Truck Value/Fuel Prices

[RaceAGMC]

I forgot to say...as someone mentioned above. I love the sound of the heavy metal doors shutting. It to me is prob the best thing about having an old american vehicle, u hear that unmistakable sound and you know it's solid!

[jimmydean]

I bought my truck because I missed my '69. I sold the '69 because the cost of fuel outweighed the amount I used it.

This truck was bought to convert to diesel for the sole purpose of running biodiesel. I will still use it for truck duties, but it's not a daily driver. I commute by bike/motorcycle/bus depending on the weather.

I have no plans to sell this truck and I am building it for me, so it's value is a non-issue.

[OhNoJoe]

jimmydean,
How often do you make your deisel? Is it a pain to go get the grease amke it ect ect ect?

[mrein3]

I did some quick math.
I bought my 1994 Escort brand new in 1994 for $10,353.19 with tax and license. I put 287,575.6 miles on it before I GAVE it away. I used all of the $10 start-up cost.

Over 287k miles it averaged 34.8 miles to the gallon. I had to buy 8253.7 gallons of gasoline to go that far. At today's price, $3.599, that would cost me $29,705.09.

I've had my truck for all but 2 months of that Escort's life. Over the 27,592.9 miles I've owned the truck I've averaged 9.29 miles per gallon. If I would have foolishly used the truck as a daily driver, I would have had to consume 30,955.39 gallons of gas over and above what I did use it for. At $3.599, you're looking at $111,408.46.

The difference between the two fuel bills is $81,703.37. So the question is, if you drive 20,000 miles a year like I do, is it worth pissing away $5835.95 a year in fuel to drive your truck over a more fuel efficient car?

Lets say you do drive as many miles as I do. Lets say a new car is $1000/year in insurance. That leaves roughly $4800 of the $5800 in fuel savings for car payments. How much car can you buy for $400/month? Those new Impalas get 29-30mpg. You can get one of them for WAY under $400/month.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by mrein3

I did some quick math.
I bought my 1994 Escort brand new in 1994 for $10,353.19 with tax and license. I put 287,575.6 miles on it before I GAVE it away. I used all of the $10 start-up cost.

Over 287k miles it averaged 34.8 miles to the gallon. I had to buy 8253.7 gallons of gasoline to go that far. At today's price, $3.599, that would cost me $29,705.09.

I've had my truck for all but 2 months of that Escort's life. Over the 27,592.9 miles I've owned the truck I've averaged 9.29 miles per gallon. If I would have foolishly used the truck as a daily driver, I would have had to consume 30,955.39 gallons of gas over and above what I did use it for. At $3.599, you're looking at $111,408.46.

The difference between the two fuel bills is $81,703.37. So the question is, if you drive 20,000 miles a year like I do, is it worth pissing away $5835.95 a year in fuel to drive your truck over a more fuel efficient car?

Lets say you do drive as many miles as I do. Lets say a new car is $1000/year in insurance. That leaves roughly $4800 of the $5800 in fuel savings for car payments. How much car can you buy for $400/month? Those new Impalas get 29-30mpg. You can get one of them for WAY under $400/month.

And you don't even have to buy brand new. And since when does an econobox cost $30K??? (referenced to other poster) You can get a brand new, nicely optioned Cobalt, Corolla, or focus in the $14-17K range. A couple year old used one for around 10K or less.

I found a BEAUTIFUL black 00 S-10 for $3,900, 2.2L 5 speed, reg cab, it sold in two days, otherwise, it would have been mine. With the miles I drive, at current prices, it would only take 2 years for me to "pay for" the truck on just fuel cost savings over my Z71 and after that it's all "savings."

Since I live so close to work (12 miles round trip) I'm still sticking with my trucks, but for almost ALL weekend driving we use Jena's 99 Corolla. It averages about 25/26 cityish driving and 31/32 for straight highway. Good little car. Only has 105K on it, so we'll be keeping it for quite some time.

[jimmydean]

Originally Posted by OhNoJoe

jimmydean,
How often do you make your deisel? Is it a pain to go get the grease amke it ect ect ect?

First off, I haven't switched over my truck. But that will happen this summer.

Here is a link to a setup like ours.
http://www.biodieselcommunity.org/appleseedprocessor

Right now, here is the situation:

My best friends uncle runs a winery. The guy that he gets his laundry from has routes at restaurants in the area. He made a deal with the delivery guy to supply him with fuel and containers in exchange for waste oil.

So the laundry guy picks up 5 gallon containers at the winery. Those go to local restaurants to be filled with the waste oil and are returned to the winery. The 5 gallon containers go into 55 gallon drums for processing.

We built a distillery using a kit ($300) and a watter heater we got for free off Craig's List. The whole process takes about 2 days between letting things filter and settle and working my day job.

So far we have made about 300 gallons of B100. We have too much waste oil to manage right now, so we are getting larger containers. All of the machinery at the winery is diesel, Joe's truck is diesel, and the delivery truck is diesel. Everything has been running great for the past few months.

Once I get my truck built and get my own holding tank, I will have 100 gallon tank at home and I want to get a reserve tank for my truck for small transport.

It's a little work, but it ends up being about $1.00 a gallon when it's all said and done. Once we get a little better at it, it could go down to about $.80 a gallon. Joe's truck gets 24mpg, I am shooting for 25mpg in my truck.

[tim21391]

reply to the comment about the metal doors shutting....i also love the low sound of my pipes on my 72 under the rear bumper...i love that sound vs. any new truck..theres nothing the same as it.. i have a 2000 eclipse and so i hear the rice sound alot because i use that to go 30 miles to school a day.....everytime i get in my 72 and start it and rev i get a great big smile...then i see guys my age in there small car and i pull up next to them and they rev there engine...i just sit and idle and my car shakes more then theirs does when they rev.....i love it i cant imagine selling my truck no matter how high the prices get!!

[mrein3]

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

And you don't even have to buy brand new. And since when does an econobox cost $30K??? (referenced to other poster) You can get a brand new, nicely optioned Cobalt, Corolla, or focus in the $14-17K range. A couple year old used one for around 10K or less.

Agreed. I had a 1998 Escort "cream puff" fall in my lap with 54,000 miles on the clock. I paid $3k plus $40 transfer/title/etc. A co-worker is fond of Luminas of the 95-99 vintage that he picks up for $3k. They get 25-28mpg.

Do the math. $5000 is a lot to piss away every year just to drive to work.

I heard on the radio the other day that if everybody in the US reduces their consumption by 5%, gas prices will drop uncontrollably. Forget the green BS Al Gore and his cronies are trying to shove down our throats. Reducing your fuel consumption by 5% puts that 5% back in your pocket. Quick math - what is 5% of $5000? 10% is $500, 5% (half of 10) is $250 (half of 500). Using my fuel consumption of approximately $5000/year, reducing 5% puts $250 in my pocket. That is an extra case of beer per month.

And if your still reading and still care, I just reduced my consumption by 40%. I joined a car pool where I dive one less day per week and I started telecommuting one day a week. I only use my car to drive to work so I just took 40% of my yearly daily driver fuel bill and put it in my pocket. 40% of 5k is $2000/year. $2000 MORE PER YEAR IN MY POCKET. Guess how I'm paying for my new workshop?

Do you think big oil is making too much money right now? Park you daily gas hog driver and shave 5% off your consumption. If everybody does that the oil companies will be filing for chapter 11 protection.

[67ChevyRedneck]

I've more than reduced my consumption by 5%, I actually may have almost cut mine in half. I used to go on "cruises" in the 67 a couple times a week. I honestly can't remember the last time I did that was. No more "sunday drives." I actually "plan" my trips to places now and we take Jena's car whenever possible. Now that Jena has moved to Greenville, she graduated from vet school!, I no longer have to drive to Athens (230 miles round trip) to visit her.

I can go to work for 20 days, basically a month, on the miles used for one trip to Athens I don't expect to spend more than $120-$160/month on fuel. I *was* spending $3-400!!! Even with current prices, It only costs me $17/week to drive the 67 to work

[jimmydean]

Originally Posted by mrein3

Do you think big oil is making too much money right now? Park you daily gas hog driver and shave 5% off your consumption. If everybody does that the oil companies will be filing for chapter 11 protection.

The only flaw in this thinking is that big oil is sitting on a finite source. 5% reduction in consumption is a great start, but it doesn't change the fact that you are still reliant on a finite source. A source that will some day run out, and unless consumption AND alternatives are developed, our trucks will become museum pieces before you know it.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by jimmydean

The only flaw in this thinking is that big oil is sitting on a finite source. 5% reduction in consumption is a great start, but it doesn't change the fact that you are still reliant on a finite source. A source that will some day run out, and unless consumption AND alternatives are developed, our trucks will become museum pieces before you know it.

Yep, we're living in pretty scary times. Oil production has been flat since 2005 and is expected to start dropping in the next 3-5 years, conservatively. If we reduce our demand by 5% here, India and China will quickly take our excess with their rapid growth. I know a lot of people here hate it, and I don't understand why, but Ethanol, biodiesel, and plug ins/hybrids are our best shot of getting through the next 10-15 years without WWIII.

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by mrein3

I did some quick math.
I bought my 1994 Escort brand new in 1994 for $10,353.19 with tax and license. I put 287,575.6 miles on it before I GAVE it away. I used all of the $10 start-up cost.

Over 287k miles it averaged 34.8 miles to the gallon. I had to buy 8253.7 gallons of gasoline to go that far. At today's price, $3.599, that would cost me $29,705.09.

I've had my truck for all but 2 months of that Escort's life. Over the 27,592.9 miles I've owned the truck I've averaged 9.29 miles per gallon. If I would have foolishly used the truck as a daily driver, I would have had to consume 30,955.39 gallons of gas over and above what I did use it for. At $3.599, you're looking at $111,408.46.

The difference between the two fuel bills is $81,703.37. So the question is, if you drive 20,000 miles a year like I do, is it worth pissing away $5835.95 a year in fuel to drive your truck over a more fuel efficient car?

Lets say you do drive as many miles as I do. Lets say a new car is $1000/year in insurance. That leaves roughly $4800 of the $5800 in fuel savings for car payments. How much car can you buy for $400/month? Those new Impalas get 29-30mpg. You can get one of them for WAY under $400/month.

Good figures and you obviously document your mileage. But i think that most of those using their truck daily need a full size pickup for their work. i am planning to open a remodeling company at some point. When i do so, i will be driving a 67 or 70 truck. I plan to install a 700R4 for highway driving. I will use the truck as a marketing tool to make my company recognizeable. I will need a full size truck for hauling product. If you look at new vs old full size, the fuel economy is very similar and sometimes even better on the older trucks. Plus, i will have no payment and lower repair costs (less chance of expensive components failing) and lower insurance than a new truck. I could get a used truck and acheive similar savings, but without the marketing aspect and that truck will be worth nothing when i go to sell it vs. our style trucks that will continue to increase in value if properly maintained.

[mrein3]

Originally Posted by jimmydean

The only flaw in this thinking is that big oil is sitting on a finite source. 5% reduction in consumption is a great start, but it doesn't change the fact that you are still reliant on a finite source. A source that will some day run out, and unless consumption AND alternatives are developed, our trucks will become museum pieces before you know it.

Whether oil is a limited supply or not is still debatable. They keep telling us we're going to run out, global demand keeps growing, yet they keep pumping the stuff. "They" keep telling us we're going to run out in 10 or so years.

Here is what I think is going to happen.
Nobody is going to cut their consumption except for guys that know how to do math. These higher prices are going to drive a leap in technology in alternative fuel supplies. Fuel cell, battery technology, solar, something like that. Within 5-10 years EVERYBODY will convert their daily drivers to this new technology [by the way if this is true that new Tahoe you just signed to make payments for the full $40,000 will be worth about $5000 when this happens]. Oil prices will fall with no end in sight. Oil will get back to around $20 a barrel as there will be no demand so the price will fall with it.

[jimmydean]

Originally Posted by mrein3

Whether oil is a limited supply or not is still debatable. They keep telling us we're going to run out, global demand keeps growing, yet they keep pumping the stuff. "They" keep telling us we're going to run out in 10 or so years.

They ran out in Texas, they ran out in Russia, they ran out in Venezuela, and there have been no new oil deposit discoveries in over 30 years.

When will the middle east run out? Who knows, but they will at some point. Since there isn't any "new" oil hiding somewhere, the idea of prices going down is insane.

The market is projecting $200/barrel by next year. That's putting gas prices close to $10 a gallon. Will gas EVER go bellow $3 a gallon? I doubt it.

Sorry for the hijack.

<edit> Oil goes into a lot of products as well. Transportation is part of it, but even switching to electric, oil went into making the batteries (as an example). With developing countries like China and India requiring increasing demand, consumption will stay high even after cars switch.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by mrein3

Whether oil is a limited supply or not is still debatable. They keep telling us we're going to run out, global demand keeps growing, yet they keep pumping the stuff. "They" keep telling us we're going to run out in 10 or so years.

Here is what I think is going to happen.
Nobody is going to cut their consumption except for guys that know how to do math. These higher prices are going to drive a leap in technology in alternative fuel supplies. Fuel cell, battery technology, solar, something like that. Within 5-10 years EVERYBODY will convert their daily drivers to this new technology [by the way if this is true that new Tahoe you just signed to make payments for the full $40,000 will be worth about $5000 when this happens]. Oil prices will fall with no end in sight. Oil will get back to around $20 a barrel as there will be no demand so the price will fall with it.

Except for those of us who kept our classics around

[Rigo's 70 C10]

The bottom line is:

67-72 trucks are second to none! We love these trucks and have them because we love the body lines and power.

I have a 2005 yukon denali and i would in a heartbeat get rid of it before my 70 short c10.

You have to lovem or leavem!!!!!!!!

[RaceAGMC]

Originally Posted by tim21391

reply to the comment about the metal doors shutting....i also love the low sound of my pipes on my 72 under the rear bumper...i love that sound vs. any new truck..theres nothing the same as it.. i have a 2000 eclipse and so i hear the rice sound alot because i use that to go 30 miles to school a day.....everytime i get in my 72 and start it and rev i get a great big smile...then i see guys my age in there small car and i pull up next to them and they rev there engine...i just sit and idle and my car shakes more then theirs does when they rev.....i love it i cant imagine selling my truck no matter how high the prices get!!

I also have a "ricer" car... a 94 Acura Integra 4 Door. I drive it everyday because i drive 20 miles each way to work, and plus i deliver pizza a couple nights a week. The car gets 25-28 around town and 32-33 on the highway. I got it to save money on fuel when i was in shcool and driving to work. For my initinal investment of $3600 almost 5 years ago, i feel it's paid for itself over what i was paying to drive my 99 Ext cab silverado everywhere i went. BTW it was paid for too, but the gas was just killing me. I guess for me i put a small investment out up front, to save money in the long run. Now that i am saving money on fuel, i have a lil more pocket change to mess with the 70!

[Pont406]

I work at MB dealer. MB stoped developing 4 cyl engines for US 2 years ago. Every year they are coming up with bigger motors. AMG models have close to 400" motors. I dont think MB would spend so much money developing engines if there is a shortage of oil.

[jimmydean]

Originally Posted by Pont406

I work at MB dealer. MB stoped developing 4 cyl engines for US 2 years ago. Every year they are coming up with bigger motors. AMG models have close to 400" motors. I dont think MB would spend so much money developing engines if there is a shortage of oil.

When people stop buying, they will stop making. Whatch SUV sales over the next year, you will understand. When unleaded hits $10 a gallon, people will notice. Even people driving Mercedes will notice.

<edit> It's not much a "shortage" because it's a finite source. More like we are using it up and will some day run out.

For an interesting take on the oil industry, rent A Crude Awakening, Netflix has it.

[Blue_71]

[quote=streetstar;2704445]::

Originally Posted by BB72CHEVKT

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

i felt the same way the first couple times i drove my k20 to work, which it is now my DD because of problems with the 89, but anyways.. ive noticed that even though im in my 71 k20, i feel rushed and like im thrown into a crack-pot of a world every day while driving it to and from work... we drove it this weekend to go get a truck from southern indiana, and i have to say other than a few mechanical problems it was the most enjoyable trip ive had in a LONG time!

and with TBI fuel injection hidden under the hood, i got 11 mpg hauling a 16 ft trailer, a 72 C10 lwb fleetside, a 6 cyl engine, and a cab shell

[Indyuke]

I would like to drive a small car or a tiny pickup to work each day. However, the fact remains that some of us absolutely need a full size pickup (and sometimes even bigger) for our jobs. I had a late model f-150, however i switched to my '70 because of the sheer pleasure of not only driving it but using it as well. And the kick is, i have no payments, lower insurance and the fuel economy is the same... 17mpg.

Someday i or my kids will use some other form of transportation... gasoline might be something of the past like steam locamotive are, however right now the truck i drive is literally the most efficient use of my money.

[caminokid]

I know here its hard to sell anything with a V-8 in it. At 3.90 a gallon...and me working on a car lot...the only things we are selling is 4 cyls. I have had my 87 GMC up for sale for almost a month...in the paper and on craiglist....no one has showed up. A few calls. When I say 350 V-8...kills it right there. We used to fix at least 50 cars a week. we are down to about 10 a week. If this keeps up I dont know if I am going to have a job.

[caminokid]

I love my 69's. I wouldnt sell them at any price. I drive the fleetside everyday to work. Gas prices hasnt stopped me. I remember back when 20.00 would fill these trucks. Its all crazy to me.