Posted on 02/25/2023 7:26:39 AM PST by LouAvul
Inventory is increasing but a long way from pre panic levels. Plus, they don't seem to be interested in negotiating price.
Before, I'd contact (via email) a half dozen dealers with my criteria, they'd respond with a price, and I'd go to the lowest offer and negotiate from there.
No more, it seems.
No trades. No financing. Cash only.
What's the FR braintrust think about how to approach new vehicle purchase these days?
I never go to a dealer. I got a brand new 2019 Toyota Tundra using an auto broker. It was about $50,000 but I leased it for $0 down and $500 per month. Sales tax is part of the lease payment so I didn’t have to pay $4,000+ up front. At the end of the 5 year lease I just trade it for a new one. All of the used trucks I looked at cost more than $500 per month or required big $$ for a down payment - and no warranty. The truck is huge! It’s like driving around in my living room. I can go off road, haul most anything I need and tow 10,000 lbs if I need to. The back seat is also huge for hauling grandkids. The gas mileage sucks but you don’t buy a truck for good gas mileage.
I am casually looking at young beautiful women.
Yes, and many newer ones share parts with older models. My 2003 Corolla uses the same interior door handles as my 1980 Starlets used to have, same identical handle. Smart!
Paid 3 grand for the Corolla, with 87,000 miles on it. As clean and runs as well as a new one. Can’t get much more economical than that, imo!
Try CarEdge.com. They are there to get you through the process and get the lowest price.
Just recently bought a 2007 4Runner in Tampa w 107k on it. I’ll drive it in Florida for years to come, if the eco-commies don’t screw things up.
Half ton trucks come with either a 5.5' or 6.5' bed. 3/4 ton and one ton trucks can be had with an eight foot bed, but that makes for an awfully long truck. My half ton has a 6.5' bed and that's plenty for me. But this is why people have four door trucks....
I’m in the process of a total refurbishment of my 2001 F350. I’ll have $20k to $25k in a truck that sells new for $80k. Added bonus is the 7.3L that is a better engine than anyone makes today.
Anyone had a sedan repainted by a good shop larely?
I put a gooseneck in my 2018 Tundra to pull a stock trailer. Pulls it fine. I bought it used in 2020 and still have less than 60k miles on it!
Have you got the madison avenue fever, been watching ads? Jealous of a buddy? Want to impress people or “feel good” about yours
Since you must drive something very old let me catch you up to date on the technology in today's trucks. I like the infotainment screen that allows me to see the name and title of what's playing on the radio. I like having a backup camera so I can see what's behind me. I like backing up to my trailer and line up with my hitch on the first try because the camera can be shifted to a downward view. And when I'm lined up with my hitch and put the transmission in park it automatically engages the electronic brake to prevent the truck from rolling a little. I like being able to press the start test icon and see that all my trailer lights are working. I like to see my trailer tire pressure and temperature displayed on my infotainment screen. I like being able to see the tire pressure in all four of my truck tires. I like the blind spot monitoring that lets me know there is traffic in my blind spot. I like the rear cross traffic alert that alerts me to cross traffic I can't see when I'm backing up. I like having parking sensors front and rear to let me know when I'm getting close to something. I like the heated steering wheel and heated seat on a cold morning. I like the ventilated seats on a hot day. I like being able to set the temperature to a specific setting, just like in my house. I like having a 10 speed transmission that keeps the engine in the right power band. There's a lot more but suffice it to say that there's no way I'd want to drive some ancient truck like we had in earlier times. I can easily afford to buy new, and I already know I'm not taking my money with me when I die, so I'm going to enjoy it while I'm still around.
I hear that all the time, yet I've owned a number of technology-laden vehicles and have never had any electronics fail on me. Or anything else for that matter.
Same here. I'm 6' 2" and it like trying to get into a Corvette or Miata. Besides that, Toyota is highly overrated.
I see you haven't been looking at new trucks recently.
Nope. I’ve kept up the maintenance pretty well. And if you had to replace all that stuff you would stull be tens of thousands of $ ahead of what they want for a new truck.
20 years ago I had a full-size pickup. I wanted a crew-cab (kids) but also the 8-foot bed for work, but those trucks were way too big for getting around in the city where a lot of my jobs were.
I was almost thinking of finding an old station wagon like dads that could go from hauling 6 kids to sheets of plywood.
Then saw an ad for the new Chevy Avalanche that was just coming out. Then 911 happened and with the business incentives and cut prices I bought one in Nov. 2021. I love it! 4’x8’ plywood all out of the rain. Pull them out, flip up the seat and 3 kids in the back.
My truck is 1998 and uses the old Chevy 350CI small block engine. You can still get those engines from Chevy for about $4K. $1K to pull the old one, bolt on the manifolds and starter and install it. Like I said I have an excellent local mechanic who I trust.
No rust, the other running gear is good and we only use it for camping and odd jobs around town.
They,the dealerships, are preferring desperate and stupid. Many dealers have to make a killing on a deal. If you make a reasonable offer they’re not interested in any negotiating. The preference is for customers who are way upside down on their present vehicle and the new payment must be significantly higher with a much higher interest rate. New car sales are in a free fall, panic situation
Many have high inventories and paying higher interest to Banks on the inventory they have.
I just bought a used 05 Suburban 1500 - $1500 put $3k in it runs like a dream. Go for the 2000 - 2006 GMC’s parts are cheap and they run....
oops - 2001. I hit a deer and totaled it in 2021. And bought a used Avalanche from a person.
When I was looking at the dealers one of them said “So you’re looking for an Avalanche? What happened to your old one?”
“Huh? How did you know?”
“95% of the guys looking for Avalanches had one before and it either got totaled of the engine blew up.”
I did some research on the engine thing - the newer ones (2008?) had some fuel management system where it would go from 8 cylinders to 4 to save fuel. But the design was bad and the engines would seize or something.
I ended up buying a used one (2011) and the guy had just replaced the engine. The engine had 8,000 miles on it. I sent the computer board to a guy that for $50 disabled the stupid fuel management system so it runs on all 8 now and avoids the blown engine problem. IIRC the oil would drain out around the 4 cylinders that weren’t being used and then each time they kicked in there would be a slight lag in oil pressure on those. I suppose like starting it up for the drive, but doing that 100 times while you are on your commute?
I have. Some panel that was going to cost thousands to replace. Junked a rust free car with 125k on it
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