# Decide whether to repair or replace an aging truck

Compares the total cost of keeping, rebuilding, or replacing a fleet vehicle, including downtime, resale, and financing.

- Topic: Thinking & Decisions
- Framework: Few-Shot
- Level: Standard
- Tags: Finance, Fill-in Template
- Source: https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/prompts/decide-whether-to-repair-or-replace-an-aging-truck

## Prompt

```text
Help me decide whether to repair or replace a truck.

**Unit:** [TYPE, MAKE, MODEL YEAR, MILEAGE OR ENGINE HOURS]
**The repair needed now:** [e.g. "engine overhaul", "transmission", "aftertreatment system" - QUOTED COST AND DOWNTIME]
**Maintenance history:** [COST PER MILE LAST 12 AND 24 MONTHS, MAJOR REPAIRS, ROADSIDE BREAKDOWNS]
**Fuel economy:** [MPG OR L/100KM vs newer units]
**Revenue lost when it's down:** [PER DAY - or how we cover the load]
**Resale or trade-in value:** [AS-IS AND AFTER REPAIR]
**Replacement options:** [new / used, PRICE, FINANCING TERMS, LEAD TIME]
**Planned use:** [how many more years and miles we need from it]
**Other factors:** [emissions rules or low-emission zones, driver preference, warranty, tax treatment]

Compare three options over the same period: repair and keep, repair and sell soon, replace now.

For each, calculate:
- Total cost: repair, expected future maintenance, fuel, financing, downtime cost, minus resale value.
- Cost per mile.
- Reliability risk: chance of another major failure.

Return:
- A comparison table.
- A recommendation with the reasoning.
- The break-even point: the repair cost or mileage at which replacing wins.
- What would change the answer.
- A simple rule I can apply to future units (e.g. replace when cost per mile exceeds a set level for two quarters).

Use only my figures, mark estimates [ESTIMATE], and ask for anything missing as [ADD]. For tax and depreciation effects, check with my accountant.
```

## What to fill in

- TYPE, MAKE, MODEL YEAR, MILEAGE OR ENGINE HOURS
- MPG OR L/100KM vs newer units
- PER DAY - or how we cover the load
- AS-IS AND AFTER REPAIR
- new / used, PRICE, FINANCING TERMS, LEAD TIME
- how many more years and miles we need from it
- ESTIMATE
- ADD

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