New or used vehicle

[renosteinke]

A couple good points were raised over the weekend.

The first is: reliability. Got to have it. Time down = money lost, far beyond the simple cost of the repairs. Simple fact is, you'll never really know "why" the used truck became available. Buying new removes that uncertainty. As for true 'work trucks,' I found they tended to come in two forms: brand-new and completely used up; even where the 'history' is known, an amazing variety of stuff happens while the truck is in the used-dealers' hands.

Mileage is another good point. Let me explain ....
I once kept a detailed log of my miles - not simply 'business vs. non-business,' but the detailed purpose. I saw that at least half the miles I drove were miles where I did not need the truck. Sales calls, permit runs, supply runs, etc.

With the truck getting 9MPG and my car getting 42MPG, it didn't take very many miles for the car to start paying for itself in gas savings.

 

[sethas]

So I am looking at getting another van or two, so I go to a reputable used commercial truck dealer. I walk around looking at the trucks and vans and notice a lot of corrosion and rust. Come to find out, many of the dealers here in California go East to get their vehicles......where they salt roads!

This is just another reason to buy new. If you are going to own the vehicle for 2-3 hundred thousand miles, it doesn't matter if you loose when you drive off the lot.