I'm hoping that someone older and wiser than myself can give me some insight on long term ownership of a Lightning.

I have a 2001 with 70k miles on it. It is in decent shape, a few scratches here and there, but no real damage. It has spit plugs on both sides so I have '03 cylinder heads on both sides now. The only real problem is that before I bought the truck, the previous owner who lived on the east coast, let some rust get to the bottom. It's nothing bad, mostly cosmetic, but it still pains me to look at it.

I plan on keeping one of these truck forever and want to know whether I should sell mine now and get a cleaner one or just drive mine into the ground and dump money into body work and an engine rebuild? I have a line on someone selling a 2004 for around 25k.

Do I upgrade to the cleaner 2004 right now for 10k or just stick with mine and dump who knows how much $$$ into restoring it later.

 

This is an easy one..

Is it paid off? Then invest in fixing it up!!!

Do you still own on it? How much longer?

Less than (1) year keep it and fix it up.

More than (2) years questionable, (what mods does it have) or rather what mods will you give up, by selling the old and what mods will you gain by getting the new.

In other words look at the monies invested, on the old –vs- the new. "$$ invested out side of the vehicle value sicker price, remember mods do not (usually) add value to the vehicle”

More than three years??? Trade up for an upgrade no thinking there!

10k will fix a bunch of things, body work (especially if you do it your self), you can also buy a bunch of used/new engine parts, if you look.

 

I bought the truck outright for 20k two years ago. All i've done so far is regular maintenance, K&N intake, stereo, and of course tires

Sounds like I should just hang onto mine and dump some money into it in a few years