Eastern Utah
EMAIL ME AT: mgypsy97 at aol dot com

Monday, April 25, 2011

I didn't get much done at the apartment today, but enough so that I can see some headway. I spent most of the day at Jeannie's, and thought I'd have to sleep there tonight because I couldn't find my keys when it was time to leave. Everyone looked everywhere! I had a spare set of truck keys, but no house keys. Don't ask me why, but I normally never lock my door when I leave, but now with nearly everything gone, I decided to lock it today. It was getting close to absolute dark and I was beside myself when I remembered that I wore a jacket and hung it in the closet rather than over the chair. Sure 'nuf, the keys were in my pocket. I just about made it home while I could still see.

Then I made a total screw-up of backing the truck in because someone came in right behind me and wouldn't go around me. I don't know if they wanted to watch, or if they were trying to be polite and wait until I had backed in. I finally pulled out into the lot again and waved them on. Then I backed in with no trouble, not the easiest thing to do in the dark, and you can see on my header picture the concrete and rocks I have to deal with on one side, plus a big Chevy Blazer parked next to me.

A reader wanted to know if there is more of a demand for a Ford F-350 on the east coast. I'm not sure if there is any difference - there is about $10 difference in blue book value. I think what would work better on both coasts is if I were to advertise to the RV and sportsman market, rather than sell to a dealer or a company such as Enterprise.

Anyone who pulls a 5th wheel, or drives a motorhome for that matter, knows that sooner or later you will get too close to a post, or a gas pump, or whatever. I have a bit of chipped paint on the front bumper and the guy who looked at my truck talked about having to repaint the bumper, paint the tailgate, and so on. And OMG, there is some rust on the undercarriage. He admitted that Californians get the heebie-jeebies when they see rust, whereas it isn't such an oddity on the east coast.

I think to keep things in perspective it is a good idea to remember that this is a 2002 year truck - 10 yrs old. It is built to work, and a pristine 10 yr old Ford F-350, or a Chevy/Dodge 3500 hasn't done much work. In other words, a buyer thinking to tow a trailer, or take it out 4-wheelin' or putting it to use as it is meant to be used, isn't going to gasp at a 3 inch circle of paint chipped. Tomorrow I will try to remember to take a photo of the bumper and you can see for yourselves. (This is what looks to be a dark charcoal colored bumper, with a coat of black paint on it.)

I know there are some people who baby their vehicles and keep them in top notch condition, and I applaud that. But for me, I towed a 5th wheel with it and I ran over some curbs, brushed against the fence along my daughter's driveway trying to turn that monster around, and a few other things. It runs like a champ and when it's cleaned and polished it looks beautiful to me. The fact that it's 10 years old and has a few dings doesn't bother me at all. What's 10 truck years equivalent to in a human life span? I have a few dings myself and a bit of chipped paint, and I think I'm still sorta ok, if not exactly beautiful!

6 comments:

  1. From your header picture the truck looks pretty good fro being ten years old. The real fussy types will never be happy.

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  2. I lost my keys the other day and it took Jim and I almost two hours to find them. It's hard to believe that something can be that lost in such a small space as the motor home. Just drives me nuts.

    And you are way more than okay as well as beautiful. I really don't think I could back that truck. I don't mind our Avalanche but I never wanted to drive the truck when we had the fiver. And when you're ready to sell it, the right buyer will be there.

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  3. A lot of ranchers/farmers also love our kind of trucks. Yours still looks great. Glad your getting everything ready and can't wait to hear more of your traveling adventures. Hope you had a great Easter.

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  4. He was just trying to beat your price down on the truck by making you feel all bad about it. He really liked it, or he wouldn't have gone to all that trouble of inspecting every little thing. It was up to you to stand your ground and say the price is the price, and do you want it or no. Then he has a decision to make. But your right, the rust is more common place back here East of the Rockies, LOL.

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  5. Yep, I figure the number one cause for missplaced keys is leaving them in another piece of clothing. I agree with your realistic approach to your vehicle. It's true, we humans are much like our vehicles & we all pick up a few bumps & dents along the way. It's just the way it is.

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  6. The advice from Rod and Loyce is RIGHT ON THE MONEY! And don't fall for it... your truck will sell at a good price, blemishes or not. Like you said, it IS 10 years old. Hold your ground, girl.

    I HATE losing keys and have double sets myself of all keys needed for anything besides Steve's sets of keys.

    Sure 'nuff, at the Grand Canyon he lost the whole ring of keys for locking on our towbars to the Tracker. We drove back 2 hours later where we had unhooked it. There they were!

    Then a week later in Missouri, he lost them again! arggghhh (he sets them on the bumper when unlocking the toad, even though I tell him they should go back in his POCKET each time)

    At least I had MY set along, because we never found his. Now we have to make doubles of my set again for him.


    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
    Karen and Steve
    (Our Blog) RVing: Small House... BIG Backyard
    http://kareninthewoods-kareninthewoods.blogspot.com/

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