Y'all's opinion on some truck choices

[Piston]

I think that's a good choice Rusty. You may as well enjoy the nice truck you have, knowing the history of it and knowing you've taken good care of it, rather than roll the dice on something else that you may not be happy with.

Tim,
I didn't end up with a Ford Escape by choice, my wife bought it used in '04 when it was a couple years old, with close to 40k miles on it then. When she took a job over an hour away, we needed to get her something more efficient and something I wouldn't worry about her driving day in and day out. She ended up with a VW Jetta wagon with the deisel engine. I absolutely love that car! Unfortunately though, I ended up with the Escape. For the most part it is now just a "dog" car as we rarely use it, she doesn't work anymore so we're pretty much a one car family with the Jetta. I also use the Escape as my "side by side" utility vehicle.

 

[timswi]

I think that's a good choice Rusty. You may as well enjoy the nice truck you have, knowing the history of it and knowing you've taken good care of it, rather than roll the dice on something else that you may not be happy with.

Tim,
I didn't end up with a Ford Escape by choice, my wife bought it used in '04 when it was a couple years old, with close to 40k miles on it then. When she took a job over an hour away, we needed to get her something more efficient and something I wouldn't worry about her driving day in and day out. She ended up with a VW Jetta wagon with the deisel engine. I absolutely love that car! Unfortunately though, I ended up with the Escape. For the most part it is now just a "dog" car as we rarely use it, she doesn't work anymore so we're pretty much a one car family with the Jetta. I also use the Escape as my "side by side" utility vehicle.

As a second quasi un-necessary car, that certainly changes the dynamic....Why worry about it---get your tractor.

 

[Piston]

As a second quasi un-necessary car, that certainly changes the dynamic....Why worry about it---get your tractor.

I like your way of thinking :laughing:

 

[timswi]

I like your way of thinking :laughing:

I assumed the Escape was a work commuter vehicle...If it buys the farm in a year, just go find an old $2500 pickup to use as the second car..They're out there...My way of thinking anyway...Having one good car laying around is a must in my book, sounds like the VW fits that bill.

 

[Oaktree]

If it buys the farm in a year, just go find an old $2500 pickup to use as the second car..They're out there...

Not sure that's such a great idea. Dunno how things are where you live, but trucks hold their value a lot better than cars...by the time one gets in that price range, it's been pretty much run into the ground. I'm sure there are occasional exceptions, but IMHO you'll need to spend at least $6k to get something that won't be a money pit. Don't ask how I learned that.

 

[cockeyedMFer]

I miss the days when $500 would buy a decent work truck that would last a while. Even just a few years ago with some looking you could find something functional for $1000 if you didn't care about looks or working AC. Granted they require more attention over time. Now it seems like every truck for sale suddenly has 180k miles and any major repair can't be done at home and will cost more than the value of the truck. I see nicer trucks in the junkyard than I used to drive!

Oaktree, our family has a similar formula for cars. We look for models that are a little older but have been well cared for, and pay around 5k. That seems to get us a well optioned car with not too many miles and good cosmetics.

My biggest worry is what we'll do 10 years from now. I really don't see myself needing a car that's any newer than 2006 or 2007...too much technology in the newer models. Maybe that's what the future "classic" cars will be - the cars of today that are reliable and low tech.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Not sure that's such a great idea. Dunno how things are where you live, but trucks hold their value a lot better than cars...by the time one gets in that price range, it's been pretty much run into the ground. I'm sure there are occasional exceptions, but IMHO you'll need to spend at least $6k to get something that won't be a money pit. Don't ask how I learned that.

Same here. $6000 gets you a well worn 1/2 ton with 250,000 miles.

Chris

 

[two_bit_score]

I miss the days when $500 would buy a decent work truck that would last a while. Even just a few years ago with some looking you could find something functional for $1000 if you didn't care about looks or working AC. Granted they require more attention over time. Now it seems like every truck for sale suddenly has 180k miles and any major repair can't be done at home and will cost more than the value of the truck. I see nicer trucks in the junkyard than I used to drive!

Oaktree, our family has a similar formula for cars. We look for models that are a little older but have been well cared for, and pay around 5k. That seems to get us a well optioned car with not too many miles and good cosmetics.

My biggest worry is what we'll do 10 years from now. I really don't see myself needing a car that's any newer than 2006 or 2007...too much technology in the newer models. Maybe that's what the future "classic" cars will be - the cars of today that are reliable and low tech.

I know a guy that tries to buy 'work trucks' cheap to be daily drivers. He winds up doing so much to them that they are a lot better than mod of us have for daily drivers and someone offers to buy them for about what he's got in them. So the cycle starts all over again. it's kinda his hobby though.

 

[timswi]

Not sure that's such a great idea. Dunno how things are where you live, but trucks hold their value a lot better than cars...by the time one gets in that price range, it's been pretty much run into the ground. I'm sure there are occasional exceptions, but IMHO you'll need to spend at least $6k to get something that won't be a money pit. Don't ask how I learned that.

I can get 70's/'80's trucks around here for 2500-3k..Not show pieces, but good runners just the same...The OP said the 245k escape was a distant backup vehicle, not a daily driver...I would think the repairs on an old pickup would be much cheaper than an Escape...I've owned tons of them and none of them were money sinks unless I was restoring them.

 

[R_Walter]

Someone might have mentioned this already, but.... I'm not sure you'd see $46k on a trade-in unless you overpay on the new one you might be buyin.