Got a new truck but still feel "strange" giving up on the old one

[les26]

I have a 1987 Ford Bronco, he (yes I call him he not "she" like most guys do) and I have been through a LOT together, he hauls my firewood and branches and mulch or whatever I need to do, having him for 35 years is quite the feat, but he went in mid May for repairs and body work and it was taking forever, my mechanic used to have a 5 bay garage that he rented for 17 years but the guy that he rented it from that had a business in front of it retired at the end of last year so he is now working either from his house or his mom's house 1/4 mile away from me or comes to you if he can with a mobile van and since he is not on a regular schedule like he was this has been dragging on and on and on, the wife and I carpooled for 9 weeks and that is really a true stress test on a marriage, and I slowly started to realize that this isn't working anymore, there aren't many mechanics willing to work on an old truck like that and most have no idea how to work on something that old, and no matter how he patches him up now you know there will be more rust issues and other things going wrong with him, parts are getting tougher to get, I can't count on using her as a carpool all the time so last week I bought a GORGEOUS 2022 Toyota Tacoma in Barcelona red, almost too pretty to drive, and it is really nice, but I still at times struggle with how this is going down but am slowly coming to terms with it, I realize 35 years is an incredible amount of time with a vehicle, and I thought we'd go on longer but I also realize that I needed something more reliable for an everyday truck and also something that is modern and can be worked on. I still have the Bronco, but now instead of sitting in the garage he sits out front in the driveway, but this is how it has to be. As I experience other issues with him, and two have surfaced already, I will consider selling him to someone who most likely works on trucks and can fix any issues be it mechanical or rust, but he still isn't finished yet, this will drag on for more weeks I am sure, but he is inspected and I used him the last two days for yard cleanup so he is now my "work" truck but I still take him to work here and there. The very first day I took the Tacoma to work several days later I saw bird poop on the roof, so it was on there in the sun for a few days, just great....but I know he too will get scratched and nicked and it will upset me but with time I'll realize it is going to happen,but I'll try to "protect" him as long as I can just like I did with the Bronco when he was new.

I get different reactions from people over this, some say they totally understand why I still feel a bit "confused" by all of this while others think I'm crazy, seeing the beautiful new Tacoma and thinking I should be "thrilled". Oh, don't get me wrong, I REALLY do like it and will get used to it with time, but I just am still so loyal to the old guy, it isn't his fault that things are changing, but I had to make the choice to get something else, but I'll keep the old boy as long as I can.

Just had to put this in writing to hopefully "digest" it more, thanks....

 

[Furballsmom]

I have someone in this household who totally understands!!

 

[iPappy]

I have a 1987 Ford Bronco, he (yes I call him he not "she" like most guys do) and I have been through a LOT together, he hauls my firewood and branches and mulch or whatever I need to do, having him for 35 years is quite the feat, but he went in mid May for repairs and body work and it was taking forever, my mechanic used to have a 5 bay garage that he rented for 17 years but the guy that he rented it from that had a business in front of it retired at the end of last year so he is now working either from his house or his mom's house 1/4 mile away from me or comes to you if he can with a mobile van and since he is not on a regular schedule like he was this has been dragging on and on and on, the wife and I carpooled for 9 weeks and that is really a true stress test on a marriage, and I slowly started to realize that this isn't working anymore, there aren't many mechanics willing to work on an old truck like that and most have no idea how to work on something that old, and no matter how he patches him up now you know there will be more rust issues and other things going wrong with him, parts are getting tougher to get, I can't count on using her as a carpool all the time so last week I bought a GORGEOUS 2022 Toyota Tacoma in Barcelona red, almost too pretty to drive, and it is really nice, but I still at times struggle with how this is going down but am slowly coming to terms with it, I realize 35 years is an incredible amount of time with a vehicle, and I thought we'd go on longer but I also realize that I needed something more reliable for an everyday truck and also something that is modern and can be worked on. I still have the Bronco, but now instead of sitting in the garage he sits out front in the driveway, but this is how it has to be. As I experience other issues with him, and two have surfaced already, I will consider selling him to someone who most likely works on trucks and can fix any issues be it mechanical or rust, but he still isn't finished yet, this will drag on for more weeks I am sure, but he is inspected and I used him the last two days for yard cleanup so he is now my "work" truck but I still take him to work here and there. The very first day I took the Tacoma to work several days later I saw bird poop on the roof, so it was on there in the sun for a few days, just great....but I know he too will get scratched and nicked and it will upset me but with time I'll realize it is going to happen,but I'll try to "protect" him as long as I can just like I did with the Bronco when he was new.

I get different reactions from people over this, some say they totally understand why I still feel a bit "confused" by all of this while others think I'm crazy, seeing the beautiful new Tacoma and thinking I should be "thrilled". Oh, don't get me wrong, I REALLY do like it and will get used to it with time, but I just am still so loyal to the old guy, it isn't his fault that things are changing, but I had to make the choice to get something else, but I'll keep the old boy as long as I can.

Just had to put this in writing to hopefully "digest" it more, thanks....

I drove a '91 truck for years in the early 2000's. It was my grandparents truck, then it was my parents, then it was mine. That truck meant a lot to me. But, I needed a different vehicle for different needs, and a long time contractor friend had a truck that died and he needed a new one so it's his now. I see my old truck all over town, it's dinged up and has some rust but it still runs. I still miss that damn truck but I'm glad someone is using it.

 

[Margot Lane]

I have a Tacoma as well but have been waiting forever for the EV F-150. Have a charger all set to go, but nothing seems to be happening. Anyhoo you’ll “bond,” eventually. It’s very good for hauling wood, straw bales, gravel, soil, woods chips, in all sorts of weather and steepness. It’s personally hard for me to get emotional about a truck, unless it’s solar, electric or veggie oil, but I will say the Tacoma has been incredibly helpful.

 

[neely]

i didn't think I'd ever trade-in my trustworthy '98 SUV but the bills started piling up and I've always said once it costs more for repairs than a vehicle is worth it's time. I admit I had seller's remorse but eventually I got over it. However, every now and then when I see another vehicle like it on the road I sigh. Good luck with your new '22 red Toyota Tacoma.

 

[game misconduct]

gotta take out the new truck and break it in(assuming its (4x4) do some out doorsy stuff with it

 

[Jem]

I still miss my first car. A 91 New Yorker, the Fifth Ave. Addition. It was a beast and I drove that thing until it had over 400 000KMs on it. This car was a vehicle made to last. So comfy, rode so smooth. My friends made fun of me for having a "granny-mobile" when all the rage were these little sporty looking cars, but it was awesome. Made of real metal, I could drive thru the worst conditions and it always brought me home safe. I had to get rid of it eventually because everything was getting too expensive to maintain it. The final straw was the electrical was shot, my headlight flaps stopped working, the windshield wipers stopped working, all but one window stopped working...it would have been a fortune to change out all the wiring. What bugs me is that the engine was still in great shape and there was no rust in the body. Everything else...well...lets just say there were lots of issues by the time I let it go.
My car had a nickname too. We called it Chewy...after Chewbacca from Star Wars. You see, the power steering was gone and every time I turned the wheels it made a lovely noise that sounded just like Chewbacca's cry.
But no matter all the things wrong with it...I had a hard time letting it go....and I missed it even more after my second car...I hated that thing...it was a piece of plastic on 4 wheels, never felt safe in it. And even more now, as I get older, I get a little nostalgic about ol' Chewy...cars just aren't made the same anymore...

 

[Winchester]

You will love your Tacoma once you get used to it. I understand completely where you're coming from.

Rick bought a Tundra back in the 2000s. He loves that thing and I doubt he'll let it go unless something drastic happens. It's starting to have some problems, but he basically uses it now for hauling stuff.

And, of course, you all know the story between me and Clarence!

 

[denice]

My ex's family had one of those old boats that made the rounds, whoever needed a car at the time drove it. I don't even remember whose name was on that car. It was a 71 Newport, a huge heavy old car. We lived in Youngstown for a short time after we got out of the military and it was our turn with the Beast. We had what they called in the area a Siberian Express come through. It would get down to 20 below zero at night and maybe single digits during the day. We didn't have a garage so that old Newport sat outside. My mother-in-law had an almost new Buick Lesabre that sat in the garage. You guessed it, one morning we took the old Newport over to give my mother-in-law's car a jump. I don't know what finally happened to it. I am sure it is long gone now.

 

[les26]

Thanks for the great replies! I got an email from the salesman who sold me the Tacoma, well he really didn't do much, and he wasn't even there when I picked it up, he had another salesman "fill in" for him because he ws taking his wife to a concert, so I guess he made a sale and decided to splurge lol! But the other guy wasn't much help, and the first guy said I should stop by so he could "go over" the truck with me, but I read the quick refernece guide and looked through the manual and know as much as I want and need to about the Tacoma, I'm not a big gadget guy or technological guy, I just need to know the basics and I'm happy, don't need to have a cell phone hooked up so I can talk while I drive, just need to know the basic things and I'm fine. The old Bronco had no air conditioning for about 25 years, it died out and I recharged it but it didn't work that well so I just did without, and the radio died out years ago so I got very used to the "primitive" lifestyle lol so this new "Taco" with AC and a radio and all of it's gadgets is like a space ship to me but I like it.

Took the old Bronco out this morning, replicated the situation that I was in yesterday in 4 wheel drive when he started making all sorts of noises and this morning he was fine, very strange. My neighbor said it could just be acting funny since it sat for the better part of the last 9 weeks, maybe that is it. But I want to keep him, I can really load him up with tree branches and firewood better than I could the Tacoma because he has a top on him, he was really jammed the other day and it was like old times going up to the compost site. I know things will go wrong here or there but he still has lots of life left.

And if this was my only "stressor" in my life it wouldn't be on my mind as much, but I am dealing with my elderly parents and their constant issues, we lost Sabrina about 7 weeks ago when she passed away suddenly, Sugar is having her issues as stated in the "Cat Health" section on here, my work is going full bore working for Sights for Hope which deals with people either fully blind or visually impaired which is stressful in itself, I broke my own driving record as I drove 1,608 miles in June so there are a lot of stressors in my life right now, but I seem to be coming to terms with the truck thing a little more each day and it will take time, you can't just flip a switch and replace 35 years in a few weeks!

Thanks for the stories as they really help!

 

[Furballsmom]

We have a 1995 Ford F150 that just turned 190,000 miles (and a 1967 GTO that they're working on while keeping it all original)

 

[NY cat man]

My older brother had a '78 Broncos that he drove for over 20 years before it was totaled in an accident, but it lives on, as the engine and the rest of the drive train went into his son's pickup that was in need of one. He, too, is one of those who holds on to vehicles just short of forever.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I didn't want to give up my Subaru when we replaced DH's car. Typically I drive the newer car since I have the kids with me. Then a couple years later the Subaru was having an issue I needed DH to see so he drove it to work while I took the Pathfinder. We haven't switched back since. But I do think our next vehicle; whenever that need comes, will be another Subaru. Thankfully they are known for lasting a long time. We've had a few repairs that weren't cheap; but they were cheaper than car payments. It would be awesome if the Subaru could be DD's first car.

 

[iPappy]

I didn't want to give up my Subaru when we replaced DH's car. Typically I drive the newer car since I have the kids with me. Then a couple years later the Subaru was having an issue I needed DH to see so he drove it to work while I took the Pathfinder. We haven't switched back since. But I do think our next vehicle; whenever that need comes, will be another Subaru. Thankfully they are known for lasting a long time. We've had a few repairs that weren't cheap; but they were cheaper than car payments. It would be awesome if the Subaru could be DD's first car.

I love my Subaru. I've had it for almost 15 years and it's plugging away. Had a new engine put in about 10 years ago so I'm hoping it goes extra miles.

 

[Elphaba09]

I completely understand. I have owned four cars in my lifetime: Rasputin, Titania, Drusilla, and Olympia.(I have to look at the car to know if they are "male" or "female.") I would still own Titania if I was not in an accident that caused repairs beyond my abilities. When I purchased Drusilla, I took both Drusilla and Titania to a local tire shop to switch over Titania's new tires onto Drusilla. The owner asked me if what I was doing with her, and I said that I was sadly selling her for scrap because the repairs would cost more than her "worth." (By this time, Titania was 14 years old and had close to 200,000 miles on her.) He looked her over, told me she was too good of a car to sell for scrap, and then offered to buy her off of me. He is a mechanic and was able to get the parts from a junkyard to fix her up for his daughter who was starting college. I am not one to cry easily, but I admit to crying with happiness that she would not be junked. She still is not. The daughter still is driving her!

My husband made me get Olympia to replace Drusilla. She was getting close to 200,000 miles and she had some rusted panels. (I bought her with a lot of miles on her to start with.) I sold her last summer to a boy wanting to buy his first car. He texted me early the first morning she was out begging me not to sell her before he could look at her. I was willing to accept payments on her and posted it in the window. (We live in a small village and I know a lot of people here were/are struggling.) His face when he looked her over convinced me that he was the one to own her. He did not have all the money and asked about a payment schedule. I wanted her to go to someone who would love her, so I told him he could buy her with what he had. He literally lept into the air! (He is 6'8" / 6'9", so it was a sight to see!) He even promised to keep her name because it suits her. He lives just down the road from me, so I see her almost every time I leave my house.)

I hope to have Olympia for several years to come.She is currently the only girl car in my family. My husband's is named Geralt. And my son's and daughter's are Hiro and Felix.

 

[Furballsmom]

My hubby's truck is Gus, named that by his (young at the time) son

 

[les26]

We call the Bronco "Big Boy", his sister the Rav 4 is "little girl" and Deb has dubbed the Tacoma "Junior" lol!!!!

 

[les26]

Well it's been 3 weeks since "Junior" came home, still feeling strange about the situation but am getting more "comfortable" with it. I use the Tacoma more and more now to go back and forth to work but also use the old Bronco at times, use him for hauling firewood and branches and stuff like that but am not pleased that the old guy has to sit outside in the weather instead of in the garage, but I know that he will unfortunately run into some rust issues or something else down the line due to his age so it is nice to have the new guy too.

Getting adjusted to it, but it's still a bit strange...but it IS nice to have two trucks at hand!

 

[Furballsmom]

strange...but it IS nice to have two trucks at hand!

Lol, for sure !

 

[iPappy]

Well it's been 3 weeks since "Junior" came home, still feeling strange about the situation but am getting more "comfortable" with it. I use the Tacoma more and more now to go back and forth to work but also use the old Bronco at times, use him for hauling firewood and branches and stuff like that but am not pleased that the old guy has to sit outside in the weather instead of in the garage, but I know that he will unfortunately run into some rust issues or something else down the line due to his age so it is nice to have the new guy too.

Getting adjusted to it, but it's still a bit strange...but it IS nice to have two trucks at hand!

Could you fashion a cover out of old tarps, even if it's just during bad weather?