Thread: Economics of old trucks vs new trucks

I have been running a 94 HiLux Surf 3T diesel for 16 years and there is at least another 5 years in it, probably even more. I paid $16K for it with 65,000 K's and it is now up to 280,000. Total spent apart from tyres and regular maintenance is a new cylinder head (genuine Toyota for $800 in 2004) and a new conventional clutch for $600 when the original 'million piece' clutch gave out about 2008. It goes wherever I point it and there is some steep country around here. I have given it a bit of 'kiwi pinstriping' from the briar and crap and simply wouldn't be without it. I do my own servicing and it always gets a WOF. I wouldn't have a new or near new vehicle as they just lose too much money in the first few years you have it. I bought a brand-new truck once and it depreciated by 40% in the first 12 months - a bloody waste of money!