They're pretty tough for sure, but of course like any vehicle they have their little downfalls.
Oh, yeah, at one point it looked like I'd be driving one 200 miles round trip each weekend, while living a mile down an unmaintained dirt road. The original tires aren't all that wonderful but can be upgraded.
They are a blast to drive and relatively easy to work on and they're well documented, but everything is bigger and heavier.
Yeah, when I almost bought one not long ago I was definitely pacing off parking spaces. There's a couple places on campus I could probably even fit one! I'd like to move off campus though, and won't be driving until February, but I'd snap one up after that if one's for sale around my area.
If I get one in such a short time frame, it would, yes, be my first car, literally.
They're not what you'd consider a luxury vehicle, nor a sports car (I'm talking screaming down the freeway at 45-50MPH in the rightmost lane wearing earplugs) but they're still a lot of fun. There's a lot of people who like them for what they are, not what they aren't, myself included.
And my roommate bought a 5 ton version of the Deuce (Deuce is a 2-/12 ton) as a 14 year old high school freshman, as the first vehicle he bought with his own money. He still has it and we actually met because of that truck- if I hadn't commented on a thread about it on one of the military vehicle forums we would never have met. The possibility does exist that this fall I'll get to drive it!
In Alaska, a CDL's minimum age is 19, but I don't know about minimum time for a "normal" operators license, I'll have to look. For a Deuce, you don't need one here, but for a 5 ton, you will, as those have full air brakes. A Deuce has air-over-hydraulic brakes, which are single circuit, which is in a way kind of a scary thing, but these trucks are designed on '50s technology! First thing, if you get one, Mike, go through the BRAKES!!! First thing!
Shoot, your neighbors can have their RV, your brother can have their school bus, and you can have a Zoom Boom and a Deuce back there! Just kidding!
As far as the buy it and park it thing, that's what I'd do if I found a Deuce before I was driving and what I would have done with the ones I've looked at.