New trucks get old too. Buying a new truck doesn't guarantee trouble free driving. $80 K may be a bit extra, but every 4X4 half ton truck at the last show I attended a few months ago, were just under $50 K and none were diesels.

There are common wear items on every vehicle, that must be attended to and replaced as scheduled maintenance. These include hoses, belts, brakes, suspension parts etc. How a vehicle is driven and maintained will have a great bearing on its reliability. My last truck lasted over 25 years, and I finally had to let it go when the frame gave up to the salt bugs. Our current truck is 15 years old and I hope to enjoy it another 15 years. I have two cars that are over 50 years old, two that are forty, and will keep them until I'm gone.

With no monthly payments once they are paid off, I generally budget about a single monthly payment to the yearly maintenance costs of each vehicle. With a constant upkeep on maintenance, with one exception, our vehicles have had no malfunctions. You have to be proactive on maintenance, checking and replacing the things you know will fail due to age, BEFORE they wear out and leave you stranded. If you have a brake flexible hose cracking, change them all and check the hard lines as well. You check these every time you change the brake pads. When you add or change the oil, it's a good time to check every rubber hose under the hood. Serpentine belts should be checked and changed before they break, not after a warning light indicates a system failure.

New trucks are extremely electronically controlled, as are most new vehicles. Much of this equipment involves extra emissions and luxury items not found in trucks a decade or so old. While they generally improve the ownership with better mileage and features, the newer items are also more expensive to trouble shoot and repair, than the older vehicles they replace. Their systems are very complex, involving many expensive components, that are not repairable, but must be changed as a unit.

When you purchase any used vehicle, you must expect to complete some upgrades to make it reliable. At first you will spend some money on replacing any wear items, brakes, shocks, hoses, tires, fluids, every thing that needs to be addressed, that the previous owner neglected, because he was getting rid of his vehicle. These items should be budgeted into the total cost of the purchase. The worst thing a new owner can do, is drive the vehicle and wait until something goes wrong to fix it. This will increase the repair costs, and may leave you stranded.

If you purchase a vehicle that will provide you with, or exceed your necessary wish list, there is no reason why you will out grow it in the future. If you get the bare minimum, you will probably end up trading for bigger and better in the near future. The least expensive vehicle you will own, is one that you can pay off and enjoy for a time, two or three times the length of your payment schedule. It is one that will provide you with the performance and capabilities you need now and into the future. Buy well now and enjoy it later.

Our everyday drivers are now 12 and 13 years old and have been paid off for many years. I hope to use them both another decade. If we can keep their bodies intact, this is not an idle challenge. You can do the same if you want.

The whole reason to upgrade worn components on a used older vehicle, is to provide a safe and reliable transportation. When the worn belts, hoses, suspension components and the like are upgraded, you can then expect them to last many years, just as when they are installed in a new truck. It is not necessary to check on them with such a short time schedule.

We have annual vehicle safety inspections, and during that event, the suspension, brakes, exhaust, lighting and emissions are all checked. If anything is found amiss, it has to be repaired before the vehicle can be used again. If these systems were all renewed as necessary with new parts, there really is no reason for them to be constantly reinspected within a shorter time frame. Many components will last for years depending upon your driving habits.

I would suggest finding a competent independent mechanic to inspect any older truck you may decide to purchase. The body and drive train are the most necessary parts to purchase well, for anticipated long term longevity. The accessories can be replaced when needed, but you need a good base upon which to use. Most dealerships make their profits with unnecessary repairs in their service departments, and prey upon unknowledgeable owners. A local mechanic with a good reputation is invaluable, and can make your ownership less expensive and more pleasurable.

We have a '99 Chevy C3500 dually. She has 155k on her now, bought her with 145k. Most of the big parts are factory. We replaced: Shocks, belts, a turbo sensor, and installed new radiator. We added a pmd and brake controller. It's the 6.5 engine...with 4.64 rear axle. We paid 4k for her. She may be ugly, but she hauls our two trailers: 12k loaded LQ and 7k loaded 3h gn.

Good luck with your truck. Keep up on the maintenance and it will be fine.