I really didn’t even do the math on how old it really was… happen to see on Craigs list a listing for a 1986 Nissan XE king cab pickup with an automatic & a/c for $1200 it was only 3 miles from home so… why not look…
what it was was a 2 owner truck with 139k miles (thats about 6k per year) the bed had never been used to haul anything 100% rust free.. nice interior… very few even parking lot dents… paint still shines… does need a few trim screws, a good cleaning… one tailight lens is cracked… could use a matched set of larger tires (small 14’s with mudgrip rears)
this is a truck I’d think nothing about going anywhere in… from what i’ve read online 300k is the norm for these engines… in 2 more years i can get antique tags… plus for me an automatic is a huge plus as dw can’t drive a stick… this is the perfect toad (car to pull behind the RV) has the 2 jump seats so it can seat 4…
anyway the guy took $1100 cash for it…
just not much you can buy for $1100 these days I have bought fine cars for $300 but not in a very long time…
google says these things can get 27mpg… not sure how much the auto will hurt that…
i know junkhound would only give $400 for this puppy and passed on one at a yard sale for $600…but… it’s the best i could do..today 🙂
p
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If you can work on it, and you paid cash for it, then you got it going on!
I'm a ford guy tho, mainly because when my last ford pickup finally got retired, it became the parts bin for my next truck, another ford.
Btw, I'm stuck in the '70's when it come to my ford trucks.
pb----- sometimes I'm mechanic_bob
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I had an '86 Nissan w/ a V6/5sp that I bought new. I sold it about '94 to one of my co-workers. I saw him for the 1st time around Christmas last year. He'd just sold it a few months before with 325K miles on it and swore he'd never replaced the clutch in it. Neither did I (I think it had 125K on it when I sold it). I needed a full size truck was the only reason I traded it.
Anyway, about a year ago, I hired a new guy. He showed up to work driving my old Nissan. Looks a little ragged, but runs fine.
copper p0rn
I had an '86 kingcab, 4cy. which I bought from a coworker in '95, with 86 k miles. It was pretty beat, with lots of rust, but the engine was incredibly reliable. Could sit for months and would start right up. I finally got rid of it last year because of the rust which ate thru the gas line and was working on the frame. The problem was the location of a hole in the plastic bedliner which directed all rainwater and snowmelt directly onto the gas line right near the rear axle. If I had kept it in a garage, I'd still be driving it. I hated getting rid of it because the engine still hummed.
Have not seen a Datsun King Cab for $400 for probably 7-8 years <G>
Have gotten S-10s for under $300 though with bad trannies ......
First truck was a GMC used with 90000 miles on it. Sold it with 209000 on it. Next was a 1975 Dodge with a 318 an automatic so wife could drive it. Bought it new,sold it in 1984 with 225000 miles on it. Next was an Izuzu ,4 cylinder 7'-6" bed. Traded it in with 271000 miles on it for my current truck,Ford 150. The Ford is 1984 vintage with only 115000 miles on it. Probably my last vehicle,I retired in 1987 and do not put a lot of miles on it anymore.
I drive em til they drop dead,did maintainance pretty regular. Always changed oil and filter around the 3000 mile mark.
mike