Max age or mileage for used tow vehicle

[JohnD]

It is roughly 90 miles to Cheyenne, Wyoming and approximately 90 miles to Colorado Springs, Colorado from my driveway.

Last year pulling our trailer I left our house with a full tank of gas in my 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 and headed for Cheyenne driving into a strong wind . . . we pulled in to one of the truck stops there at I-25 and I-80 on fumes.

When I filled up the gas tank I had never in all of the years I've owned that truck pumped that many gallons into that truck!

This summer, we left our house for Colorado Springs with the tank full and pulled into the campground with just under 3/4 of a tank of gas.

Had a tail wind on that drive.

 

[caissiel]

All my TVs were 9 years old with 200k miles when traded for better used units. The one new one was my last with no proper warranty service from dealer. I have owned all the known bad GM diesels of the 90s with great satisfaction and economy. Now own a 2005 Ford 6.0l diesel that has served us great for 7 years. After 70k miles of ownership added to the original 70k miles that was on prior I can honestly say its worth as much to me as what I paid for 7 years ago. It was a bad 6.0 diesel when I bought it cheap and still performs well like the previous GMs did.
I never saw the value of owning a new diesel so far, when they depreciate like a stone from $70k.

 

[TravelTiger]

We bought our 2004 GMC dually in 2010. It had less than 70k on it. We got a really good deal. Now, it's 10 years old, we have about 125k on it and still running fine. But other little annoyances are happening -- sometimes the AC doesn't blow cold air right away. Or the seat adjustment doesn't work correctly. Or the leather is wearing unevenly on the driver seat... Etc. that make me wish for a newer truck.

But the prices for new make me consider used, for sure!


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[danemayer]

We bought our 2004 GMC dually in 2010. It had less than 70k on it. We got a really good deal. Now, it's 10 years old, we have about 125k on it and still running fine. But other little annoyances are happening -- sometimes the AC doesn't blow cold air right away. Or the seat adjustment doesn't work correctly. Or the leather is wearing unevenly on the driver seat... Etc. that make me wish for a newer truck.

But the prices for new make me consider used, for sure!


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You might be able to find a 2011 GMC 3500 SRW in Tyler, TX. Only 58,000 miles.

 

[TravelTiger]

You might be able to find a 2011 GMC 3500 SRW in Tyler, TX. Only 58,000 miles.

Yes, and many parts have 0 miles! Haha, Dan! Nope, gotta be a dually!


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[Miltp920]

I just had a similar A/C issue on my 2003 GMC Seirra. Turned out the compressor was destroying itself from inside out. Metal filings were building up in the orifice tube. This blockage was preventing proper cooling. My mechanic replaced the orifice tube and I have had ice cold air since. I know the compressor is still destroying itself, but $120 was better that $1300 (GMC dealer wanted). This might be a GMC issue for our generation trucks.

We bought our 2004 GMC dually in 2010. It had less than 70k on it. We got a really good deal. Now, it's 10 years old, we have about 125k on it and still running fine. But other little annoyances are happening -- sometimes the AC doesn't blow cold air right away. Or the seat adjustment doesn't work correctly. Or the leather is wearing unevenly on the driver seat... Etc. that make me wish for a newer truck.

But the prices for new make me consider used, for sure!


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[TravelTiger]

I just had a similar A/C issue on my 2003 GMC Seirra. Turned out the compressor was destroying itself from inside out. Metal filings were building up in the orifice tube. This blockage was preventing proper cooling. My mechanic replaced the orifice tube and I have had ice cold air since. I know the compressor is still destroying itself, but $120 was better that $1300 (GMC dealer wanted). This might be a GMC issue for our generation trucks.

Our problem is, one side might blow cold, the other blows hot. Turn engine off and on again, and it's fine. Then no problems for months. Then it might do it again.


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[jimtoo]

Our problem is, one side might blow cold, the other blows hot. Turn engine off and on again, and it's fine. Then no problems for months. Then it might do it again.


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Same here Erika.

 

[danemayer]

I wonder if there's a baffle somewhere that changes position to route either hot air or cold air. Maybe it's just getting stuck now and then.

 

[jimtoo]

Yes Dan,, it is the door between the passenger side and driver side that regulates the difference in temps from side to side. It mixes the warm (hot heater air) and cold air and when it sticks,, it usually put 100% heater air out the drivers side and full cold air out passenger side. A lot of GM's did this in 02----05,,6 models I have heard. Normally turn engine off.. let it set for 10 min and it's OK. Mine does it about every 6 months maybe.

 

[JohnD]

The air conditioning in my truck worked great for years . . . then it slowly stopped cooling.

I went a couple of summers without it (because I get better gas mileage without it . . . right )

About 5 years ago as we were preparing for an out of state campout, I decided to take my truck in to have it checked out before the trip, where it was discovered that the water pump was starting to leak a little, so I had that replaced.

They also noticed small hairline cracks in the radiator, so I had a new radiator installed a few days later.

The air conditioning has worked perfectly ever since.

Never once had to have anything done to the air conditioning . . .

 

[Bob&Patty]

Erica and Jim, the temp door actuator is failing/bad. It has one for each side..driver/passenger. I replaced alot of them when I was still wrenching on GM cars/trucks. I took one apart to see what was in it. A circuit board, 3 gears and a brass "wiper" on one gear. How they work is whole long story. Its one of those parts that is known as a "how do it know" things.