If You Could Do It All Over Again...

[whiplash473]

more lights/add on stuff when you are young because it was what you can afford at the time.

I think that's what most of this thread boils down to. We were all young, dumb, and broke with most of the regrets we're posting.


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[skylark]

Never would have done any of this.....

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I would have done the SAS sooner, although I probably also wouldn't have put the detroit locker in it that is currently has.

I will say, out of everything I've done I've noticed the pattern I did and others did the same, more lights/add on stuff when you are young because it was what you can afford at the time.

Umm yeah, ouch.

 

[88GMCtruck]

Umm yeah, ouch.

Hey when you are 16 you work with what you have.

 

[Rogue]

Thankfully, I didn't get my K1500 until I was 22....so all the fads and young dumb stuff I would have done to it was out of my system by then (sorry Buick LeSabre, I was young and dumb). For now it's all stock except for the headlights, but I would have done the initial maintenance and repairs on it myself. There were several things wrong with it I didn't know at time of sale (intake gaskets, rear brakes leaking, etc.) and I was so desperate to drive it that I paid a mechanic WAYYYYY too much money to fix all the things. I could have saved a couple grand on the intake gaskets and fuel tank issues if I had slowed down and done it myself.

TLDR; do not let impatience drive your spending/time habits.

 

[skylark]

Hey when you are 16 you work with what you have.

That is why the blue carpet (think speaker box) is coming off of the door panels on my Skylark!

 

[jollyjerry]

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Oh maybe this paint scheme

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I've realized how much money I've put into it over the years of owning this truck, all to find out that it was a waste. What I want now would have cost a fraction of what I have into it right now. Who's to say my tastes won't change again in a couple years?

Enough of my rambling. If you could do it all over again, start from scratch, what would you do differently?

1. Swap paint schemes with you. Love the Pewter. Bonus points if two-tone's available. I have the emerald/autumn and it's nice too, but should've waited longer for a brown.
2. Crew cab. Most of the time, the extended is fine, but would've been nice to have crew for camping trips. Not sure if crew cabs were even available on 1/2 tons. No problem going up to 3/4 though since I drive too little to care about mpg.
3. Pay less. Probably skip 4x4. Feel like all the 4x2's were way cheaper. Wanted 4x4 "in case", but honestly have used it about once. Also look for trucks farther away from home. Trucks are overpriced here.
4. Cloth seats. They're better and more durable
5. Z71 sticker, pre-98 tailgate. Mine is a Z71, just no sticker, and I like the big Chevrolet across the back of the tailgate. These two are fixable, but don't bother me enough to pay money for.

All minor things. I'd buy this truck again in a heartbeat.

 

[JakeZ71]

I would have started with a cleaner, less abused truck. And I would've double checked the damn u-joint clips!!! (Excuse the language, but it still burns a little every time I think about it.)

vvvvv For those who wonder what i mean vvvvv

http://www.gmt400.com/threads/first-project-truck-1998-z71.34005/page-4

Also, at one point in time my '800 had a set of driving lights mounted to the bumper.. In the center... right next to each other, on a 2wd truck. They looked bad. And it didn't help the were junkyard lights off a mud truck, that started as $30 Walmart lights that i paid $25 for thinking i got a good deal. The lights i added to the tool box still look classy, though.

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I wou

 

[Jrgunn5150]

I would have started with a cleaner, less abused truck.

It's almost always this lol. When i was younger, I'd look at anything going, "I can fix that" I inevitably didn't, or didn't do it properly lol. Or it was just overwhelming.

 

[jollyjerry]

Ya it's not like there's a shortage of mint examples to choose from. Thankfully, as soon as I pick up a wrench my time is worth nothing. Maybe less than that even

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[Jrgunn5150]

Ya it's not like there's a shortage of mint examples to choose from. Thankfully, as soon as I pick up a wrench my time is worth nothing. Maybe less than that even

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Personally, I don't own anything truly rare. Although I guess my 68 Dart and 76 Fj 40 are getting there. For me, there's a hard line in the sand on anything, where I'll punt it. My Trailblazer has met it's fate for instance. It's clean, rust free, everything works, but I blew the engine, and it just isn't worth another one to me. I'll pull the 5.3 to have the block and scrap the rest shortly.