So for the past few weeks I have been cruising the Web looking at the trucks and holy molly the price of a bloody truck is outrageous and I have to wonder how in God's name anyone can afford one. I routinely see young folks driving around in by all accounts nearly a $80k truck and that does not even factor in the aftermarket add-ons. It would not surprise me one bit of I were to learn that some of these dually diesels were $100k.
So what do you fellas do for a work vehicle because even the used ones are commanding very high prices.
Around here I gotta tell ya the fee's need to double or triple to get to where they need to be but after looking at the truck prices even that will not be enough.
Have you raised your costs this month? I go up on my fee's tomorrow.
Many of those folks are not affording the $80K vehicle, they are only affording the 6 years worth of $1200/month payments for right now and are just one extra drain on their paycheck from not being able to make that payment.
I'm the sucker who usually buys new for both work and personal vehicles.?ÿ That should be great for someone else down the road to save the depreciation, except that I drive them forever.?ÿ I still have an '04 Ranger with 269K miles that I work out of (although I have been phasing out of it and into my '16 Frontier due to comfort).
Anecdotal - ROUGH CALCS DONE ON THE FLY - My new (when purchased in '04) Ranger works out to about $1800/year cost of only the vehicle.?ÿ No major repairs have been needed.?ÿ A colleague buys very used and has gone through?ÿ four different used vehicles bought for much cheaper, but needed major repairs and caused downtime.?ÿ Rough estimation of his vehicle w/ repairs costs would be about $2200/year NOT INCLUDING DOWNTIME.?ÿ Not a huge price difference, but I've had working air conditioning and no parts hanging off of my vehicle over the years.
If you like your Frontier aside from the size, have you looked at the Nissan Titan??ÿ Online pricing shows MSRP for a 4X4 crew cab SV being about $43K.?ÿ I haven't compared the beds, but the Titan may have more bed room than the Frontier.?ÿ When I bought my Frontier, the price for what I got was a big factor.?ÿ Of course the car reviewers will point out that is because the Nissans are a little dated with minimal new technology added compared to other trucks.
So for the past few weeks I have been cruising the Web looking at the trucks and holy molly the price of a bloody truck is outrageous and I have to wonder how in God's name anyone can afford one. I routinely see young folks driving around in by all accounts nearly a $80k truck and that does not even factor in the aftermarket add-ons. It would not surprise me one bit of I were to learn that some of these dually diesels were $100k.
So what do you fellas do for a work vehicle because even the used ones are commanding very high prices.
Around here I gotta tell ya the fee's need to double or triple to get to where they need to be but after looking at the truck prices even that will not be enough.
Have you raised your costs this month? I go up on my fee's tomorrow.
A nice f350 diesel or Chevy diesel can go upwards of 60k.
?ÿ
The auto dealer sells them with 84 to 96 month financing so the buyer can roll that mortgage down the road whilst paying 120 a week in gas if commuting 60 miles round trip.
All for the sake of looking good?ÿ
Ah yes, we always have to be concerned with appearances. As my favorite rastler Ric Flair would say, Whooo, stylin and profiling whoo.
84 months? 96 months? For a truck? You've gotta be kidding me! I have never went more than 5 years and it kills me to do that.
I hear ya.?ÿ Some of these trucks cost as much as, or in some cases, more than a new vette cost.?ÿ It's crazy.?ÿ Seeing people who would never buy a vette driving around in a just as expensive truck.?ÿ But if you take your time and look around, you can find a deal.?ÿ If you want to call it that.?ÿ I had to bite the bullet last fall after I got T boned in my 06 Jeep with only 80,000 miles on it.?ÿ Totaled.?ÿ My 02 Frontier was also showing its age.?ÿ I found and bought a "new" leftover 2017 Titan XD SV Extended Cab 4X4 with the Cummins engine in the color that I wanted (dark Pearl blue) and I love it.?ÿ I got it for $12K off the sticker price.
Sure, buying a 1 year old leftover brand new vehicle will hurt you if you try to sell or trade it in in a few years, but I plan on keeping it probably longer than my last truck of 16 years.?ÿ So it's not a factor.
I've always and forever thought a Suburban to be the best survey chariot however there are a few others that were strong contenders but a few are no longer made.
The Chevy Astro AWD would be an excellent choice.?ÿ
Ford Excursion, whoo doggie, now this is a survey rig to have.
Ford Transit Connect kinda intrigues me, IF and only IF it could handle some minor offroad use. I know nothing about it but it appears to be a practical vehicle for work use.
The Honda Element is another that intrigues me in that it might be a capable vehicle but I know nothing about it.
The Honda Ridgeline seems like a good choice?ÿ
The Chevy Avalanche?ÿ
I am down on large trucks simply because bed access is difficult without one of those bed slides. If I do get a full size truck it will have to have a bed slide.
The suburban doesn't have side windows that open into the rear compartment like the ARE camper and if you have anything that rattles, you have to listen to it all the way home. I went thru 3 suburbans before getting the half ton with the camper shell.
James
Agreed. The 4x4 Astro van was a tank. A friend had one and it was unstoppable in mud or snow. The only time I remember getting stuck is when he wedged it between two trees while taking a "short cut" through the woods.
I wish I was kidding about that, but folks are taking out vehicle loans of that length. Worse than that, there are websites that suggest it is not a good idea in one paragraph and then in the next they'll say if you really want that new fancy vehicle 84 months may be the best way for you to get it in a payment that you can afford.
I keep mine long enough and save what would be the payments so that I fortunately haven't had to finance in a long while. I HATE paying interest and avoid it as much as I possibly can.
- Love a Toyota for a survey truck. Tacoma is a little small but the tundra is just right. You can pick up a used one with 50k miles and it will last forever.?ÿ
Down here in NZ we call them Ute's and all the survey ones I've worked out of have the canopy over the tray that opens at the back and the sides and a plywood box thats twice the height of whats under your cover. GNSS/TS boxes often sit in the middle at the top, that'd clear your backseat out?
I'm using a 2017 Tacoma right now and have used a Tundra in the past. Your comment is spot on.
My 2002 Tacoma, bought new, is near perfect for what I do. If they made them the same, I'd buy a new one now.
How do you pronounce "ute"
Is it ooh-ta (long a)
or you-t (short t)
you-t (short t), as in "beaut ute, mate".
I thought it was a misspelling of "youth".
?ÿ
Back in the 1972 on my first major construction survey of a 70 acre mini-mall with sites for other business and eateries in Tyler, Texas this is the machine the operators called "ute".
So last week I found a nice rust free 2016 GMC extended cab. Only 40,050 miles on it. Test drove it, and love it, great truck - although the drivers seat (may) have been a little broken down from the previous owner as it seemed thin in the lumbar region. It had a decent amount of options, but not fully loaded, likely the way I would order a truck if I was getting a new one - except it had carpeted floors. They wanted $32k, again probably right, maybe a bit more than I wanted to spend.
So here is the new problem, I beat the living crap out of the old truck last week. Woods, scratches, mud, rocks, the works. I do maybe 20% of my work in those conditions. Now I am thinking about this, how in the heck can I do that to a new truck? I am serious, spending that kind of money on something that HAS to get beat on is just not in my DNA. OK, so now what? Look for a 6-9yr old truck under 60k miles, and plan on using it for 5 years instead on the 15 yrs on this one?
Short for "Utility"?