My truck is 26 years old. Over the years my mechanical abilities have been able to take care of most of the problems. The first problem right after buying it used from a dealer was the fuel pump seized. This is supposedly common if the vehicle sits idle for a long time. It also happens if the fuel pump just decides to die. The windshield wiper motor was replaced a couple years ago and has stopped again. No trouble shooting on that so far to determine if it is the motor again, wiring, the switch, fuse or whatever. The heater is stuck on which according to the internet is common due to the plastic gate system to direct the heat to the cab or out to the atmosphere. What ever happened to having a water valve control the heater?
Now the fuel pump seems to be back to unreliability. It scares me to think of driving it into town to pick up a load of soil and having it die half way home.
So, a newer truck has been on my mind even before this one totally crapped out. BTW, the radio/tape player hasn't worked for years.
My main desire was to have an eight foot bed, 4WD and one ton load capacity. It hadn't occurred to me these were not something the average Joe truck buyer was interested in buying. The one ton load capacity wasn't real important. The main reason for that was when we get potting soil one yard weighs in around a half ton and it would be nice to be able to pick up two yards at a time. The eight foot bed is for hauling lumber that is often in eight foot lengths.
Candy talked me into getting a crew cab so we could bring others along. My preference was for gasoline fuel.
Went down town to the car dealers and learned all things have been affected by the pandemic. Some vehicles are selling like hot cakes. Pick-Up trucks are like the new sports car. They may have a crew cab but a four foot bed?
Six and a half foot is the new long bed? After talking to the sales person we were driving around, we did notice a lot of PU Trucks that looked like they couldn't haul a large load of groceries.
After talking to the sales rep again on the phone and asking him to look around with other dealers in his ownership group, we talked again the next day and he said he got the listing on their next delivery of PU Trucks scheduled for later this month. Of the fifteen trucks they were allotted thirteen already have buyers. Of the two left, one of them was a one ton, crew cab, with an eight foot bed and 4WD. For me the only negative is the diesel fuel system.
Oh well, guess we will be learning how to deal with diesel.
Candy's only question, "what color is it."
Almost all of the trucks that were on the lot the first time we visited were gone two days later.
jtk