More vehicle woes. <sigh>

[Okie4570]

As of September 2020 you can still drive across the Royal Gorge, it's just not open for daily vehicle traffic. They also have concerts at the amphitheater on the other side, bands take their trucks of equipment across to set up. We didn't ask what the weight limit was when they let us take the broncos across lol.

 

[Glocktogo]

The Tundras while nice and will live forever, they have a fairly mediocre interior considering what can be offered buy the big three truck makers and the while the tundra engine is more than capable of towing all loads well in its class it tends to get very poor fuel economy while towing compared to its competition.

TMC's Prius unintentional acceleration and Takata airbag scandals had long term repercussions on their operations. IMO, they cut corners on R&D and that's why they're years behind in several areas. Honestly I'd rather have them do that than cut quality. Eventually they need to get caught up with the rest of the field though, because they're definitely not standing still!

 

[Jack Shootza 50]

TL;DR at the bottom

So some of you may remember the problems with my '04 Tahoe, I blew a head gasket on the last day of 2020.

Spent the last month-plus trying to get it up and running again so we could take it on our trip to NM/CO we've been planning for several months.

I spent a buttload putting in a new motor and rebuilding the trans as well, justifying it to myself that I wasn't going to have a payment when I was done. I love my Tahoe, also... I've had it for close to 12 years, I think, and I always loved this body style, always wanted one from the first day they came out, etc. I've also spent a ton of money on it in the stereo/electrical department, customizing it the way I want(ed). I used to drive 150 miles round trip to work 4-5 days a week, so it was important to me.

So fast forward, since I got the truck back from the mechanic who installed my motor and trans - and had to rip it back apart to replace the rear main seal that was leaking from the newly-rebuilt motor (+$500 or so) - I've had to remove the triple alt bracket just to fill/bleed the PS pump, this was a couple of hours, then remove it again when I threw a pulley and it left me stranded.

I drove it to San Antonio over Memorial Day and it did fine. 1300 mile round trip.

So I'm excited, things are going well, and we get ready to head to NM on Thursday and it overheats just before leaving town. Like literally, as we stopped for burgers to hit the road. Back home, can't figure out why my cooling fans won't fire up - this was something I added not normally available on the '04, but has been working flawlessly for... I dunno, 8 years?

Then, as I'm troubleshooting that, the air conditioner compressor starts binding up intermittently. MFer... you kidding me? I had debated about replacing this when I had the motor pulled and it was all in pieces anyways, but... decided not to to save a couple hundred bucks. Now it looks like it's going out. <sigh>

So we finally get a buddy to take us to the airport and we rented a 2021 Chevy Tahoe to take on our trip. Lotsa bucks, but GD-it, we put it on a CC, we already had this trip all planned out and I NEEDED a break.

So here we are in New Mexico. It's been a good trip so far, in spite of hitting the road something like... 5 hours late or something.

But now I've fallen in love with this 2021 Tahoe. To the tune of a $60k+ vehicle that you can't hardly find anywhere these days, and dealers appear to be charging "market adjustment" addons of anywhere from $5-15k. Sheesh.

I'd love to buy a new vehicle... I would LOVE to. And I'm sure the bank would LOVE to put me further in debt. And dangit, but this thing is nice and quiet and smooth and amazing on the highway. I don't mind my truck at all for in-town driving, and even trip to Tulsa with the family... but jeebus, I KNOW how much more comfortable we are in this thing than we would be in my truck.

And we are wanting to do several more LONG road trips over the next 2 years before my son graduates and goes off to college - we want to do Black Hills and Rushmore, the NW and Yellowstone/Yosemite/Sequoyah...

At this point my dang 18 year old Tahoe has let me down so many times, I'm truly terrified to take it on a trip, even when I get these next niggly things fixed when I get home. <sigh>

And I don't like the wife's truck, which is an '07 Escape. It rides like a truck, and it really isn't big enough for all of us and the dog and all our crap for a long trip. It would be cramped. Not to mention, it's only barely newer than mine.

Why, oh why, did I have to get bitten by the "new car" bug at ALL, much less bitten during the worst time in history to buy a new OR used vehicle????

Sheesh.

First world problems, right? Yeah, I know... and I would think in my position it wouldn't be a big deal, but with student loans and business loans, I don't bring home nearly what people "think" I do. but with what I've spent on this stupid truck in the last 6 weeks, plus my rental cost now, I could have paid for a year, maybe a year and a half of new car payments.


TL;DR - I'm spoiled by a rental vehicle and don't like my old truck anymore for family trips. Want a new ride, but doesn't make financial sense.

So anyways, I'm collecting pictures of "Eating My Way Through New Mexico." Maybe I'll post up a thread later or when we get back or something...

Sometimes it's kinder and cheaper to put the old mare down than to try and patch her up for a couple more years.

 

[ssgrock3]

Looking at the Yukon Denali now... My God. Up to $80k.

The at4 yukon is steep too, but damn are they slick

 

[RETOKSQUID]

A couple we know from church paid over $100k for a Denali Suburban a few weeks ago. That’s freaking insane!!!

That's more than what I paid for our house

 

[okierider]

Necro post at its finest @ssgrock3

 

[CutBaitNBlowSh*tUp4ALivin]

So @tRidiot what did you end up doing about the vehicle decision?

 

[DRC458]

So @tRidiot what did you end up doing about the vehicle decision?

He hasn't been around since July of 2021. Sure do miss him.

 

[Camo]

I cant justify buying new anymore. My truck is a 95, and my project crew cab in a 1983. Wife drives a 2018 but I hate everything about it.

 

[CutBaitNBlowSh*tUp4ALivin]

He hasn't been around since July of 2021. Sure do miss him.

Im usually really good at catching this. Did he make it home from the vacation?