What matters most, Age? Or Miles?

[SHELK]

I thought this was a thread about us old farts dating.   :blush:



Well I look a little rough and I got a few miles on me
My body needs work and my style ain't what it used to be
And honey I'll admit there's places where I'm wearing thin
But I ain't broke down, I just couldn't hold it in

 hahahaha!

 

[steamjam1]

I almost bought a 67 Dodge Chinook camper in great shape. I backed out because of the age, not that it was old school carburetor but rather because of the lack of modern safety devices ........ air bags in particular. 
If my Wife and I are traveling and we have an unfortunate encounter with another motorist, I still want my Wife of 45 years and I to still have each other. 

Dave

This is a BIG difference. 1967-ish vehicles have nothing in comparisons to new designs in term of safety. So much has changes since 1967 that makes everyone safer.. Like collapsing steering columns, ABS, air bags, crumple zones, radial tires, disk brakes, etc etc etc. But from a purely mechanical point of view that says ANYTHING but a water boxer in terms of reliability, Id pick a 1967 Chinook with proper maintenance records from day 1 then a 1999 Chinook with half the mileage, but zero records.

 

[DannyB1954]

When did the odometers start registering 100,000? The older vehicles only went to 99,999 then rolled over to 0. If it says 75,000, that could be 175,000, 275,000 etc. I would go with lower mileage if both have the same equipment. Suspension parts do wear out. Transmissions fail etc. Many people never change their tranny fluid and filter.

The Astro's are a smaller van and only rated for 1/2 ton. This will limit what you can put into them. A lot of people have them so you can make it work.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

When did the odometers start registering 100,000? 

Apparently there was no one year where everything switched.  Mid 80s - 86, 87 - for most Detroit iron, there are reports that Jap cars switched around 84, don't know when the Europeans started doing it.

Safe to assume that anything in the 70s and back is 5 digits, anything from the 90s on up is six.

 

[djkeev]

I actually find modern fuel injection a far superior way to manage an engine.
Those who hate it, most often hate it from a perspective of lacking understanding of modern fuel injection.

Modern fuel injection delivers Performance not seen from comparably sized older engines, fuel economy never before seen and the reliability of ANY newer vehicle FAR exceeds the reliability of even the best units produced in the 1950's, 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's.

Today an owner EXPECTS to get 100,000 trouble free miles from a unit. Back in the 1960's..... IF you turned over the odometer you were absolutely thrilled and you crowed about your magnificent vehicle to everyone with ears to listen! Yes, it was that unusual to get such trouble free service from even period Mercedes Benz Diesels.
I clearly remember my Dad turning the 1956 Chevy wagon over that magic mileage point. It was an event to be celebrated.

We won't even discuss the crap vehicles that the USA produced during the 1980's! You were lucky to get out of the dealers lot without mechanical troubles!

Dave

 

[GotSmart]

The 1987 Buick Grand National GNX.

 

[highdesertranger]

there is no arguing that computer controlled engines are more efficient. but they have a ton more parts. eventually all parts fail. if you don't have a part that part will never fail. therefore I feel older vehicles are more reliable, if you have the right vehicle. sure a newer vehicle will go 200-300k, but then what? I have turned the odometer over and over and over many times on older vehicles. if you pick the right older vehicle you can keep it going forever, just rebuild front to back it every 10-15 years. I am in the process of doing this on my 1978 right now, it's the second time I have done this the last time was in 2000-2001 when I first built the truck. yes I built it, the last time I counted it had parts from ten different trucks. after this round of rebuilding I will add 2 more trucks to that number. highdesertranger

 

[ArtW]

Yup, knowing the computer took a dump does you zero good if you can't get one readily, and determining the computer took a dump can't be done without special diagnostic tools, it's a trade off beteween reliability and ease of diagnostics / parts availabiltiy
I started out with carbs and later learned injection, and I still prefer carbs, especialy if I'm out in the middle of BFE

 

[drysailor]

Yup, knowing the computer took a dump does you zero good if you can't get one readily, and determining the computer took a dump can't be done without special diagnostic tools, it's a trade off beteween reliability and ease of diagnostics / parts availabiltiy
I started out with carbs and later learned injection, and I still prefer carbs, especialy if I'm out in the middle of BFE

All true and - if we're talking about someone with a limited budget, buying something that is dependent on 20-year old computers, that are dependent on 20-year old wiring, older starts to look mighty good.

 

[hepcat]

there is no arguing that computer controlled engines are more efficient.  but they have a ton more parts.  eventually all parts fail.  if you don't have a part that part will never fail.  therefore I feel older vehicles are more reliable,  if you have the right vehicle.  sure a newer vehicle will go 200-300k,  but then what?  I have turned the odometer over and over and over many times on older vehicles.  if you pick the right older vehicle you can keep it going forever,  just rebuild front to back it every 10-15 years.  I am in the process of doing this on my 1978 right now,  it's the second time I have done this the last time was in 2000-2001 when I first built the truck.  yes I built it,  the last time I counted it had parts from ten different trucks.   after this round of rebuilding I will add 2 more trucks to that number.  highdesertranger

I used to buy, restore and sell LandCruiser FJ-40s and FJ-60s.  They are, essentially, infinitely rebuildable.  And that's all well and good if you have a) the place to do it; b) the tools and know-how to do it; and c) the parts supplies to get what you need.  For the rest of us who prefer driving our vehicles over doing endless maintenance, the modern fuel injected engines and transmissions behind them will go 300k miles with regular maintenance.  And then you replace them.   If you take care of the body and interior, and do regular maintenance, it's not a problem. 

Having a cracked or burned rotor, dead voltage regulator, dead coil, or snapping a timing chain in the middle of nowhere leaves you just as screwed as dead computer.

 

[steamjam1]

I really dig EFI. I'm especially fond of the old TBI. Its like a carburetor.... But better...

 

[Milk Hauler]

I prefer a "younger low milage girl"... WAIT!!! , are we talking bout vans? If that's the case, then I'd rather have a WELL maintained van with high miles, then a low mile van with no maintenance records. Same goes for older vans.

Sent from my SM-G930VL using Tapatalk

 

[MiWei]

I thought this was a thread about us old farts dating.   :blush:



Well I look a little rough and I got a few miles on me
My body needs work and my style ain't what it used to be
And honey I'll admit there's places where I'm wearing thin
But I ain't broke down, I just couldn't hold it in

Lol!!!! I named my 92 Mercury Grand Marquis after him.

 

[gapper2]

I'll throw something in from a new perspective.  What about buying too new?  I bought a 2012 gmc savana to use as my tow vehicle.  It only had 10500 miles on it when I bought it last April.  I knew when I purchased that everything these days is computer controlled.  But with a little maintenance it will probably last longer than I will.  But unforseen things happen.  Only minor but I rotated tires recently and had a caution light appear on the dash.  The TPMS system requires a special "relearn tool" to clear the light and monitor the tires location.  Not big but very much aggravating.

 

[ArtW]

And people wonder why us old curmudgeons prefer older vehicles
Seriously? I can't even rotate my tires without a special tool? GTFO lol

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I think another factor to consider when comparing two vehicles like these is how many owners it has had. I've always found cars with the least amount of drivers over it's lifespan to be more reliable. Different people, different driving habits, different maintenance habits all play a role in a vehicles performance. Car Fax is an excellent way to determine that part of the equation. It can also tell you whether it has ever been in an accident, another very important criteria when deciding between two.

 

[steamjam1]

I personally prefer older vans that I can work on in the bush. I'd rather buy an old Soviet Union UAZ-452 for $20G's that I can wrench on in the middle of desert if something went all wonky then a $2G Toyota Previa that I need a PHD in mechanical engineering in to JUST CHANGE THE RADIATOR FLUID.

As much as I love fuel injection, and the advantages it gives, I am starting to lean back towards older carbureted engines because of the EASE and simplicity of it all. Yeah OK... So find a Millennial that knows how to re-jet Weber 32/36... Ain't gonna happen (easily) Remember "chopping plugs"?? haha. Wow OK I just dated myself...