Buying a brand new vehicle. Never done it. Need advice.

I've bought new & I've bought used.

Used wins out every time. But, then, I don't buy used beaters. Cost of licensing & insurance is cheaper plus just by driving a new vehicle off the lot it looses 2 grand! Never had a problem.

If you have to finance, how about taking a 2nd on your house? Interest is less & you can deduct it on your taxes...

Bought my used chevy truck with 75,000 mi on it. Now has 225,000 & is going strong.

Just bought a 2000 honda cr-v with 100,000 miles for $8,300 for work. Since I'm driving an awful lot, I put an extended warranty on it. Beautiful condition - not a squeek anywhere especially over my washboard road. I feel like I got a good deal.

You can always have a mechanic check out the vehicle & now with being able to check the history of a vehicle through the vin #, you're pretty safe.

BUY the most powerful truck you can afford. Chevy Colorados are like Dodge Dakotas - just not enough reserve power when you need it. Especially when hauling stuff up hills. After all, what are trucks are for?

I agree with Mr. Numb- I'm seeing some pretty nice, not very old, used trucks for sale around here due to gas prices. Probably have "new car" warranty still on them.
I think prices of "nearly new" used trucks will go down even further as gas prices stay high & dealers can't get rid of them.

Taking a second on the house could cost you the house. Don't take a chance on your house for a truck.
A Colorado will not pull very much. There isn't really much difference in them and the S-10. If you plan on pulling a load better go full sized.

Go new. With Chevy at 0% now is the time. Yeah, you could fret about depreciation and the reverse snobbery of going used your entire life, but I feel trucks are different. You might luck out and find a gently used truck that was traded in simply because the last owner wanted something with better mpg, but a LOT of them out there are used HARD, then sold in a year or two. And the abuse is not always evident. My 02 Silverado 4x4 looked great when I bought it used, but the previous owner had installed a salt spreader in the rear so that half ton was routinely hauling weights upwards of 3000#. Put a little weight in the back now and everything sags! And the gouges in the bed that would have given proof of heavy loads were conveniently hidden by a new spray-in liner.

And go full sized. I had a Dodge Dakota with a V6. It didn't haul much and couldn't tow much, but on a good day it got about 13mpg. My full sized Chevy with the 5.3L V8 has tons more power and routinely gets 17mpg.

Lastly, it sounds like your husband really wants something new he can pamper and care for and make last forever. There is not much a man asks for in a marriage. Go for it. For him. At the very least you'll have a dependable truck that will last years. At the worst, you'll both learn a lesson and buy used for the rest of your lives. But that's a lesson we each have to check out on our own. Don't let the dumpster diver mentality force a choice on you.

Gunner

LOAN ON VEHICLE = FULL COVERAGE INSURANCE, which must be considered into the equation vs. liability only. Although our family has had a couple of hit & run mishaps and two self-inflicted by teenage sons that only full coverage would have covered, had we filed claims, we would have paid it + in the end through increased premiums. We opt for liability only. 2 of the vehicles we didn't even fix the body damage except for the lights. My son's truck has been through the ringer and an insurance company would have probably totaled it when he rolled it on 70 in bad weather and more recently front-end damage from the errant bottom of a construction barrel, but the truck is nearing it's last leg anyhow and he has money saved to buy a newer one in January. The minimum trade-in values will be the same if you run them until they are worth less than $2,000. I'm not so vain when it comes to vehicles. It just has to be dependable. We only buy good, used vehicles and run them until they are 10+ years old. I had a brand spanking new Buick Regal once and it is now in the same *place* as the used vehicles we owned. That car had more troubles in the engine than the 2 used ones following it. I'm no vehicle expert, but there are certain problems in used vehicles, especially in the electronic area. Auto everything (windows/locks) seems to wear out quicker than engine parts. Bought 2 used trucks online we are happy with, check feedback of sellers, ask questions.

Hello,

Whether you end up buying new or used, and no matter which brand you buy, if you're going to be towing make sure you buy a truck with a diesel engine. Diesels are much better for towing and with gas prices continuing to rise, a diesel truck will save you money because diesel vehicles get approximately 15-30% better mileage than the same exact model with a gas engine. Yes, they cost more up front but they last longer too! They also require less maintenance, which will save you more money. Also keep in mind that since our whole economy is based on trucks (tractor trailers) being able to get around the price of diesel will not rise as fast as the price of gas once we get to a point where oil is becoming more scarce. Diesels can also run on more types of alternative fuels than can gas vehicles. (BioDiesel, kerosene, vegetable oil, etc.)

Scott

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I'm all for being religious but stay away from organized religions, they seem to cause more harm than good.

WOW, I am really surprised at and thankful for all of your opinions! THANKS so much. I am really glad to have all the different points of view.


Gunner, that is exactly what I was leaning toward. In the early years of our marriage (been married 14 yrs now!) I'm sure I would've been a lot more opinionated about this whole thing. I have mellowed, and so has he for that matter!! LOL He is the greatest guy - a wonderful husband and father who works very hard to support us, and does whatever he can so that I can stay home, run the farm, and homeschool the kids. He's very appreciative of everything that I do, and really tells me that pretty often!
I'm inclined to just show him the numbers, and then when he does not change his mind (LOL) go ahead and use all the wonderful advice above to get the best possible deal on a new one.
I think we got some great advice, and I do thank you all.
Ark

You can haul goats in the back of a Geo Metro. I've seen them hauled to the show in Harrison that way.

Sooooooooooooo, other than goats, just how big of a truck do you need?

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Rudeness is a small man's imitation of power.

A friend recently bought a new Full sized Chevey truck.Its pretty basic and I forget the price,but remembered thinking at the time that he got a good(make that SUPER) deal.

Enjoy your new truck.

All I want to add is for a NEW vehicle put 3 coats of polish on it,next year another 3 coats,and 2 coats per year after that.Just put the polish directly over each coat,3 at a time.

It will keep it looking good and cut down on rust on the outside anyhow.Even if its dirty most the time,that finish is protected.

I do this,my neighbors dont.Mine still shines like new in 10 years,in four theirs fade out and look beat.

IMHO,YMMV

BooBoo

I sold new & used cars for 6 years at a one price, no haggle store. A couple of suggestions-
get the real invoice price from kbb.com. The dealers can order different MSRP stickers for different profit margins, so don't go by the sticker price.

End of the model year is around August. By October, last year's models are clearance-priced.
There are always a couple of new cars (or trucks) on the lot that just don't sell. Dealers take out short term loans to pay for new inventory and cars on the lot more than 100 days are loosing money, so a dealer is likely to accept a low offer just to cut his losses. Look at the MSRP/emissions sticker for a build date to get an idea of the lot age. Usually these vehicles are an unpopular color or odd option combo.

The people to talk to at the dealership is the service advisor & mechanic. They know what the problems are on the new vehicles and which of the used ones are junk and which are nice.

Don't let a seller talk you in to a LT trim package or any option you don't want. If it's already on the truck, tell them you want it either taken off or thrown in for free.