First Gen Vs. Third Gen
 

Ok I have been trying to figure out for awhile now whether to get a newer truck or convert mine to a Crew Cab. I have a regular cab and love the truck but with a family, and the wife wanting to add another member soon, it just isn’t going to work anymore. So I have been researching the crew cab option and was preparing for a winter project this next winter. That is until I had one friend offer me $6000 for my truck earlier this week, and another friend tell me he was selling his 03 for $17,000 yesterday. It sure would be a lot easier than taking on another project to just go this route, but I sure love the first gens and will miss my truck. Does anyone have any thoughts or advice on this?

Converted crew cabs are awesome! But if it were me.... I'd bite the bullet and get rid of the first gen. Family is top priority and yes, the 12valve is the most reliable, but the 03 is all factory and you wouldnt have to worry about little things breaking etc.. or "how am I going to get this to fit/work"? Anyway, just my two cents
Dan

As much as I love my truck, I consider my 92 more of a cool classic than a family hauling everyday vehicle. I am going to go against many here. Safety and comfort get my vote. Maybe you can borrow the 03 and see how it works for you. Just my opinion FWIW

Keep the 1st Gen! In October I sold my pristine 56,000-actual-miles regular cab that I'd had for 10 years [duhhh] and I lasted two months before the withdrawal got to be more than I could stand, and I had to find another one. The guy who sold it to me is now heartbroken. I don't know what it is about these things but they get ahold of you and won't let go. First Gens are the coolest!

Keep the first gen for you, and go and find a nice 4 door diesel benz! Lots of good metal, Still is an oil burner, and have a second car when you are modding out the first gen!!!!!!!!
Peter.

I recently went the third gen way and I got to say it is pretty nice. No more squeaks, rattles, pops, cracks, etc. I am missing my first gen now but climbing in that new cab that everything works correctly is pretty nice. I would have loved to have kept my old truck but can't afford two making three total in my stahl. It needed a new cab but I was not ready to make that plunge. BTW this truck would be a good family hauler.

How well they last and how things works as they age and the miles rack up all depends on the maintenance and upkeep along the way. Everything works in mine, and it is solid as the day it rolled off the line. Check back with us in 10 years and we'll see how that 3rd gen is doing then.

I agree keep the first gen. [coffee]

I'm leaning a little more for safety on this one, so if you can afford it, buy a later cummins with more seats like the 03.
6k sounds a little low for your truck...no?

There are times when you just gotta do something contrary to what you'd like to do at the moment.

Having a family, with your wife expanding that family, keeping that family together - that's much more important than having the delight of keeping one these great machines running.

Problem is that the family needs you now, while it's growing and learning. And you're the leader.

Take care of those kids and your wife. There will be another nice project later on.

Who knows - maybe we'll still be here. [laugh] [laugh]

Regards and best wishes, DBF

I agree, and would drive mine anywhere after checking fluids and tire pressure! And IF it broke down along the way I have a decent chance of fixing it there myself (have everytime so far but they've all been minor too- dropped throttle shaft, fuel shut off wire, etc). Its all relative.

My club seems huge and tons safer than the '76 M880 that it replaced. I fit my 5 & 9 year old in the jump seats and we take off - camping, boating, whatever, 4-6 hour drives so far. If I ever got another kid, we'd just leave the wife at home and have a REALLY good time [laugh] .

What are the safety issues folks are referring too? Sideways jump seats with no shoulder straps, air bags, RWAL???

Money makes the final decision BUT, if you got a deal on the '03 AND could keep the 1st gen, I could justify that by having a backup for when the roads are bad, the wife needs the '03, small trips to keep the miles off the new truck, older truck to haul the dirty loads...[roll]

I've cast coveting eyes at newer trucks for the same reason but I drive what I can afford...[redface]

Well I did it. I purchased an 03 2500 Quad Cab yesterday. It is the 5 speed S.O. I really like it contrary to what others have said. I really do love my first gen, and will hate to see it go. It is tuff letting people test drive it!

You'll be back, most do so I would park the 1st Gen for a while and then decide whether or not to sell it.[nonono] I know if I bought a newer truck I would keep my 1st Gen also. When a computer fails and you don't have the extra $1,000 to fix it,[yuk] it will be much better to step outside and climb into the 1st Gen and do the job at hand.[coffee]