selling a truck

[17yroldScouter]

I want to sell my 78 traveler, i have the SD-33 in there and have an SD-33T on an engine stand. The body is in ok condition, it has some scratches but other that its solid, ive replaced 95% of the bearings and seals, replaced the shocks, and tires, its lifted with 90% tread of M.T. baja claw radials. It has no problems that i know of, except the brake booster is bad, but brakes still work. The SD-33T needs an oil cooler and its ready to be dropped in. Im asking how much i should sell it for. I will try to post pictures on here soon, kids at school are like oh its a POS but people ive talked to that know at least a little about Scouts will talk to me all day about it. Im asking how much does a Scout like this run, the engine runs good and i want to keep it, but im only 17 and money is tight, and to keep a vehicle like that needs a lot of TLC and without the money its hard. I would like to get 5,000 for it. Is that asking too much or what?

[Sammy]

I can't really say what to ask, but I know what I paid is more than 3 times what I paid for an 80 turbo. Not paid, swapped a 90 Ranger with 160K and no luxuries like a/c. Scout had 150K. Sure, the body is part junk. Lucky for me, a buddy has a floor I need and it going to cost me $500 to have it put in. That's above my level of body work ability. Post a picture, maybe someone can give you a better answer.

Sammy

[John Donnelly]

Originally posted by 17yroldScouter
I want to sell my 78 traveler, i have the SD-33 in there and have an SD-33T on an engine stand. The body is in ok condition, it has some scratches but other that its solid, ive replaced 95% of the bearings and seals, replaced the shocks, and tires, its lifted with 90% tread of M.T. baja claw radials. It has no problems that i know of, except the brake booster is bad, but brakes still work. The SD-33T needs an oil cooler and its ready to be dropped in. Im asking how much i should sell it for. I will try to post pictures on here soon, kids at school are like oh its a POS but people ive talked to that know at least a little about Scouts will talk to me all day about it. Im asking how much does a Scout like this run, the engine runs good and i want to keep it, but im only 17 and money is tight, and to keep a vehicle like that needs a lot of TLC and without the money its hard. I would like to get 5,000 for it. Is that asking too much or what?

I guess the time has come to ask this:

Why are you REALLY selling it?

I have been reading your posts, and I don't think anything is wrong with your rig in the current configuration, so why sell it? I bet we can come up with an oil cooler for you somewhere if that is what is keeping you from true Diesel Scout bliss.

If it runs, drives, and everything works, how much is it really costing? The SD33 delivers good, if not unbelievable fuel economy for a vehicle it's size, so for a starving high school student, the Diesel makes sense, as long as he can keep up with the maintenance, which on a good running Diesel, is OIL CHANGES, and nothing more.

I am beginning to wonder if it is PEER PRESSURE, not expense that is causing your change of heart. Take my advice, and IGNORE your peers. At this point in your life, I know it is hard to understand, but going fast isn't really important. And besides, who REALLY thinks that a Honda with a giant potato launcher exhaust pipe, and a loud stereo is really cool? NOT ME!!! In fact, those vehicles usually cause a "don't ask, don't tell" response around my neck of the woods. "TO THINE OWN SELF, BE TRUE" if you don't know where that comes from, ask your English Teacher, but it is the best advice in the world as far as I am concerned. The Diesel will keep you out of the poor-house, if you give it a chance.

With the money you save due to less fuel waste, you can take that special girl on a nice date, and not to McDonalds. And let's face it, a cool 4WD just that, COOL. Scouts are cool, jeeps are for everyone else.

Pretty the old girl up a little, and ignore the lack of speed. You can wheel with the best of them, and then some, impress the chicks with your wheeling ability, and forget about the loud potato launcher exhaust. Your pocketbook will thank you, and when you are older, you will thank yourself that you didn't send the old girl away.

Scouts aren't like other vehicles, and that is what makes them special. The Diesels are even more special. You get economy, and WHEELING ability in one machine. Stay REAL dude, and KEEP YOUR SCOUT.

KEEP on DIESELIN',

John Donnelly

[17yroldScouter]

The reason im selling the scout is because me or my parents cant afford it. I have no job as of right now, im waiting until i turn 18. The guy i bought the Scout from said it was perfectly fine, (Doug Scott)well i was just going to do a routine check, and comes to find out, all u-joints are fried, need new brakes, rotors, etc etc. Ive already put 3000 dollars into it and only paid 3000 for it. Everytime something breaks on it, and lately it has been, its another 200-300 dollars, that my parents pay. I hate not being able to drive the scout either when it breaks down, its usually about a week i go without a vehicle, because the time it takes to order parts and put what little money i get into parts. I still love Scouts and have a major obession for them. Later on down the road after i get a job and get back on my feet and out of debt with my parents i will call Doug Scott up or somebody else, and get another Scout, more than likely a diesel. Its not a peer pressure deal, i am the type of person that could care less what people think about me or my vehicle. I think i will get an older 5 spd s10 and stick with that for a while. After i sell the scout i will still come on here everyday and read and post questions.

[Tony Lopez]

Heck if youv'e done the work you have described then your probably almost to the point where you wont need to spend that much more...
When I got my '74 345, I also had to go through the task of replacing and fixing things for the first couple of years. Now other than gas and oil I haven't 'had to' spend anything for a couple years...
You might want to consider just parking it for a few years until you can afford to get it up to snuff and afford any maintenance. If you sell it now you'll be kicking yourself later with regret. Parking it doesn't cost much. Just wax it up well and cover it. You can think of it as a long term investment; it's value will only go up with time... If you don't have a place to park it, my parents have a couple hundered acres in west TN, though I'd have to ask them...

Good Luck,

Tony Lopez, '80 SD33T Terra, '74 345
Paso Robles, CA

[17yroldScouter]

We still owe on the scout man, well my parents do. Im using the money i get from the truck to buy the other vehicle. If i kept that truck we would have no other room for any vehicles. If the truck was paid off, i wouldnt mind hanging on to it for a while. By the way, where do you live in West TN? I live in middle tn, in maury county.

[Tony Lopez]

I'm in the Peoples State of Kalifornia, but my parents farm is in Covington, north of Memphis about 40 miles.
I'd still advise tighten the belt, do without some other things, work harder, pay it off, and KEEP IT!!!

Good Luck,

Tony Lopez

[Josh]

Hey, is that $3k on parts alone, or are you talking labor here, too?

What parts have been that expensive?

-Josh

[17yroldScouter]

I do my own labor man, an ASE certified mechanic lives next door to me, so its been in and out of his shop. Thats 3000 in just parts, the front end with rotor, brake pad, seals bearings all that stuff. Is about 300 bucks per side, shocks and tires, u-joints, more bearings and seals, brake lines, axle shafts, thats pretty much it.

[Josh]

I hope I know what I'm getting into in buying one of these!

Looking back now, is there any way you could have detected these problems before you bought it? How common is it that all of this stuff needs to be replaced?? Was the vehicle used heartily offroad before you bought it?

Thanks,

-Josh

[17yroldScouter]

I didnt know that things were going to be like this. The guy i got it from told me it was a good truck, and its ready to drive, just need to put the turbo diesel in because it smokes a lot, well that is the least of my worries, it only smokes in the morning when i first start it. I noticed more and more problems, when i changed the brake pads i found out i needed new rotors, took the rotors off and found out my bearings were fried. Noticed the axle u-joints were broke, found out the other u-joints were broke, its just more and more of a problem for me and my parents are tired of two things, 1.) paying for it 2.)having me without a vehicle for a week.

[Klasick68]

My first scout was a 79 terra 304 that i got for $80, it NEEDED new rotors, u joints,and all the stuff you mentioned , nevermind floors, rearend,ect, anyways, I had it on the road in a weekend, how, by CUTTING CORNERS, I only replaced what absolutley needed to be (left the rotors on even though they were paper thin (exaduration), let the joints squeak, put in used brake pads ,shoes, 1 used and abused drum, alot of bondo, 2 station wagon roofs ,and i honda hood worth of steel, and 3 all nighters and it rolled out, sure it had problems (when I took it in to autos at school to show off my new truck the teacher threated to call the DOT on me for copper brake lines ect., but It only cost $110+or- to get and put it on the road. i put on 10K+ miles and all I put into it was a few cases of oil and filters,trans fluid and filter 1 used caliper (pistpon blew out when a pad decinigrated), 2 used ujoints and some home made lift shackles to clear 31's, it was probably the best scout I have ever owned, I wish I had not sold it(even though I now have "Better" (i doubt it) scouts. I would hang on to the diesel scout, and cut corners where necesary (not on oil chages though) and enjoy the scout, even if it is not perfect.
Keep it if you can,
Sell it if you must
Dan Hinckley

[17yroldScouter]

Im not going to cut corners for an everyday vehicle that has to get me to school and other places back and forth. Im not going to take the chance of me breaking down on a small little country road where my cell phone has no service, or nobody even drives down there. I want to have my vehicle in running condition, there will always be little things wrong with it but, i need some reliable

[Whyle]

I am sorry to hear that you must get rid of your scout. Just rember any used truck you buy will need work Scout, jeep , Chevy, ford ect they all will need something they all break down I have a 68 800
it is older then you are my daily driver and I do all my owen work yes it has broke down the rear end blew out snowy out rainy late for work, the front axle walked out it was down a week I rode my bike to work things will break. Sounds like you have almost got it done whats the s10 going to cost ? how much let to spend to get Scout on road?
You paid $3,000 and have put $3,000 in parts and labor in it right even if you get $5,000 for it you still out $1,000 plus have to buy another truck.
Sounds to me Keep the scout.But Do what you must, Am Sure your folks keep given you griff about the money thing Mine always did. If you want to get the $5,000 for the scout it should run and drive. Then I think you might get it but not fast. I get them for about $100. to $1,200 with no rust. The last one I bought for $650. and drove it home from the junk yard It is a 78 Terra. What every you do Hope all gose will for you , Tell santa you want a Scout
For christmas I did:p
Good luck to you.

[John Donnelly]

17 year old, (i hate handles)

As you can see, most of us OLDER folks, (more experienced) keep saying the same thing, "keep your Scout, fix it when time and money permit, and don't give up on it".

The reason why? YOU WILL REGRET IT IF YOU DO SELL IT.

I have had a LOT of vehicles over the years, I am 35, and have owned about that many, and can tell you, the Scouts are NEVER for sale. They are just too good. All of mine needed work of some sort when I got them, some of them cost some $$$ to fix, others didnt' but in the end, I got the same from all of them.

ROCK SOLID RELIABILITY, and INEXPENSE of operation.

Very few vehicles offer what a properly running Diesel Scout offers, kick butt offroad ability, AND economy.

You won't get that from some S-10 piece of "hecho in Mexico" chunk of garbage, I have aquaintances who could tell you "money pit" stories about those pieces of fecal matter.

If some of us in the Diesel community can help you with parts and such, I think we should, I am not saying FREE, but inexpensive. What to you need? make a list, and post it here, lets see if we can help you out.

Keep your Scout, and when it's going right, it will pay dividends you don't realize....... YET.

Keep on Dieselin',

John Donnelly

[17yroldScouter]

I just got through with another problem, the big blue wires that connect to the ammeter got fried. I had to replace and rerun a lot of wiring. I knew nothing about the wiring so i had a guy some out and look at it. He stayed and worked on it and ended up costing another 100 bucks that my parents had to pay. I dont know if i want an s-10 just something reliable and something i can go to the local parts store and get the part without having to wait a week. Ive got a friend who has a 92 s-10 with 400000 miles on it and never had anything wrong. Like i said i dont know if im going to get an s10 i may get a new truck, i dont know. I just cant afford to be without a vehicle and depend on other people for a ride to school and back. I know i will regret it, ive thought about that. I see scouts for sale a lot around here, maybe in a few years after i graduate highschool and get a good paying job i will buy another one or two or three:)

[Dave Nuenke]

Again, as John and the others have said, KEEP THE SCOUT. I this if for no other reason than you will have more problems with any other smallish pickup you buy in your price range. Plus it sounds like most of the bugs have gotten worked out of your Scout, and now YOU know how to fix stuff. This past weekend I hauled my roommate's 87 Ranger to the local pick and pull. The newest truck on the place, dead. His "new" daily driver is a '61 Scout 80. Yeah, we have had to do work on it, but nothing all that unreasonable so far. He paid $200 for the truck and probably has another $300 in it, including completely rewiring the truck and newer tires. As an added bonus, I have that oil cooler that you are looking for. Keep the truck and it's yours for free.

[Matt O'Bryan]

My money would be for keeping the scout, too. The biggest factor being how much you have in it. I understand what it's like being 17 and having to constantly tinker w/ my DD. Think of it this way. The scout is a KNOWN quanity. You know whats good and what's $#%@!#@ed. Any rig you buy, unless you buy from a good freind, is unknown. You have no idea what might be wrong w/ it.