# 3/4 or 1/2 and gas vs diesel



## 1985gt (Dec 10, 2010)

Spencer said:


> I rolled into Lowes on black friday at about 6:15 am in my new truck. Wasn't really paying attention. I parked beside an old regular cab chevy half ton. Probably about a 1990 worth about $3k.
> 
> I looked over and it was an old coworker of mine who started his business about a year before me. He has guys working for him. Probably does 5x what I do in revenue per year. But is barely scraping by with his multi vehicle, multi man business.
> 
> ...


My dad bought a brand new Chevy in 99 when they came out with the new body style, extended cab 4x had the 2nd one in town. Finally got a new used one last year, 2011 or 2012. Before that his first new truck was a 1988 chevy regular cab long box 2wd, Chevy bought it back in 89 because of a mess up at the factory. gave him a new 1990. Before that was a 1978 Datsun. 

The 99 has the usual rust over the rear fender wells, it now has a plow on and we use it for snow removal. The 1990 was a crew truck for awhile until it died.

Our trucks now consist of 

1/2 tons

1990 - Spare
2002 - my work truck
2003 - Repair guys
2006 - Repair guys

3/4 ton

2001 - Forman/crew leader

1 ton + 

1990 IH 4400 Lift/Dump
1996 IH 4600 Lift/Dump
1996 IH 4600 Dump only.

1999 F 450 V10 - Gooseneck/ skid trailer hauler.


Crew hauler

1996 Suburban crew hauler


Spares

1988 C60 Chevy Dump
1995 IH Dump
1964 IH Lift/Dump

Guess we are not successful because our trucks aren't new enough. 
TO bad we could replace each of the pickups with new ones by writing a check. 

To measure a persons success biased on a truck a lone is just plain stupid. 

Only two of those trucks besides the boss's were bought new, the 1990, and the 2001 3/4 ton. All of them are White 2 wd regular cab long box WT's except the 1990 and the 1996 IH dump, ones red and one is gray. 

Everyone we will keep until it becomes to unsightly to drive as a "professional" vehicle. 

All of a sudden I have the urge to go out and buy a 50K truck just so we can trash it :no:


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

1985gt said:


> My dad bought a brand new Chevy in 99 when they came out with the new body style, extended cab 4x had the 2nd one in town. Finally got a new used one last year, 2011 or 2012. Before that his first new truck was a 1988 chevy regular cab long box 2wd, Chevy bought it back in 89 because of a mess up at the factory. gave him a new 1990. Before that was a 1978 Datsun.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



You missed the point. You can keep your fleet of trucks, army of workers, and overflowing bank account. I would rather work the way I do with the tools and equipment I have. 

It's a personal preference not a dogmatic statement. Sorry if you took it that way. Don't get your panties in a twist. I was just expressing MY viewpoint on things to the OP.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

I don't think that's what spencer is getting at. He's not boasting about his vehicle being better he's explaining that getting to big to fast is not the best thing to do. Like him I know some contractors who have a yards full of old trucks and they have anything from 4 guys to 10+ guys but they don't make any money. They boast about how much money they make though and about how they could go out and buy brand no fleets of vehicles. Try getting a beer out of them though. 

Even if he was boasting about his vehicle so what. He's working hard and putting money into his business and if that means he can have nice tools, vehicles, home etc etc good on him. 

Also generally having a nice vehicle does mean your successful. Not always but 99% of the time it does. Every person I know who has nice vehicles has a successful business there's a couple of guys I ain't friends with who I know through other friends who are successful yet drive beaters but it's few and far between. normally people who drive old vehicles can't afford new vehicles.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

Spencer said:


> I rolled into Lowes on black friday at about 6:15 am in my new truck. Wasn't really paying attention. I parked beside an old regular cab chevy half ton. Probably about a 1990 worth about $3k.
> 
> I looked over and it was an old coworker of mine who started his business about a year before me. He has guys working for him. Probably does 5x what I do in revenue per year. But is barely scraping by with his multi vehicle, multi man business.





Spencer said:


> You missed the point. You can keep your fleet of trucks, army of workers, and overflowing bank account. I would rather work the way I do with the tools and equipment I have.
> 
> It's a personal preference not a dogmatic statement. Sorry if you took it that way. Don't get your panties in a twist. I was just expressing MY viewpoint on things to the OP.



Seems very to the point judgmental, stating his truck was old and cheap and that he must just be scraping buy. Of course this was right after you stated something about your new truck. 

Some of the happiest, most well off people I know, drive a cheap vehicle.


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## 1985gt (Dec 10, 2010)

Spencer said:


> You missed the point. You can keep your fleet of trucks, army of workers, and overflowing bank account. I would rather work the way I do with the tools and equipment I have.
> 
> It's a personal preference not a dogmatic statement. Sorry if you took it that way. Don't get your panties in a twist. I was just expressing MY viewpoint on things to the OP.



Hard to see your "point" when the focus of the story was on how the guy in question couldn't be doing well for him self because he dove a mid 90's truck. The age of the vehicle is not a direct indication of how well someone is doing. Haven't we all seen the brand new truck with all the bells and whistles in the construction industry, all while the guy driving it can't feed his family, or he does but has debit out of the ears.

Case in point, a friend of mine started a construction business years ago. A year or so after doing basic little things he decided to move up, to him moving up was buying 2 new Dodge diesels, a new skid loader, close to new tele handler and a number of lots in an upper middle class area. He built a handful of houses in this area, and had other projects going on also, slowly he was using money from a new project to finish the old and the cycle continued until he lost everything. Now he was actually a decent builder just didn't have any money sense, and tried to be the big guy too soon.

I think it would be awesome to have just a couple of employee's and not near as much overhead, that doesn't work in my area of construction.


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> Seems very to the point judgmental, stating his truck was old and cheap and that he must just be scraping buy. Of course this was right after you stated something about your new truck.
> 
> 
> 
> Some of the happiest, most well off people I know, drive a cheap vehicle.



Sounds like you have an insecurity issue you need to work on. I'm not wasting anymore of my time explaining myself to you. If you want to be offended you are more than welcome to be offended. I'm not going to take a half hour to make a post pass through a politically correct filter so you don't feel anyone is judging your wonderful old trucks.


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

1985gt said:


> Hard to see your "point" when the focus of the story was on how the guy in question couldn't be doing well for him self because he dove a mid 90's truck. The age of the vehicle is not a direct indication of how well someone is doing. Haven't we all seen the brand new truck with all the bells and whistles in the construction industry, all while the guy driving it can't feed his family, or he does but has debit out of the ears.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I here what you are saying and I can understand where you are coming from. 

What should have been added to the original post is that I already knew he was struggling financially because of a close relationship I have with someone in his family. It wasn't a judgement. It was an observation based on fact. That would have made my thinking more clear had I included that originally.


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## 1985gt (Dec 10, 2010)

1985gt said:


> Hard to see your "point" when the focus of the story was on how the guy in question couldn't be doing well for him self because he dove a mid 90's truck. The age of the vehicle is not a direct indication of how well someone is doing. Haven't we all seen the brand new truck with all the bells and whistles in the construction industry, all while the guy driving it can't feed his family, or he does but has debit out of the ears.
> 
> Case in point, a friend of mine started a construction business years ago. A year or so after doing basic little things he decided to move up, to him moving up was buying 2 new Dodge diesels, a new skid loader, close to new tele handler and a number of lots in an upper middle class area. He built a handful of houses in this area, and had other projects going on also, slowly he was using money from a new project to finish the old and the cycle continued until he lost everything. Now he was actually a decent builder just didn't have any money sense, and tried to be the big guy too soon.
> 
> I think it would be awesome to have just a couple of employee's and not near as much overhead, that doesn't work in my area of construction.





BCConstruction said:


> I don't think that's what spencer is getting at. He's not boasting about his vehicle being better he's explaining that getting to big to fast is not the best thing to do. Like him I know some contractors who have a yards full of old trucks and they have anything from 4 guys to 10+ guys but they don't make any money. They boast about how much money they make though and about how they could go out and buy brand no fleets of vehicles. Try getting a beer out of them though.


Oddly enough ever company I know that has a yard full of equipment and such generally are the most successful, most of them don't boast about this or that. They are hard workers and enjoy what they do and their time off. On the other hand I know far more "smaller" guys who boast about how great everything is and spend money like it's going out of style, yet they are so far in debit they likely will never get out. A few companies just file bankruptcy and start a new one.



BCConstruction said:


> Even if he was boasting about his vehicle so what. He's working hard and putting money into his business and if that means he can have nice tools, vehicles, home etc etc good on him.


That's fine, nothing wrong with a hard worker talking about good times, until it's looking down a guy who doesn't seem to have as much. In this case a guy with a not so nice truck. Who knows maybe that guy doesn't need a new truck just to beat up on, but has a nice one at home, a nice home a good family and a wife that doesn't have to work. To provide those things is what one should really be boasting about.



BCConstruction said:


> Also generally having a nice vehicle does mean your successful. Not always but 99% of the time it does. Every person I know who has nice vehicles has a successful business there's a couple of guys I ain't friends with who I know through other friends who are successful yet drive beaters but it's few and far between. normally people who drive old vehicles can't afford new vehicles.



Yet another judgmental statement. I could go buy and afford new vehicles for me and my wife, but I don't because there is other things we would rather spend money on. Even when I do buy a new personal truck next year it will be a used truck, to me there is no benefit to buy a brand new vehicle only to drive it off the lot and loose thousands of dollars on depreciation. The 99% of the people you say you know are the reason I can go out and buy a 2010-2014 3/4 chevy diesel for a fraction of what a new one costs. "successful" Look at warren buffet he still lives in the first house he bought before he was "rich". 




Spencer said:


> I here what you are saying and I can understand where you are coming from.
> 
> What should have been added to the original post is that I already knew he was struggling financially because of a close relationship I have with someone in his family. It wasn't a judgement. It was an observation based on fact. That would have made my thinking more clear had I included that originally.


There is many reasons people can struggle financially, but yes trying to grow a business to fast is one. Good on the person like your self who knows how to run a business with in their means. Like the example of my friend above, he did not. All the fancy shiny things was the beginning of his down fall.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

Spencer said:


> Sounds like you have an insecurity issue you need to work on. I'm not wasting anymore of my time explaining myself to you. If you want to be offended you are more than welcome to be offended. I'm not going to take a half hour to make a post pass through a politically correct filter so you don't feel anyone is judging your wonderful old trucks.


Not offended, not insecure about anything. 

Your lack of consideration is pretty annoying though.


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> Not offended, not insecure about anything.
> 
> 
> 
> Your lack of consideration is pretty annoying though.



Wow. You of all people are going to lecture on a lack of consideration. Now that's funny stuff. You should really try reading your own posts sometime if you want to see an annoying lack of consideration. Talk about casting stones....


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

1985gt said:


> Oddly enough ever company I know that has a yard full of equipment and such generally are the most successful, most of them don't boast about this or that. They are hard workers and enjoy what they do and their time off. On the other hand I know far more "smaller" guys who boast about how great everything is and spend money like it's going out of style, yet they are so far in debit they likely will never get out. A few companies just file bankruptcy and start a new one.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



The type of people I'm talking about are successful enough not to worry about losing money buying new cars. 

It may be judgmental but it's the truth. I know a couple of guys who have nice vehicles and can't afford them. I know vastly more who can afford them.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

Spencer said:


> Wow. You of all people are going to lecture on a lack of consideration. Now that's funny stuff. You should really try reading your own posts sometime if you want to see an annoying lack of consideration. Talk about casting stones....


I am an ass to anyone I don't like, want to like or care about. I am never fake or claim to be some sort of good christian person and then act like an ass. I am just an ass hole, if need be. 

I guess I should have been more of an ass and just used hypocritical, cocky punk that I had originally typed.

I guess if you wouldn't have started out with this:

_I rolled into Lowes on black friday at about 6:15 am in my new truck. Wasn't really paying attention. I parked beside an old regular cab chevy half ton. Probably about a 1990 worth about $3k.

I looked over and it was an old coworker of mine who started his business about a year before me. He has guys working for him. Probably does 5x what I do in revenue per year. But is barely scraping by with his multi vehicle, multi man business. _

I probably wouldn't have been an ass. Typical young kid attitude though. 
Someday you will realize what was actually important.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

BCConstruction said:


> The type of people I'm talking about are successful enough not to worry about losing money buying new cars.
> 
> It may be judgmental but it's the truth. I know a couple of guys who have nice vehicles and can't afford them. I know vastly more who can afford them.



Successful and dumb all in one, must be mom and dad's money because the one's that went out and made there own are not dumb enough to blatantly waste money like that.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> Successful and dumb all in one, must be mom and dad's money because the one's that went out and made there own are not dumb enough to blatantly waste money like that.



Yeah successful and dumb. That makes complete sense. There's nothing wrong with having nice stuff. You like having nice tools, some people like having nice vehicles. Just because you don't wanna spend your cash on stuff they spend money on it don't make it wrong to have the other stuff. 

I wouldn't complain about being successful enough to buy new vehicles when ever I wanted and I certainly wouldn't give people crap who did either.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

BCConstruction said:


> Yeah successful and dumb. That makes complete sense. There's nothing wrong with having nice stuff. You like having nice tools, some people like having nice vehicles. Just because you don't wanna spend your cash on stuff they spend money on it don't make it wrong to have the other stuff.
> 
> I wouldn't complain about being successful enough to buy new vehicles when ever I wanted and I certainly wouldn't give people crap who did either.


It does make sense. If someone was smart enough, dedicated enough and became successful enough that they can buy what ever they want, why would they be dumb enough to buy a brand new car when they know that it is the worst possible investment they could ever make?

Now collector cars an investment cars are a different story, but to just go out and buy something new because they "don't worry about loosing money on new cars" is idiotic.


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## 1985gt (Dec 10, 2010)

BCConstruction said:


> The type of people I'm talking about are successful enough not to worry about losing money buying new cars.
> 
> It may be judgmental but it's the truth. I know a couple of guys who have nice vehicles and can't afford them. I know vastly more who can afford them.


Hopefully we all can be addicted to shiny things one day too!




BCConstruction said:


> Yeah successful and dumb. That makes complete sense. There's nothing wrong with having nice stuff. You like having nice tools, some people like having nice vehicles. Just because you don't wanna spend your cash on stuff they spend money on it don't make it wrong to have the other stuff.
> 
> I wouldn't complain about being successful enough to buy new vehicles when ever I wanted and I certainly wouldn't give people crap who did either.



It actually does make sense. Maybe dumb isn't the PC word to use but to buy a brand new car/truck/ just about any object you can buy loses money as soon as you buy it. Wasteful maybe the proper word to use. Would a new truck be nice, well sure, but losing 10K as soon as you roll off the lot does not out weigh the need to be seen in a brand new truck. 

I don't really see anyone give people crap for buying a new truck... until they are looking down their nose at mine. That's being judgmental. If you want to waste money on depreciation that's fine by me, I really could careless.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

Does people having "shiney" things really bother you 2 that much? 

If it didn't bother you neither of you would get so worked up over nothing.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

only when you spell shiny wrong.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

Hey it was closer than the first 5 attempts. Auto correct kept spelling shinex instead of shiny. Prob because I was talking to my mate on messages about the shinex earlier.


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## Home wood (Mar 8, 2014)

Wow didn't this turn into a pissing contest of opinions.
For the record.
My post was as to weather I needed to upgrade to a 3/4 over my current 1/2 and weather a diesel is worth the extra dollars.
I did buy my current ride new and heres my opinion as to why I felt it was the right move for me.
1 new business and wanted to "look" serious and established.
2 bought ext cab so it could play family duty.
3 0 down 0% finance, the payments were = to a two year old used truck
4 I'm a die hard gear head and love shiny cars and in no way do I look at my cars as a waste of my hard earned cash.

I buy what makes sense to me.

I bought a 6 year old mustang gt vert in 2008 because it was half the price of new and only had 10,000 km on it.
I drive it less than 5000km per year. And never in the rain. Too some a waste, too me It is my family Sunday cruiser.
I love the car and would have to really need the money to let it go.

I built a 66 Cobra with my dad as a father/ son project. Again I don't drive it much but when I do I smile the whole time.
Again I would have to be in rough shape to let it go.

My wife's van is an 08 Chevy uplander its paid for. And that is what it she loves about it.

My work van is a 2010 Chevy 2500
I was not about to finance new to hand it to some one I just hired.
So used will do just fine for now.


My truck is a tool and if it's not up to the task then it's time for a new one. Weather its new or new to me was never really the question.


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