My truck

marlingardener · Aug 2, 2018

We have a 12 year old pick-up truck with a full bed, seating for two, and a radio and AC. Fancy, huh? People keep approaching us in parking lots, or even stopping by the house, wanting to buy our truck.
It seems the jacked-up dualies with seating for five, stereo speakers, and a dashboard that puts a jet plane cockpit to shame aren't very functional. Our truck is good for hauling, easy on gas, and has no distractions (I turn off the radio.)
I think I'll put a "Not for sale" sign in the back window. Hope it works!

Colin · Aug 2, 2018

Hi,

Nice story marlingardener; how about a picture of your truck? (y)

I'm all for rugged and simple but our two year old Skoda Yeti SE L 2.0L diesel bristles with technology and has full leather upholstery; It's also got SatNav; Dash cam and Cruise control; its so good that it warns of wrong tyre pressure even when all five tyres are correctly inflated. The "Infotainment" is touch screen and I don't bother using it and like you I don't use the radio because it's like our TV at home only putting out rubbish; I think it's loaded with six speakers.

Yeti's are no longer made and we love ours in metallic black; normally we trade in at 3 years old which is next July but we like this Yeti so much it's highly likely a keeper; it easily does 60mpg (Imperial gallon) and is a pleasure to own and drive whilst being very comfortable. Our previous car was a bought new Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo which with its sports suspension and rubber bands for tyres rattled our teeth over the many traffic calming humps that sprung up like mole hills; the Monte in Black over red we thought looked gorgeous but the Yeti is even better and suits us perfectly; it turns into a decent sized van with the rear seats folded.

https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/yeti-outdoor/estate/review/buying-owning/

Let others drool over your truck marlingardener; it will possibly still be running whilst these new mission control vehicles self destruct due to all the electronics installed in them? Drive around with a big smile on your face.

Kind regards, Colin.

La Garden · Aug 2, 2018

My brother and I have been looking for an older truck to use on the farm, something easy to work on. It is almost out of the question.
Right now we are working on bringing back to life an F350. Miserable thing with a massive turbo diesel. It has been nothing but a money pit.

alp · Aug 2, 2018

I would put a lock to the steering wheels to stop opportunists!

Colin · Aug 6, 2018

Hi,

Just being nosy La Garden. I wondered what an F350 truck was so had a browse;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Super_Duty

That's an impressive bit of kit and over here in the UK we'd possibly need a second mortgage to fuel it up?

The last big vehicle I drove was over 40 years ago it being a Scammell Crusader; my chum drove this daily it being his job and he used to let me loose with it; this was a bulk tipper I think rated at 38 tons.

http://www.crusader80.co.uk/scammell.html

Kind regards, Colin.

La Garden · Aug 6, 2018

When going to fill both tanks, even here in the states it would almost take a second mortgage. Use it to go pick up calves from a dairy farm. Which have no use for bulls(males). Once set up and doing well, turn them into steers. Have a pen built that fits on the bed. Tarp 3/4th of it so it cuts down on the stress of moving. A good amount of hay in the bed keeps them off the metal and helps in the clean up when done.
The original owner used it to pull an RV. Has a removable goose neck hitch in the bed. Like the picture except mine locks in place to a rail system with 4 pins about the size of a man's finger.

A woman pulled out in front of the truck and we ran into her. Totaled her car, Did a number of the front of the truck. Had to cut off the bumper to get it home. Found another one not running so bought it and started replacing all the front end panels. Now that is done the truck had been sitting for some months in order to get the truck then do the swap, now the darn thing will not start. Turn the key and the starter engages but will not disengage. Had to pull the battery real quick. Also noticed that no fuel was in the line.
It has turned a real head ache.

Scammell Crusader, I have never driven a full size COE. Looks like it might have been fun.

alp · Aug 6, 2018

@La Garden Oh, dear! Did you have to pay for the insurance or she? I am so scared of having traffic accidents. In the UK, you might be sent a bill by the agency clearing the debris and roads. Could run up to thousands of pounds. A girl had an accident and was given a bill of £2000! No laughing matters.

La Garden · Aug 6, 2018

Her insurance paid as she was the one at fault for the accident.
For the most part in parts left at the scene it is up to public works, which often takes years. By then the bits are crushed and flattened into the ground.

alp · Aug 6, 2018

La Garden said:
Her insurance paid as she was the one at fault for the accident.
For the most part in parts left at the scene it is up to public works, which often takes years. By then the bits are crushed and flattened into the ground.

Glad that it's so easy to establish fault.

Colin · Aug 6, 2018

Hi,

alp said:
@La Garden Oh, dear! Did you have to pay for the insurance or she? I am so scared of having traffic accidents. In the UK, you might be sent a bill by the agency clearing the debris and roads. Could run up to thousands of pounds. A girl had an accident and was given a bill of £2000! No laughing matters.

As you'll know Alp; if we sneeze here in the uk there will be a law against it and it's getting worse.

https://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/34-people-fined-dropping-litter-14985808

£220 fine; £30 surcharge and £100 costs; by all means fine these people who drop litter which I fully agree with but what a nice little earner?

Kind regards, Colin.

DirtMechanic · Aug 27, 2018

I was getting a dashboard indicator to check the brakes on my 09 Silverado. It was losing brake fluid somehow but I could not see a leak. I had it in for service and they rebuilt the rear wheel seals. Then the problem recurred. That led to the replacement of the master cylinder and brake booster. The booster had developed a leak and the engine vacuum was sucking small amounts of brake fluid into the engine where it was burned in the recycled gas emission pathway and sent out the tailpipe. At 175,000 miles, I had become used to a certain soft brake "feel" when stopping. Now it feels like a new truck and it is an amazing difference.

Colin · Aug 27, 2018

Hi,

You'll be pleased to have the problem sorted at last DirtMechanic. (y)

Our Skoda Yeti has covered 14,500 miles since new in the last two years so it's got a lot of mileage to do to catch yours. It suffered a puncture in July just as its second service was due so a new tyre at £150 was fitted. A couple of days ago the dashboard icon lit up showing a tyre pressure fault? Sure enough out of five tyres it was the brand new one but I think life in general just likes to torment me; the pressure had dropped 4psi so having a compressor it wasn't a problem to correct the pressure; two days later everything appears OK and I can't see anything sticking in the tyre; how did we ever manage without all the electronic wizardry? The Yeti virtually drives itself with the cruise control engaged all I need to do is steer it. Are we now so lazy we can't press a pedal?

Kind regards, Colin.

DirtMechanic · Aug 27, 2018

Colin said:
Hi,

You'll be pleased to have the problem sorted at last DirtMechanic.

Our Skoda Yeti has covered 14,500 miles since new in the last two years so it's got a lot of mileage to do to catch yours. It suffered a puncture in July just as its second service was due so a new tyre at £150 was fitted. A couple of days ago the dashboard icon lit up showing a tyre pressure fault? Sure enough out of five tyres it was the brand new one but I think life in general just likes to torment me; the pressure had dropped 4psi so having a compressor it wasn't a problem to correct the pressure; two days later everything appears OK and I can't see anything sticking in the tyre; how did we ever manage without all the electronic wizardry? The Yeti virtually drives itself with the cruise control engaged all I need to do is steer it. Are we now so lazy we can't press a pedal?

Kind regards, Colin.

My original tires lasted quite a while. I by my truck new. On thing I noticed was when fellows chang the tires out, that a certain level of destruction occures in the tire valve presseure sensor device. If they do not get you on a tire change, even then the devices only had a 100k lifespan roughly on my truck. At 80 dollars per tire, I am ambivilant re theneed for the sensors.

La Garden · Sep 4, 2018

Colin said:
Hi,

As you'll know Alp; if we sneeze here in the uk there will be a law against it and it's getting worse.

https://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/34-people-fined-dropping-litter-14985808

£220 fine; £30 surcharge and £100 costs; by all means fine these people who drop litter which I fully agree with but what a nice little earner?

Kind regards, Colin.

Like this
https://www.newsoneplace.com/17375961805/uk-southampton-mario-lemina-biggest-speeding

Mario Lemina hit with UK's biggest speeding fine of £96,000

Daren · Sep 16, 2018

Love this story (y)

marlingardener don't sell it

I gess you all seen my beetle at one time or another if you live in England lol well you must of she has been on the road since 1964 and has past everyone here at one time or another I Bought her for 200 pounds in 1988 & have restored her many times over the years here a a few pictures past to present ..............