Pickup Saga Knows no End
September 21st, 2009Body Work Discount
Here is my exciting project for the day. I want to negotiate an acceptable price for the Dodge I looked at last week.
The truck has body work on one side, in front of the rear wheel well. It also has a small puncture in a painted plastic strip above the bumper. I am trying to find out what it would cost to get these things fixed correctly. This would involve repainting an area the size of a 20″ TV, plus the bumper thing. That would probably run between five hundred and a thousand dollars. I submitted a question to an Internet expert in order to get confirmation.
The truck’s resale value is also affected. Not sure how much. Maybe ten percent.
Until this morning, I was under the impression that Coral Gables might have a really irritating law requiring caps on pickup beds, but it appears that I was wrong. While researching the issue, however, I found that a cover might not be a bad idea, provided it could be gotten out of the way easily when I carried large things. My church needs help ferrying speakers (people, not electronics) around, and that means luggage, and it might not be possible to cram the people plus the objects into a pickup cab. And it rains here. A lot. So the bed is not a great place for luggage, unless it has a cover.
I found a newer Dodge upstate, for a couple of thousand more (offering price v. offering price). It’s slightly less snazzy. It’s the “Big Horn” edition, which means better than base but usually not as good as an SLT. It has the 6.7-liter engine, which has more potential than the 5.9 but also more problems. I’d pretty much have to make it illegal in order to make it work, because the factory emissions stuff was apparently designed by Janeane Garofalo, and I’m not really interested in being fined. I don’t see how it could be a problem here in Florida, where we have no exhaust inspections, but what if I move? What if I drive through another state? Do they cite out-of-state drivers for emissions problems? I don’t know. My religious beliefs make me reluctant to break the law without a good reason, and the 6.7-liter Cummins appears to be utterly useless in its original state.
The modifications to make the engine function correctly run about a thousand dollars, and that’s not very appetizing.
I guess I’ll call the dealer with the 5.9-liter and lowball him again.
September 21st, 2009 at 1:41 PM
“Do they cite out-of-state drivers for emissions problems?”
The only time that will matter is if you have some reason to take an emissions test, which will only happen if you try to register the car in a state that requires one.
Well, so far. When Janine Garofalo is the next Auto Czar, yeah, they’ll probably mandate periodic emissions test for all cars. You know, monthly, so we make sure they’re safe.
September 21st, 2009 at 1:49 PM
In Texas, you won’t pass your state inspection if your emissions don’t match the vehicle profile.
September 21st, 2009 at 5:42 PM
A cap on the truck bed, even a low one that only comes slightly above the side walls, will greatly improve your mileage.
September 21st, 2009 at 7:40 PM
“will greatly improve your mileage.”
A couple days ago I figured my mileage while I filled up and it was 19 mpg. That would be 12.5 cents a mile ($2.50 a gal). Then I noticed that I just pumped a tank of premium. The nozzles were reversed. I just filled up again and checked the mileage. 28mpg. That’s 10 cents a mile ( ($2.80 a gal).
I didn’t think burning premium increased mileage.
Any ideas?
September 21st, 2009 at 7:59 PM
It always worked on the old Shell commercials they played during The Wonderful World of Disney. Remember those?
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The Thunderbird is a disgrace. It’s a small car, only moderately fast, and was rated at something like 19 overall. And it only likes premium! High maintenance girl.
September 21st, 2009 at 11:36 PM
Been on the road for a week (towing the Travel Trailer) and just got caught up on my blog reading…
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I like the Cummins too, but 2-1/2 years ago, before the economy crashed, the delta for the Cummins was 2 to 2.5x. I just couldn’t see that the expense would ever be repaid in gas mileage or maintenance (Illinois salt is rough on vehicles, so body/frame longevity is reduced). Now it is a different story, but I have no reason to change for the moment.
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So the bed is not a great place for luggage, unless it has a cover.
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This is the bed cover I have on my Dodge:
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http://www.agricover.com/index.php/products/category/C11/
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I can walk/stand on it (not that I would do it all the time though), and it roles up very neatly when I have to take the bikes or some other tall object. I also wanted something that would leave the stake holes open in case I wanted a ladder-rack (us airplane people do strange things with our trucks…like hauling airplane wings). Anyway, this one fit the bill and only set me back about $400. YMMV.
September 22nd, 2009 at 12:54 PM
Steve – In cars, like life, a “high maintenance girl” is only remotely worthwhile if she is also a very high performance girl.
September 22nd, 2009 at 4:04 PM
Premium increases your mileage, I believe, because the gas burns more completely. I have seen 15% better mileage in 2 seperate 4 cylinder cars (85 corolla and 97cr-v).
I have been truck shopping, also, and REALLY like this cover for when I do buy. I like it because it is a DIY install and single person removal:
http://www.undercoverinfo.com/
Hope you get what you need, for what you want to pay.
Steve Ohio