David LaPell
Blackhawk
After much searching and looking around and comparing, I finally located another vehicle after my Suburban was officially totaled. I put something like 2,000 miles on the rental car looking nearly every day for a decent truck or SUV and instead found most needing so much work versus what the asking price was it was laughable.
I looked at another Suburban that in the ad was given as running good, would pass inspection and only a little rust and was greeted after a 45 minute drive as wouldn't start, didn't run and had rot everywhere.
I then drove an hour plus to look at a Ford 4 x 4 that the owner must have used pictures of from the previous year because what he had was in need of new manifold gaskets, was rusted heavily and smelled like it was about to catch fire.
Saturday I went to look at a "good running" Dodge truck that steered awful (I owned two like it and they handled so much better) ran good and when I asked about the 4 wheel drive said it works great but it needed the front driveshaft. Monday was the last straw when I found a nice GMC Yukon online at a dealership about an hour south. I emailed them and made an appointment to test drive it. I get there, no Yukon. It had brake issues which they couldn't fix so they had to send it out. When I told the salesman/ owner I drove a long ways to look at it I got "You really should have called." I was then told it would be back yesterday and they would call me. No call ever came.
So I took the wife on Monday to look at a truck belonging to a 76 year old man who could no longer drive and was selling it because his knees were gone and he couldn't push the pedals anymore. It's a 93 GMC 1500 that has a 305 V8, auto and 108,000 miles. It needs a few things, brakes are spotty but it runs great and quiet and has lots of power. The body and frame are clean especially for a NY truck its whole life. Even though it's 2wd, the wife doesn't work as much, I rarely go that far and I am putting some studded tires on it tomorrow and getting chains. I am also looking for a cap for it. The flame paint job I can do without but it was done well a few years ago, the clear coat is coming off ,but there is no rust on it and it should do ok. I told the wife if it holds up and stays in nice shape over the years I would put it aside for my son for his first vehicle. She even likes it and she doesn't like riding in trucks. I got it for a bit over two grand and we kept the rest of the money from the insurance company to put away for a car for her when tax time comes.
I looked at another Suburban that in the ad was given as running good, would pass inspection and only a little rust and was greeted after a 45 minute drive as wouldn't start, didn't run and had rot everywhere.
I then drove an hour plus to look at a Ford 4 x 4 that the owner must have used pictures of from the previous year because what he had was in need of new manifold gaskets, was rusted heavily and smelled like it was about to catch fire.
Saturday I went to look at a "good running" Dodge truck that steered awful (I owned two like it and they handled so much better) ran good and when I asked about the 4 wheel drive said it works great but it needed the front driveshaft. Monday was the last straw when I found a nice GMC Yukon online at a dealership about an hour south. I emailed them and made an appointment to test drive it. I get there, no Yukon. It had brake issues which they couldn't fix so they had to send it out. When I told the salesman/ owner I drove a long ways to look at it I got "You really should have called." I was then told it would be back yesterday and they would call me. No call ever came.
So I took the wife on Monday to look at a truck belonging to a 76 year old man who could no longer drive and was selling it because his knees were gone and he couldn't push the pedals anymore. It's a 93 GMC 1500 that has a 305 V8, auto and 108,000 miles. It needs a few things, brakes are spotty but it runs great and quiet and has lots of power. The body and frame are clean especially for a NY truck its whole life. Even though it's 2wd, the wife doesn't work as much, I rarely go that far and I am putting some studded tires on it tomorrow and getting chains. I am also looking for a cap for it. The flame paint job I can do without but it was done well a few years ago, the clear coat is coming off ,but there is no rust on it and it should do ok. I told the wife if it holds up and stays in nice shape over the years I would put it aside for my son for his first vehicle. She even likes it and she doesn't like riding in trucks. I got it for a bit over two grand and we kept the rest of the money from the insurance company to put away for a car for her when tax time comes.
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Good lookin' truck!
