About that time

[ksmith]

Harrison the Ford was my first brand-new vehicle. I bought him in the fall of 1997, a stripped-down 1998 F-150 2WD with hand-crank windows, bare plastic floor, and no amenities other than automatic, A/C, and a radio/cassette player. I drove him steadily until early 2002, when my Dad's van gasped its last. I then sold him to Dad, and bought Kuro. When Dad died, I got him back. I didn't drive him very much, though, which led to some problems due to lack of usage. I'm driving him more now, but it's a hassle juggling two different vehicles and I do prefer driving Kuro. Yes, when you need a pick-up, it's great to have one, but for the handful of times a year that I do...

Yes, I am considering something. I am considering giving up my Blue Boy. When you come from a family who names their vehicles, drives them until they don't drive no more, then stands in the window and cries when the salvage guy comes to tow them away, well, it isn't an easy decision. But I spent $$$ this past summer getting the lower intake gasket repaired, and now I'm hearing other noises which could be simple fixes but then again might not be. And the KBB value of an 11-year old truck in fair condition equals a couple of healthy repair bills. Then there's the cost of gas. Insurance.

Considering...

Comments

[e-moon60.livejournal.com]

I'm from the same kind of family, and facing the same decisions with PaksII, the big van (1996 Ford Clubwagon.)

It's fantastic for hauling big things. It can pull a horse trailer, with horse in it, up a big hill at 65 without laboring. I've packed furniture, doors (to replace at our house), hay, lumber, rocks--and on occasion quite a few large people--in it. But it's aging, the AC doesn't work anymore despite hundreds poured into it last year (and an AC-less van that greenhouses like crazy is not a good idea in Texas in the hot season, which is usually) and other things are aging.

We could rent a pickup now and then for pickup type tasks for less than it takes to run this one. The little vans aren't great on mileage, but they get 8 mph more than it does.

And yet...

E.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

And yet...

I sure would have a lot of extra room in the garage. It will take some persuading to get King to ride in Kuro--something about the small size of the backseat bothers him. When I take him and Gaby to the vet, I might have to drop down the backseat.

Yeah, Harrison is aging, too, and with age comes brake jobs and shocks/suspension and plain ol' rust. He's been through 2 accidents, and frankly, he hasn't felt the same since he was rear-ended a couple of years ago. Not that he's pulling to the right or left or anything. He just feels different.

But then, I've gotten used to driving Kuro. There's more stability there.

Waiting to hear back from accountant concerning best way to handle a charitable donation. There's a place called Charity Cars that provides cars for needy folks--they either fix up the vehicle or salvage it in order to get money to fix up other vehicles. Yes, I know I would make more if I sold it myself, but I don't want the hassle.

[jessica-de-milo.livejournal.com]

Hard decision. My mom has a mid 80's Dodge Ram in about the same condition ... but our family doesn't name things either.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

It's a habit.

I just want him to be put to good use.

[barbarienne.livejournal.com]

I sympathize!

Giving up Bessie was very hard. I faced the situation of "She needs repairs right now that would run $3000, and bring her up to a Blue Book of $2000."

So it wasn't worth fixing her. (OTOH, had I known that a car payment for Merlin was going to be the big smackeroonie to my paycheck that it is, I might have opted for the repairs.)

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

Still haven't heard from accountant. I am veering more toward giving him up rather than keeping him, though. If he's in decent enough shape that someone can make use of him until he's ready to go to that Big Scrapyard in the Sky, so much the better.