Who can afford a new truck anymore?

[KiotiKowboy]

If you have not noticed . The locomotive traction motors are powered via an electrical generator supplied from a diesel internal combustion engine . Load a whole rail car with 120tons of lead acid batteries and figure how far that 100 car freight train will travel on one charge.

The diesel is nothing but a driver for the generator. The electric motors move the train - up to at least 15,000 tons.

 

[Parkanzky]

For those of us who prefer a rear wheel drive vehicle . Truck is the only option besides a high performance sports car.

There are a few more pedestrian RWD options out there. Something like a BMW 320i, Chevy SS, the Chrysler 300, or Dodge Charger are all RWD sedans.

 

[timswi]

If you really want to get your feelings hurt, go shop used truck prices. You know the old saying about "when you drive it off the lot it loses $10,000 in depreciation"? Well, the dealers somehow magically build the depreciation back into the price when they put it on the lot. My 2014 Z71 stickered for $43,000. I got $8,000(rough estimate, it was actually around $8750) in rebates, bringing the price down to around $35,000. Now, on that SAME lot was a 2013 Z71 with 32,000 miles and they were asking $ $34,900. This truck had LESS options than mine AND had 32,000 miles to boot. Un-freaking-believable! You would have had to been a dern fool to even consider NOT buying a new truck. It was as if the dealer WANTED to sell me a new truck over a used one even though the myth is they only make a couple hundred on new sales as opposed to thousands on used. Now, explain that if you can. The other kicker is go try and trade in your used, low mile, very clean truck. You'll either cry or be mad as a hornet when they lowball you. It's like your truck is junk to them, but they'll hose it down and vaccum it out and oh it'll be a prized jewel then when they stick it back on the lot according to them. I know our currency has lost its value but I have a hard time believing it's lost THAT much value. The truck market is not like I've ever seen in my life these days.

The dealer really doesn't make much on the vehicle itself, they can make good money on the back-end--Reserves, holdbacks, warranties etc.

I've always gotten more than I expected on my trades and still got the incentives on the new one...My Denali was 55k sticker, paid around 45k and got 26,000 for my 2011 GMC SLE in 2014 with 50k or so on it..Still too much money, but I walked away pretty happy.

New one


Old One

 

[MossRoad]

I posted this in another thread, but its just as well here....

Just to make sure anyone 37 years old or younger contemplating purchasing a new truck won't be saying coulda, woulda, shoulda in 30 years...

$60,000 earning 7% compounded annually for 30 years will give you a tad over $450,000 at retirement age. Hope you get a half million dollars worth of enjoyment out of that truck.

 

[Yamaha2112]

I posted this in another thread, but its just as well here....

Just to make sure anyone 37 years old or younger contemplating purchasing a new truck won't be saying coulda, woulda, shoulda in 30 years...

$60,000 earning 7% compounded annually for 30 years will give you a tad over $450,000 at retirement age. Hope you get a half million dollars worth of enjoyment out of that truck.

The illuminati is very unhappy with you disclosing its secrets.
We'll talk about this at our next meeting.

 

[grnspot110]

I posted this in another thread, but its just as well here....

Just to make sure anyone 37 years old or younger contemplating purchasing a new truck won't be saying coulda, woulda, shoulda in 30 years...

$60,000 earning 7% compounded annually for 30 years will give you a tad over $450,000 at retirement age. Hope you get a half million dollars worth of enjoyment out of that truck.

But, where are you going to get 7% interest these days?

 

[Yamaha2112]

MossRoad, if you tell grnspot110 how to do this, I will be forced to motion to rescind you 27th level back to 26.

 

[timswi]

But, where are you going to get 7% interest these days?

I've been plowing money into retirement since I was 24 (even when I couldn't afford it)...I have overall averaged 8% or so with relatively conservative index, targets, light bonds and a few individual stocks for giggles...never dreamed it would add up to what it is after 20 some years. Start early and never stop, cash in or borrow from it unless your world is literally coming to an end.

 

[Yamaha2112]

Just having a bit of fun.
Simply put, Wall Street.

Easiest way to get started is Brokerage Account | Online Brokerage Account | Charles Schwab

$1k to get it started. Lowest $ "real" account I know of at the moment.

I wish I knew then what I know now, but such is life.

Beware of the "free" ones which incur monthly charges.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Title is who can afford, not who needs one. We all buy things we don't necessarily need, including (dare I say) Tractors. I don't need to pay $5K more for a hybrid car when I can get within 1 mpg on a manual for the same vehicle (honda), but some people want a hybrid for whatever reason, and I'm not the one to tell them not to. Some people live in large, expensive houses they don't need, maybe that helps their ego or something, I don't know. So when guys want a large truck, don't spout off about what they do or don't need, that has nothing to do with anything.

 

[kenmac]

$60,000 earning 7% compounded annually for 30 years will give you a tad over $450,000 at retirement age. Hope you get a half million dollars worth of enjoyment out of that truck.

I can see we think alike. I think 7% is a bit low. but, I know what u are saying.. I preach this to my kids all the time.. 1 listens.. the other 1 ,,not so much... 1 day , he may understand what I was trying to tell him

 

[MossRoad]

The illuminati is very unhappy with you disclosing its secrets.
We'll talk about this at our next meeting.

Sorry.... I forgot.

 

[timswi]

Title is who can afford, not who needs one. We all buy things we don't necessarily need, including (dare I say) Tractors. I don't need to pay $5K more for a hybrid car when I can get within 1 mpg on a manual for the same vehicle (honda), but some people want a hybrid for whatever reason, and I'm not the one to tell them not to. Some people live in large, expensive houses they don't need, maybe that helps their ego or something, I don't know. So when guys want a large truck, don't spout off about what they do or don't need, that has nothing to do with anything.

Well said..I suffered and worked my but off for a really long time driving junk and welding stuff back together just to make it functional...I'm doing fairly well now and participate in a little conspicuous consumtion...Not to the point of obsurdity--ie, if I can't put at least 50% down and pay it off in less than 18 months I don't purchase. Most all things beyond high dollar stuff is paid for in cash. I still invest for the future and invest in my family heavily. Those, after all, are the most important. It's no one's business what I spend my money on anyway. Everyone's circumstances are materially different from yours and mine.

 

[MossRoad]

But, where are you going to get 7% interest these days?

MossRoad, if you tell grnspot110 how to do this, I will be forced to motion to rescind you 27th level back to 26.

I'm telling him anyway....

DOW

Year​	Beginning Price​	Ending Price​	Gain or Loss​	Percent Gain or Loss​
1975​	616.24​	852.41​	236.17​	38.32%​
1976​	852.41​	1004.65​	152.24​	17.86%​
1977​	1004.65​	831.17​	-173.48​	-17.27%​
1978​	831.17​	805.01​	-26.16​	-3.15%​
1979​	805.01​	838.74​	33.73​	4.19%​
1980​	838.74​	963.98​	125.24​	14.93%​
1981​	963.98​	875.00​	-88.98​	-9.23%​
1982​	875.00​	1046.55​ ​	171.55​	19.61%​
1983​	1046.55​	1258.64​ ​	212.09​	20.27%​
1984​	1258.64​	1211.57​ ​	-47.07​	-3.74%​
1985​	1211.57​	1546.67​ ​	335.10​	27.66%​
1986​	1546.67​	1895.95​ ​	349.28​	22.58%​
1987​	1895.95​	1938.83​ ​	42.88​	2.26%​
1988​	1938.83​	2168.57​ ​	229.74​	11.85%​
1989​	2168.57​	2753.20​ ​	584.63​	26.96%​
1990​	2753.20​	2633.66​ ​	-119.54​	-4.34%​
1991​	2633.66​	3168.83​	535.17​	20.32%​
1992​	3168.83​	3301.11​	132.28​	4.17%​
1993​	3301.11​	3754.09​ ​	452.98​	13.72%​
1994​	3754.09​	3834.44​	80.35​	2.14%​
1995​	3834.44​	5117.12​ ​	1282.68​	33.45%​
1996​	5117.12​	6448.27​ ​	1331.15​	26.01%​
1997​	6448.27​	7908.25​ ​	1459.98​	22.64%​
1998​	7908.25​	9181.43​ ​	1273.18​	16.10%​
1999​	9181.43​	11497.12​	2315.69​	25.22%​
2000​	11497.12​	10786.85​ ​	-710.27​	-6.18%​
2001​	10786.85​	10021.50​	-765.35​	-7.10%​
2002​	10021.50​	8341.63​	-1679.87​	-16.76%​
2003​	8341.63​	10453.92​ ​	2112.29​	25.32%​
2004​	10453.92​	10783.01​	329.09​	3.15%​
2005​	10783.01​	10717.50​ ​	-65.51​	-0.61%​
2006​	10717.50​	12463.15​	1745.65​	16.29%​
2007​	12463.15​	13264.82​	801.67​	6.43%​
2008​	13264.82​	8776.39​ ​	-4488.43​ ​	-33.84%​
2009​	8776.39​	10428.05​	1651.66​	18.82%​
2010​	10428.05​	11577.51​	1149.46​	11.02%​
2011​	11577.51​	12217.56​	640.05​	5.53%​
2012​	12217.56​	13104.14​	886.58​	7.26%​
2013​	13104.14​	16576.66​	3472.52​	26.50%​
2014​	16576.66​	17823.07​	1246.41​	7.52%​

 

[Yamaha2112]

:mur: 2008 was a MAJOR missed opportunity.
I didn't know what I was doing at all back then.

 

[MossRoad]

:mur: 2008 was a MAJOR missed opportunity.
I didn't know what I was doing at all back then.

Yeah, I was about ready to throw up when we lost about a third of our net worth that year. Wife reminded me that most other folks did too, so get over it. :laughing: We didn't waver from our plan, kept buying shares of mutual funds in our retirement plans and in 2 years we got back all we lost and 2 more years we had doubled what we had before the crash. :thumbsup: Long term is the key.

 

[Yamaha2112]

I definitely learned the hard way to be all :cool2: when it's in the red now.

 

[buickanddeere]

The diesel is nothing but a driver for the generator. The electric motors move the train - up to at least 15,000 tons.

Isn't that what I said?
For those who think batteries are the solution. How far would a railroad car of batteries power a 100 car rail train ?

 

[MossRoad]

Isn't that what I said?
For those who think batteries are the solution. How far would a railroad car of batteries power a 100 car rail train ?

Uphill or down?

 

[timswi]

Yeah, I was about ready to throw up when we lost about a third of our net worth that year. Wife reminded me that most other folks did too, so get over it. :laughing: We didn't waver from our plan, kept buying shares of mutual funds in our retirement plans and in 2 years we got back all we lost and 2 more years we had doubled what we had before the crash. :thumbsup: Long term is the key.

Exactly--I did nothing and stayed the course, what real choice was there anyway? I made a killing in the upturn.