(WTF IS MPGS? HAHAHA!} I ONLY KNOW SMILES PER GALLON AND GALLONS PER MILE!
I totally agree smiles per mile is as important as MPG...which is why I am working for the best MPG in the cars and trucks I want and enjoy driving: My classic great to be 03 Crown Vic, the best all around car, my 03 Ford Explorer, my SUV my day tripper for one day road trips and my Custom 93 Starr Craft G20 Stealth RV (sleeper van that still looks like party Van) Van for Major many day road trips.
One major features of these cars and trucks is how they are still easy and affordable to repair and maintain. Add in the 2000s Ford 4.6's rep for living up to 300K and beyond and both my Fords have it in them.
And of course the 9s Chevy van....parts are very assailable.
My views on fixing up older Cars and Trucks. 2022
The value of older cars can be deceptive: I am in the middle of fixing up two trucks, a 03 Ford Explorer and a 93 Star Craft Custom G20 Van.
I am spending a lot of money and time doing so.
Easily a few times more than their current market value.
I am very well aware that all of my older cars and trucks are not worth much on the market.
I don’t buy them for their resale value, I buy cars with reparation for long life, ease of service, low cost of replacement parts and in many cases cars and trucks I can buy complete second cars or trucks for a source of spare parts thanks to their low prices.
I also buy a car or truck for the job it can do.
As sadly not one car or truck is good in every department. There are always parts that need improvement. From dumb ass fake gauges, (Ford oil pressure gauge is fake, it jumps to a reading at ANYTHING over 5PSI…it is an idol gauge) to cutting a removable hatch in the floor of a van so you can replace a fuel pump without need a full-service bay.
I am able to fix up and make these improvements to make a much better car/truck.
I also find that the newer cars and trucks have MUCH more controlled by their PCMs. Even the 03 Explorer is borderline in that respect. New cars are becoming nightmares of electronic problems.
So owning newer cars takes us back to the 50s and 60s where you replaced your car about every three years, now like every five year. SO you are forever making payments.
As I am not Rich (in name only, not my conduction) I currently can fix and fix up my cars and trucks as I see fit.
PLUS running my 93 Chevy van (Paid $3k back around 2004) with its older SBC engine and older 4L80e transmission, and all the other old fashion parts like plan old wheel bearings instead of OMG Wheel Bearing HUBS which cost three times what my old bearings cost and do not need a extractor to replace, or my nice simple “U” Joints that only cost $20.00 not $100.00…SO many of the newer cars parts and repairs are in the Thousands…my repairs run in the hundreds, or less.
And worst comes to worst IF I lose an engine or a transmission on a road trip, I still can figure of buying a used one out of a junkyard and not pay a fortune for it. And it is the same on the cost of labor having them replaced. Almost all the parts I will need are much cheaper on these older cars. Granted that in 10 to 20 years that may change.
And as I am not at all concerned about the resale value I am free to do whatever I want to them.
So my current personal needs are for a Cheap SUV for shopping, picking up parts, and for short day trips around Phoenix and nearby sights. The 03 Explorer (Paid $800.00 as it needed timing chains) can fill that need very well and with an engine that has a life expectancy of 300K I think it has a good chance of outliving me. So I just need to do some minor to major work on it, but when done I will (if all goes accounting to plan) a highly reliable, fast powerful, and fair MPG SUV. And if I add an old Borg Warner overdrive one that can get even greater MPG. Test have shown it can get 27/32MPG at 50MPH...
The same applies to the 93 Chevy Van, it is a mini RV, and again made to how I want every part of it and again a very low cost to run and keep.
IF you’re interested in this road trip van and my many mods and customization's check out:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.858114534247153&type=3
Of course, doing such stuff is not for the faint-hearted nor someone without the skills and background I have, but that has been my story all my life…
At 14 (1962) I was already repairing and fixing my motor scooters, at 16 my cars, and because of that I became a gas station attendant and was doing oil changes and so on, and then doing near every kind of repair.
Even when I moved on to better jobs first trained as an A/C and heating service man, then a few years later became a TV repairman. And then added appliance repairs as well. I still fixed and maintained all my cars and vans. Even the newer fuel injection systems.
I got to the point that I used to say, the ONLY thing I could not repair was the automatic transmissions and then I got my own transmission jack so I could drop them out and take them to a transmission repair shop to be rebuilt. And often get a friendly pro rate on the job.
Check out my albums in the Photos section on my facebook, check out my van, my old Mercury and my Studebaker, and you can see what I am talking about.
Sadly the 03 Crown Vic (Bought for $450.00 needing a fuel pump and rebuilt A/C system) is becoming kind of a white elephant, not as useful as it was at first and I wish it to be.
It is the best car I have ever owned, and it is a hot rod by my standards (not really by most hot rodders standards…ONLY 250HP) and has a deep big trunk and handles great, but the Explorer is a better shopping truck and day tripper and the van is the road trip RV.
Ford Crown Vic’s have a great rep. Long engine life, Ex-Cop Car P71s are reported to last 150K plus in service, then are often sold to taxi companies and to run another 150K. P71s come with many heavy duty parts which makes them hold up so well.
And as Ford made and sold SO many they are lots of them out there and in junk yards.
And once I get the Explorer built to my liking the Vic will most likely go into storage, as I love it too much to part with it. Or just pop it out for a joy ride every so often.
AND as my 03 runs the same engine it is a replacement engine should I need one.
This kind of buying of a cheap used car and fixing it up with a small investment in cost and time is one we (I) will never see in the future with electric cars.
So if I was to even consider buying a small SUV like the Explorer they run:
2022 New Ford Explorer
Starting at $34,010
EPA-Est. MPG City/Hwy 20/28
Some Models Lease at $466/mo
And a new version of my Van: Chevrolet Express 2500 9 Passenger Explorer (a conversion Van with a similar interior/exterior)
Retail Price $ 94,850!!!!
Plus if you buy such new SUV and or Van you will also be paying on the interest of the loan (OMG)
So in my book I will have a great SUV worth $34K and great Van worth $94K for far far less money.
And not have to spend thousands in repair bills and there are almost no car currently being made that will not need repairs someday.