I was at the dealer yesterday having my truck checked for the h46 steering linkage recall. (mine didn't need it). While there I looked at a new 2012 Dually SLT & it had a price tag of $55K: Salesman came up to me & asked if I was interested. I said no I'll keep my 05 with only 26K on the odometer. I told him I just couldn't justify a few more hp for 21K more than I paid for mine. Yea I know mine is just getting broke in, but all I use it for is haulin my Bigfoot camper.

 

I hear ya. A buddy of mine recently bought a F150 super crew for almost $40k. I almost fell over dead.

This is what happens when the dollar is devalued.

MikeyB

 

Talking about the devalueing of our dollar. I was just saying the other day when I started this job 30 yrs ago I was making 30K a year. Wife was a stay at home mom we raised a family had house payments, car etc & had money left over. Fast forward to today. Wife & I make 120K a year combined almost everything is paid for & next month I'm retiring & wondering if I can afford too.

 

I bought a brand new Dodge Power Wagon in 1962 and thought $2300 was too much.
It's all relative.

 

^^^ It isn't that relative.

I wouldn't want to drag this out too much but as the $$ is devalued over time, prices naturally go up. Also, many more goodies and improvements make the cost go up too (did the "62 have heated/power seats, power windows, AC and CD and etc?)

Where it loses the relativity is in affordability. IF wages had actually kept pace with inflation, then yeah, it is relative. But they have not. I make only a little more now than I did in the late 80's for the same job. Back then I bought Corvettes, Jaguars, Cadillacs... now I can't even sniff at a new truck.

A good example is this: in 2002, I bought a new Escalade with all options for $44k. Escalades have not changed much in 10 years but to get the same vehicle outfitted the same way costs $80k today. Almost double!!! My paycheck did not double.

 

Yesterday I was at the Toyota dealer helping my M-I-L buy a new Camry. Looked at a 2012 Tundra CrewMax Platinum, MSRP was almost $51k!! Labor day red tag selling was $44k!!

I would choke if I spent $30k for a 1/2 ton pickup truck.

MikeyB

 

Along this same path of new vehicle cost...a friend of mine lives by this philosophy...

"these days, it's not how much it costs outright, it's how much I pay per month"...followed by "I will never keep it long enough to own it out right"...

He recently purchased a 2012 Dually Laramie loaded...

His monthly payment is $1137.00 for five years!!

That's before he drives it or insures it... !!!

 

Guess I need to go hug my 12V yet again..........

 

I live by this philosophy today....

" I am going to keep my '07/5.9 and drive it 'till the paint falls off"

So far all I can find is a couple of small chips...got a long way to go!

 

I'd like to know how people can justify something like that. The total cost of payments for that truck, if he keeps it for the full 5 years, is $68,220. For a pick up truck. That will more than likely never make that guy a dime. Even if you have money to burn, (which he obviously doesn't or he wouldn't have payments), it doesn't make sense. It's like paying $500 for a single meal in a restaurant.

 

That's either a very good restaurant, or you are in Belgium.

 

My 01 is starting to show some age. Has about 285k on it. Been used for sure but not abused. The new ones sure look nice with all the new fangled updates on them some of which would be nice, some not so nice. I looked online as I had a bug to replace/upgrade it. Well after I replaced my shorts from the sticker shock I have decided that for 45k and up and even way up I can do one heck of a lot of upgrading, replacing, restoring etc to my current vehicle and I can do it on my time. When and if it needs it. Yes for sure it would be nice to drive a brand spanking new truck but I just couldnt justify that kind of cost. Might be different if it was still my daily driver but mine isnt any more. It is relagated to actual truck stuff and towing these days which means it gets used a lot less than it used too. For years it would get 35k miles a year put on it now it gets 8-10k a year. So I have come to the realization that my current truck is with me until the end and to be honest I am fine with it as I still love that truck. Now if the lottery ever comes my way if I ever start playing that may be a different story.

 

Sometimes I think about how nice a new truck would look in my driveway...Then I look at how much they cost and how little truck I would get...Then I think how much better off I'd be to get a custom paint job, and have a great truck I love to drive...

Then I go spend a hundred bucks to get it detailed and I'm all set for a few months......Ben

 

I get a kick out of the looks I get when I'm pulling the train down the road with a sharp clean 93 D350.

I grin even wider when I'm thinkin' "No payments"

 

Both trucks paid off and running excellent.
Another plus is that in Montana you can get any vehicle over ten years old registered for life with one final payment.
They can bury me in my truck..