Newer Truck vs. Low Mileage Old Truck

Here in California you will pay an additional $5,000 tax on a new $50K truck and your annual registration will be $657(yes, $56a month every year) so I will never buy a new car here. My hunt rig is a 1998 4runner I bought for $1,300 with 140K miles and I dumped ~$6,000 rebuilding it to perfection, mechanically speaking. I could gold plate the thing for the price of a new one.
My wife and I still have relatives in CA, but we left in 1989 and never looked back.
 
Just my personal experience.

7 years ago, I sold my fully loaded 1794 edition tundra, because it was too nice and I really didn't use any of the gizmo features.

I bought a base model 4x4 2010 Tundra with 148k miles for $20k cash. 7 years later it now has 251k miles and has had ZERO roadside forcing issues. I replaced some suspension components and a water pump. Just at my leisure when I had time because I knew they needed replacement.

I do not regret it at all. And if need be I would not hesitate to buy a 2010 model with 100k miles for $20k again.

My plan is to run this one until it quits and then buy a 2020ish model with the same motor with around 100k miles again. I will never buy a new vehicle again. All the new unnecessary electronics disgust me hahaha
 
I think oil prices are being manipulated due to this being an election year. I think if you wait until end of year oil prices will shoot up slowing truck sales, maybe a chance to get a good deal on a new truck.

I am just about done buying new vehicles. Prices have gotten out of control and I am ready to buy an old truck I can work on. I'm not even hesitant to buy a carbureted truck.
Just do yourself a favor pay a little extra for non-ethanol gas. Ethanol burns at a lower latent heat so it takes more fuel to get the hp required to move the vehicle so lower mpg.

It also evaporates quicker than gas and leaves a brown residue, lowering the octane ratio and it's not good on carburetors or fuel systems.

Ethanol deteriorates the old rubber hoses and cause more corrosion to the fuel system.

Oh yeah it's supposed to be so green, lower fuel economy, more maintenance and detrimental to parts. Real ****ing green!

Just buy the more expensive fuel, you'll get better mileage and save on maintenance.
 
Why live in CA????
I know probably for family, a job, lived there for ever or can't sell your home where you live.
The people in CA deserve who they vote in, but the few like you are stuck with liberal idiots that can't see what they ARE DOING WHEN VOTING.
Those 4 Runners 4x4 are GREAT especially if re-built. Great job!!! Wish y'all had better leadership there.
When I was in business in HI I would travel to Salt Lake City, UT then Seattle, WA, then San Fran, then LA, then back to HI. Didn't care for LA, but San Fran was a really nice place to go and then upper NAPA valley.
THAT WAS BACK IN 1993-1996.
We almost moved from HI to North San Fran in 1997, but the highest cost of living in the USA was San Fran #1 and Honolulu, #2 where we were moving from. We ended moving to Marietta, GA just north of Atlanta. Could not imagine when I went to the grocery store. A full shopping cart of food was 1/4 the price of when I bought a shopping cart in HI.

HOW THING HAVE CHANGED IN CA since I was there in the late 90s!!!
The thing I heard recently is they will tax you for leaving! How the hell is that even legal?
 
Why live in CA????
I know probably for family, a job, lived there for ever or can't sell your home where you live.
The people in CA deserve who they vote in, but the few like you are stuck with liberal idiots that can't see what they ARE DOING WHEN VOTING.
Those 4 Runners 4x4 are GREAT especially if re-built. Great job!!! Wish y'all had better leadership there.
When I was in business in HI I would travel to Salt Lake City, UT then Seattle, WA, then San Fran, then LA, then back to HI. Didn't care for LA, but San Fran was a really nice place to go and then upper NAPA valley.
I've made $200k a year here welding pipe since I was 19 years old. I hunt at least 5 western states for 3 months out of the year, every year. That's probably more than most people who live in other better western states. I'm still saving to retire myself early from work also. Hopefully around 42 years old (9 more years) I'll have enough money to bridge the gap until I can draw my 401k and can quit working full time. I shoot over 1000 yards every weekend that I want, on giant ranches that are 10 minutes from my house. The area I deer hunt is 2 hours away and I've killed 3 dandy bucks up there. A lot of stuff about this state sucks ***. But a lot of it really isn't that bad if you just focus on the positives (which I've learned to do). Basically I just can't own a suppressor. That's the only difference that actually personally affects me as opposed to living in other states. I buy guns and build guns all the time just like anywhere else. The rest of the stuff is just stupid taxes. Which does eat up about $10k-$20k extra every year, but it's nothing in comparison to the extra income.
 
The pick up I am driving now is a 2001 it's stickered at $14,000 more than I paid for my house but I put a ton of money into my house after purchasing it
Mine is a 2011 F250 4x4 powerstroke, if I bought a new one of these it would cost at least $30,000 more than my house.
At some point I will have to replace the motor or transmission but I figure it will be much cheaper to replace those things than buying a new one.
So we are in the same situation
 
My favorite argument for a new pickup vs old pickup is "the old ones are going to start to nickle and dime you..." this is usually the statement of someone who just wants a fancy new truck. A pickup is a tool to me. When I first started driving, power windows, doors and seats were LUXURY. To me, they still are but thats just a base model now. It's insane the amount of gadgetry guys think they need in a pickup nowadays.
A brand new, fully loaded pickup is darn nice to ride in. But I guess I'm more of a dinosaur and don't need all that. I would rather not have a gigantic payment and have decent pickup that does what's it's supposed to do. As long as it gets you to where you need to go, I say spend your money on hunts and gun parts instead of a 80k pickup. Get you a decent shape, low mileage used truck and go get happy!
 
Just my personal experience.

7 years ago, I sold my fully loaded 1794 edition tundra, because it was too nice and I really didn't use any of the gizmo features.

I bought a base model 4x4 2010 Tundra with 148k miles for $20k cash. 7 years later it now has 251k miles and has had ZERO roadside forcing issues. I replaced some suspension components and a water pump. Just at my leisure when I had time because I knew they needed replacement.

I do not regret it at all. And if need be I would not hesitate to buy a 2010 model with 100k miles for $20k again.

My plan is to run this one until it quits and then buy a 2020ish model with the same motor with around 100k miles again. I will never buy a new vehicle again. All the new unnecessary electronics disgust me hahaha
You got it!
Buy a $70K 2021 Truck 4x4 with all the electronics and now that same truck with 50k miles is almost the same price. Used Trucks now are going for almost the price paid new.
Now four years ago in 2019 a $70k 2016 4x4 with 40k mile you could have got for $45k.

Used Vehicles went through the roof a few years ago because you could not get a new vehicle because of the "Computer Chips" and Bidennomics. When Jill got hit by a carload of illegals and her car was totaled we could not find a FairPrice for a vehicle. We had to pay $3k over asking price for a KIA made here in GA because there was no inventory.
We want to get a nice new or great shape used 4x4 truck for me. We missed out by five years on getting a deal.
Would like to get a what we called a 3/4 ton with a 6 1/2 bed, four door cab, 4x4, with some electronics (they all come with them) a towing package, good suspension, and a good Diesel. Maybe I am dreaming!!!
 
I have two Tundras (2011 Crew Cab = 96K miles and 2015 TRD Crew Max = 36K miles). They have had no issues thus far. I wish they had better gas mileage, but I did not buy them for their fuel efficiency.

View attachment 577895
Do you ride horse everywhere?

Kidding. Nice trucks with low miles.
 
Really wanted to get a new truck, but living disability a small pension and don't want to touch my IRA until after Trump gets in.
The prices are outrageous for a new truck

This confuses me. Your IRA should be doing all time high growth right now. Why wait? Election years always cause slowdown with the uncertainty. I haven't funded my Roth for 2024 because the market is booming and I'm waiting until the election downturn to put my max in in hopes of getting better value.
 
We either need to hit the LOTO or start a "Go Fund Me" to get a new Truck for me. (Jill always got a newer SUV every couple of years)
Years ago, I would buy/build a new house every 3-4 years along with a new vehicle every 2 years. Never had to worry about repairing much.
Now 16 years later in the same home.
We are investing back into the home right now with new Heat/Air, Water Well, Water Heater, Property Fencing/Staining, Tractor rebuild and refinishing the Hardwood floors and maybe a Bathroom upgrade.
Then still investing into the Business to turn out top grade Builds.

DON'T have any relatives to leave us a small or even little fortune. 🤣
I am right there with you.
 
Wifey & I were in the market for a new truck. We have a 14 YO Honda SUV having 115K miles. We don't need a large truck but it would be nice to have a truck for an anticipated move & hauling gear for rodent shoots & high ground clearance. We looked at a Honda Ridgeline - my impression was that it was not a real truck but a car with a truck bed. The R Line looked like a potential/impending sensor & hi tec failure disaster. Other stuff caused worry - the windshield included a bunch of electronic gadgetry & tires/wheels for the 4AWD needed to be all the same diameter. Tire damage at tread/wall area cannot be repaired resulting in 4 new tires, like more than $800. The sideways mounted V6 engine was crammed into a tiny area - a front end collision with damage extending into engine compartment would be a financial catastrophe. No gear shift lever - buttons on middle of dash.

It looks like a used Toyota Tacoma sub 100K - leaf springs, 1 piece rear axle, V6 engine in line with drive shaft, easy replace tires, & gear shift lever.

We just put $3,600 (brake pads, turn rotors, & other) into our 14 YO Honda including $2,550 for a ABS sensor. THe dealer needed to have parts shipped in from some remote location.

Getting back to tires - a cheap, steel (magnet picks up) lacquered 5.56 cartridge case thru junction of tread & side wall resulted & 4 new tires to maintain equal wheel diameter for the 14 YO Honda.

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Just do yourself a favor pay a little extra for non-ethanol gas. Ethanol burns at a lower latent heat so it takes more fuel to get the hp required to move the vehicle so lower mpg.

It also evaporates quicker than gas and leaves a brown residue, lowering the octane ratio and it's not good on carburetors or fuel systems.

Ethanol deteriorates the old rubber hoses and cause more corrosion to the fuel system.

Oh yeah it's supposed to be so green, lower fuel economy, more maintenance and detrimental to parts. Real ****ing green!

Just buy the more expensive fuel, you'll get better mileage and save on maintenance.
There are only two stations near me that sell non ethanol, I fill my wife's 4Runner there since she drives less. My 4runner gets used more so I use Costco ethsnol/gas. I use ethanol free in all my lawn equipment and my Polaris Ranger.
 
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