THE BOTTOM LINE
IT CAN BE NICE TO BUY A NEW TRUCK PACKAGED WITH A LOT OF MODERN FEATURES, BUT SOMETIMES IT’S NOT WHAT IT SEEMS. Auto manufacturers work hard to make it attractive to buy new. We’ve all been to big auto shows and dealerships to check out the latest options, and the sensation you get when you park yourself behind the wheel of a new truck is pretty euphoric. It’s exciting to know that you have something that few others do. It’s a good feeling, but it never lasts very long. Eventually, you’ll cruise past other guys with the same truck and even better modifications.
I will say that having a mild custom truck is light-years better than rolling around in a Toyota Camry. I just can’t understand why anyone would want to drive a vehicle that looks like everything else on the road. Try finding a “regular car” in a parking lot. Good luck! Having at least a few minor mods will make your truck stand out from the rest.
Some people shy away from custom vehicles because they worry that the chances are greater that something will go wrong. The truth is that any older truck can be built to be just as reliable as a modern vehicle. As long as you take the necessary steps to make it road worthy, you shouldn’t have any major issues. Plus, the feeling you get when you jump into a freshly completed custom truck is even better than getting into a new one. Some of you might be familiar with it, but if not, trust me when I say it’s amazing knowing your ride is built just the way you want it.
Let’s get something straight here, though, all vehicles have issues. There’s just no avoiding it. Things wear out over time and through use. In fact, every single new truck I’ve owned had something go wrong soon after I bought it. One had an alternator go out, and another’s rack–and-pinion failed. Recently, a friend of mine bought a ’17 Chevy Silverado and we cruised to lunch in it. It was warm outside and we decided it was a good time to break in the air conditioning. Since, we’d recently experienced a lot of cold, wet weather in Socal, this was the first time he needed to use the AC. But, the air coming out of the vents never got cold. We checked under the hood to see if there were any refrigerant leaks, but we couldn’t find any.
He took the truck to the dealership to have it checked out, which was aggravating since it was a new truck. It’s a straight up inconvenience to take a truck in for inspection or repair, and it’s especially maddening when it’s a brand-new ride.
My friend spent half the day waiting around while the service staff checked the AC system, and they ultimately came back with a non-answer. They said that everything on the system was working, and they couldn’t figure out what was wrong. They returned his keys and asked him to come back in a few days when another technician would be able to inspect it. We started to wonder if they might have forgotten to fill it up with refrigerant at the factory.
After spending the better part of a day at the dealership, my friend spent more time having it reexamined later. Guess what? Our suspicions were correct, and the AC system was empty of refrigerant. Fortunately, this was covered under the warranty, but my friend still wasted valuable time that could have been spent elsewhere.
In the end, the truck was in perfect running condition. Even though everything is OK now, it goes to show that there are no guarantees that a new truck will be perfect. His next issue might not be covered under warranty, which is a risk we all take when we buy a new vehicle. However, I believe that if you take your time to build a truck correctly, your chance of having problems will be diminished. Better yet, you’ll be familiar with your truck and able to diagnose any difficulties yourself. Either way, remember that all trucks are complex machines, and they can all experience issues, new or old.
HIS NEXT ISSUE MIGHT NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, WHICH IS A RISK WE ALL TAKE WHEN WE BUY A NEW VEHICLE. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU TAKE YOUR TIME TO BUILD A TRUCK CORRECTLY, YOUR CHANCE OF HAVING PROBLEMS WILL BE DIMINISHED.”