Worth it to fix? My truck that is.

Trying to decide if I should pony up and fix the truck I have or buy a newer used truck and wouldn't mind some input from you guys.

Here's the details. I've got a '94 extended cab K1500 4x4, 6.5L TD and manual trans. Currently needs.. Shocks (all of them), power steering is leaking from somewhere, entire front end needs rebuilt (ball joints, links, bushings, ect.), AC needs a charge. That's about it I guess. So probably in the neighborhood of $1500 to $1700 if I go with the MOOG and Bilstien parts like I was planning. But once I'm done I'm still stuck with a truck with really poor ergonomics, seats that suck, bad paint and almost 300k on the clock.

I have been thinking of getting a 2005+ Dodge Dakota 4X4 to replace it with. They can be had with a 6 speed manual and V8 and probably have more power than the old 6.5TD motor. Anyone here have one that can comment on the ergonomics, seats and build quality? With diesel the price it is, even with the lower MPG the Dakota comes out on top fuel wise.

So what would you guys do? I can probably get about $3k for the truck down here just because it's a turbo diesel 4x4, and I've seen the Dakotas going for $5-6k, so I'm really only looking at a little more than getting the old truck back in shape. Another reason for the Dakota is it's about a foot shorter than the 1500, would be a little more maneuverable and I could actually fit it in the garage if I had to.

As you get close to 300k that motor become a ticking time bomb, just waiting for the crank to snap.

If you are going to keep it, then you should add a harmonic balancer to the list of things to do.

I've had multiple cranks fail around 300k on GM 6.2 diesels. Even after replacing the crank at 275k, it snapped around 300k.

The best theory I've seen (from my engineering background as well as automotive experience) is that the balancers fail and that leads to the crank failure. It coincides with the fact that mine all failed when running along empty on the highway.

I'm pretty sure you could not get a stick in a V8 Dakota those years. I know by 2009 you couldn't. I'm also pretty sure the only V8 available those years was the 4.7L. They have some power to them, but they aren't the stone ax the earlier 5.2/5.9's were. The 4.7 has some bad habits that make finding good used ones hard to come by.

jstand wrote: As you get close to 300k that motor become a ticking time bomb, just waiting for the crank to snap. If you are going to keep it, then you should add a harmonic balancer to the list of things to do. I've had multiple cranks fail around 300k on GM 6.2 diesels. Even after replacing the crank at 275k, it snapped around 300k. The best theory I've seen (from my engineering background as well as automotive experience) is that the balancers fail and that leads to the crank failure. It coincides with the fact that mine all failed when running along empty on the highway.

This plus all the listed reasons lets me encourage/enable OP to sell old truck and grab something newer.

This is one that caught my eye. http://www.vast.com/cars/detail/-6072691276703445715

Yeah I know at 178k miles it's probably due for some maintenance also.

another vote to replace the truck if you can find a reasonable deal.

The ergonomics would be reason enough

Well, you sure can't better your hand for $1,500-1,700. Keep that in mind. Seats can be replaced, as can steering wheels. So you can improve the ergonomics for a few hundred more.

So, nearly two grand later you've got your existing truck fitting you better and riding ok.

Does that worthwhile to you, or do you still want to spend at least double that for a different older truck with unknown new problems to deal with?

Sounds like you really don't like your current truck, regardless of the repair needs. Instead of spending more money on it, move on, get one you like.

A diesel 4x4 manual is a bit of a unicorn, save it. You don't need to go top of the line on parts, Gabriel shocks and Raybestos suspension parts will be respectable without being super cheap. Maybe pack some foam in the seat or replace it with a late model one from a wreck?

Seats from an upmarket common platform may be pretty cheap, and could really improve the ergonomics.

updated leather buckets from a tahoe or yukon should be pretty easy to fit and would make a huge difference. If it is not rusty i would fix it. I would not put bilsteins and such in a 300k truck though.

I wouldn't move into a Dakota from where you are. I would probably move into a gas 1500 in the early 2000s. Also in that 5-8k range.

You should be way under $1500 to re-do the front end. Unless you are mr-off road i'd get a set of gabriels or Monroe gas-matics instead of dropping cash on Bilstiens. Just replaced the upper control arms on my 2wd C1500 with Mevotech, less than 70 per side from Rock auto, spent 70 bucks for all four shocks from Advance o-zone. Just bought a power steering pump for 50 bucks, your leak is probably just a bad pressure or return hose. Just saying with these trucks unless it's a major repair parts are so cheap you might as well go ahead and do the work/have it done. Got an alignment done yesterday, shop had to replace the pittman and idler arms, was still well under 200 bucks out the door. I'd say fix the truck and run it into the ground, unless you just want another truck.

I'm running into this to with my '95 F-150 4x4 except I like my truck more.

Can I find a better truck for my budget (were saving for a house and already own and maintain three kids) of $4-5k or put $1-2k tops into my truck and keep it going?

Knowing the $4-5k "new" truck will likely need the same type or repair and maintanence, it hard to justify buying something else.

I've been going through the same thing myself. Our farm truck really needs to be a 3/4 ton with 4wd but it's a 1998 F150 2wd with a 4.6. It works but not well. I don't want to spend a bunch of money on a truck that sits for long periods of time. It only gets used for dump runs and horse hauling. Our gooseneck horse trailer is really too heavy for it but I've made it work. I've been casually shopping for a replacement and I found that there's very little difference between a $1,200 truck and a $5,000 truck. Shopping at this end of the market means that I can plan on doing front end work, brakes, suspension plus other odds and ends.

I would keep your truck and fix it. If the motor does die, either get another or swap in your favorite gas engine. Or what the heck, put a Duramax in it. While I haven't confirmed this myself, they say on a few GM truck sites that the later GM seats will bolt to the frame of your seats (sliding frame part), at least into the early 2000s. Probably best to check it out before buying seats, but it could be a low cost way to get better seats.

I'll be the lone dissenting voice and say if you don't like the ergonomics, and don't feel like doing the work you should get something newer that you find more comfortable.

Any retrofitting of seats is going to be a gamble, and you won't know how it feels until it's installed.

Also, keep in mind that if you put a picture like this up, you would have 80% of the people in the board saying you should keep it and fix it, it will be cheaper than anything you could replace it with:

jstand wrote: I'll be the lone dissenting voice and say if you don't like the ergonomics, and don't feel like doing the work you should get something newer that you find more comfortable. Any retrofitting of seats is going to be a gamble, and you won't know how it feels until it's installed. Also, keep in mind that if you put a picture like this up, you would have 80% of the people in the board saying you should keep it and fix it, it will be cheaper than anything you could replace it with:

Sad thing is, you are absolutely right.. If it ran and the bed floor was solid, i'd drive the truck in that picture all day every day and i'm not a Ford fanboi. Sounds like the OP really just wants another truck and there's nothing wrong with that. Just pointing out that Chevy's of that vintage can almost be fixed with stuff you find lying on the ground, they are relatively inexpensive to keep running for a very long time.

Just for a different perspective, if you buy something more late model, how do you think it will hold up over time? It seems the more modern the car, the shorter designed lifespan it has. More electronics to fail, more parts that are non serviceable and those comfortable plastic late model interiors seem to be lasting less and less the more complex they make them. The newer the car, the harder it is to do your own repairs and maintenance.

Yes these are all generalisations and there are always going to be exceptions to the rule. Trucks are supposed to serve a utilitarian purpose and in that regard, simpler is often better.