Who can afford a new truck anymore?

[TomSeller]

Today, we had mandatory home fire inspections... happens every year for compliance... .

Seriously? Which of your homes? I'd guess CA. The fire department does this or 3rd party?

 

[ultrarunner]

My apologies.... Oakland California and yes... it is done by the firefighters from the local stations...

We pay an annual assessment that started around $70 per parcel with or without home and each year the fire department conducts a site inspection and with a copy left at the property if all is good or by certified mail if not...

Still remember a few years back where I was written up for having a tree to close to my chimney and giver 14 days to correct... well, my chimney is in the exact dead center of my home with no trees anywhere near...

Then I went outside and looked around... my neighbor had an overhanging branch about 5' from a chimney... I just let it go and did nothing and about 3 weeks later received a correction completed notice... sometimes it takes too much effort to fight...

Not to get too far off into the weeds... my then 98 year old neighbor lady was all upset... she can't get around and was cited for a hazardous tree... her 1/2 acre is a through lot and the tree was on the next street... the city would not budge or discuss it... I called someone I know that is a surveyor and he agreed the tree was extremely hazardous and suggested the city take swift action to remedy since it was on city property by 4'

I realize people have a job to do... it's just too often I find I'm in the position of battling for myself, friends and family...

The tree is still there!

One of my friends drives an 1999 F350 Diesel and loves it... and NEEDS it... he lives back in the mountains, deep in a redwood forest 7 miles on dirt road... the truck is a beast and carries it's wait... no grocery getter here.

His boss has owned a number of new pickups... Dodge, Ford and GMC diesels and has yet to find the perfect new one... the last bullet proof truck from his experience of pulling a 12,000 pound trailer 40k miles a dates from the 1998... 7.3 diesel... all the newer ones have had at least one major problem which meant downtime.

 

[ultrarunner]

You know you're killing me, right? :laughing:

One thing to remember and that is no salt or winters to deal with... so it is totally normal to have a 30 year old truck that is parked outside and still be good...

The mystic of the the pristine older California car is still true...

Prior to 2001... Mom was driving a 1978 VW Rabbit for 20+ years... friends from Germany would take pictures of it and finally I had to ask why??? they said because they don't exist in Germany because they all long ago rusted away...

 

[TomSeller]

One thing to remember and that is no salt or winters to deal with... so it is totally normal to have a 30 year old truck that is parked outside and still be good...
.

Very cool and financially beneficial. Also a reason not to live in the rust belt.

 

[Bird]

The ones getting killed are often the ones shopping payment without regards to term or with no so good credit that are willing to sign just to drive new.

Many years ago, one of my brothers was a Chevrolet/Buick & RV salesman for a dealership and he said he actually had customers come in that would just about buy any new car on the lot if the payments were right. So I set up his computer with a really short little basic language program into which he could put the payment, interest rate, term, taxes and see what price vehicles they had that he might sell. Incidentally, I think he was the top salesman every month at that dealership.

 

[kenmac]

Many years ago, one of my brothers was a Chevrolet/Buick & RV salesman for a dealership and he said he actually had customers come in that would just about buy any new car on the lot if the payments were right.

Funny that you say that.. Last new vehicle (1995) I bought. The salesman actually asked me that very question.. What do I need to get your payment down to, so you can take it home with ya ?
I told him only 1 payment

 

[MossRoad]

One thing to remember and that is no salt or winters to deal with... so it is totally normal to have a 30 year old truck that is parked outside and still be good...

The mystic of the the pristine older California car is still true...

Prior to 2001... Mom was driving a 1978 VW Rabbit for 20+ years... friends from Germany would take pictures of it and finally I had to ask why??? they said because they don't exist in Germany because they all long ago rusted away...

Yeah. We got salt and winter for sure. :laughing:

 

[MossRoad]

Many years ago, one of my brothers was a Chevrolet/Buick & RV salesman for a dealership and he said he actually had customers come in that would just about buy any new car on the lot if the payments were right. So I set up his computer with a really short little basic language program into which he could put the payment, interest rate, term, taxes and see what price vehicles they had that he might sell. Incidentally, I think he was the top salesman every month at that dealership.

$99 down and $99 a month....for the rest of your life...

 

[kenmac]

There are a lot of the buy here pay here lots around here..Miss a few payments (1 maybe 2),and they'll come get it ,and sell it again...These type lots probably sell the same vehicle over,and over to different people

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Lots of people fall for the "how much per month" trap. I dicker on total price.