1985 Ford F150 "Explorer"
The guy was selling it because he was moving. He had a pregnant wife and about six little toddlers running all over the place. I offered him $700 cash, which was more than a little under his asking price. He was reluctant. I pulled out the cash. He called his wife over.
"Wadurya askin' me for?" she asked. "It's yer truck."
The guy hemmed and hawed for a while. He couldn't commit. Finally his wife looked me in the eye and said, "I'll go get the title." I drove it home.
The first thing I wanted to address on the truck was that there weren't two matching tires on the whole vehicle. I got four used SUV tires mounted for like under $200. It needed some exhaust work. I had to get a replacement tail gate, which I found easily at the first junk yard I went to. Other than that it was fine. I quickly started using it for dragging large-scale yard waste around the property, taking snow blowers and lawn tractors to the doctor, hauling lumber back from the home center, and anything and everything else. It was fucking fabulous. I don't know why I didn't get one of these years earlier. I never feel as butch as when I'm behind the wheel of that truck.
After a little while I got a cap I bought out of some old guy's yard. I had to re-fit a thermostat, and the brakes needed some major work at one point. But, I mean, it's a Ford F150. It'll never die. The only thing I wish was that I'd held out for a 4WD. This one, with the rear wheel drive and an empty bed, will get stuck on wet grass. Every time I drive it out back to dump off a load of yard waste I never really know if I'll make it back or not. I don't even *think* about driving it on winter roads.
But it's there when I need it, and it gets the job done. All that and more.