CUCV good starter vehicle for Resto/Daily driving?

[Healy]

Would it be unreasonable to purchase a CUCV as my first car when i get my license and use it as a daily driving? What are some things i would need to check on a regular basis as opposed to a gas vehicle or civvy car in general?
Much thanks in advance!

 

[Bob H]

Question 1. Go for it!

M1009 I assume?

Question 2. read the -10 operators manual
find someone locally with one to check one out.

 

[combatmech]

Welcome to the OD Green addiction!!
Be ready to drop about a grand or more on minor repairs. Tires, belts, fluids, lights, suspension, etc.
It all depends upon what kind of shape the truck is in. A lot of us here have gotten really lucky. Other folks have had hair-pulling nightmares.
Like Bob H said, the ops manual and other technical manuals are on this website and F R E E to browse or download. Read everything about which ever vehicle you are wanting to purchase. Check out the FAQ section....or just cruise the CUCV forums. Tons of info here.....
Up until a few days ago, I had been driving mine everyday for the past year or so. ( starter died )
30 miles ( average ) a day.....However, it is a 27 year old truck. Performing basic preventive maintenance goes a long way!!!
Good luck and welcome aboard!!!

 

[doghead]

Yes

 

[Atwater]

if you can handle a 25 + year old vehicle a cucv should be fine.
a m1009 likely would suit you better than a M1008 due to the gearing.

 

[jeeps1969]

first truck

My son bought an M1008 as a project 2 years ago and we took about 6 months of weekends and about 1000.00 dollars to get it up to par. Inspect it before you buy it and if not familiar with CUCV's bring some one who is. We drive his truck almost daily for use on the farm.

 

[truck1]

I say yes provided you have a decent set of tools,know how to use them,have a lot of patience,and a knowledgeable support staff(Steel soldiers).If yes to all of the above,go for it.The CUCV is a great truck with many parts still readily available.Start your project with a sound ,rust free,solid runner.Do not buy a basket case.Have fun!

 

[Healy]

Thanks for all the input guys, it's really appreciated and i am hoping that this will be a nice challenge and the start of a new hooby

 

[biggestc69]

Its an awesome hobby that becomes very addictive! I agree with everyone about taking someone with you that nows what to look for. Good luck!

 

[jdeoliveira74]

very very addicitive! Welcome

 

[olly hondro]

Cheap to register, cheap to insure, fuel mileage aint bad.....as long as the injection pump is good then I'd say yea, go for it. The cost of a replacement pump can exceed the value of some of our trucks 8<)

 

[Vet89]

Welcome to chaos! =)

 

[IdahoPlowboy]

I liked my 1009 so much I had to get a 1028, So yes they are very addictive.

 

[tequilaiam]

Check your local laws about emissions, vehicle age, etc. If to get around emissions inspections, will you have to register it as a classic? Does that limit the amount of miles you can drive it?

Also check the insurance price. Insurance is never kind to the young and something that large and heavy might be expensive.

I'm assuming you're 15 or 16, so personally, I'd recommend not getting one as a first vehicle. Aside from the potential expenses above, you'd be dealing with a vehicle with a host of potential problems that may require you to park it for days at a time to fix. Or potential problems that will make driving it unsafe (rusted out body seat belt anchors, shot shocks, shot brakes, etc.) Then there's the fact that it's noisy as **** and has no airbags. All in all, I just don't think its a good platform to learn the ins and outs of driving in the real world, what a vehicle should feel and handle like, etc. My M1009 blazer was in pretty good shape when I acquired it but I was still amazed by how it liked to drift around unlevel roads, how difficult the gauges were to read (the ones that worked) and how much body roll it had.

You could pay more to get one that's had the $ put in to fix those issues but you'll pay for it. For that price, you could probably get a newer, safer and more reliable vehicle. You probably don't want to hear this, but I'd recommend a used civic or 'yota. Spend your time learning and chasing girls, not working on an old 4x4. There will be plenty of time to get a project truck for a week's pay when you're out of school. If you're older and have the time and money, disregard.

Is there a college near you? In the spring when the graduates are selling their cars there are good deals on craigslist and the like. I found my buddy a $500 accord that way about 5 years ago and he's still using it as his daily driver/winter beater.

 

[olly hondro]

Chasing girls is waaaaay more expensive than fixing an old 4x4.

 

[tequilaiam]

Chasing girls is waaaaay more expensive than fixing an old 4x4.

I concede this point to you IF the OP is out of highschool. You know what they say....if it flies, floats or f*cks it's cheaper to just rent it

 

[wallew]

NO

THESE ARE TERRIBLE TRUCKS

I mean, WHY would you want a vehicle that's tough as nails

you aren't going to be hard on your first vehicle are you? you ARE a responsible adult that can spend THOUSANDS of dollars buying a brand new SHELBY and is willing to hock your soul just to impress girls, right?

but, if you don't mind getting dirt under your fingernails and either own or are willing to purchase tools - a full set or one at a time, depending on your budget -

and if you are mechanically inclined or want to LEARN HOW to be mechanically inclined -

and if you have a love for well made machines that YOU can maintain for a low cost

WELL YOU JUST MIGHT BE A GREEN ADDICT CANDIDATE

welcome - some of us here have it real bad - never hesitate to ASK a question - but PLEASE use the search feature - a hint, try using the 'advance search' part - you get pretty good answers there as well

 

[BIG_RED]

I concede this point to you IF the OP is out of highschool. You know what they say....if it flies, floats or f*cks it's cheaper to just rent it

HAHAHAHA! I've never heard that one!

My '09 took me almost 6 months to get reliable enough to drive every day. She was my first vehicle, much to the dislike on my mother, who my father and I told that I was buying "a little red 2 door convertible". Which is true, it has 2 doors, a short box and the roof comes off . I'm sure my father didn't get any action for months for that one I love my old man.

When I rolled up in the '09 she almost had a heart attack. If you want a CUCV, I'd suggest the M1009 for their better MPG and more reasonable highway speed (I don't go over 60 MPH to keep the engine together, these engines are governed too high IMHO and if you rev em right up for long periods they don't like it. Last thing you want on your first car is a broken crankshaft). Now I drive her 34 miles a day, every day. I drive her over 200 miles one way every year on a camping trip (Done it twice, already bought my pass to go again this july).

I was 16. Just got my license. Had a little cash saved up. Was looking for a fixer-upper mid 80's GM pickup or fullsize RWD car we could put a trailer hitch on (we have utility trailers around because ma wouldn't let dad buy a truck ) in the $2500-3000 range that I could fix up while I was in highschool and then drive to work and college afterward. I always have loved the fullsize Chevy Blazers because they have enough seats for a bunch of friends, but with the bench seat folded forward you immediately have a pickup with a removable box cap - they're just incredibly practical. And they look COOL. I stumbled across my M1009 on the internet and immediately fell in love. It was a fullsize 4X4 Blazer with A diesel! I didn't even know they made those! Had to do a little research on the diesel before going to check it out, since i had heard bad things about them. But some internet searching revealed that most of the folks that hate the 6.2 either abuse it or don't know how to take care of it.

I went out to the middle of nowhere in my dad's little toyota (getting it stuck in the snow twice along the way) to go check the thing out. I couldn't believe how clean she was. No rust. Only 67,000 miles on the odo. Very clean. But the guy wanted $4500 for it. You have to jump through some hoops to get older vehicles insured around here.. I think the seller paid somebody off, but he had the paperwork and it was legit enough to get it on the road so that was a huge selling feature. Anything with that paperwork that runs is worth $1000 around here. If it has that AND it's a 4X4 it's worth $3000+ here.

After much convincing I got my dad to come out and see the '09. He couldn't believe how clean it was either. We weren't sure how we felt about the diesel but she ran fine and a 350 small block would be an easy swap. It had (what we thought were) good 31" tires on it. The seller let me drive it down the road infront of his house. It sounded solid. 4X4 worked and sounded fine, no gravel in the t-case (I've seen some funny things). We got the guy down to $4000 and dad lent me the difference.

The first 6 months were bad. I drive her home, and a few of the glowplug wires fell off. Over the next week, she got progressively harder to start as all the glowplugs fried out. So I replaced those and the tabs on the wires. Then the fuel filter started leaking like crazy.. and the rad hoses went, and the rad started leaking, and the heater core leaked/was clogged, 2 tires developed sidewall tears, and, and, and..

In the first 6 months I had my truck, I drove her maybe 3 weeks . She is not fast. Don't use the downshift switch behind the gas pedle unless you raly need too.. It really rev's these trucks up (since they only have 3 gears to begin with). She doesn't attract too many girls if you're parked next to a Camaro, but she's no bad if you've got the top off in the summer. Or you find a carload of cute girls that slid into the ditch in the winter . I love my M1009. If you've got access to tools and are handy or a fast learner - go for it. I once told a girlfriend who wanted my truck gone that my truck wanted her gone and I was siding with the truck My truck may be red, but I've got the green disease. Deuce will be next.

 

[Atwater]

Check your local laws about emissions, vehicle age, etc. If to get around emissions inspections, will you have to register it as a classic? Does that limit the amount of miles you can drive it?

Also check the insurance price. Insurance is never kind to the young and something that large and heavy might be expensive.

I'm assuming you're 15 or 16, so personally, I'd recommend not getting one as a first vehicle. Aside from the potential expenses above, you'd be dealing with a vehicle with a host of potential problems that may require you to park it for days at a time to fix. Or potential problems that will make driving it unsafe (rusted out body seat belt anchors, shot shocks, shot brakes, etc.) Then there's the fact that it's noisy as **** and has no airbags. All in all, I just don't think its a good platform to learn the ins and outs of driving in the real world, what a vehicle should feel and handle like, etc. My M1009 blazer was in pretty good shape when I acquired it but I was still amazed by how it liked to drift around unlevel roads, how difficult the gauges were to read (the ones that worked) and how much body roll it had.

You could pay more to get one that's had the $ put in to fix those issues but you'll pay for it. For that price, you could probably get a newer, safer and more reliable vehicle. You probably don't want to hear this, but I'd recommend a used civic or 'yota. Spend your time learning and chasing girls, not working on an old 4x4. There will be plenty of time to get a project truck for a week's pay when you're out of school. If you're older and have the time and money, disregard.

Is there a college near you? In the spring when the graduates are selling their cars there are good deals on craigslist and the like. I found my buddy a $500 accord that way about 5 years ago and he's still using it as his daily driver/winter beater.

no problems with emission laws on these around here
insurance should not be two bad esp on a m1009
if you dont have other options for wheels to get back and forth from work/school if there is a problem, something newer may be better.
that being said i grew up with older vehilcles and am used to putting up with a few 'isssues'
it still makes me wonder at some of the stuff we got away with
sometimes it is better to get out and not be stuck at home fixing your wheels though