There was an interesting article in the New York Times the other day reporting that Americans are keeping their vehicles longer, both for economic reasons, and because build quality has improved so much in the last couple of decades. Now well-maintained vehicles with 200,000, even 300,000 miles, still ply the nation’s roads.
My own truck has over 215,000 miles on it. I think it’s more economical to fix whatever fails, even if that’s the engine, than to replace the entire truck with a used vehicle whose service history I don’t know. This is especially true given the modifications I’ve done to the truck. Swapping the aftermarket suspension, bumper, lights, and snorkel would be both time and cost prohibitive.
Buying a new vehicle is even more so. A friend once told me that buying a new car is one of the worst investments you can make. Within five years, something like 75% of your original investment will vanish to depreciation.
I hope my old truck (and yours) run a long time.