Ever wonder if you should ditch your old truck for something smaller and more efficient? You most likely only think about this when you are pumping gas into your truck. Here are ten reasons it’s better than swapping it out for a little sip of gas. If you don’t have a truck, see below what you are missing.
1. No car payment.
Those fifty miles per gallon come with a $ 22,000 surcharge for a new Prius. Thanks to its cult following, used vehicles are priced almost the same. A 20-year-old truck should really pay off by now. A truck that gets 15 mpg will cost $ 4,200 worth of gas per year; chewing tobacco and cowboy hat are optional.
The Prius uses $ 1,400 worth of gasoline and makes a typical monthly payment of $ 400 for 5 years. (22k + taxes + interest / 60 months) My math is terrible and I did not calculate the APR, instead I simply added the interest based on the initial value of the loan, but I digress anyway. Four hundred a month plus fuel puts the truck cleanly ahead to the tune of $ 166 a month.
2. Maintenance is cheaper.
I know some of you may already be getting defensive and saying that my math will never work because at some point the Prius will pay off. Today’s economy has turned things around slightly, but in my experience as a mechanic, once the car is out of warranty, most drivers will go to the dealership to trade in a vehicle before paying for expensive repairs. But even if the Prius was paid, the cost of batteries and labor to repair the vehicle is substantially higher than that of the truck.
20 year old parts are plentiful at the local auto parts store and are usually much cheaper. A new engine: $ 600, new transmission: $ 400: differential: $ 300. Take care of your engine with proper maintenance and get it covered 200,000 miles. Replace the transmission every 100k or so, sooner if necessary. The rear is good for 400k. The rest of the truck consists of parts that cost less than $ 100 each.
3. Trucks last forever
Toyota likes to claim that its cars last forever. How many Toyotas from the mid-70s are running? How many Hondas from the mid-70s? How many pills from the mid-70s still work and are used on a daily basis?
4. Insurance is cheaper
An old truck is paid for and the driver is not required to pay for full coverage. Full coverage wouldn’t matter anyway, as any claim would likely total the vehicle. For full coverage on the Prius, I estimate the figure to be about 400 every 6 months. I will estimate the cost of the truck at approximately 280 or less.
5. No shipping costs. Always.
As a proud truck owner, you won’t have to pay for furniture, lumber, or anything else. A truck can tow a boat, help the cute neighbor get around and transport rocks and dirt. The Prius can fold down the rear seat. A truck can carry a Prius.
6. Your child can fix your truck
An engineering degree is not required to fix it yourself. A 20-year-old vehicle was built in simpler times. Repairing a twenty-year-old truck is much easier than fixing anything in a Prius. You can fit the truck’s engine, plus two small four-cylinder engines under the cavernous hood to keep your V8 company. Even if you don’t repair your vehicles yourself, the repairs are faster and cheaper. See number two for parts.
7. Trucks look great
I can appreciate that not everyone loves the look of a truck. Usually I don’t consider those people normal, but that’s not relevant at the moment. This is America and people can buy whatever they want. But reason number seven is because the truck has a timeless classic design. The Prius has a timeless interrupted design. Does anyone else see it pinched?
8. Traffic
Traffic is easier to navigate with a truck. In the city, the Prius is sure to find easier parking spots and is more maneuverable in tight spots. But the old rule of bigger is better definitely works with a truck. The added benefit of an old truck is that 20 years of rust and dents give the vehicle an “I don’t have insurance” appearance, causing smaller vehicles to give way.
9. No depreciation
A 20 year old truck will never be upside down. It will not depreciate. A 1975 Chevrolet bought today for $ 2,000 will be worth $ 2,000 when it is sold. A Prius also has a good resale value due to cult following, but a Prius will still suffer from depreciation at some point.
10. Camping
Camping is not only possible in a truck, but there is an entire industry built around the notion. Load up the truck with firewood, a beer chest, lawn chairs, a change of spare clothes, and some food and meet your friend at the lake. The same friend who drove alone in his Prius with no wood, lawn chairs, no food or beer.
* Bonus *
In the event of the end of the world, all drivers, while fleeing nuclear radiation, zombies, foreign armies, or Canadian bird flu, will inevitably flock to the roads. A truck can take the median, the field, the sidewalk, or the sidewalk. A truck can get out of situations where it is completely buried in the ground, drive through molten lava smoothly, and down mountain slopes without roads (source: Lone Wolf McQuade, Dante’s Peak, and Commando).
As you can see, a 20-year-old pickup is clearly superior to a Prius in every way. Not only will you have much more utility with the truck, but it is also cheaper to own. So I just ask that the next time a Prius is hurtling down the highway at ridiculous speed, steadfast in the belief that you are saving the world, take a moment and really think how much more amazing and efficient your truck is.
