A fuel economy riddle...with a moral to the story

[dcb]

Originally Posted by bgd73

...
the truck is not only saving money, it is gaining.
...

lol, assuming the bird poop encrusted 10mpg truck is increasing in value by $1000 a year, sure.

[ShadeTreeMech]

LOL I love the debate this has stirred up.

And the way I framed the story had more loaded statements than I intended to be sure.

olesube also pointed out something I hadn't considered, which is the relative safety of being in a slightly heftier vehicle.

And having a $200 trailer and trailer hitch on the econobox is a heckuva lot better than having a pickup.

Good points from all. This is why I enjoy being on here, there's plenty of intelligent conversation to be had.

[jamesqf]

[QUOTE=bgd73;174633if an antique vehicles value increases by just 1000 a year, it is another gain on the crap box risking life and limb with tiny wheels and tires...[/QUOTE]

Yeah, like my neighbors' granddaughter, who listened to her family, traded in the cute little "econobox" her dad bought her for graduation for a big safe pickup - and in a few months rolled it, killing her and her boyfriend.

Detroit's "big = safe" scam beats anything pulled off by Bernie Madoff or Goldman & Sachs.

[texanidiot25]

Originally Posted by dcb

lol, assuming the bird poop encrusted 10mpg truck is increasing in value by $1000 a year, sure.

No one said anything about it being trashy, good sir. And yes, antique cars gain value over time. Even the uglyones with the new "patina" trend.

[dcb]

Originally Posted by texanidiot25

No one said anything about it being trashy, good sir.

I didn't make up the bird poop part

Originally Posted by ShadeTreeMech

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The husband is told that if he cleans the crud from bird droppings off his roof and inflates his tires to recommended PSi instead of being nearly flat, he will get 11 mpg from his truck.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by texanidiot25

And yes, antique cars gain value over time.

Yet the people who buy antique cars don't drive them much, maybe to an occasional "cruise" or similar event. A lot of the more valuable ones get trailered from show to show. Very few get used as daily drivers.

[Christ]

I recently sold a '77 Ford rust-bucket truck for $1500 because it would pass inspection, and could haul "stuff". (No details on what it was hauling, but the guy that bought it wasn't too heavy...)

Not a week later, I sold a '84 F150 to the guy's "cousin" (around here, that doesn't mean they're related) for... you guessed it... $1500. Also rusty, also passed inspection, and also could haul "stuff". Both trucks had the same engine installed, 300ci 6 cylinder, same 4 speed transmission in both, and probably the same axle ratios. Both 4x4.

A truck's a truck when it's being used for a truck. It doesn't become an "antique" until some jerk (lightly intended) buys it that doesn't ever plan on making it do anything but use fuel and sit.

Value is relative to the people who might want to buy it. To anyone around here, who's actually looking for a truck, it might be worth ~$1500. If they're looking for a trailer queen POS, more than likely they're not trying to pay more than junk price. Doesn't matter what KBB or NADA say, their values aren't EVER accurate except to the people that use them.