Why do you see lots of older trucks but not cars?
Posted by 2WW1911@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 186 comments
Saw an older car in a parking lot and realized I don't see many basic 80's/ 90's cars yet there's tons of older rangers s10's etc were the trucks more durable?
Absentmindedgenius@reddit
Trucks cost more, so people hold on to them longer.
matt71vh@reddit
As my grandpa used to say, "If you got a truck you can find work".
Celtic159@reddit
Cash for Clunkers took a lot of cheap older cars off the road.
nodnarb88@reddit
That whole program was awful. I can see some benefits but not having older beat up cars is harder on poor people or kids who need a first car.
Lollc@reddit
Yes, that was in 2009. And the trade in rules were complicated, and based partly on mpg ratings so some big trucks and vans and SUVs weren’t eligible for the program and survived. Link if you want to parse the details.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_Allowance_Rebate_System
s_nz@reddit
Second image in your link shows the ford explorer 4wd as the most popular trade in in the program.
Ford F150 was #2.
And top 5 replacement options were sedans / hatches.
Celtic159@reddit
I'm very familiar with the scheme, and there were a ton of contemporary articles written about how taking 700,000 inexpensive used cars out of the market created a price shock.
SkeletorsAlt@reddit
AN old pickup truck Is a tool you can use to make money in a way that an old sedan or crossover is not.
SailingSpark@reddit
I see a lot of old 90s ford pickups still being put to use by scrappers. Some of them are long past the time they should have been scrapped, but they keep chugging along. Here in NJ, anything that is pre OBD2 does not get inspected, so you can just guess what shape these trucks are in.
Frosty-Analysis1520@reddit
My first car was a 168k Ranger former work truck that smelled like the liner was made of cigarettes. I don't think I put oil in it once during my ownership before I sold it at \~240k, some of those old trucks were just built different. Still the only vehicle other than my latest car that never left me stranded, I kind of wish I had kept it.
Glad-Watch3506@reddit
We have no inspections whatsoever in my state, and use salt on the roads half the year.
I have seen some shit.
Vegetable_Sample7384@reddit
I’m originally from a state that required yearly inspections. Used to hate it. I now live in a state that does not require it, and I’ve personally seen a wheel come off a moving vehicle twice since I’ve moved here. Kinda miss them now.
obiworm@reddit
I’ve heard of driving something until the wheels fall off but I’ve never taken it literally.
SailingSpark@reddit
You chose a fine time to leave me, loose wheel.
VinceBrogan8@reddit
400 cubic inches, and a crack in the windshield.
tombstone5860@reddit
I have some bad tires, lived through car fires.
tombstone5860@reddit
I have some bad tires, lived through some car fires.
rodeo302@reddit
Minnesota?
Glad-Watch3506@reddit
Close enough
honeybadgerdad@reddit
Wisconsin
Glad-Watch3506@reddit
Slightly less drunk
nortonj3@reddit
Michigan?
Glad-Watch3506@reddit
Much less populated.
But they're pretty much in the same boat, vehicle-wise from what I've heard
nortonj3@reddit
up to 225 pounds of salt per lane, per mile per salt truck pass. no inspections.
a 4 lane road, up to 1000 pounds of salt per mile. per salt truck pass. on a lake effect snow, it might come every 3 hours.
no wonder cars dont go past 10-15 years. my 2016 ram is getting pretty rusty. even though its always garaged
sparkvixen@reddit
Same. Watched one come up behind me at a light and it looked like it was trying to drive sideways. He left the lane next to me before I could move and yeah, it was rocking sideways, rusted almost completely out at the back, bumper was what appeared to be a fence post cut down and bungeed into place. Needless to say, I kept my distance after the road merged. There's another one around town with very obvious frame issues. Scrapper just overloads it anyway and off he goes.
paypermon@reddit
The Ford 300 straight 6 is absolutely bullet proof
StudeChampMan@reddit
Normally, I knew a guy that had an Oriental rug business that everytime his Econoline hit 80-90 k the online 6 in it blew up... I don't really blame the engine though him and his family didn't do a lot of maintenance...
pfcgos@reddit
He should have run it in offline mode. Way more reliable that way
StudeChampMan@reddit
😂I hate autocorrect
honeybadgerdad@reddit
I saw that, too. I left it alone and laughed to myself.
Would be interesting if it was in airplane mode. ✈️
WinnerAwkward480@reddit
Sadly FORD started using nylon gear for the Cam . While it did make for a quieter running Eng , the nylon would fail . The broken pieces would fall in the oil pan and plug up the oil pickup screen. Which leads to lost of oil pressure and well , so long engine . A lot of ppl would just replace the nylon gear , but never drop oil pan clean it out & clean pump pickup
HobsHere@reddit
Very true, as long as you keep something resembling oil in it. Unfortunately, they tend to leak oil from the side plate and, often, the rear main. So, people let them run dry, and that's what finally killed most of them.
Lower_Kick268@reddit
Not like the cops even enforce inspection anyways, my suburban has bener been inspected by anybody in my family in 15 years and nobody has cared
honeybadgerdad@reddit
Had a '93 Ranger 4.0. Great truck. 2 seater. Got married, had kids, robust for it. Drove the Hell out of it, tho.
Cute-Percentage-837@reddit
I still have a 94 4.0 5spd stick supercab. Just can't kill it!
honeybadgerdad@reddit
I had the 5 speed as well. Might have kept it if I had the super cab
IWontCommentAtAll@reddit
A body on frame design is also easier to repair rust issue on, as opposed to a unibody car.
It makes sense that something that can have fenders, box, cab, etc, replaced easily over time would still be around, whereas a rusting unibody 87 Olds 98 is not.
Louis_R27@reddit
They're fairly simple but their engine bays are roomier and thus easier to maintain.
Disastrous-Tank-6197@reddit
There are so many bad answers in this thread. You're right, it's simple. Older trucks are still useful as trucks and people use them for work.
Speech-Language@reddit
I have a 94 Mighty Max pickup that is a very reliable beater. Cost $750, never an issue and is great for dump runs or buying bigger things, although not when it’s hot as there is no AC.
GlitteringPen3949@reddit
Trucks are simpler so are easy to work on and lots of parts still being sold at auto parts stores
PckMan@reddit
Albanian construction workers would like to have a word with you.
No-Act-7333@reddit
It must have something to do with where you live. I see a lot of newer (seemingly unused) pickups and many more older cars.
joshstrodomus@reddit
I have a 93 Toyota pickup and a 95 Camry... I see a lot of the pickups on the road still , in various states of decay, and preservation! I turned my pickup into a low rider , so she gets treated pretty well. I have noticed that I don't see as many Camrys of mine generation on the road as I used too, but the ones I see are generally in good shape . (I'm in california if that helps with a general scope)
Cute-Percentage-837@reddit
Generally the owners of older trucks are blue collar folks that fix their own stuff. Many of them just don't see the value in getting a newer model when what they have works.
Billz3bub666@reddit
No trucks are just more utilitarian and expensive to start with so there's a reason to keep them running
Mizar97@reddit
Yes. The larger truck engines were mpre reliable and easier to work on.
Trucks are also more expensive, and more likely to be maintained.
Trucks are (well, were) also mostly owned by blue collar workers that were more likely to make their vehicle last instead of upgrading
MathematicianIcy3430@reddit
Big lifted trucks and large SUVs are the new replacement for a European Luxury car or high end sports car, eg Corvette.
I do not see those on the road as often anymore unless it's their SUV/Truck equivalent.
5'3 doctor will feel safer in a Suburban/Yukon Denali than in a MB E Class.
jas417@reddit
All this, also on the flip side of the last point also many are owned as a second vehicle, and thus not used or upgraded that much
Garth_DeWayne@reddit
Yep, trucks aren't cheap. Those people that "require" a truck for truck stuff, but have the cash for a daily bester will gladly park the truck until they need it. I don't see a reason why my truck won't make it to 30 years old. It gets maintained, and every fall it gets an oil spray, even though it rarely sees road salt.
jules083@reddit
My 99 Chevy sits in the barn unless I need it. Drive the cheap car to work and back every day, take the Chevy when towing or going on vacation or whatever.
Even at 27 years old it's been perfectly reliable, I rarely have to work on it. Only has 145k miles. In 10 years I've changed 1 intake manifold gasket, 1 starter, and 1 crank position sensor.
Crank sensor was a fun one, I was about 1200 miles from home on a cross country trip. AAA towed me to motel 6, changed it in the parking lot, back on the road the next day. Got lucky that it was a simple fix, there for a little bit I thought I had a major problem figuring out how to get home.
mikerall@reddit
Yeah, the ones who could afford the truck (which didn't use to be massive luxury pavement princesses) and a more comfortable daily driver would often own a sedan or the like as well.
"Luxury" trucks weren't really a thing back in the day
Content_Program_7477@reddit
Cash for clunkers took a lot of older cars off the roads and some models of trucks. But trucks tend to be workhorses that people are less prone to give up due to the sheer utility ( everyone needs one friend that owns a truck)
s_nz@reddit
I'm not in North America, but suspect it is mostly about value.
In my market at least, the floor in the value of a Ute / 4x4 SUV (Japanese) / 7 seat SUV (Japanese) / Minivan / Van that is functional and road legal commands. This value is about double the value floor of a functional and road legal car.
This means it takes a comparably smaller expense to justify scrapping a car, vs the other vehicle classes. Both crash damage repairs, and mechanical maintenance. On an older car having a bunch of this fail inspection at the same time can easily exceed the value of the car.
Weinerdogwhisperer@reddit
I think a bunch of cars got turned in during the cash for clunkers thing too. Not sure how prevalent that was. A bunch of dealerships were offering $500 for anything with wheels.
Ok-Huckleberry1970@reddit
The v8 engines in most pf the trucks were under powered but reliable vs a 4 cyl that was constantly being pushed to hogher rpms. Thats what i think atleast
0peRightBehindYa@reddit
But the V8s from those years were robust because they were ancient designs. The Chevy 305 (5.0 liters) and 350 (5.7) have been around since the 60s, and Ford's 302 (5.0) and 351 Windsor (5.8) have been around longer. And since they made such little power, they lasted forever because they weren't stressed.
But they were also very limited by those power levels. A 4,000lb vehicle with 180hp and 250tq isn't going to be moving anything incredibly heavy with any sort of enthusiasm.
Ok-Huckleberry1970@reddit
Exactly underpowered reliable v8s
Which_Initiative_882@reddit
My old 93 F250 had the 460. It made a WHOPPING 185hp... 385ftlbs of torque, but yeah. Understressed. All of 8:1 compression to try to keep it smog compliant.
DFLDrew@reddit
Chevy is still making the small block engine
0peRightBehindYa@reddit
I mean, technically, yeah. They switched to coil pack ignition and electronic fuel injection, but aside from a few design and material tweaks, the LS and LT engines don't differ a whole bunch from the old 283.
DFLDrew@reddit
They’re different generations of the same engine
The_World_Is_A_Slum@reddit
Close, but backwards. The small Chevy debuted in ‘55, the small Ford in mid-‘61. Either way, they’d keep dragging themselves down the road way past worn out. I’ve worked on small Fords with 1/4” of crank endplay and small Chevies that needed a whiff of starting fluid on a 70 degree day.
jules083@reddit
My 88 Jeep TJ has a SBC that's been blowing smoke rings for at least 4 years now. Damn thing still runs great. Someday I'll pull it and either rering it or swap it out.
Kind of want to put a fuel injected 4.3 in it. There's no need for a 350 in a YJ, if you get on the gas the damn thing is all over the road anyways.
paypermon@reddit
Even the Ford 4.9 L straight 6 used in a ton of f150 from 65-96 are pretty much bullet proof
aintmines@reddit
It’ll move heavy things just fine if it’s geared right. Ford’s medium duty trucks like the f-700 used to be powered by the 300ci inline 6, which made something like 120-140hp. They were probably powered by the 240/223 inline 6 before that. It was slow by modern standards, but they did just fine
Responsible_Egg_3260@reddit
Because old trucks are more reliable, and since trucks are supposed to be tools to make money, reliability is king.
Now they're just overpriced luxury suvs with a large open trunk.
howrunowgoodnyou@reddit
Cars rust out worse than trucks. Generally.
OberonsGhost@reddit
Simple answer is that I believe they built and sold more trucks than cars in the last 30 years or so. It seems every Tom, Dick and Harry who lived in the suburbs wanted one even though they really didn't need it or use it.
Brilliant-Onion2129@reddit
Truck guys take care of their shit! Mine is 20 years old! Also there is the cost.
Certain-Tennis8555@reddit
Old trucks have souls. Mechanical souls but souls nonetheless. Very, very few old cars are more than a collection of steel parts with no should whatsoever.
DickheaD944@reddit
Old trucks look like old vehicles because they are used for truck things. There are tons of older cars out on the road, but they don't tend to show their age quite as bad. Also around here a lot of people have an older truck they use for hauling stuff to the dump or picking up a load of mulch, but also have a newer car that they daily drive.
anon11233455@reddit
Go online and look at the difference in prices. On marketplace right now in my area there is a 1994 Ford Ranger for $1000. It even has working A/C according to the ad. Then there is the 1990 240 SX (pop up headlights!) No engine or trans. Just the shell. $3400.
YozaSkywalker@reddit
The important parts that make a truck a truck haven't changed in decades ie steel frame
Past_Bus668@reddit
Here's my take, but it's a guess:
Many older trucks share components with the base. For example, a Chevy C10 shares windshields and doors with almost all other GM trucks/SUVs in the era, along with beds, engine parts, all kinds of stuff.
On the other hand, something like a Cavalier doesn't share windshields, doors, and bumpers with other GM cars of the 90s (with some platform exceptions.)
I also think, like people said, you can drive an old, beater truck to a job site for longer - it doesn't seem out of place. Driving a beater car, taking kids to school in it, is more of a low-status symbol. Not for me, but I can see how some families would want to have newer cars.
RegularOk1820@reddit
Older trucks often have simpler engines and less electronics. That makes them easier to keep alive for decades. Cars got more complex faster and aged out.
KneeBasher420@reddit
That's year, not vehicle type. My van and jeep (94 and 92) are both pre OBD, pre airbag, pre most emissions, etc etc etc. my truck (06) looks like a spaceship next to them and has EFI, OBDII, auto headlights, and seperate computers for the transmission and engine. those changes hit across the board almost simultaneously.
Interesting_Dig4983@reddit
Trucks had lower standards under the CAFE regulations. Less electronics, less emmision control devices. Some really good motors were only put in truck/SUV's.
paypermon@reddit
Ford 4.9L straight 6 was pretty much bullet proof
Away-Research-8118@reddit
I have this f250 with a long bed and lift gate. The truck is rusted and beat up, but it keeps chugging along.
molehunterz@reddit
It's not the same, but my 7.3 IDI has no computer, no electronics, just straight mechanical everything.
I'm at 265,000 mi on the factory original clutch. I'm sure it's due.
Just replaced the radiator. Four fasteners to remove the fan shroud. Four bolts to remove the radiator. Pull off the upper and lower hose and yankit
inaccurateTempedesc@reddit
I don't think it's the lack of computers, there are tons of 2010s Toyotas with 500k plus miles even though they're heavily computerized. I think it's the enshittification and cheaping out on parts that's the problem with modern cars.
SippsMccree@reddit
Fuel efficiency is the name of the game so that means smaller oil control rings, thinner oils and more horsepower for a given displacement. The IDI will run forever because it has larger tolerances, larger oil rings and for the size it makes very little power it's very understressed
molehunterz@reddit
I agree with you. Enshitification is 100% the problem.
I don't think that my Ford is great because it doesn't have computers. But I do think that my Ford is simple because it doesn't have computers.
I dream of road tripping all of Mexico. And I have constantly thought about what would be the best vehicle to do that. My 89 f250 7.3 IDI seems like a really good candidate. I get 19 MPG without trying. 20 or 21 if I am really trying hard. I can also replace pretty much anything and everything with a standard wrench set. And there's nothing complicated.
But then there's also the fact that the only people in my life who have ever thought that my truck is cool, have been the Latinos that I work with on the job site. Makes me wonder if it wouldn't get stolen in Mexico ☠️
I also have had a couple diesel suburbans. Every white person I've ever known has thought they were garbage. Meanwhile, my Latino friends immediately asked me how much I would sell them for.
Makes me think a standard Jetta might be a better option for a road trip through Mexico
gstringstrangler@reddit
That and they're built to work, if you're not using all that capacity, you're not wearing it out at the same rate as a car just designed to car.
BrainSqueezins@reddit
Trucks 'tended toward' caring less about emissions and mileage, so aerodynamics didn't matter as much. Therefore things like airflow and space under the hood are better. Also they were generally designed to haul a load, pull a trailer, etc therefore had a better radiator, transmission cooler, etc to allow for it. Since they were often NOT used in that manner, they read a relatively easier, stress-free life.
No-Understanding-912@reddit
Cash for clunkers
It got rid of a lot of perfectly good cars, but if a truck still runs, it's still useful for things a car can't do.
PuzzleheadedCause483@reddit
I love that you said rangers/s10’s and everyone is talking about V8’s.
DFLDrew@reddit
This sub is laughably dumb most of the time.
Exciting_Ad1151@reddit
A lot of people I know who have an older truck only use it when needed. Meaning, when getting a new washer/dryer/lawnmower/ etc, lumber yard runs, or hauling lawn residue or something to a junk yard. Not used as a daily driver. It's not an issue if some things don't run perfectly. Most want something reliable for a daily driver, but an older specific-use truck can hang around pretty much for free, if you have the space for it. They'll hold on to the older ones until it is no longer justifiable to keep it running. And with the price of newer trucks, the justifiable point of keeping it running gets longer and longer.
Cash for clunkers a definite factor as well.
regionalgamemanager@reddit
Cash for clunkers. Old trucks had more use vs old cars you could trade in for the C4C program.
shaggy24200@reddit
That was almost 20 years ago???? I don't think that had that much of an impact . It took a relatively small portion of older cars off the road. Anything worth still driving was still kept by people that couldn't afford a car payment.
Many of those traded in were already ones that were not worth reselling, rusty or barely running , so they got a better deal trading them in.
PriorElectronic5947@reddit
Yes
ImamTrump@reddit
Before posting there should be a paragraph explaining simple concepts like selection bias.
637_649@reddit
Full frames
DavidSpy@reddit
It mostly comes down to the intent behind the vehicle design. Businesses care about utility so when they are looking to buy vehicles they are looking at cost of operation. That’s a very different mindset compared to what most consumers are looking for when purchasing a vehicle.
Especially in a time before the luxury truck, pre 2000s. Lots of trucks were bare specs. This had the advantage of fewer things to break and a lot of the stuff that did break could be fixed with common parts long after the manufacturer discontinued the OE parts. I’d say these trucks had more in common with semi trucks where you don’t think about the name on the hood but instead the names under the hood. Cummins engine, Eaton transmission, Bendix brake system, Hendrickson axles.
It’s honestly why working on commercial vehicles is so refreshing, much less boutique gimmicky bullshit.
Sawfish1212@reddit
Unibody rusts out becuase it's just sheetmetal while body on frame takes double that time because it's thicker steel.
Trucks get stronger transmissions and engines because of tow ratings. The trucks you see running around decades later were grandpa trucks that didn't drive much because he was retired. Then after he died, they got sold to someone who couldn't afford something newer and all those years of driving around empty 99% of the time mean that they're barely broken in. Being extremely basic and rugged, they'll last for decades
Ok-Entertainment5045@reddit
I have a semi retired uncle still using his 1990 Chevy for his masonry business. The truck is in rough shape but still fires up and runs.
Old trucks can still haul things. Old cars are just old cars.
New-Patient-101@reddit
Cause men with trucks typically keep up with the maintenance. Where someone that bough a base model cavalier for the fuel economy most likely gassed and goed. They were lucky to get a 10k mile oil change.
lrbikeworks@reddit
Just speculating but trucks from the 90’s were built with very understressed engines. My ‘96 Tacoma has a compression ratio of 9.5:1. They weren’t very fuel efficient but their drivetrains and suspension were designed to handle the stresses of hauling and towing. Just driving around didn’t stress them much.
By contrast a lot of passenger cars of the era were running more highly stressed four cylinder engines. Normal operation ran them closer to their functional capacity. They didn’t last as long.
There are exceptions in passenger cars. The jeep inline six, ford slant 6 300, and the V8’s in cars like the mercury grand marquis were very understressed, so you will still see a high percentage of the number that were built still on the road if you look. They just don’t stand out as a group like old pickups do.
AskThis7790@reddit
There’s a few reasons…
Trucks are generally built tougher (especially older ones). Strong body on frame construction that’s designed to withstand heavy use and abuse.
Utility. Trucks offer a level of utility that cars and SUV’s can’t (towing, hauling, off-roading, etc…).
Demand. There’s a demand for cheap beater trucks. Everything from construction and landscaping to hunting and off-roading.
They’re cool! Driving a big beater old truck is way cooler than driving a old beat up Camry.
flndouce@reddit
Up until October last year, we had a 1997 Honda Accord. We were original owners.
somerandomdude419@reddit
What happened to it? I have a 1997 Lexus es300 have had It 3 years now. No issues at all. Tires were aged so I got new ones, and a $25 coolant over flow bottle I replaced out of caution, nothing was wrong with old one.
flndouce@reddit
New England Winters.
somerandomdude419@reddit
Oh I get it I’m Ohio. I got lucky with the Lexus it lived in Nashville all its life so it’s spotless. I keep it in garage and wash it once a month if I have to drive it in snow but I have 2 other cars that are winter beaters
67442@reddit
Cars of that era were used up,passed down to younger siblings and Cash for Clunkered. Not the highest quality for US Manufacturers. Trucks are trucks. Or at least they used to be.
Low-Carob9772@reddit
Old cars cost money, old trucks make money. This is the answer
finnbee2@reddit
My wife and I have 2 cars and a truck. The cars are daily drivers. The truck gets between 1 and 2,000 miles a year.
Porschenut914@reddit
frames last a bit longer till the salt worms finish them off.
discostu52@reddit
I live in the pacific northwest and they don’t salt the roads. You can find relatively pristine frames from 1960s era pickups.
Porschenut914@reddit
whenever i fly out west or to the south, i feel like I'm going back in time. "A 3000Gt and first gen mr2. what year is it?"
porcelainvacation@reddit
I have a 1950 Chevy pickup in Oregon, the frame is still in perfect shape even though it was outside most of its life. The only rust it has is where there was a mouse nest in the kick panel.
Ok-Office1370@reddit
Buyback programs. Reddit car people repeat fairy tales from the 1900s like facts. So from someone who isn't car brained:
In several different eras, like under Obama, the government tried to have programs to buy back and destroy old cars. The thought is that you increase fuel efficiency, because new cars are so much more efficient.
Due to various regulatory problems like CAFE, vehicles in America had gotten very large so efficiency hasn't really gone up like we had hoped.
What happens under most buyback programs. Is someone sees that a perfectly fine, relatively fuel efficient clunker car like a Ford Taurus, can net them some cash they could invest in a new car. But for basically the same price, that new car can either be an econobox Chevy Sonic, or a monster Ford F150. People who will bother with the buyback program (poor people) tend to value status. Plus let's say the buyback was $500 cash for an old car. You'll junk an econobox every time. But your rusted old pickup that still hauls things? Maybe not.
So you end up with people being paid by the government to destroy all the small cars and exchange them for huge trucks. And truck people tend to uh, not like Obama so much lol. So the numbers skewed heavily.
TranslatorBoring2419@reddit
I see tons of cars from that era though. Just yesterday I seen a beat up Plymouth Sundance if you can believe it.
Overcast451@reddit
I have a 2004 F150 with 280000 miles. Runs quiet and never uses oil.
Needs tires like yesterday though. But it's just for "truck stuff" and I don't drive it often.
For 2000 bucks 5 years ago.. I have put maybe 1500 into it. Solid purchase TBH.
Sparky_Zell@reddit
Cars generally go for smaller motors with more HP, which is going to put more strain on them. And the transmissions don't need to be as robust, because they aren't being used for work.
Trucks have bigger motors focusing more on torque, running at lower RPMs, and have more robust transmissions out of necessity. So they can last longer.
Ok_Tax_7128@reddit
Most trucks are either a little or a lot more commercial, simpler and tougher than lightly built cars. There were some lemon models out there too that disappeared fairly fast
SteadySurvivalMode@reddit
Trucks are body on frame construction, and usually with heavier gauge steel for work/payload purposes. If rust gets to any one component usually it’s repairable. The majority of cars are unibody nowadays and when certain parts of the body rust out they’re basically unsafe and likely unrepairable. Not to mention a unibody car is easily totaled out after accident damage.
jules083@reddit
2 years ago my leaf spring hangers gave up on my Ranger. Ground the rivits out, bolted new hangers on the frame, put it back together. 1 day job. Same problem on a unibody car would send it to the scrapyard.
The bed is shot at the moment, floor is rotten. I found a new bed last year for $300 and it's leaning against the wall in the barn. Someday I'll spray paint it and swap it out, should only take a half day or so, and be good for another decade.
Unicornis_dormiens@reddit
Old truck used for work:
Needs to get shit done, preferably cheap, nothing more.
Private Car:
You likely also want comfort. Same as safety features. Your requirements might change more often. Driving characteristics matter more. Lastly, you probably want it to look nice.
joker_1173@reddit
Because americans, in general, have this delusional need to have a pickup truck, even though most never haul anything, never use it for work, and never tow anything.
I get that question a lot from friends: "why do you drive that BMW, you should get a truck" - WTF do I need a truck for?
Sadly, unless its a performance car, the 80s/90s (especially american ones) cars are just crap.
noladutch@reddit
It is because they were over built and pretty low stressed.
The key to longevity is an under stressed drivetrain. Lack of silly features to crap out. Then the body on frame construction just lasts much better than unibody cars.
It is not rocket science really. Modern stuff is working so hard to pass emissions and get MPG that makes them unreliable. And don't bring up the silly tech stuff to drain your wallet.
I personally daily a 96 f150 with a 300 six and a manual transmission.
Past_Roof5628@reddit
Does anyone remember the car buyback program the government had I think in the 90s? Cash for clunkers was the slogan. It was supposed to be an incentive program for new vehicles but it took many many cars out of circulation for lack of a better word. That got a lot of older cars off the road but like everyone is saying, trucks rule!
Salavar1@reddit
Truck is a truck. Cars don't age well.
literallyanyonebutme@reddit
Cash4Clunkers
kevin_kil@reddit
Because 50’s, 60’s, and into 70’s is when cars were well built the rest was the start of planned obsolescence started with dang near anything that was built
i7-4790Que@reddit
Those engines and frames didn't last for shit. Average life expectancy of a car in 1960 was only 2/3 of what the new expectation of the past 30 years
The sweet spot is 90s to earlyish 10s. For a decent balance of reliability, repairability, safety, etc.
morallycorruptgirl@reddit
People who own old cars often keep them as collectors items & store them away in a garage somewhere. People use old pickups as a tool more often.
OneManShow23@reddit
Trucks are mostly used for work, so they get built to last as long as possible. Cars are more of a lifestyle choice so car companies convince consumers with marketing to replace their cars as often as possible.
Careful_Thought_8386@reddit
It's almost like older trucks were designed as tools and utility and not a status symbol.
Cow_Man32@reddit
I can replace literally anything on my ranger for about 500 bucks and a weekend of work, it's small enough to be a great daily, 95% as capable as a full size truck for towing and hauling, and it's great off road. Cars there's less support for parts because sedan/coupe owners tend to be more white collar and less inclined to do their own work and more inclined to get the fancy new one, got and extreme lack of maintenance due to their white collar owners, and generally just were built for luxury rather than reliability and utility. My 98 Ford 4.0 v6 has 220k hard miles and starts first try every time and runs perfect with just regular maintenance, car engines tend to need more extensive maintenance due to them being either sporty performance or squeezing every bit of power out of 2 litres
SnooGadgets9669@reddit
Though plenty of people buy them as status symbols these days the majority especially older ones are used for work or is a beat and banger vechcle for many households. They also tend to last far longer than their sedan counterparts parts. New Trucks have also inflated in price horribly as well
Drphil1969@reddit
A lot of things older cars left us when in Obama’s program cash for clunkers.
New-Cry-5427@reddit
Blame the 'cash for clunkers' 10 years ago or so. That wiped out a ton of perfectly good cars for no reason. Most 80s and 90s cars got killed to make people feel better and help out the big three. Add in the 'you gotta have the latest and greatest' mentality proliferating today and no good used cars anymore. Old trucks were made to be used as trucks, so they last longer too
texxasmike94588@reddit
I don't drive my truck nearly as much as my car. The truck gets 15 MPG, my car gets 35.
My 2019 car has 119K miles on it. My 2003 truck has 98K miles on it.
Trucks cost more to run.
Biff2019@reddit
Planned obsolescence was applied to cars first. Trucks managed to be looked at as tools before they became status symbols.
AwarenessForsaken568@reddit
It's mostly just due to the cost and the usefulness. Trucks are more expensive than cars. Trucks are also used by many people to make money. Those two factors combined means people are more willing to invest a significant amount of money on maintenance and repairs. With a car once repairs get to a certain cost threshold it's better to just buy a new car.
navlgazer9@reddit
Old rangers are indestructible
Olderpostie@reddit
Trucks are substantially rear wheel drive. So, much easier to work on. Also easier to modify the lower train. There is also a certain charm of a beat up old truck that a beat up old car doesn't have.
CockroachVarious2761@reddit
Traditional body-on-frame design - less likely to be "totaled" after an accident
Suspension systems that are "old school" simply and built heavier to haul loads - hold up and even if they fail their relatively cheap to fix.
Engines that have long history and proven reliability: SBC, Ford 302, Ford's 300-I6, Dodge Slant-6 (arguably just as bullet-proof as Ford's 300-I6 just less powerful)
Transmissions : alot of these older trucks are manuals which take little to maintain other than clutches, and can last forever; but even the auto's in these trucks are probably 3-spd or 4-spds that are just simpler to repair.
Much less complicated electronics than today's vehicles
So yea - more durable AND relatively cheap to keep on the road.
LimeDry7124@reddit
Unibody construction of cars-thinner metal so rust eats thru it quicker. Body on frame- easier to rebuild the vehicle if you want. There are some exceptions to these rules.
jckipps@reddit
I can think of a few reasons.
1. Trucks are more utilitarian, and people are less likely to discard them because they're aren't in style anymore.
2. Trucks have traditionally had much simpler interiors that don't fall apart like cars do. That's not the case these days though.
3. Trucks are more likely to be someone's second or spare vehicle, and they can tolerate older models in that role.
4. Trucks are a little higher off the ground, which makes them slightly less susceptible to road salt.
5. Trucks were not 'cutting edge' like many cars were. New tech was tried out in cars first, and only once it was proven, would manufacturers install it in trucks. Because of this, trucks aren't as often scrapped early because of 'dud' drivetrains.
6. The axles, brakes, suspension, and chassis are overbuilt for the sake of carrying heavy loads. This also has the side benefit of making them more durable, less prone to cracking over the years, and less susceptible to corrossion.
The_World_Is_A_Slum@reddit
The interior is a huge one. It’s a lot easier to keep a vinyl seat, rubber floor mat regular cab interior with manual locks, windows and climate control in livable condition than any cloth interior four door. They get skanky just with age, yet you can easily keep older trucks in “worn but presentable” shape, especially lower trims.
The interior is the worst part of my 15-year old truck, and I’ve replaced a seat cushion, recovered the seat, replaced door handles, etc. It still needs a dash and arm rests on the door panel. It’s already difficult to get certain parts (door panels). I’d hate to be chasing specific trim parts for a much more ornate sedan with similar mileage and age.
It’s just harder to use up a truck as long as the tinworm doesn’t get it, especially the pre-OBD 2 stuff. You can usually figure out some workaround to keep it going and are still useful as long as they still move
Only-Salamander-3173@reddit
Depends where you live my man, it’s the reverse here… lots of late 90’s early 2000 cars and no pickups in the metro salt belt cities.
overheightexit@reddit
r/Unnecessaryapostrophe
Shoddy_Menu_7000@reddit
You also gotta think of the size of th engine a little 4 banger is pushing itself Harder then a i6 or v8 like most pickups have an it doesn’t help with the throwaway car culture of the day
ThingFuture9079@reddit
Older trucks were more reliable, affordable, and made for work whereas now trucks are $70k and treated like pavement princesses by just being used to drive to the office and maybe get used for hauling large items that one time per year that someone needs to grab some boards at Home Depot.
stabbingrabbit@reddit
Common parts and easy to work on. Ford online 4.9L straight 6 was in production from 1965 to 1996.
HenryLoggins@reddit
Old cars are out there, you are just focused on trucks. Like when you dont notice certain color cars, until you buy one, then thy are everywhere.
Eschewed_Prognostic@reddit
Lot of really questionable answers... They usually become spare vehicles as a family grows. Useful enough to keep around but not so necessary they warrant replacement with something newer.
United-Programmer-19@reddit
Trucks are a tool, they tend to be better cared for than a car. There are still tons of 70s and 80 gm teucks still on the road you even see a few fords that old
easzy_slow@reddit
I happen to drive a 74 year old truck and a 66 years old car. The truck I did upgrade the engine and rear end to make it more road worthy. Also added disc brakes on the front Almost zero rust. My 66 Fairlane did need body work/paint. Upgraded the rear and added 4 wheel disk brakes. Add shoulder belts on both. My wife has Miata which is a nice little car. I do have a 01 Ram Diesel to pull my trailer along with a 87 YJ to go 4 wheeling in.
WillieNFinance@reddit
When 1 new truck costs twice as much as 1 new car, and breaks down twice as much as an older truck…
trentthesquirrel@reddit
Cash for clunkers.
Ankeneering@reddit
Because trucks, especially older trucks are thought of more as “tools”, older trucks generally are simple, easy to fix and more robust than cars which are often thought of more as “lifestyle accessories”. Now I know most trucks these days really are “lifestyle accessories” and are not really thought of as tools anymore, but I’m talking old stuff.
wellvrsd@reddit
A squarebody (70s/80s Chevy/GMC pickup) is cool. A J-truck is cool. Nobody wants a k-car(nor a damn Chevy Celebrity)
AlamosX@reddit
You're noticing more older trucks but not older cars on the road?
Dear God what is with the confirmation bias posts on every single sub. You're noticing it and because of a confirmation bias you dont notice the millions of old cars on the road.
Your next post is going to be "Why do you see a lot of war planes with no bullet holes", and "why do you see a lot of homeless people with bad skin"
Do these types of posts piss anyone else off?
Swimming_Agent_1063@reddit
Trucks are inherently more useful than sedans
OneEyedDoofus@reddit
Too much bullshit and too complex, just traded my ‘24 golf r back in for my old ‘19 golf r. Got 8k cash back and a better car, piece of shit broke down 3 times in 2 months. Let alone my R that I got back is built, still the same MPG while whomping V8s. Proper E85 and bit turbo tune will always be better than the absolute bullshit American car manufacturers are putting out.
MiyoMush@reddit
This is a theory but may account for some of them: those who drove trucks 30 years ago may have been more inclined or competent to maintain them, compared to those who owned cars. So those trucks survived
NightKnown405@reddit
Full frames instead of a unibody design helps them last longer against corrosion.
Aggressive_Ask89144@reddit
Nothing runs longer than a cheby with somethin wrong with it
BarnBuiltBeaters@reddit
Hmmm i didnt see this in here. Trucks hold a special place in American culture. As a result i think people hold onto them and keep them running. They also hold their value a bit better making repairs more worthwhile than sedans.
JCC114@reddit
You will see a dozen 1960s Ferrari before you find a single 1990s Mercury Topaz…. Some type of conspiracy….
af_cheddarhead@reddit
An awful lot of 80s era cars were taken off the road during the "Cash for Clunkers" incentives.
Nofanta@reddit
Built for durability.
DramaticPr0perty@reddit
Trucks are used in construction and order applications where damage is more likely so they tend to stick around longer. You get enough dents in your car, an oil leak, leaky head gasket, ac broken etc. Are all acceptable things to see in a work truck and sometimes all at the same time. I don't know anyone that would suffer those issues all at once in a personal vehicle.
Rasp75@reddit
I remember back to my 85 Subaru at 73 hp and 91 lb-ft of torque. Thing could barely make it up a hill at any speed. Even my Saturn from 2000 had 124 HP and 122 torque. Not much better. Or you had the larger sedans with horrible gas mileage. Trucks at least had a purpose and utility and still do even if not great gas mileage.
Few_Bobcat389@reddit
People put money into maintaining old trucks and don’t care about appearances. In the 80s you used to see lots of old mustangs running around long after falcons had disappeared. Same underpinnings but people liked the looks of the mustangs so they kept them in service.
atlasbarfed@reddit
Probably due to a couple reasons:
Trucks are body on frame vs being unibody like pretty much all cars from that period minus stuff like the Crown Vic/Caprice. If the frame's intact it should still be drivable despite rust to the cab or bed. Another cab or bed can be bolted to the frame, or you could make a stake bed out of timber if needed.
Trucks remained front engine and rear wheel drive. Pretty much all American cars up until the 80's were RWD and this would have been a more proven drivetrain. During this period American cars mostly transitioned from RWD to FWD and would've had newer designs/transmissions that may have been less reliable. Cars popular during this period would include the Ford Taurus and the Dodge Caravan, two models I recall had pretty junk transmissions.
I would guess that the percent of trucks used as a second car is higher and they had gotten less miles put on them. It's common here for people to have a truck for dump runs, hardware store/lumbar yard trips, or for towing. Families will have another car for commuting or with enough seats for the entire family. Even if people are using a truck as their only car, prior owners might have not used the truck as a daily driver when they owned it.
Kind of related, but I imagine the same persons that use trucks for maintaining homes, work, and similar have enough knowledge to realize that cars also need regular maintenance including oil changes, making sure it has coolant, etc.
Automakers also sold a ton of both full-size and small trucks during this period so counting numbers there should still be some around.
Engineered_disdain@reddit
In the north, older trucks fared better than older cars because they weren't as close to the ground thus reducing the corrosive effects of road salt. They didn't avoid it, but it was easier to mitigate it by having easier access to the underside for cleaning.
Busy_Professional974@reddit
Because old trucks used to be a tool and driven and used as such. Nowadays trucks are just luxury vehicles with a bed so people can feel like they’re driving a big ass truck.
Any-Investment5692@reddit
Old Trucks are simpler durable and easier to keep on the road compared to new trucks and cars. Their is a huge demand for trucks. Even old trucks are kept on the road for a very long time due to demand. New trucks are very expensive so it makes sense to keep a 20 year old truck on the road because its cheaper to keep it running vs a new truck payment. As for cars. People see them as more disposable. Most people don't want to keep or properly maintain a car for 25 years. However truck owners have a very different mentality of maintaining and keeping the old truck on the road. This is why you see more old trucks on the road vs old cars. It all comes down to the people who drive them. One group of people have a disposable mindset and the other wants to keep it on the road until it turns into a pile of rust.
NakedJamaican@reddit
Plus, they’re just cool
twelfthfantasy@reddit
Most people I know who use pickup trucks for actual work prefer older trucks, because they're more reliable, easier to maintain, and actually built for working, whereas most new pickup trucks in the North American market are built to be pavement princesses. Glorified grocery getters for insecure men.
PurpleSausage77@reddit
They are built more capable than ever, it’s just the people buying them and don’t use them so much as a truck, so that gap has widened.
I’d argue they are built even better now with aluminum like F series, so shouldn’t have rust on fenders and cab corners.
twelfthfantasy@reddit
In some ways yes, and in some no. The construction has improved in a lot of ways and the technology now is great, but the car companies design for their market, and their market is 80%+ people who are never going to use it for anything more than commuting and errands, but want to cosplay as big tough guys. They're too tall, have the feature packages of passenger sedans, and many models don't even offer a real full size bed anymore. There's exceptions, of course, but light duty trucks just ain't what they used to be.
LavishnessOk6635@reddit
My 95 F-150 bows to no one. When I drive it past some modern truck the new truck looks embarrassed
KnoxVegas41@reddit
Let’s face it, there weren’t very many exciting cars made in that time. There are exceptions but there is very little aftermarket part support for basic 80s and 90s cars. Most were just driven into the ground. Cash for clunkers got a shitload of them as well.
idownvoteanimalpics@reddit
Cash for clunkers program
spankymacgruder@reddit
Most people thst own trucks understand the importance of regular maintenance. Many people who treat cars like appliances, don't understand oil changes, tire rotation, stuff like that. Regular maintenance goes a long way.
PckMan@reddit
Older trucks were meant to be work vehicles, and work vehicles are designed to be more durable and more easily repairable than regular cars. This doesn't apply as much to most modern trucks that are just SUVs with an open bed.
RandomGuyDroppingIn@reddit
Most older trucks maintained value due to their versatility. They're also engineered for the assumption that they'll be hauling a payload and group of people, yet they're not always anywhere near capacity. Serviceability is also something noteworthy. I have an 80s C10 and it's pretty easy to work on. Carb V8, minimal electronics and everything is easy to get to.
Keep in mind also - although I don't know you're age I'll make assumptions here - in the 1990s and early 2000s basic cars from the 1980s and 1990s were VERY cheap. It wasn't uncommon to look in your local classifieds and see a dozen people selling cars for around \~$500-$750 that ran and drove just fine. Most of these "throwaway cars" would be driven for a few years, then just crushed off (and of course worse up North where rust ate away cars). Old JDM cars in North America for example were never really rare. It's just no one in 1995 wanted to pay a lot of money for a Nissan 200SX S12 or an E80 Corolla, so they became $500 cars you drove and then crushed.
Funautotechnician1@reddit
I see all that stuff down here
Low-Crow5719@reddit
Partly durability, mostly intended use. Older trucks are not fashionable but get the job done and are paid for. When hauling lumber, tools, and junk is what you have a truck for, you'll probably keep that truck going until it doesn't go anymore. When you need a car to look good and raise your social status, you're going to change it more often.
slicebucket@reddit
They are just built on a different level (frame/platform/engine) Even Nissan trucks are very reliable even though their cars have suffered greatly from mechanical issues (CVT) over the years.