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Truck ownership philosophy


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#1 srileo

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Posted 13 May 2016 - 09:25 PM

This is a freewheeling discussion... I want to understand the psychology/philosophy around recreational ownership of recreational toys. 

 

Whenever my truck needs mechanical attention from a dealer, i inevitably fall into the "damn, should i just have gotten that newer, tougher, truck with fewer miles?" dilemma. I get that thought again when i look at my measly 14mpg compared to someone's claimed 16mpg. Or someone's 2500lb payload vs my 1600lb. Or their diesel vs my gas or their mods vs mine. 

 

I am sure you guys wrestle with this as well. How do you make your peace? 

 

For me, the $$ speak very loudly. I paid $18k for my used truck. I figure that a newer used truck will cost $8 -10k more + CA registration of approx $1300. The CA registration fee alone swallows up for any mpg advantage i might get with a newer truck.  Plus i have invested in some mods in this truck which might have to be replicated in the newer truck (rear view camera, tow hitch etc) ... 

 

How do you reason when you decide to keep or sell a vehicle? Or deferring maintenance? About doing upgrades earlier in the life of the vehicle/camper vs later on? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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#2 Durango1

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Posted 13 May 2016 - 10:05 PM

I just spend. Seriously.

 

At 63 and since Sioux and I both really enjoy the WTW lifestyle and so why should we leave it ALL to the kids? :) NOTE: We are frugal on other "non-essential" stuff.

 

I feel there should be a brass plaque with my name on it at FWC headquarters!

 

Steve


Edited by Durango1, 13 May 2016 - 10:10 PM.

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#3 Wandering Sagebrush

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Posted 13 May 2016 - 10:09 PM

My 2¢ worth. I typically buy vehicles new, but not always. My philosophy is to keep a truck at least 10 years. My T100 I had for 11 years, my F250 for 16 years. Both gave great service, no regrets on either.

You can't always make the 'right' decision, but you can make the decision 'right'. Sometimes that means changes to suspension, transmission coolers, adding a backup camera and things like that. While stuff like better mileage or features are interesting, it takes quite a while to get me thinking about replacing a truck.

I do feel that I made a mistake in buying a full size popup, so I am selling it to replace it with something that will fit on the Ford Ranger (it will be a FWC or ATC) that I bought from my father when he quit driving.

Edit: I also adhere to the philosophy that Durango espouses. It's called 'SKI', which stands for Spending Kids Inheritance... ;)
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#4 Vic

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Posted 13 May 2016 - 10:13 PM

Interesting question.  I've long believed there was a cost-curve to ownership.  Steep at the beginning with depreciation but relatively little or no repairs.  Lets say years 1-4 (just making this up) have a lot of cost in depreciation.  But with a warranty no unexpected repair costs.

 

Then years 5-9 are relatively flat - little depreciation but no real major replacements or non-routine maintenance.

 

Then years 10-15 things get a little more expensive, but not hugely.  New brakes, shocks, alternator, etc.

 

After 15 years there is bound to be at least 1 'black swan' unforeseen problem.  Computer, heater core, a/c compressor, differential bearings, etc.   

 

Obviously I've made the the years for illustration purposes, and likely an individual could influence those based on maintenance and use.  And I think the out years are largely influenced by your own ability to do some level of repairs yourself.  

 

Great topic - look forward to watching this.  


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#5 srileo

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Posted 13 May 2016 - 10:32 PM

sagebrush

superb point about the "right decision" vs making the decision "right". Very well articulated. 

I would add to your observation that a lot depends on where you were coming from when you made the "right decision" in the beginning. In my case, I was looking at Frontier/Tacoma as a base truck. Compared to that, the 1/2 ton Titan seemed to be a vastly "more right" choice - similar mpg, much better payload, braking, power, cheaper etc. The only downside was that it was a "big truck" for us SanFrancisco dwellers who'd never sat inside a truck and our other vehicles were a mazda miata and a 2 dr jeep. 

 

Ofcourse, now that I have come to learn so much more about trucks, I realize that "best choice" would have been a 3/4 ton truck. But at that time, it was impossible to even fathom how to find a parking spot for a 3/4 ton truck, let alone try to park it on a san francisco hill. 

Just today, i sat in the new Titan XD. And I realized that my regular old Titan felt like a tiny Frontier next to it. LOL The cycle repeats a full circle. 

 

 

 

My 2¢ worth. I typically buy vehicles new, but not always. My philosophy is to keep a truck at least 10 years. My T100 I had for 11 years, my F250 for 16 years. Both gave great service, no regrets on either.

You can't always make the 'right' decision, but you can make the decision 'right'. Sometimes that means changes to suspension, transmission coolers, adding a backup camera and things like that. While stuff like better mileage or features are interesting, it takes quite a while to get me thinking about replacing a truck.

I do feel that I made a mistake in buying a full size popup, so I am selling it to replace it with something that will fit on the Ford Ranger (it will be a FWC or ATC) that I bought from my father when he quit driving.

Edit: I also adhere to the philosophy that Durango espouses. It's called 'SKI', which stands for Spending Kids Inheritance... ;)


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#6 Ace!

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Posted 13 May 2016 - 10:38 PM

I buy what I want, not what will get me by.  I want to be happy with my purchase and don't want to second guess it, so I research what fits my needs best and buy it.  I don't regret not getting the diesel, or the whatever.  Save up and buy the best.

 

Also, as part of your question about when to buy another truck (or whatever).  I also think that when you buy something you want you can still improve it.  I drive a ten year old truck, because it was the truck I wanted when new, and new doesn't offer anything I want, EXCEPT, those things I can add to my truck.  After ten years I wanted a front differential upgrade.  I just bought and had installed a TrueTrac.  It's what I wanted, not a new truck.  So, you can still be happy with a 10+ year old truck if you start with what you want and improve on it.  I have very little desire to have a new truck.  I bought a 2016 for work.  It doesn't do anything better than my truck, and I'd have to spend thousands on the stuff I want to make it as good as my truck.


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#7 idahoron

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Posted 14 May 2016 - 12:31 AM

When I bought my 2005 Tundra New I knew exactly what I wanted. I kept my old truck and still use it to drive to work every day. I have had my 1988 toyota xtra cab for 26 years. I only have 88,000 miles on my tundra so I don't plan to buy anything new for a while. 

I buy when the vehicle that I am driving is not doing the job. I have only bought one new truck but I will probably buy new next time too. 


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#8 Accrete

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Posted 14 May 2016 - 01:27 AM

good Q and enjoyed the read.

Though not a _truck_ I can comment on our rig...for us after much research (after having other adventure rigs) we decided on a van to convert into an overland adventure rig and what would be disignated as a daily driver for my wife ( < Trust the wisdom in that < ) .

 

At one point we researched getting a larger van as we wanted an easier camp-kitchen setup. After researching we decided to upgrade the rig we had (aluminess bumpers and galley box) instead of getting a larger van.

 

: ) Thom


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#9 Happyjax

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Posted 14 May 2016 - 03:43 AM

I tend to keep vehicles for 8-12 years unless unforeseen circumstances intervene. My Toyota Solara is nearing 11 years old and I would keep it for several more if I could get a camper in that thing :)

I do not buy new vehicles on a whim......

 

I did look at a few used trucks thinking it would be more practical but wasn't finding anything that made me want to make the leap.

 

So when it came down to making a choice I decided I wanted a new truck with lots of payload and I would wait to check out the 2017 Ford F250 with the aluminum bed before I made any choice.

 

Lots of money gonna fly out the door and then a camper needs to go on top of that but...... Lots of miles that I will not be worrying about breaking down or replacing stuff. Could something go wrong, yes, but odds are in my favor and I like it that way. I will keep the truck for many years and I will enjoy it because I decided to wait and get what I wanted.

 

The truck is not an investment. What the truck will allow me to do is the investment.

 

Excursions to places my car could never take me but my truck will get me there and my camper will let me enjoy the stay:)

 

Friendships I have made and will make because I stumbled on a site full of cool people who also like to travel and share their knowledge and experiences.

 

Pictures I will take and share of amazing places that many people I know will never get the chance to visit.

 

I can't wait to see the night skies of the Midwest where the stars are so bright and the sky so full of them you can't imagine how Captain Kirk didn't sideswipe one with the Enterprise :)

 

Discoveries that will become memories which I will have until memories don't matter anymore. 

 

Worth the money? I'm banking on a big yes! 

 

I think I'm dangerously close to sounding like a credit card commercial....lol

 

My rambling philosophy FWIW :)


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#10 Bill D

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Posted 14 May 2016 - 04:01 AM

I bought my truck new in 2009 and I have just about 100,000 miles on it now.  I'd like to think that now is the time the vehicle is really going to start paying for itself instead of me paying for it.

 

2 MPG isn't going to make or break someone.  Certainly no reason to even consider something new.  Driving habits is going to be more of a factor than a rated 2 MPG difference.

 

The main cause for older vehicles failing is things start to leak, people run old fluid.  The combination of low, old fluid that then overheats and loses its protective properties is what leads to most failures.

 

One payment > $ of changing all the fluids.


Edited by Bill D, 14 May 2016 - 06:51 AM.

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