Donstar

Grumpy made reference to our gift of imagination. This is truly a gift and thankfully not distributed equally! Mrs. Donstar does an admirable job of keeping mine in check. (I find that if I preface my most ambitious plans with, "If I win the lottery", she may politely listen for awhile.) Yesterday, as I was looking for a Mother's Day card for her, I was trying to imagine what a perfect day for her would look like. It was vey humbling. Her perfect day would not include any new "things" and would see her giving more than receiving. We all may be equal in most ways but those with the title of "Mother" were, are, and always will be a cut above. Make Sunday extra special for the mothers in your family, or circle of friends. Cards and flowers are token gestures but use your imagination to go beyond the expected! Your time is appreciated more than words from Hallmark and most of us have a lot of it to give! Once again we will bring home our 88 yr old friend from a seniors home to Zoom with her far-away children and grandkids. It won't cost me a dime but will bring immeasurable happiness to a few mothers in my life!

Your logic is reasonable and I am currently wrestling with this one. Trouble is, I prefer driving a full-size pickup so I gravitate to the Suburban sized SUV's! It would cost me a lot more money to take advantage of the inflated value of my pickup. A similar discussion is swirling around about my house. The current extraordinarily high equity in our home would give us financial security beyond our dreams but we'd have to move to pretty meager accommodations to realize such equity! I don't doubt there is some money to be made in this current situation. However, there are reasons why our used trucks (and homes) are highly desired. We may not fully appreciate these reasons until after we've sold! Then you/me may be the person willing/having to pay top-dollar for something less!

The use of extra time for thinking/reflection has been suggested earlier in this thread but maybe understated. For some, the novelty of tackling outstanding projects has worn off. This leaves some serious time available to plan and think about our future. (Spiritually and otherwise) There are many who are simply laser focused on getting back to the way things were. There are many others who have been permanently and irreversibly impacted by this pandemic and there is no going back. Then you look at the horrible extremes currently going on in India! It makes our worries pale in comparison but our worries still exist. Be mindful of those friends and relatives who our living in apparent bliss. They are vulnerable to the dark side of too much thinking time. They may also feel that they have no right to vent. We have a friend and neighbor who's assets and lifestyle are often a subject of our envy. (Not to the level of taking to confession ) She burst into tears yesterday when asked how she was doing.

Did you try a warranty repair? They shouldn't refuse unless they determine the mods are potentially the cause of these malfunctions.

I received my first vaccine last night which in itself is not newsworthy. However, getting to this point is very big news. Without considering the politics or supply issues, it is absolutely a herculean effort to vaccinate the world's population in such a relatively short period of time. I was at one walk-in centre in a small city with dozens of stations jabbing people of similar ages all day long in <10 min intervals. It truly boggles the mind to appreciate that what I witnessed was a small drop in a very large bucket! I thanked the volunteer who administered my dose and mused how history will remember her role. Many, many people are sacrificing their time and safety to keep the general population healthy. Thank you to everyone giving up some of their precious time for the benefit of all!

I know the market is difficult now but it surprises me that a deal on a premium trim level truck could collapse on a $1200 add-on. I had a similar $1200 experience on my last truck which saw me standing up to leave twice. To save face the sales manager found savings in other areas but I ended up feeling like I'd got the price I was willing to pay. If the Denali is still available, and they haven't called you then your final overall offer was too low. I'd go back and offer to meet them half way. If that doesn't work try for the same in store credits.

Congratulations on your decision! Now you can keep shopping! BTW I met a guy at the gas station yesterday with the same truck and colour as mine. He complimented me on my great looking truck and I did the same for him. These are really nice trucks and sometimes we just need a little reminder.

I empathize with your dilemma and the decision rests with you. Either way you'll have a nice truck. The practical me says keep your current truck. The rest of me gets enthusiastic about the prospect of a new truck. (Red trucks always catch my attention with black a close second!) However, there are so many variables in our personal lives that inform such a decision. My opinion is of little use. I can offer advice though from first-hand experience: If you're married, be sure your spouse is on board with "your" decision and that her/his agreement isn't simply to stop you from whining! You'll pay more than the dollar difference...

Live for today, don't put off 'till tomorrow what you can do today and you only live once. I've used 'em all to help make a poor decision. Using such mantras to rationalize a major expense should only apply when your retirement plan has you living comfortably until you're 100 yrs. old. Predicting your own longevity is a crapshoot but chances are good you'll be blessed with a long life.

Your typical full sized truck may be easy for you to enter and exit but consider your passengers. There are nice looking "steps" available and will be appreciated by others.

Congratulations on your new truck! Enjoy all of the features and don't be looking for disappointment. Advancements have historically sparked apprehension. I remember when trucks came out with, "unleaded fuel only" stickers over the gas cap and on the dash. I avoided these until I didn't have a choice! EFI was also met with considerable opposition! The best example of resistance to change was the lady in the other side of my duplex circa 1976. She brought home her first new car with shoulder straps. As soon as she pulled into the driveway she retrieved some shears and converted her interior to lap belts...

The analogy of peeling an onion is one I use to describe my downsizing process c/w the increase in tears. The loads taken to the local charity stores these past couple of days were full of difficult items to give up for their value in memories or potential monetary worth. Today I'm feeling a little beaten up over the process but glad to be moving ahead. I subscribe to a YouTube channel following a couple my age who downsized into a 7'X16' cargo trailer conversion. ("I Ride" Tiny House Adventures) After two years of fulltime RVing, they are in the midst of converting/moving up to a 8.5' X20' tiny house. It is so natural for us to want to expand our habitat, no matter your stage in life! I appreciate how lucky I am to have the problem of too much stuff. This good fortune makes it easier to donate to non-profits. I am particularly happy when I encounter lineups at places to donate. It helps the giving process feel like the right thing to do!

I find the most challenging aspect of this "extra time" generated by the pandemic is the surplus think time. Prior to the pandemic, I had 10 years of retirement experience c/w a long "to do" list. This list now has most items with check marks and many others marked n/a. This leaves more time to plan for the future. The proverbial bucket list is continually refined with a steadily shrinking timeline. I am fascinated by the fulltime RV option but wouldn't do it without the ability to return to my current situation. Several years ago I had a colleague show up to work with the news that his wife was given a year to live. I remember the day well because my friend retired the day he was given the news, sold the family home, bought a truck/trailer then hit the road. The year turned out to be a decade. He attributes his wife's added time to the carefree RV lifestyle and he regrets they didn't start ten years earlier!

I really enjoy the RV lifestyle as based on my limited experience owning a Minnie Winnie. However, we only travelled in optimal conditions to fully serviced campgrounds. When you factor in the cost of maintenance, storage, campground fees, fuel, insurance etc. your holiday adventures are very expensive. Spending a couple of weeks per year in a resort hotel is a far less expensive holiday plan! I suspect the fulltime RV experience would quickly lose the holiday feel and we'd soon be searching for a place without wheels.

I've been watching Youtubers who have chosen to retire to full time RV life. For many of these people this is not an "either - or" choice and they (I) can't afford to maintain a house and travel fulltime in an RV. Kudo's to the retired couples with the guts to make such a choice. I doubt I could take the plunge but I like experiencing the lifestyle through my TV. Some days the pros list gets pretty long! Giving up our home and the fear of getting out of the housing market are the main fears. Has anyone here tried or are considering the fulltime RV lifestyle?

I think the HD twins are the best looking pickups on the road. I personally find the lower trim levels have the most appeal. Built in navigation is a nice feature but would have little impact on my buying decisions. I've been married to my navigation system for 45 years and she won't let me buy a newer one!

Welcome to this forum! The Chevy shake story is covered extensively in this forum and you will find a lot of potential causes and solutions to the shake. . I have experienced a few shakers (not all GM) in my life and the cause has always been a tire/wheel related issue. Your problem can be as simple as a wheel weight falling off. Don't overthink the issue or start replacing parts until you've tried the simple fixes.

My first thought is the RV electrical. Is there not a separate electrical panel in the living portion of your van?

I just spent time learning about retention and detention ponds! Very interesting. There are some incredibly creative ways urban areas have employed to manage excess run-off. Ponds range from a beautiful water feature to an ugly pit. Ducks calling your pond home means it is on the beautiful end of the spectrum!

Most of Grumpy's comments of this thread are informational and thought provoking. They are a good read and don't often require replies. I typically need to be on my third cup of coffee before tackling this topic. It is like the good old days of newspapers when I'd turn to the comics and Ann Landers before hitting the good stuff!

Very nicely done! My in-laws have an upper deck w/o stairs and have a dog. They have to go through the house with the dog every time he needs out. This was particularly comical when they were puppy training. It was amusing for me because my brother-in law was a builder by trade and a fix like yours would be well within his abilities. BTW Is the water feature natural or added as part of the development? We have a subdivision in town that was based around a small lake made specifically for the project. It is a beautiful spot and improves with age!

I've heard a lot worse story of a person starting his car with a cat under his engine :- ( ! I am quite slow at getting out of my truck and we live in a rainy environment. Consequently my door is often left wetter than I'd like. However, after 5+ years (and two roof-antenna leaking issues) all electrics and finishes are like new. Your truck will be fine!

A diesel would be nice but more expensive to buy and maintenance can present some costly surprises. I'd look for gas. You are right that you will return to gas consumption reminiscent of your '72 Ford. However, the experiences you may face towing a trailer with an underrated tow vehicle will likely be more upsetting than higher fuel costs.

You're a hero for giving these children a second chance for a proper upbringing. Thank you. I was fortunate to know the towing capabilities of my truck when looking for a trailer and was able to find a proper match. I knew about the re-gearing option and the various ways to deal with heavier tongue weights. For the same reason you are hesitant to buy a used vehicle with unknown history is the same reason I wouldn't choose to add red flags to my vehicle. I'd seriously look at trading the truck or the trailer. If I was looking for a trailer the size of your Rockwood, I'd set my sights on a base 2500/3500. I find the most basic WT has a list of standard features that exceed the options list on your '72 Ford!

I assume your truck still has some powertrain warranty remaining. (Even if it has expired, I'd try for some compensation from GM on your newer truck). My '09 had horrible oil consumption and was repaired at around your current mileage. I drove it another 100K and never had to top off my oil again. GM may make you jump several hoops before they fix it right but there is a fix which doesn't involve disabling AFM.