Donation to a good friend/co-worker and truck hunting.

I usually don't sell or give away any wood in larger quantities, but I owe a co-worker/good friend a load of wood. He hooked me up alot last year with things for my house, and I never got a chance to take him any wood last year. Mostly because of work schedule and weather. That load is a good mix of ash, maple, black Locust and cherry to top it off.
That might be the last load the old truck sees. She is on her last leg, too much wrong to fix it, and just last night it started surging or something. Rpms were going up sporadically by 500 or so when I was driving. I am waiting for a check to come through, then off to get a newer wood wagon. Definitely going Pickup this time. Just still really undecided what brand and model. Definitely at least a 6 and half foot bed, and no smaller trucks. I don't like the idea of the tiny seats in the extended cabs of some of them, neither will my wife, because there is no way my 6'3"monster of a son will fit in the back.

 

Looks like a Tahoe? If so what year? I have an 04 and in same boat. Engine is running fine (knock on wood), but frame rail rusting out on one side. Instrument cluster is half out. 4 wheel drive sounds funky when engaged. Guess had a good run with it. Been looking at trucks and dang the price for them, both new and used. Maybe I'm just too cheap, err... I mean cost conscious.

 

That’s very nice of you giving the firewood away! Good luck on the truck hunt!

 

Good things are headed your way !

 

It's a 2003 Trailblazer. My 4wd also doesn't engage fully. I am just tired of dumping money into it, plus I have wanted a decent pickup for a few years now. I am also cost conscious, some of the prices are rediculously high, or I find something that seems too good to be true.

 

Sounds like a similar list of failures we've seen on our (low mileage) Chevy Colorado at work...very disappointed with GM's stuff from the last 10-15 years...we've largely gone to running Fords...pretty much just fill the gas tank and change the oil. They did just get a new Equinox though...state bid system so sometimes you get what you get...I guess we'll see how it goes with the 'nox.
Good luck on the truck hunt!

 

Good luck shopping. Hopefully you can find one that hasn't seen a ton of winter driving. My next truck will be 4-10 years old from the south west. Going to fly out there and not coming back until a have something to drive home.

 

Even just getting into Kentucky or Tennessee makes a big difference...not much salt used south of the Ohio River

 

I’m seeing that also brenndatomu

 

Used truck hunting is a pure joy around here (insert heavy sarcasm emoji here). Spent a year looking at lemons and finally just spent double what I wanted. Best of luck.
I shopped at dealers,,,,maybe the wrong choice.

 

When I last was truck hunting (1999) i found mostly the same thing; insane prices new and used. At the time the local Toyota dealer had a huge, huge supply of Tacomas, like 50-75. They had an overflow lot stuffed with them. I got a better deal new than used. I look around now every now and then and things don't seem to have changed much except increase prices by about 75%. Same Toyota dealer only has 5 trucks on the lot. 2 Tacomas and 3 Tundras. Big $$$$$$.

 

I don't know how any blue collar worker can comfortably afford a new truck these days. I suppose if you can save up 20-30k for a down payment it's not so bad, or already have a decent vehicle to trade in. Better buy a cap for the bed and an air mattress to sleep on. You'll have that bad boy paid off in no time!

 

Ive seen plenty of 2-4 year old trucks with 100k+ miles on them and the prices are just absurd. Might as well buy new.

 

I've seen some good trucks down here, but they are $$$$. State usually just sands the roads when we have ice or snow.

 

Glad you can repay the favor now. I'm sure the good Lord will bless you. Good luck on the truck hunt.

 

Hmm, interesting...my experience (fortunately) has been that prices in the south for clean trucks are about the same as rusty junk up here...unless we are talking about the older stuff (like 20-25 YO or more) then yeah, prices can get nuts!

 

I feel the same, especially in the age of diesel mania. New trucks are now the cost of what a starter home was in the 90’s. The new twin turbo Tundra will probably be 80k ffs

 

I was surprised a few months ago when I swung by the Ford dealer. A new plain Jane F-250 4x4 8 ft. bed was under 40K. Couldn't convince the boss though.

 

I think I know where you are coming from, but its not all about the color of your collar. Lots of low paying white collar jobs and high paying blue collar jobs. That said, I know a good number of people with really nice new trucks that don't make that much money. How can they do it? They still live with mom and dad, not that there's anything wrong with that.