and from work each day= $7/trip), Payment is $374.18/Month, Insurance~$85 per month...I paid $249 for my truck, $20 for a running 307, a free 700R4 (gotta buy a rebuild kit), I'm expecting 15-18 MPG...HECK YEAH its gonna be my daily driver!!!!! as soon as it gets going the F@RD is history. I'll tkae that monthly savings and buy me a utility truck to pull the racecar and I'm set. Its gonna take some major gas prices to make up for that $450/month I'm shelling out on a truck I dont even like. Not to mention me with my mechanical-idiocy can almost work on these older vehicles.

[Indyuke]

My dad has a brand new f-250 with $280/mo payments and full coverage insurance. He gets an average of 14mpg and pays $400+ a month on gas. My bro is almost in the same situation and has a brand new chevy truck that gets an average of 18mpg with payments and full coverage insurance.

I have a 1970 chevy truck. It's nice looking, almost rust free, fun to drive and gets 15-16mpg with the 700r4. My insurance is 1/4 of my dad and bro's, and i have no vehicle payment. The cost of gas is almost a non-issue because it has never cost me more than $300-350 tops every month to drive my truck, and I go EVERYWHERE in it all year round. Maybe in five years it will cost me $500-600 per month to go the same distance, but that is still far less than owning and paying for a new truck.

[leddzepp]

Old school trucks are the way to go...no payments, low insurance, and a LOT more fun to drive.

[67ChevyRedneck]

I only live 12 miles round trip to/from work. So the 67 gets driven A LOT. It has ice cold A/C and a 700R4. It may not be many miles, but it's fired up almost everyday. My Z71 and the 67 are paid for, so as long as gas doesn't get crazy expensive, I don't plan on buying a fuel sipper, it would have to get awesome fuel mileage and not cost more than 3 or 4K for me to start seeing a return on the investment in 2 years or less. We usually drive Jena's car on the weekend and "trips" to save gas. I still plan on buying a V-8 6 speed camaro next year... we shall see...

[hvychve]

well, weather it gets 5 mpg or 38 mpg, it doesnt really matter, if you dont like driving it , why bother, I aint knocking what anybody drives, ford escort that gets 38mpg, or ???? I would preffer to drive my gas hog 72 any day, yes here in cali, the crime is higher and other factors or not as desireable as other places, but in a nut shell, I like to drive my truck when the time allows me to, it has a 700r4 trans, that does help on gas costs, I said it before and will say it again, if gas prices get to ten bucks a gal. I still wouldnt sell her, I enjoy being able to use it or drive it, I lived in the salty areas , lived in Conifer co. (8500 ft. elev.) , Denver, Plattsmouth Ne. Truck has seen its share of salt, but did I let it take heed, nope, I kept it washed, and recently repainted, this truck is a 72 and has all the original panels still intact, rocker panels , floor pans , fenders all original, if you keep it rinsed off and keep the paint chips covered you can avoid rusting issues, as far as consumptions issues, it was mentioned earlier, that these years were not really designed for economy, its like driving a truck with a four by eight sheet of plywood down the road, they are not aero-dynamic, yes, there are improvements one can make, like a computer system driving injectors with an o2 sensor to monitor fuel control, you can even tweek the pcm to control better fuel control, overdrive transmissions can help drastically, smaller tires, less contact with the road, all these factors can and will contribute to easier visits to the pumps, I know , when I get in my truck, I am not going to get 20 mpg. I drive and own it cause I enjoy it.........
I hope most of you are right, that these trucks dont die, for the fact that gas prices are horrible, but this is something (gas prices) we have no control over... just a little venting , happy truck'n

[67CHIP72]

When I picked up this trailer this morning, the guy said he saw me at the gas station the other day, and thought "what a nice looking truck, but I'll bet it goes through gas." I told him no more than it ever did, but the only thing "green" about it was the color.

[Brock]

I agree on the I drive it because its fun theory (even though its gonna be just as economical for me to drive mine everyday)...I fork out $5.98 a gallon for 110-racing fuel every weekend just so I can drive in circles...WHY? Its fun!

[TonyJohnson]

Mine's a daily driver. Another consideration is safety. Folks spend a lot of money to protect the vehicle in an accident. I don't mind spending more on gas to have a little more protection for the ole body...

I tried driving a Toyota Tercel for work commute and I felt like I had no protection at all. If I was going to go that route, I'd just drive a motorcycle and really save some $.