I can still build my 2500 tradesmand with airbags for less than 50K. Won't own another diesel again. No way! and a guy don't need all the extras. Foo foo it up and you'll pay pay pay. It's not necessary, though, unless you have to bury the money from write offs. It's the only way it makes and sense to me.

I used the extra savings to buy a commuter car that gets 40 mpg. That car is pretty much free compensating for the miles you don't put on the truck at resale.

I've put more deer in the back of my Ford Focus than in my truck for sure. FWIW, you can fit two adult deer in the back of that car no problem and it's actually easier to load them than into the high bed of a truck.

I used to remember an old Beaver trapper who trapped the logging trails of northern MN decades ago in an old rusty Gremlin. He had it figured out. People now think they need a 50K truck to toss a $10 beaver into or drive to Wal-Mart. It's nuts to me.

You got a steal on that Tundra, it would sell the day it was listed here for three times that. And if it was a Tacoma it would be worth even more.

Prices go up and quality goes down! My 2013 Silverado has 83,000 miles and the frame is rusted through. At least they could do is use American steel and undercoat their vehicles.

The last time I bought a new vehicle off the lot was in 1980, and I paid in greenbacks; literally.

There is no way on earth I would ever pay $100K (or even 50K) for something that is going to depreciate from the day I buy it.

I have halled deer on the hood of an 85 chevet got thumbs up every time. Got to have the head on the driver side so you can see over the neck the body is to high to see over. Fill your washer fluid so you can wash the blood off thet splatters back on the windshield out of its mouth and nose.

I halled deer in the back floor board of my 1990 Ford probe, in a few different mini vans( be sure you move the kids back pack or their books and home work will get blood on them.

Had deer ride in the trunk of my Honda accord and several suv's. By fare the best to load is the mini vans. So nice and low to the ground and nice wide sliding door.

Truck are the easiest to wash up though.

You can fit three gutted does in the trunk of a 99 2 door honda civic...

Image sells, that is the problem. I make more money driving a nice truck vs a cheap car. There's a value to having a new vehicle that is not universal but still there.

I'm unsure what exactly the difference is in the big horn to the laramie. Leather seats vs cloth seats seems to be one difference and $10000. The leather seats in my laramie are probably the most comfortable truck seats I've been in. When I get a minute I'll go have a look at the bighorn.

Next question. High output cummins with the aisin trans or standard 6.7L cummins with the torqueflight trans? I figure one warranty is expired I'll def delete it so maybe the heavier duty trans be the best?

Very true. Pull up to bid a tree job in a beat up rusted out truck and you might get the job if you have a low bid. But pull up in a nice truck with tool boxes and flashing lights and you will get the job with a much higher bid and the customer will be much more friendly and respectful generally.

The only reason I buy new vehicles all the time is for the new vehicle smell.Its like castor to a beaver.

I bought a jeep pickup a year and a half ago. got an email from the dealer that ordered it for me yesterday.



I dont think its got very soft yet

I've driven used and usually rebuilders most of my life and still am really fond of the crew cab super duty F250 I have had for 20 years. However, at 60 years old, I have come to the conclusion life is short. My next truck will likely be my last truck...thinking real hard about a brand new one. If I can afford it, why not? The biggest reason I can think of not buying a new truck is knowing how much it will tick me off when I get the first door ding...

Agreed. I buy a new truck every 5 years for that reason (amongts others). That does have some return value (along with the write off). However, I think there is a point where people shy away. If I see a guy show up in a 110K, pimped out truck, bidding my tree work, I know I'm paying extra for his truck, amongts other things. Those trucks are a dime a dozen around here in the landscape, building trades. Middle road, clean and professional, is what I "think" most look for (depending on location).

That said, the new trucks are garbage compared to the older trucks. I wish they still made new older style trucks. Most guys in Alaska who live OUT won't buy a new truck (they are unreliable and can't be fixed on the side of the road). They fly down to the southern states and buy 25 year old trucks and have them rebuilt.

Donnie: Yep, I could have got 3 deer in the focus I'm pretty sure. The antlers on the buck got a little stuck in the back seat divider, however. One of those deals where they slide in real nice but it turns into a wrestling matcht getting them out.

I had n I t had my wife's van 3 days and drove it to work. Came out with a nice door ding. I parked well away from everyone and in the back of the lot when I got there. But the lot fills and empty while I'm there with my 16 hr shifts.

If I was driving a van to work, I'd park well away in a back lot to!

Yep!!!

Bought a new to me '17 F150 in 2020 which already came with a passenger side door ding

I felt like that when I took over my wife old van years ago. Then I got used to driving it and decided I liked it.

Coverd storage can hall 4x8 ply wood, 10' lumber, 7 people when needed in comfort, easy to get in and out of and 25mpg.
The more I drove it the more I liked it.

People like me are taking a real beating with these truck prices.

I have never owned a new vehicle and have not made a car payment since 1985. I've found the best way to have a nice, reliable truck is to buy for cash every few years. I put money away regularly for when I will need a new truck, then when it's time, I find a good deal on a reliable used truck and cash money talks, believe me. I look for pickups about 5-7 years old with about 90,000 or so on them. I drive them up to about 275k or so (I put on an average of 35k a year), then sell it and buy another. I have been doing this for about 30 years.

The cost of doing this keeps going up, which is natural, but the last truck I bought 4 years ago was a XLT Lariat with 91K I paid $15,000 for. It now has 233K on it so I'll be looking again in about a year. Suddenly, instead of $15k to buy, I am looking at probably $30-40k for a nice truck that's about 5 years old with less than 100k miles. That's a huge jump!

I'm in a good spot right now because I sold one of my small businesses recently and I could go purchase a new truck for cash, but I just can't bring myself to do it. The thought of putting $60-70k into something that depreciates goes against my entire lifestyle. Making payments on one is even worse. Even $30-$40k for used makes me sick. Plus I use a truck as a truck, so I can't be worried about door dings. My truck is in the woods.

Not sure how the next year or so will play out. Maybe I should get a truck for the bush and everyday driving, and then a nice one that I can put a lot less miles on and keep it for a lot longer. Not sure. Suggestions?

the cost of everything is going way up, up and up.

Wrestling with the same issue- I might keep my old truck and get a new one but I dread doubling up on insurance, maintenance, etc. Ideally- I would almost like a service style truck and use my wife’s SUV for when we go places… that idea went over like a fart in a spacesuit… so I remain undecided currently

Credit card debt is at an all time high as people are living beyond there means. What happens when unemployment goes to 8 % as people get laid off? Finally starting to see incentives on new vehicles as more are available. I think prices will come down but it will be a while. I feel like the oracle from Kentucky.