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I hear the hot tub calling my name after work this morning, sat in it yesterday, and oh it felt good! It was 58 at 6am
 
Went to the copart yard today to look at diesel trucks (seeing if there are any that are fixable that'll ever be in my price range). Got told that most of the rigs I went to look at are in the section not open to the public, where they store the lots for "insurance sellers". At least I now know I can look at the section number for each auction and know which ones are from insurance companies (most insurance sellers, at least from what I've been told, are usually trying to offload the actuion rigs quickly, so they're less likely to try and string you along and force you to haggle up on the price post-auction in the instance that you're highest bidder but didn't hit the reserve price).

After watching a couple auctions on diesel rigs, I'm of the mind that diesels (among other vehicles in general) are INSANELY OVERPRICED. Watched a totaled rig (i.e. rollover, cab caved in, totally irrecoverable) go for 10 grand, watched another for a 16 year old rig with 200k miles go for almost 20 grand. Hell after you pay auction fees, pay for parts to fix it up, pay to put it back on the road, etc, you're in it for almost half the price for a brand new truck (though it shouldn't be near that value with a reconstructed title). Have people lost their minds, or am I missing something here?
 
K-Note72 said:
Went to the copart yard today to look at diesel trucks (seeing if there are any that are fixable that'll ever be in my price range). Got told that most of the rigs I went to look at are in the section not open to the public, where they store the lots for "insurance sellers". At least I now know I can look at the section number for each auction and know which ones are from insurance companies (most insurance sellers, at least from what I've been told, are usually trying to offload the actuion rigs quickly, so they're less likely to try and string you along and force you to haggle up on the price post-auction in the instance that you're highest bidder but didn't hit the reserve price).

After watching a couple auctions on diesel rigs, I'm of the mind that diesels (among other vehicles in general) are INSANELY OVERPRICED. Watched a totaled rig (i.e. rollover, cab caved in, totally irrecoverable) go for 10 grand, watched another for a 16 year old rig with 200k miles go for almost 20 grand. Hell after you pay auction fees, pay for parts to fix it up, pay to put it back on the road, etc, you're in it for almost half the price for a brand new truck (though it shouldn't be near that value with a reconstructed title). Have people lost their minds, or am I missing something here?
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The price of trucks in general is insane, and diesels are at the top of the pile. Ever since any suburbanite guy towing a utility trailer decided they need a diesel, the prices have gone through the roof. A few years back a 3/4 ton Dodge Quad/Club cab short box 4x4 was $48k, the same exact truck was an additional $10k, just because. They sell like hot cakes, so why not charge as much as you can if people will buy them? And if paying $80k for a diesel, why not throw in 6" more length I'm the cab and another $10k, and get the Max Cab? Those are popular in my area, under them everywhere.

Laura is looking at getting something she can step into, a Jeep Cherokee, or maybe even a pickup. A vendor I'm town has a 201u Ram Rebel he said he'd sell for trade in, which he expects to be around $28k. Nice truck that tows a smaller enclosed trailer (Frito Lay chips) and is very well taken care of, but I'd be going backwards into a half ton truck. I just spent a bunch on my twenty one year old truck, I'll just stick with that and let someone else make a monthly payment.
 
Talked to a gay with a new Ford F350 dually diesel 4 door 8 foot bed. He told me 80K would not by it and that he had tried buying it for less. That makes a 10K parts truck look pretty reasonable if you need it. The government mandates on new diesels has increased the demands on older stuff also.
 
LocuMob said:
The price of trucks in general is insane, and diesels are at the top of the pile. Ever since any suburbanite guy towing a utility trailer decided they need a diesel, the prices have gone through the roof. A few years back a 3/4 ton Dodge Quad/Club cab short box 4x4 was $48k, the same exact truck was an additional $10k, just because. They sell like hot cakes, so why not charge as much as you can if people will buy them? And if paying $80k for a diesel, why not throw in 6" more length I'm the cab and another $10k, and get the Max Cab? Those are popular in my area, under them everywhere.

Laura is looking at getting something she can step into, a Jeep Cherokee, or maybe even a pickup. A vendor I'm town has a 201u Ram Rebel he said he'd sell for trade in, which he expects to be around $28k. Nice truck that tows a smaller enclosed trailer (Frito Lay chips) and is very well taken care of, but I'd be going backwards into a half ton truck. I just spent a bunch on my twenty one year old truck, I'll just stick with that and let someone else make a monthly payment.
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Believe me I know the guys you're talking about. I can think of an even worse case, I went to high school with em. Big lifts and pavement prowler tires, usually spoiled kids with "Rancher Daddy" money. I just want something that will be a good investment, will last a good long time, and be good for hauling around the new tractor my uncle bought for my Gramps (I know a diesel is overkill for that, but I have other plans in my future that make a diesel a wise investment so I'm trying to plan for the future).

7mopar said:
Talked to a gay with a new Ford F350 dually diesel 4 door 8 foot bed. He told me 80K would not by it and that he had tried buying it for less. That makes a 10K parts truck look pretty reasonable if you need it. The government mandates on new diesels has increased the demands on older stuff also.
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The part about mandates driving demand for older stuff sounds reasonable to me, however much of the salvage bid money is still flowing to the newer 2010s rigs (by my estimate, mileage is the primary criteria, followed by age and extent of damage). I'll watch more auctions to see if that changes. You do have a point though, I myself am looking for something pre-2007 so I don't gotta deal with that stuff. Right now I got eyes on a '03 ram that was clearly a logger's truck (guard across back window), so far its only got a $225 bid on it (hoping that being a stickshift is a turn-off for buyers, I can do without the competition).

At risk of being political here, but in usual fashion those "government mandates" on industry always result in added costs which get passed right along to the end consumer. Not only are you paying out your cornhole for a diesel truck, you're paying even more for that emissions system that's killing your performance and gas mileage. Fun stuff
 
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If looking for something to transplant the pre electronic controlled would be the way to go. I have considered it but a complete drive line change would be required. With a frame up would loose thing I don't want to do without. I am planning a 518 transplant to make the old 83 more road friendly. Built in an era of the 55 mph speed limit 65 is possible and 70 not.
 
7mopar said:
If looking for something to transplant the pre electronic controlled would be the way to go. I have considered it but a complete drive line change would be required. With a frame up would loose thing I don't want to do without. I am planning a 518 transplant to make the old 83 more road friendly. Built in an era of the 55 mph speed limit 65 is possible and 70 not.
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The earlier 518s/46rhs are a good halfway point, they have overdrive and some even have lockup (my dakota seems to be a rare one, it has both of those and is 4x4). Just need a switch circuit for each, a pretty basic setup.
 
79 and sunny outside while I'm inside. :sorry: My schedule is so out of whack, I haven't been doing anything the past two weeks. This year has been a disaster in terms of having any control over what I want to do with my spare time. I haven't made any progress on any projects, and haven't even been able to do most of the maintenance I figured I would have hammered out right away. No overtime hasn't helped either. Just a down year, but it's not over, and I should get some things done (I hope!) before it's too cold.
 
About the same here. Either the weather doesn't cooperate or my body doesn't. Doctor did clear me for travel today. Now I can go work on what I wanted to last weekend.
 
K-Note72 said:
The earlier 518s/46rhs are a good halfway point, they have overdrive and some even have lockup (my dakota seems to be a rare one, it has both of those and is 4x4). Just need a switch circuit for each, a pretty basic setup.
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Will have to work with the 518 trans thats here. Have not determined the year as yet.
 
7mopar said:
Will have to work with the 518 trans thats here. Have not determined the year as yet.
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on the left side of the trans there should be a socket for a plug, facing upward. How many prongs does it have? 3 prongs is o/d + lockup, 2 prongs is overdrive only
 
Well, it's been raining the last 2 days. I got very little done on the truck, but I got started.

We have have a local show we occasionally attend and we'd take the Polara and I'll take the truck. It needs a lot of detailing.
 
This last week was great weather wise, mid 70's to 80's all week and 50's at night. Mid 80's today and still low humidity.
 
K-Note72 said:
Went to the copart yard today to look at diesel trucks (seeing if there are any that are fixable that'll ever be in my price range). Got told that most of the rigs I went to look at are in the section not open to the public, where they store the lots for "insurance sellers". At least I now know I can look at the section number for each auction and know which ones are from insurance companies (most insurance sellers, at least from what I've been told, are usually trying to offload the actuion rigs quickly, so they're less likely to try and string you along and force you to haggle up on the price post-auction in the instance that you're highest bidder but didn't hit the reserve price).

After watching a couple auctions on diesel rigs, I'm of the mind that diesels (among other vehicles in general) are INSANELY OVERPRICED. Watched a totaled rig (i.e. rollover, cab caved in, totally irrecoverable) go for 10 grand, watched another for a 16 year old rig with 200k miles go for almost 20 grand. Hell after you pay auction fees, pay for parts to fix it up, pay to put it back on the road, etc, you're in it for almost half the price for a brand new truck (though it shouldn't be near that value with a reconstructed title). Have people lost their minds, or am I missing something here?
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I love the torque of the modern diesels, but if you don't tow a lot or have heavy loads in it all the time owning a diesel just doesn't pay. Your maintenance costs are higher, here the fuel is more per gallon and if you need any major work you better be able to do it your self or have deep pockets. I work on them all the time and have seen some large repair bills for my customers.
 
65 sporty said:
I love the torque of the modern diesels, but if you don't tow a lot or have heavy loads in it all the time owning a diesel just doesn't pay. Your maintenance costs are higher, here the fuel is more per gallon and if you need any major work you better be able to do it your self or have deep pockets. I work on them all the time and have seen some large repair bills for my customers.
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If my expanding garage of tools and project car thread over on FABO are an indicator, I'm prepared to do the work myself. I know they're more work intensive, but I've driven multiple fords so I'm prepared for it :happy: that's also why I'm gunning for something pre-2010s, with as few emissions controls and un-serviceable components as possible, that way it's more DIY-friendly. Most higher bids go on the newer stuff anyways, I say let them bid on those. I'll bid on something more basic and fixable

P.S. Found a caveat: Diesels in the yards in Oregon and western WA sell pretty high, but from what I'm seeing they generally sell lower over in eastern WA and Idaho (shipping services tack on $700-$1000, but considering the huge bid gap between there and here, $1000 is small potatoes)
 
Yes we like the Ford 2006 F250. Roomy and nice driving now that the tires no longer dance on the pavement. But no its not a dream to work on.
 
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