Sea Change

It all started in 2001, when I bought my 1999 Ford Ranger from my uncle Jay. It was the base of base models. Crank windows, no AC, not even a tape deck... But it was clean. Jay took good care of his vehicles. I was always embarrassed when he would come around because I knew the day I bought the truck, it would never be that clean again. It wasn't for lack of trying- I actually enjoyed spending hours detailing what I could to make it shiny. 

I had that truck for over a decade. It was reliable. It got the job done. I changed the oil every 2500 miles because that's what Jay did. I put in a fancy air filter because that's what Jay did. I put shiny goo on the tires because that's what Jay did. Eventually it needed an alternator. A fuel pump. Nothing bank breaking and nothing I couldn't YouTube to save on mechanic costs. 

I always wanted a bigger truck, but never allowed myself to really consider buying one because I have this practical side to me that shows up sometimes. But then I saw it- this blue beauty of a truck on Craigslist that I instantly knew would be in my driveway. 

Photo from the actual Craigslist ad

1993 F-250 XLT 7.5L 

8ft Bed 

Extended Cab 

4in Lift

Low Mileage...

This was the truck I had been waiting for. 

Practical? Nope. Fun? Yup.

I knew that buying this truck meant work. That being an older truck, it was going to require some extra love. My gas bill would more than double. But I have a short commute and my car knowledgable neighbor has the same model. I'm sold. 

Since having the truck, I've put a lot of money into repairs- but almost nothing that I had to take it to a mechanic for. Spark plugs and wires, tires, brake system, alternator, radiator, freeze plugs, ball joints, etc etc etc.

Extra work? Yeah. Extra money? Yeah. Worth it? Hell yeah. 

Having this truck has taught me a lot about working on vehicles and that I'm way more capable than I think. Buying it was a step toward taking more control of my life and the direction I wanted it to go. This thing is so much fun to drive and take off road. I feel like it represents who I am, and that's important to me. 

Some people would say it's too old, too much work, too costly, compensatory, impractical, unreliable, just not worth the extra effort. But it feeds my soul. I enjoy fixing it. I like having to earn its love. If I won the lottery, one of the first things I would do is drop tons of money into my truck to get it in tip top shape. 

I gave the Ranger to my dad. He was looking for a vehicle to get him from point A to point B and I had one. I'll always be grateful for it and the reliable transportation it provided, but I've never looked back. I knew what I was in for when I made the switch, and I'm still happy I did.