I finally scratched my itch

Every year or two I get a hankering for a pick-up truck. I tell myself there's no reason in the world to buy one: Renting a truck -- on the rare occasion when I "need" one -- would be a whole heck of a lot cheaper than buying one. And, I have a friend who owns a pick-up and is more than generous in lending it to me. And, the truck I was looking doesn't exist.

So, every year or two I decided not to buy one.

When the itch returned this time, I made the same arguments to myself. But I also checked Craigslist sporadically. Again I found that what I was looking for -- a cheap, 4x4, long-bed -- wasn't available. But then one night before going to bed, I found it: a 2004 F-150 with 100 K miles for $6,800.

Well, sir:

• Kelley Blue Book said the truck was worth about $9,000.
• A friend who knows about cars and trucks went with me to look at it and gave me the thumbs up.
• My mechanic checked it and said that it only needed $400 of work.

Deal!

(Let me know if you need to borrow it.)

PS: When I registered it at DMV, the clerk looked at the bill of sale, then at her computer, then at the bill of sale, and said "You got a good deal on this." I said, "Yes, I think so. Kelley has it at about $9,000." She said, "We don't use Kelly. We use NADA. (Pause) $11,000."