You know it makes a guy wonder why the heck these manufacturers can't build us a SIMPLE vehicle that we all can work on. Heck I remember when I was a kid in HS, I could change a water pump on a small block Chevy in less that 15 minutes. And the only reason it too that long was I drank a soda halfway through the job....I'll tell you why, because dealers don't make money on sales, they make it in the service bays. They make them complex so you HAVE to take it into the dealer to get worked on for simple stuff now. Darn tail light goes out, it costs you nearly $50 to have them replaced. That is darn stupid. I have given a lot of thought about finding me a 64-65 El-camino with a small block in it and just driving the wheels off it. Something breaks, I can fix it myself. Might consider upgrading the brakes to disk brakes, but that is about all. Buy me a couple spare water pumps and alternators and just drive it. Heck you can get a short block for under a grand... we are all stupid spending $70K on a new one.

 

I've never pent $70,000 on a truck and never will. I probably paid 1/3 of that for the truck I have now and will pay about 1/2 of that when I get a new one.

 

Jeep3, my middle son has one almost the same, but not the mega cab. He has the quad cab with the 8 ft bed. Same color though. I really like it, but mine is paid for. So it would really take a lot to get me out of it.

 

Not cheap, and not EMP proof like the truck you want to build, but I really like this truck, easily the best truck I've ever owned, by far. Mine has the AEV Prospector package on it, which adds the lift, tires, wheels, bumper, winch, and interior upgrades.

 

I have a 1999 F150 that has only needed one new fuel pump. Not bad for 18 years.

My 1991 Ranger needed new front hubs. Could use some paint. Not too bad for a vehicle that's 26 years old.

 

I have some serious rust on the quarter panels right on the edge above the wheels. On the rocker panels too. 17 years in Michigan does that to a lot of vehicles because of all the road salt. It runs perfectly but I'm overdue for a transmission service and some other things because of the mileage. I had the fuel pump replaced because the sending unit for the gas gauge is part of it. At least that's what they told me. The only problem it caused was that I didn't know how much gas was in the tank. I think it was last year that one of the brake lines rusted through and the pedal went to the floor. That made for an interesting ride. It seems like nothing ever broke the first 10 years but a few things have gone wrong since.

 

Must be fuel pump week. Had to replace the fuel pump in the old 2000 Silverado Wednesday. Almost 18 years on it also. Knew it was going out for about a year as I had to hit the starter a couple times in the morning to fire it up. Can't complain.

 

You won't have those body panel rust problems with the new F150's...

 

No rust but aluminum corrodes.

 

Not nearly as much or as fast as the older style panels