Might be time for a new (or newer) truck.

[Kingcreek]

Well my truck was purchased new by me almost 20 years ago. I think it's on its last few miles.
I have been limiting refueling it to 1/4 of its 39gal tank because I didn't want it dead on the side of the road somewhere with $80 of gas in it.
Brakes have been hanging up and the ABS light has been on for awhile. Exhaust manifold bolts rusted off at the back but I could turn up the radio enough to drown out that noise. Odo/speedometer quit working at 172k miles and the parking brake cable rusted away a long time ago. Yesterday the tranny started acting up, sticking in low until hammering on the up shift and now the engine light is on. There are more warning lights on than not. When the brakes weren't dragging and the tranny was working it would still pull itself up the hills. Now it's parked in town because I'm not sure it will make it 6 miles home with 1 big hill. If I decide to get it home it will be daylight only with wife following.
I no longer need a 3/4 heavy duty but I still need a light truck. I was hoping the old rust and rattle would hang on until the new ranger is out. I'm considering a used F150 or a jeep and trailer option. I'm going to take my time and see what carma delivers...

[Jamisjockey]

I believe the 2015 and up F150 is when they switched to the exact same cab that is on the F250.  Mine is cavernous inside.

[makattak]

$500 beater until the Ranger comes out?

[p12]

If fuel mileage is not a huge factor I would recommend Jeep and trailer. Trailer is easier to load than a pickup bed. And Jeep’s are just cool!


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[Kingcreek]

Is there a hospice for terminal vehicles?
Fuel mileage not a big factor. Anything is going to be a move in the right direction from the V10 triton gas plant.
I've had jeeps but not for years, always liked em

[dogmush]

Man good luck.

At least around here, pickups are stupid overvalued.  Like 10 year old 1/2 ton w/ >100,000 miles is $15k-$18k overvalued.

It's why I'm still in my '95.  I hope you find a decent deal.

[Kingcreek]

Used trucks are crazy priced, used jeeps too.
I found a decent 2 door wrangler Rubicon 2008 with 44k miles on it for $21k and a really clean local sahara with 86K miles on it for $15k. I'm tempted to go look at the Sahara. It would get me by until Ford starts to discount the Rangers around end of year.
But I hesitate to go vehicle shopping before I hear back from my CPA on my taxes.

[Larry Ashcraft]

I bought my 2004 Silverado DuraMax in 2006 for $12,500.  I stole it, I know, but I saw a 2002 same model advertised yesterday for $15,000.  I think the stupid pricing on used trucks is due to the prices on the new models.  You can easily spend over $75K on a half ton.

[lupinus]

Man good luck.

At least around here, pickups are stupid overvalued.  Like 10 year old 1/2 ton w/ >100,000 miles is $15k-$18k overvalued.

It's why I'm still in my '95.  I hope you find a decent deal.

Same here. Cause MA TRUCK!!! It's really sad when the used market for something decent is so over valued it hardly makes sense to bother buying used instead of new. Esspecially when you figure the stupid *expletive deleted*it lots of them are doing to the poor things.

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[RoadKingLarry]

Same here. Cause MA TRUCK!!! It's really sad when the used market for something decent is so over valued it hardly makes sense to bother buying used instead of new. Esspecially when you figure the stupid *expletive deleted*it lots of them are doing to the poor things.

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That was a major factor in my buying a new 2 door Wrangler Sahara October 2015.
I've got a little over 24K miles on it and have had no trouble out of it yet.
Very little "off road" time but it has taken me anywhere I wanted to go so far.
Mine has the manual 6 speed and I took the back seat out less than a year after buying it. I'm able to haul about anything reasonable I need and I get a fairly consistent 20mpg when I'm hitting mostly highway miles.

[Doggy Daddy]

I'm going to take my time and see what carma delivers...

ISWYDT.

[Brad Johnson]

Check Autotrader and see what's out there in unsold old stock. Place in Dallas has six unsold 2016 supercrew 4wd F150s outfitted exactly like I've been wanting. Seriously thinking about pitching them a stupid-low number to see if they bite.

Brad

[lupinus]

That was a major factor in my buying a new 2 door Wrangler Sahara October 2015.
I've got a little over 24K miles on it and have had no trouble out of it yet.
Very little "off road" time but it has taken me anywhere I wanted to go so far.
Mine has the manual 6 speed and I took the back seat out less than a year after buying it. I'm able to haul about anything reasonable I need and I get a fairly consistent 20mpg when I'm hitting mostly highway miles.

I've bought enough of other folks problems or used, abused, and tossed aside when it was no longer pretty enough. Plenty of good used cars of course, but people are morons and I see how plenty of my friends and associates use and fail to maintain their vehicles.

Combine just not wanting the headaches of an abused and ill maintained vehicle and the inflated used market around here I've tended to buy new since finances have allowed. And as long as finances allow will likely continue to do so.

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[MillCreek]

The crazy prices and limited availability for used Toyota Tacomas in this area is what eventually drove me to buying new. I was on the local Craigslist and auto sales sites for several months hoping for a deal, and just could not find one.

[dogmush]

I've bought enough of other folks problems or used, abused, and tossed aside when it was no longer pretty enough. Plenty of good used cars of course, but people are morons and I see how plenty of my friends and associates use and fail to maintain their vehicles.

Combine just not wanting the headaches of an abused and ill maintained vehicle and the inflated used market around here I've tended to buy new since finances have allowed. And as long as finances allow will likely continue to do so.

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I understand where you're coming from but I just can't bring myself to take that depreciation hit.  My car stickered for $63k new, and I bought it 3 years old for $31k.  Trucks aren't that bad, but it's still 25-30% in three years.

I think the fresh off lease vehicles are where it's at for value vs. newness/not beaten up.

[grampster]

I've had a pickup since the mid 1970's until a couple years ago when I let my grandson have my 02 Nissan 4x4 Frontier.  I've also had a trailer for years that the family used.  I now use it because I don't have a truck anymore. 

Buy a truck.  Do not buy a jeep and a trailer.  It's a big pain in the keester to fool around with a trailer for several good reasons.  Trust me!  Jeeps have become less reliable as well.  I know several Jeep people who would never own another one.  (I had a CJ5 many years ago, but that's another story)

[Sideways_8]

I understand where you're coming from but I just can't bring myself to take that depreciation hit.  My car stickered for $63k new, and I bought it 3 years old for $31k.  Trucks aren't that bad, but it's still 25-30% in three years.

I think the fresh off lease vehicles are where it's at for value vs. newness/not beaten up.

I wouldn't say that is always true. Construction companies lease trucks nowadays. They get beaten up plenty.

[Ben]

Coincidentally, an interesting story this morning from Jalopnik on possible reasons for the minimal difference between new and used:

https://jalopnik.com/here-is-why-you-shouldn-t-expect-a-big-discount-on-a-us-1823917876

When I was researching my F150 a couple of years ago, the difference between say a used 2014 and my new 2016 was like $2-3K. With all the incentives built into many vehicles, especially Ford trucks with incentives, year end discounts, etc., it's pretty easy to justify new over used. Personally, I just pay cash, buy new and keep them for a long time. I know not everyone is in a position to do that, but I'm just most comfortable with being the first driver and knowing that all proper maintenance has always been done.

Kingcreek -  I downsized from an F250 diesel and find the F150 to be plenty capable for work. With the new aluminum bodies, configurations for 3/4 ton or more payloads are pretty easy to come by. Way different than my old F150, an 02 with the 6cyl of the time, manual, and like a 3:08 differential. With people, fuel, etc.,  I seriously could not haul more than 1/3 ton or so in the thing.  I regularly take 1/2 yards of gravel and sand in the back of the current F150. It was nice being able to put full yards of gravel in the F250 and see it not even bow down or act like anything was in the back while driving, but it only took the gravel yard a minute to put that yard in. I then had to shovel it out, so as I'm getting on in years, 1/2 yard is good enough.  

Also, I'm just driving the dinky little 2.7 Ecoboost and love it. While it does have to work with a big load in the back,  I don't do heavy loads much anymore so it's no big deal. If I were hauling a ton in the back every day, I'd opt for the 3.5 Ecoboost or the 5.0. Otherwise, over 13,000 miles of driving, my gas mileage has averaged 23.5, so that's nice. :)

[dogmush]

Coincidentally, an interesting story this morning from Jalopnik on possible reasons for the minimal difference between new and used:

https://jalopnik.com/here-is-why-you-shouldn-t-expect-a-big-discount-on-a-us-1823917876

Interestingly, that's how I bought my car.  I searched every CPO of the model I wanted for 1000 miles, found a list of candidates, sorted again by options based on a VIN decoder, picked the one I wanted and called the dealer and offered to buy it.  I asked for $200 off the asking price because that was the cost of a ticket from Tampa to Atlanta (where it was) and they agreed. 

When you've done enough research to know it's a good deal there's no real point in haggling like an Arabian street merchant.

[French G.]

Buy a used fleet truck. No coal rolling previous moron owners and a fleet maintenance program. Plus they are white and have bupkis for options. My dad got a re-engined 2006 2500 for about 3k and it has done an excellent job for years. (Gas motor). Skip diesel unless it is pre idiocy on the tech and regulations.

[lupinus]

Also, I'm just driving the dinky little 2.7 Ecoboost and love it. While it does have to work with a big load in the back,  I don't do heavy loads much anymore so it's no big deal. If I were hauling a ton in the back every day, I'd opt for the 3.5 Ecoboost or the 5.0. Otherwise, over 13,000 miles of driving, my gas mileage has averaged 23.5, so that's nice. :)

The Ecoboost have proven to be good little engines. So long as you understand you can have eco or you can have boost, not both at the same moment      Pretty much everyone I know who's had the thing, with at least moderately realistic expectations, has lived the damn things.

[Kingcreek]

Buy a used fleet truck. No coal rolling previous moron owners and a fleet maintenance program. Plus they are white and have bupkis for options. My dad got a re-engined 2006 2500 for about 3k and it has done an excellent job for years. (Gas motor). Skip diesel unless it is pre idiocy on the tech and regulations.

Might be an attractive option but it has to be 4x4. My truck sits for days at a time but when I need it, I need a truck. I no longer tow big heavy things but I have to be able to haul plywood or fence posts or mulch etc. It has to get me in and out in the winter and haul a dead deer or 2.

[Kingcreek]

Well some sorta good news for a change.
Truck will be back in limited service for about $400. The tranny problem was a speed sensor that rusted off and a vacuume line was also rusted away. Now that it runs again it's going to need some brake work and a front hub but I think I might get through the summer with some amount of luck. Gas tank strap is rusted off but the skid plate is supporting it for now.
Maybe it will limp along until the new ranger is out or I find a good deal on something used.
A couple weeks ago I was ready to park it on the scale at the scrapyard and have my wife pick me up.

[dm1333]

Buy a used fleet truck. No coal rolling previous moron owners and a fleet maintenance program. Plus they are white and have bupkis for options. My dad got a re-engined 2006 2500 for about 3k and it has done an excellent job for years. (Gas motor). Skip diesel unless it is pre idiocy on the tech and regulations.

Yup.  My truck looks a little beat but it runs great.  2010 F150 extended cab, 5.4, tow package.  When the engine strts to give up the ghost I'll have a reman installed