This Is Probably A Good Deal

"functionoverfashion" (functionoverfashion) 01/09/2020 at 09:48 • Filed to: pos plow trucks

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If I were still hunting for a cheap beater to plow my driveway, I’d go pick this up. The ad is simple, and comes across as honest. The price is low enough to gamble a little, and expect something to break.

Here’s the whole text of the ad:

3/4 ton chevy plow truck, runs and drives, stops, plow works good.

wood bed

1600 bro

That’s all you need to know, really. The two pics show you that, in fact, there’s a truck there. And a plow. Fine.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Yup, I’ll take it. Except, no. I’ve got someone plowing the driveway for $40 a whack, and at that rate, it would take 40 storms to break even. That’s not happening. But a few months ago, I might have snapped this up. There is a certain convenience of being able to plow the driveway how you want it, when you want it, and having a beater vehicle for that can be fun.

But for now, I’m banking the difference and maybe buying a friend’s 2002 F-250 that’s in great shape... but not until spring or summer. It would be inspectable, it has a tiny back seat that would carry my kids in a pinch, and it has a plow. He’s plowed with it but barely leaves his property, and it really is in good condition overall. That might be the ticket.

But browsing craigslist for beater trucks is still fun. 

Ssfancyfresh > functionoverfashion 01/09/2020 at 09:54

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At $40 a whack, I don’t think I’m on the positive end of the ROI curve for the Honda snowblower I bought 5 years ago

Tripper > functionoverfashion 01/09/2020 at 09:56

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I combat snow by having a full driveway. I pull the cars into the street and dust them off, clean up the edges of the drive way, then I go to my parents to dig them out.

Just Jeepin' > functionoverfashion 01/09/2020 at 10:20

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Snow? I have a Jeep. Who cares about snow in the driveway?

functionoverfashion > Tripper 01/09/2020 at 10:27

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My favorite neighbor kind of has this going on. He lives about a mile from me but his vehicle situation is nearly unfathomable. I’ve talked about him here before, but here’s a summary:

- driveway just big enough really for 4 cars, 2 wide x 2 deep.

- out behind the house, there are 3 old “muscle cars” that I can’t identify at a distance, but maybe trans am or camaro? Probably something else that’s not as cool as either. All 3 look in equally crappy from a distance, probably much worse up close and haven’t moved in a decade.

- for several years he had an older chevy with a plow, but he didn’t plow snow with it for some reason.

- he also acquired an older mustang, but doesn’t drive it. It sits in the yard - not near the others - and moves maybe 2x per year.

- in his driveway are two same-generation, different-shades-of-beige camrys. Naturally, these get driven daily. 

- this year he bought another older plow truck (2002 ish?) and - gasp! - actually plows with it.

If the camrys and the truck were parked in the driveway, though, he’d have very little to plow. So the truck is parked on the “lawn” near the driveway, and he plows about 100' to either side of the drive into the yard/lawn... because... reasons.

functionoverfashion > Just Jeepin' 01/09/2020 at 10:30

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For one winter, I had no way of clearing snow from my driveway, and a ‘96 Accord. Amazingly, it was the worst (snow) winter we’d had in years, and I never needed to plow, or really even shovel the driveway. I did have snows. The ice skating was great on the lake that winter, though! 

Just Jeepin' > functionoverfashion 01/09/2020 at 10:37

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My 2012 Civic got hung up in my driveway for 5 days one winter. That summer I traded it in for my Jeep. 

shop-teacher > functionoverfashion 01/09/2020 at 10:52

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I say NP, but you’re probably right in your case to pass on it.  It is always fun to look though :)

Tripper > functionoverfashion 01/09/2020 at 10:55

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We have one of those on our street. We just call it the hoarders, luckily it’s not on our block. In addition to the cars there are appliances, unsupervised children, and I’m pretty sure an illegal pit bull breeding operation which really gets under my skin. First time I’ve called the police on anyone ever , the officer with whom I spoke was super nice:

“You live in the village, and you’re calling about the dogs ?”

Me: “yes”

Officer: “the kennel or the house with all of the stuff in the yard?”

(There is a doggy day care on the street behind our neighborhood)

Me: “the house, I’m not calling to complain about barking or anything but it looks like they might be running some crack pot puppy mill”

Officer: “You’re probably the 10th person we’ve spoken to today. There is an officer sitting on the house to makes sure it’s what everyone thinks it is.”

They made an arrest but it seems like they’re back at it:(

functionoverfashion > Tripper 01/09/2020 at 11:24

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Oh boy that sounds like a treat. This guy is super nice, has a wife (I guess) and two daughters who go to school with my son now. But also, yes. A shed in the yard that’s falling down, and undoubtedly full of junk. Kids bikes on the roof of the shed along with random bits of pipe. Also on the roof forever was an extra door to the old chevy, for some reason. Probably still there. Junk everywhere. But the house itself looks... more or less well kept? I guess?

At least he seems nice. That’s a big plus. 

Tripper > functionoverfashion 01/09/2020 at 12:17

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Yea I have no beef with messy people, although I myself would go crazy. These people are dicks. My first encounter with them was driving past I guess one of the younger kids? (maybe 17-18) with what looked like his child on his lap riding one of those $200 Chinese mini bikes, cigarette in one hand phone in the other taking a selfy of he and the baby... in motion!

GLiddy > functionoverfashion 01/09/2020 at 12:40

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Snuze: Needs another Swede > functionoverfashion 01/09/2020 at 12:46

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I like the nice-but-crazy people. We’ve got a few in my neighborhood. The guy across the street is an Army vet and retired cop, he’s divorced , and has an OJ Bronco, old C-class Benz, Lincoln Mk VI I, and a fox body 5.0 convertible. He’s a bit of a hermit but when he does come around he’s got some good stories. He had a stroke last year and while he was in the hospital his kids came over with a dumpster and spent 4 days hauling shit out of his house. I think on Saturday I’m going to try and fix his garage door opener.  

There’s also a guy the next street over who is nice, but possibly also always stoned. He’s got 4 Saabs (900, 900 Cabrio, 900 Turbo, 9-3 Aero) , a Fiero, a Vanogan, an Alfa Romeo Spider (Graduate Edition), a 72 Camaro with a big block/4spd swap, and then an early 2000's Grand Cherokee and Corolla. And a boat. And the shit’s just all over his driveway and tiny yard. He told me once he wants to sell the Camaro and depending on what it is and what he wants, I’m highly interested.  

functionoverfashion > Tripper 01/09/2020 at 14:08

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what...

Tripper > functionoverfashion 01/09/2020 at 15:28

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Yep, on the way to my wedding! My best man and I had just climbed into our uber, rounded the corner and there they were! I was like “Do we fuckin’ call someone about that?!” To which he responded “not today”.