This subject kinda hits home for me right now, in real time. I run older trucks because I choose to for various reasons. One, for the ease/simplicity of repairs, another for the freedom from spying with ELD's, among others. Plus it's cool.
I just replaced the original engine in this thing this past June with an upgraded 3406B Cat from the OEM 3406A PCTA and it's been a great improvement in fuel economy, power, oil consumption is zero compared to the old motor. Now...4 months into it, she's starting to use coolant on me all of a sudden and it ain't going on the ground. Just kick me in the teeth and get it over with.
Been talking to Cat about a Platinum Kit rebuild with a 4 year warranty, and they're talking $28,000.00 for the basics. You know they will find more to add to it if you let them. I can do it all myself, and probably will end up that way. Still gonna be 12k-14k in parts. I've been through some circumstances that'd curl your hair in the last 24 months that I've tolerated from a wreck that wasn't my fault that set me upside down financially, and it's a drug dealer that caused it so forget about any reimbursement ever happening; His insurance company is a bunch of scumbags and won't admit fault even though I had 2 off duty police officers watch the accident in real time. That 110K I lost in revenue, the 42K invested in that truck that was totaled, the 30K I had to pull out of the sky to keep going for 4 months while rebuilding this truck to get back in business, etc...it's been a real treat living with all that wondering what's next.
Been trying to secure funding to do a complete overhaul so I can have that peace of mind warranty for 4 years, but I see the handwriting on the wall. I'll be yanking the head off, fixing whatever it is that's causing compression in the coolant system and slapping it back together and just live life. Too bad it has to be this way, but they just don't get it, these banks. My bank will fund it but they want my first born, my right arm, my wallet and an ankle bracelet for 3 years attached to me.
They just asked me for proof of what I've invested in it to make it worth the $22k I'm looking for, so I guess I'll just sit here and go through all the receipts and add up the parts and pieces and show them that, plus another title to another truck, and do it in the long run. They don't make it easy to just walk in and sit down and get it done like they used to. And my credit is perfect. Gets pretty discouraging sometimes. Not like I'm scratching around for work either, I'm always flat out busy all the time. If I could get through a full year without a stinking setback, tragedy, or mishap that I didn't cause, maybe I could accumulate the funds to do it all myself. But the forces that be won't allow me to, they continue to test my endurance. I got plenty...but it's running thin after all these years.
That's my pet peeve for the day. Forget banks....pay cash. Be self-sufficient and learn to stay that way because when you NEED it, it ain't there in most cases.