I went truck shopping yesterday

Morgan3820

Morgan3820

Ejection Handle Pulled
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Jun 29, 2013
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New Bern, NC
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El Conquistador
2 1/2 hour drive to the big city, Came home with nothing. If there is a recession, it is not in evidence. I wish that I had purchased in 2019. Either I am going to have to lower my expectations or bump up my budget. It appears that people have way more tolerance for debt than I do. YT keeps telling me that a car bubble is going to pop, but everyone is still holding on to high prices and add on fees. To all of you that bought in before the bubble, count yourself fortunate.

I would appreciate any thoughtful words of encouragement or ideas.

I was able to get a pound of Varget reloading powder. First that I have seen in a couple of years. So it was not a total loss.
 
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If you’re willing to wait, the best deal I’ve found is ordering new from certain Ram dealers. The one below is offering 6% below invoice. I ordered from a different dealer in Iowa who stopped with their below invoice pricing, but many folks on these forums have been reporting nothing but great experiences with this process. Well the wait is not fun, and the order Ram builds the vehicles is a bit of a mystery. But for a great deal on a new truck that is exactly what you want, this is the way to go.

https://5thgenrams.com/community/th...nder-invoice-w-500-deposit.48913/#post-705135
 
You can wait, or maybe no one can.

It’s either the price will come down cause of a big recession but then there could be more to worry about. Or, this is the new normal.

The American car makers aren’t hunting for volumes like they used to. These are a desirable vehicles now especially the nicer trims. And just like 10 year ago I couldn’t find an excess end of year bmw to try and get a discount on, they are now playing similar game adjusting production to avoid excessive inventory and needing to spend on incentives to move them.

That said there is now incentives out there. I think it’s just the change in expectations. You can’t find a large euro luxury vehicle for cheap either. Likely you can’t for well appointed large trucks going forward?
 
FoCoJayco said:
If you’re willing to wait, the best deal I’ve found is ordering new from certain Ram dealers. The one below is offering 6% below invoice. I ordered from a different dealer in Iowa who stopped with their below invoice pricing, but many folks on these forums have been reporting nothing but great experiences with this process. Well the wait is not fun, and the order Ram builds the vehicles is a bit of a mystery. But for a great deal on a new truck that is exactly what you want, this is the way to go.

https://5thgenrams.com/community/th...nder-invoice-w-500-deposit.48913/#post-705135
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94% of $67,000 is still double my budget, unfortunately.
 
It would be nice if Hyundai started making full size pick ups for 2/3s the price of the big three.
 
Unless I'm nuts, that would throw their CAFE in the wrong direction. May not be a wise decision right now, but I sympathize.
 
Morgan3820 said:
94% of $67,000 is still double my budget, unfortunately.
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Yeah, new vehicles are not cheep. Used are even more inflated versus typical depreciation.

This won’t help given your budget, but Invoice != MSRP. For my vehicle (they will vary a bit), invoice pricing was 7% below MSRP. The offer I quoted is another 6% off that.

For those willing/able to spend the $$ for a newish vehicle, waiting 6 months on a special order will save >10k over buying new off the lot and still save slightly compared to used on a lot.
 
I bet there are still chip shortages. The Chinese are having the mother of all COVID outbreaks, and we still haven't built any chip plants here. That, and international shipping is all bolluxed. That, and the guys "predicting" a recession are so full of mierda their eyes are brown. No one can predict the future, but that doesn't stop a pack of phallus-headed idiots from claiming they can do so, and lots more idiots from listening to them.
 
About to ditch the '19 f150 after the cam phaser fiasco. Dealer lied and said they did the software fix (that everyone knows doesn't work)before full replacement would be covered. Now they want 4k for the phaser work. It met every other criteria.

So if you want an extended cab long bed white 2019 F150 lariat with 65k miles...
 
Racerx said:
About to ditch the '19 f150 after the cam phaser fiasco. Dealer lied and said they did the software fix (that everyone knows doesn't work)before full replacement would be covered. Now they want 4k for the phaser work. It met every other criteria.

So if you want an extended cab long bed white 2019 F150 lariat with 65k miles...
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I have a friend that can fix the cam phaser thing for a little over a grand. He has requested that I find a truckk with the 5.0l as he views it as the lesser of two evils. Unfortunately, I am looking for a super crew cab. But I like the rest of it.
 
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I guess it all depends on why you want/need a new truck and does it have to be a 1/2 ton? Midsize trucks today are bigger and more capable than what 1/2 ton trucks were in the 2000's. A new base model truck comes with more features than a fully loaded truck from 15 years ago. I will never be in the market for a new truck so my take probably isn't helpful. I use a truck for truck things and have something more practical as a daily driver. If I were to buy a new truck I would probably opt for the lowest trim package with the biggest engine or even go up to a gas 3/4 ton as they might be easier to get. If I were looking for a daily driver to occasionally haul a boat or utility trailer I would probably get a low trim Ranger or new Colorado/Canyon with the turbo 4 cylinders.
 
How much are you towing/hauling ?
 
Morgan3820 said:
94% of $67,000 is still double my budget, unfortunately.
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Lower your expectations. For $35K, you can get into a new base model 1/2 ton from any of the big 3. You may have to order and wait, but it is what it is.

I feel like I got lucky with the 2017 King Ranch FX4 I got in December, 2019 for $34K. I can get more than that on trade or private party sale with just shy of 80K miles today.

2020-2022 were dead years for production; coupled with inflation, prices today are the new normal and that’s not just for vehicles. Transitory inflation has been real sticky, and you’ll see lower inflation rates reported beginning this month because it’s reported as year over year figures. That means all the inflation in 2022 is now baked in and the 6% or so inflation in March is being measured against last March’s 8.5% increase. Wages aren’t keeping up and interest rates aren’t doing anything to tame inflation because a lot of Americans look at consumer debt the way they look at student loan debt.

Welcome back stagflation.
 
One way of thinking about it if it makes you feel better...

A new truck with similar options and power as a 15-20 year old fully loaded truck really isn't that much more expensive. A 4x4 Crew Cab 2005 LT with the 5.3 started at 38k. A new Custom trim (which is probably most comparable) with the 2.7L is about 8k more but also has a lot more of everything.

In reality though a new LT trimmed Colorado is a closer match to the 05 1/2 ton and actually cost the same as what the 05 did when new.
 
I doubt new prices are going to move much. There's still too much money sloshing around in our financial system with buyers too-eager to take on new debt (b/c our country suffers from short term memory loss). Used might be an opportunity.

The good news is a lot of people who buy trucks are completely financially illiterate and they buy trucks as more of a culture/status symbol and not as a practical vehicle -- all while overextending themselves to extreme levels. I suspect a lot of those truck owners are showing up in these auto loan delinquencies, which are on an unstoppable climb upwards. That dynamic will not change soon. Might help bring prices down a bit when they're forced to sell. Only time will tell.

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Yeah, buy a repo. One may get an ok deal from the Ram dealer, but then you have to buy a Chrysler. That alone can lead to other problems.
 
ArrowFlyer86 said:
The good news is a lot of people who buy trucks are completely financially illiterate and they buy trucks as more of a culture/status symbol and not as a practical vehicle
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"status symbol". To anybody who buys a depreciating asset whose usufruct can be enjoyed by any broke #ss and their 72+ month financing I say: status symbol....you keep using that word, I don't think it means what you think it means :D
 
weilke said:
So any truck bigger than a Maverick will do.
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I'm pretty sure even the Maverick can tow that much with the proper options. I think the Hyundai truck hybrid can too, or a Ridgeline.
 
weilke said:
So any truck bigger than a Maverick will do.
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Maybe, but he relatively new, it still cost more than my budget. And then there is the smaller interior space. Plus my tow is a enclosed trailer with any winds it’s gonna be kind a like the tail wagging the dog
 
hindsight2020 said:
"status symbol". To anybody who buys a depreciating asset whose usufruct can be enjoyed by any broke #ss and their 72+ month financing I say: status symbol....you keep using that word, I don't think it means what you think it means :D
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Funny enough -- at the gym there was this guy in his 20s in the locker room actively trying to recruit customers for his barbershop business. I ended up talking to him for a minute and it turns out he bought a *USED* RAM TRX truck for nearly 85k$ and pays over $250/wk in gas, and he was super proud of his truck despite his admittance that it was strangling him financially. Then it started to click why he would be so active in trying to REALLY get some haircuts lined up. To people like that, trucks are a status symbol. Some people really just don't understand that it's possible to be a manly-man and not drive a pick-up truck, and auto mfrs count on them continuing to buy the status and prestige :eek:. Makes zero sense to me.
 
ArrowFlyer86 said:
Funny enough -- at the gym there was this guy in his 20s in the locker room actively trying to recruit customers for his barbershop business. I ended up talking to him for a minute and it turns out he bought a *USED* RAM TRX truck for nearly 85k$ and pays over $250/wk in gas, and he was super proud of his truck despite his admittance that it was strangling him financially. Then it started to click why he would be so active in trying to REALLY get some haircuts lined up. To people like that, trucks are a status symbol. Some people really just don't understand that it's possible to be a manly-man and not drive a pick-up truck, and auto mfrs count on them continuing to buy the status and prestige :eek:. Makes zero sense to me.
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well at least you aren’t stereotyping all truck owners based on this one guy.
 
hindsight2020 said:
"status symbol". To anybody who buys a depreciating asset whose usufruct can be enjoyed by any broke #ss and their 72+ month financing I say: status symbol....you keep using that word, I don't think it means what you think it means :D
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My goal is to pay the least amount for the truck that will adequately do the job. The Job being Towing an enclosed 7 x 14 motorcycle trailer kitted out as a toy hauler for some occasional camping while we Airbnb across the United States with our two dogs. Don’t need any platinum trim or king rancher or any of that. Low enough milage so that I don’t have to buy again for a while. Comfortable bucket seats for those long days on the road would be nice.
 
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eman1200 said:
well at least you aren’t stereotyping all truck owners based on this one guy.
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To be clear, I'm not :)...

The OP, for instance, sounds like he has a clear cut case for towing. A truck makes sense. He also has a budget in mind and seems to be sticking to it. But I don't think that is the norm for a lot of truck buyers. From my experience in the Chicago 'burbs I see parking lots loaded with pristine expensive trucks and I'm quite confident they don't tow anything more than groceries from the store or their kids from day care.

schmookeeg said:
My goal is to find some way to put usufruct into a coherent sentence before I die.
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I had to google that one too... One thing is for sure, I'm confident I would not want to play a game of scrabble against @hindsight2020 :eek:
 
ArrowFlyer86 said:
To be clear, I'm not :)...

The OP, for instance, sounds like he has a clear cut case for towing. A truck makes sense. He also has a budget in mind and seems to be sticking to it. But I don't think that is the norm for a lot of truck buyers. From my experience in the Chicago 'burbs I see parking lots loaded with pristine expensive trucks and I'm quite confident they don't tow anything more than groceries from the store or their kids from day care.


I had to google that one too... One thing is for sure, I'm confident I would not want to play a game of scrabble against @hindsight2020 :eek:
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My current truck is a 2000 F1 50 super cab. I’ve had it for 15 years. Used it to haul lumber and trash. Paid $5000 for when it had 95,000 miles on it back in 2008 from a lite colonel going to Japan. I put another 50,000 miles on it. I have been to the mountains with it towing three times. It has the big V8 but it really struggles going up the hill into Boone, NC. And the interior is small for two dogs and two adults.
 
Grum.Man said:
I'm pretty sure even the Maverick can tow that much with the proper options. I think the Hyundai truck hybrid can too, or a Ridgeline.
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Ridgeline and even the Pilot can do 5000. Basically the same thing in different shape

We almost bought a ridgeline. Front seats are nice, bed and bed-trunk are nice. Second row is a bit meh compared to the pilot, and our mission was "4 people and occasional need for a bed" so we're back on the Pilot. The ridgeline is unloved in the market though, and deals (and even dealer markdowns - shock!) are possible. Neat truck*

* for those who agree a "truck" means an open bed for loading junk in the back, and not some body-on-frame big 3 religious point of view :)
 
Grum.Man said:
I'm pretty sure even the Maverick can tow that much with the proper options. I think the Hyundai truck hybrid can too, or a Ridgeline.
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4000lb with the tow option. Basically a passenger car with a bed.
 
ArrowFlyer86 said:
Funny enough -- at the gym there was this guy in his 20s in the locker room actively trying to recruit customers for his barbershop business. I ended up talking to him for a minute and it turns out he bought a *USED* RAM TRX truck for nearly 85k$ and pays over $250/wk in gas, and he was super proud of his truck despite his admittance that it was strangling him financially. Then it started to click why he would be so active in trying to REALLY get some haircuts lined up. To people like that, trucks are a status symbol. Some people really just don't understand that it's possible to be a manly-man and not drive a pick-up truck, and auto mfrs count on them continuing to buy the status and prestige :eek:. Makes zero sense to me.
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Status and image has been part of car industry since its inception. Otherwise I suspect 80% or more of buyers don’t need anything more than a Corolla.
 
schmookeeg said:
Ridgeline and even the Pilot can do 5000. Basically the same thing in different shape

We almost bought a ridgeline. Front seats are nice, bed and bed-trunk are nice. Second row is a bit meh compared to the pilot, and our mission was "4 people and occasional need for a bed" so we're back on the Pilot. The ridgeline is unloved in the market though, and deals (and even dealer markdowns - shock!) are possible. Neat truck*

* for those who agree a "truck" means an open bed for loading junk in the back, and not some body-on-frame big 3 religious point of view :)
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Ive been eyeing the ridgeline the RTL model seems well equipped for the price. I like that theres no addon stickers 5 to 10k long like the chevy dealers. Truck guys seem to knock them but i dont see any downsides to them unless you have to tow something more than 5k but less than 7 .
 
schmookeeg said:
Ridgeline and even the Pilot can do 5000. Basically the same thing in different shape

We almost bought a ridgeline. Front seats are nice, bed and bed-trunk are nice. Second row is a bit meh compared to the pilot, and our mission was "4 people and occasional need for a bed" so we're back on the Pilot. The ridgeline is unloved in the market though, and deals (and even dealer markdowns - shock!) are possible. Neat truck*

* for those who agree a "truck" means an open bed for loading junk in the back, and not some body-on-frame big 3 religious point of view :)
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I never could fall in love with the Ridgeline but the reality is, it’s more than most people need. I liked the first gen looks but the shape of the bedside made it impossible to access the bed without climbing in. The second gen fixed the access issue but it just looks off to me. People have strange taste though. The Tacoma is a horrid little truck to drive yet is still the best seller. I tend to get a TRD as a rental at Avis quite a lot. I’ve gotten in the habit of asking for something different now.
 
schmookeeg said:
our mission was "4 people and occasional need for a bed" so we're back on the Pilot.
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"Occasional need for a bed" to me screams NotPickupTruck + utility trailer. I don't get why people automatically reach for the pickup truck first instead of looking at utility trailers.
 
asicer said:
"Occasional need for a bed" to me screams NotPickupTruck + utility trailer. I don't get why people automatically reach for the pickup truck first instead of looking at utility trailers.
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Parking, for us. The airport is persnickety about what gets parked on the ramp. Otherwise I could keep my cockroach Outback and just lug my junk around in some uhaulish 5x8

The things I need to haul on the regular (wing jacks, tail weight, utility cart, tools and goodies) will fit fine in a 3-row SUV/crossover/whatever with the aft 2 rows folded down. My main hesitation is not wanting to cootie up a $50,000 plush Honda with aviation detritus. Frankly an Odyssey would do my mission even better, just trying to convince my other half of it.

I think the most I've spent on any car is 25k so I'm reluctant to splurge in this new normal. So we wait and watch and waffle. :)
 
Morgan3820 said:
In what way?
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In 2019, a new F150 XL SCab 2WD had an MSRP of $32K with the small motor.

You can order (for another week or so) a ‘23 XL with the base V6 for $38K. If you want the 5.0 or 3.6EB and a trailer tow package you’re at $45K with no other options.

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There’s a handful of Ram dealers doing cashback at MSRP for on the lot vehicles. $45K will get you this at Nyle Maxwell Taylor.
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That’s got the Hemi and trailer tow pkg and there’s 3 in stock.
 
I think we will see the car market come back down a little by year end. I’m already seeing the market starting to soften on things like boats and off road toys. I feel like the car market is still strong primarily because of people who haven’t bought over the past 2-3 years due to availability. I don’t think we will see 10k discounts like we had 3-4 years ago unless the market really heads off a cliff.
 
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