So when does stuff wear out? Mostly original with high miles

[BobsYourUncle]

OK, when does my truck wear out?

Just wondering how long this thing is going to last before I start putting a lot into it.....
TV in sig, 07 LBZ/Allison GMC Classic 3500 Dually.

ThIs is my work vehicle, and I tow with it too. Mileage is getting up there, 339,125 Kilometers or about 210,722 miles on it. I don't baby it, if I want to I stomp on it.

Easier to say what has been done to it rather than say what's original. Engine has seen one glow plug until 300000K when I had to put an injector pump in it due to P0087 code - fuel rail low pressure. Oh, and I blew a belt off right after the pump was done. Aside from that, all original.

Aside from usual maintenance stuff and a couple sets of batteries, one front and 2 rear sets of brakes, this thing is ALL original. Yeah, 200,000K on a set of front brakes. Factory front end, all of it, original shocks, exhaust system, wheel bearings, differential etc..... Trans has never been touched. U-joints, everything, all original from when I bought it in August of 2006.

Leaks oil out the Ally, front seal or gasket or torque converter. $2600. to fix it at the stealership. Oils cheaper....

I'm on my 4th set of tires. I run Michelins, first set after I wore out the factory tires gave me 127,000 and somethingK or a little short of 80,000 miles

I change the oil, throw an air filter at it once in a while, grease the thing and drive drive drive it.

And I hate to admit it but I frequently go way past the maintenance intervals. It just keeps on truckin!!

October 18/12, drunk driver turned left right into my path. Nowhere to go, I T-boned him real hard, totally destroying his Mazda. Truck took a $20K hit to the front but I drove it away after taking out a cordless recip saw and cutting the right front sheet metal and stuff from the tire. They suggested writing it off but I refused to let them. Such a good truck, no way I want to part with it.

OK, it doesn't feel quite so tight any more, but it still goes straight and true. Kinda rattles and clunks a bit if I hit rough road bumps, but gee whiz, what an awesome truck it's been!!!!

I almost feel guilty, maybe I should start changing stuff because of all those miles.... yeah maybe I should put some shocks on it. That might tune up some clunks when I go over rough tracks.

I tow a variety of trailers and it still really hauls a$$ when I jump on it. Gets up and boogies it does! No problem keeping up with traffic even with a 10K pound trailer hanging off the back. And I have those big honkin tool boxes and rack with ladders and crud all over it. That's 2000 pounds right there.

Soooooo, when does this thing wear out?

[Slowmover]

Longevity can be indefinite. But reliability is another story.

I'd say 12-13 years is about right. 15, to push it.

Part of the problem is parts replacement. It's no longer as easy to find parts as dealerships and chain stores clean out old inventory.

It doesn't bother me, so to speak, to replace mechanical wearing items. It's expected. I'm less happy with decaying electrical harnesses (80% of breakdowns are electrically-related). Better to replace than to "repair".

Long life isn't about component replacement, but system replacement (as with an AC system). Do things wholesale, not piece by piece retail.

But I'm livid that a cracked dash is a $700 piece of hard plastic. That the rest of the interior should probably be replaced (high heat), makes me less willing to continue. Lack of rust and excellent paint alleviate that somewhat.

Determine the threshold of pain. Where, and what, really aggravates (so that ruminations on a new vehicle commence).

.

[Grit_dog]

To the OP, after reading your subsequent posts, you appear prepared for running it high miles. Sounds like you got your money's worth out of the last truck too! It'll just take some parts to keep er running as long as it has strong bones still.

[Grit_dog]

^Have to agree with travelnutz on the quality of GMT 400 and 800 trucks.
Similar stories, on the older ones, ragged the ......out of em, high miles, still keep ticking. Had a LB7 Dmax that we sold with only like 125kmiles but only had 2 or 3 select minor issues that weren't considered just maintenance or due time for repair. Got lucky on injectors though, haha.

[colliehauler]

DownTheAvenue wrote:
No vehicle will wear out. Parts of it will, and they will need to be replaced. There does come a time, however, when a replacement part will approach the value of the vehicle. Then a decision has to be made whether to continue to replace worn parts or replace the entire vehicle.

I agree with you. One thing that helps mitigate the cost is if you can make a lot of repairs yourself. I have found parts very reasonable but labor is what adds to the repair cost. Rust is not a issue for my truck, so that's out of the equation. My oldest truck is a 99 Ford F-250 with 7.3 and 6 speed manual with 250k miles. New front end, brakes, shocks and batteries for less then 2 truck payments. It will need a new clutch before long as well.

A lot of people don't want to spend 60-70k on a new truck, In Kansas we have 9 percent sales tax ( initial sale) along with personal property tax (every year) along with higher insurance rates make a new truck very expensive.

[DownTheAvenue]

drsteve wrote:

DownTheAvenue wrote:
No vehicle will wear out. Parts of it will, and they will need to be replaced. There does come a time, however, when a replacement part will approach the value of the vehicle. Then a decision has to be made whether to continue to replace worn parts or replace the entire vehicle.

Here in snow country they do. I've seen more than one truck with the frame rotted completely through.

Yes, you are right. But even that can be repaired.

[travelnutz]

Bob, our Chevy 2004.5 Duramax LLY 2500 HD crew cab long box 4X4 Chevy will click over 200K by this fall and a couple months ago it got it's first actual repair ever other than normal tires and brakes etc. Truck was ordered new and has only been used for heavy RV towing/use for 13 years now. No accidents or dents. Truck still looks new inside and out and runs like new too and not a bit of rust on it or the frame as it was undercoated the day after we picked it up. Still has the airbags put on in 2004 and they don't leak either. Replaced the OEM 2" hitch with a 2-1/2" Tow Beast as we used to also pull a heavy TT around sometimes. We really like the truck a lot, so why spend big bucks for a new one since we are both going to be 76 years old soon?

The fuel pressure regulator had an internal O ring develop a leak. They were going to replace the O ring and I said no, replace the regulator with new as it was not a very expensive part. The labor cost involved to take stuff off to get to and remove, fix, and reinstall the regular and the other stuff was nearly double the new regulator cost, so why not? Sure wouldn't want to pay the labor cost again taking a chance on saving a few bucks on the part with so many miles on it.

Front brake pads replaced at 126,000 so maybe less than in a year might have to replace again. Rears are still original. On 3rd set of Michelins LTX 265/75/16 E's. Oil and filter changed every about 7,000 to 8,000. 3rd fuel filter since new.

Been a great truck as was our 1993 Chevy 2500 5.7 gas that we sold to an asparagus farmer friend with 168K on it in 2004. He's still driving it yet and as of last fall it had just over 430,000K and still has the original tranny and never touched the engine yet. Not bad for 24 years of use and so many miles. He did dent and slice the passenger's side front fender with his front end loader bucket in a swing around and that area now has some rust but the rest of the truck has almost none showing. He says, "When you gonna sell me your D'max truck?" Ain't happen'in!

[BobsYourUncle]

I appreciate the feedback guys, thanks.

Yeah I know I should put shocks on it. They have lasted well. I'll have to research what brand would be a good choice. I've read a number of posts here where people favor Blisteins. (Did I spell that right?)

Chances of me buying a new truck are about the same as me driving it to Mars....
I am not a fan of he DEF but do realize that it's the way things are now. I like my LBZ a lot. I have been told by many people it's the best Dmax made.

I'll likely keep fixing it for another few years and more.

I had a 78 Chev 3/4 ton Camper Special I bought new Oct 10/78. I kept it for 26 years and over half a million on the clock when I sold it, still running strong and reliable.

I'm only 11 years into this one!

[Grit_dog]

Honestly, you're flipping a 2 headed coin and calling tails betting on not having a list of major repairs upcoming. Been/is a great rig, but MAJOR components aside, you're gonna be due for a lot of other stuff tomorrow or in the next 50,000km. Unti bearings, cv shafts, u joints, brake rotors, front end, a seal here, gasket there that cost more to fix than a weekend at the Marriot for a $10 part. Getting from here to 400k, injectors, turbo, transmission, etc are 50/50 chance IMO.

So far luck is on your side and it IS a good truck, but if I was buying a truck like that I'd want to see and arm long list of stuff that's been replaced or repaired already. Your $ is de valued, but my Canadian buddies say the deals are out there now too because of the cdn economy. I'd find some willing person who has to have a fire breathing diesel that runs good and sell it. Get your $10-15?k out of it plus the $5-10k you'll likely spend in the next couple years and pu that down on a newer rig.

Not being pessimistic, just know the likely hood based on the miles the truck has on it.
Just read a bunch of for sale ads for similar miles rigs and see the "new parts ____, ____,_____,______,_____" list and decide for yourself.

[drsteve]

DownTheAvenue wrote:
No vehicle will wear out. Parts of it will, and they will need to be replaced. There does come a time, however, when a replacement part will approach the value of the vehicle. Then a decision has to be made whether to continue to replace worn parts or replace the entire vehicle.

Here in snow country they do. I've seen more than one truck with the frame rotted completely through.

[Gdetrailer]

Ductape wrote:
Never, if you maintain it enough. Costs will escalate but seldom exceed cost of new vehicles.

Sort of depends.

One must ask themselves when enough is enough.

For me, when the monthly repairs cost as much as a new truck monthly payment, it is well past the time to replace.

For one of my trucks, it was when my DD was about 4yrs old and the first thing she did when the DW brought her home from daycare was to LOOK UNDER the truck for Daddy!

But honestly, I have a 2003 F250 that has just about 200K miles and used it for my daily commute of 100 miles round trip UNTIL it nearly stranded me at work!

Wouldn't turn over, coworker hooked up a jump pack and it started.

Bought a new battery, and a week later wouldn't turnover in my driveway..

Went to change the starter and rounded a bolt.. Had to have towed to a mechanic costing $200 for the tow and cost $500 for labor and starter..

Shortly after that brake line rusted out (hauled it to mechanic on my flatbed trailer), cost $250 for that repair.

Not long after that drove 2 miles to gas station to get diesel for my tractor and transmission line blew a hole in the gas station lot, drove it home as quick as possible just barely getting in my driveway (forgot to take cell phone with me), $50 for transmission hose and clamps plus nearly $100 in transmission fluid..

Had to repair the rusted out bed wheel wells, cut and welded in new panels, cost $200 in materials and a couple of weekends of my time..

Now, my DD is driving it, recently had to make emergency repair of parking brake cable in a store parking lot ($20 in parts), that was enjoyable doing in torrential downpours (somehow Pacific Northwest Weather doesn't realize I am on the EAST COAST ).

Muffler decided to rot out, well a piece of scrap metal and a MIG welder patched that up, recently a new hole has developed on the other side of the muffler.. Yeah, gonna get the MIG welder out again, hate to spend $500-$1000 for a exhaust system..

Oh, yeah, forgot, the A/C clutch is worn out and needs replaced or shims removed.. Been ignoring that for about 40K miles since the compressor is on the UNDERSIDE of the engine and I am not as young as I used to be and one heck of a lot less acrobatic.. Don't even want to know what that would cost to have a mechanic fix that one..

I figure that my 2003 is worth on it's best day at $4K-$5K, doesn't take a math wiz to figure out that all the work and parts I have put into it the last few years has exceeded it's value..

I only kept it because it was cheaper to fix up for my DD to learn to drive on than if I bought a 4-5yr old car and then had to fix it..

But in reality, the newer vehicles do have more powerful engines, nicer transmissions (in my case 4 speed (2003) to 5 speed (2006) and even to a 2013 with 6 speed, no tow/haul (2003) to tow/haul, no integrated brake controller (2003 to an integrated brake controller in our 2013)..

While our 2003 had be our "old faithful" for many years, it is pretty worn out and not as RELIABLE recently and the repairs often come in $500 chunks at a time..

[kerrlakeRoo]

My 2500 Dodge had 182,000 when the tranny went, and has 230,000 now, only other things done were normal brakes, shocks and 2 waterpumps and timing belts otherwise the old gasser runs good.

[Adam_R]

noteven wrote:
There is a GMC 3500 nearby me with 14,000 hours on a Duramax/Allison that hasn't needed a whole lot of fixin considering the "easy life" it had in the oilfield prior to becoming a ranch truck. The company did maintenance on schedule...

Local light freight guy ran a Cummins over 1million km in a Dodge. Had to replace a head gasket at 850,000km - liners were still cross hatched...

Towing outfit I'm familiar with ran a GMC gas 3500 500,000km with ignition tune up only, plus normal maintenance, and a zillion $ worth of gasohol...

Common denominator seems to be maintenance 🙂 None of the above trucks are worn out. Still driving around today...

A guy told me Ford will be selling a hundred thousand dollar pickup truck in Canada this year. I thought ya right. So I went on Ford.ca and spec'd a F450 Super Duty all options I could get to stick. It was only C$98,387.00 so he was wrong.

A 5.9 or 6.7 Cummins does not have liners, but still great wear nonetheless. I have 3 vehicles with over 250,000 miles on them. They are still around due to religious maintenance and driving with some common sense. If you take care of them, a vehicle will last a long, long time.

[DownTheAvenue]

No vehicle will wear out. Parts of it will, and they will need to be replaced. There does come a time, however, when a replacement part will approach the value of the vehicle. Then a decision has to be made whether to continue to replace worn parts or replace the entire vehicle.

[darsben1]

If you get a new truck you will be stuck with the DEF routine.
Put some money in her