Truck replacement

[OK Sparky 93]

It happened! My very aged truck got creamed by a DA kid in probably his daddy’s car lot vette. He was definitely happy with his self posing in pictures, I am sure to post on Facebook and brag to his friends.

Anyway got a little compensation out of it, but nowhere near enough to easily replace.

How many of you are driving brand new rigs?

Are you making those $1000 a month payments, or your business has been around for a while and paid cash for one.

Well I’m not there. And I am in no way looking to shall our $60k plus to get one.

At what point would a vehicle have to many miles on it before you would not want it?

Those that fit in a budget that I would like to be at, are sitting with 185k plus.

My salvaged one had 85k when I got it in 2008. It had 224k at its death.

 

[PaulMmn]

I've always felt that if the monthly repair expense is greater than the "convenient monthly payment," it's time for a new vehicle.
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Look at the truck model you want, and dig into how many miles they survive. Then guesstimate how many miles before the first major expense. then look for vehicles that fall in that bracket of older than new but younger than junk heap.
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Many vehicles now can survive 100,000 miles with no real problems... your mileage may vary!
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Ask yourself-- should I repair this major issue, and will that keep the vehicle running for a long time?

 

[James L]

For me, it depends on what type of work you're doing and what type of vehicle it takes to do that work.

I recently replaced my vehicle, a Chevy HHR

I went to this little wagon after I settled into subbing kitchen and bath remodels and basement finishes. Just didn't need an E150 or even a Chevy Astro anymore.

In 2016 I got an HHR with 95k miles for $3k
In 2019 I wrecked it at 145k mikes, and replaced it the same day with a 2011 HHR with 125k miles for $4k

A few months ago I already knew I was looking at replacing it at 180k miles.

I thought about going back to a small van, and looked at numerous Ford Transit Connect, Nissan NV200 and Chevy City Express. My budget was $16k

With a car, I'm looking at no more than 125k miles, figuring I can put 50k on it in 3 years.

But with the vans, I was willing to go up to about 165k

I ended up getting another HHR, a 2008 with 60k miles for $6k

I just cannot justify the kind of money some guys are spending. If you need a bigger van because of the type of work you do, or you need a newer vehicle because it projects the image you've built, I get that.

But I'm a niche guy with no need for image

 

[Fred B]

Can't afford cash payout, and financing a used one ends up more than new with difference of interest rate. Also if the used one will spend more time in the shop, the combination of repair bill and lost revenue from it being in the shop, It is then more cost effective to buy new with the warranty.
Originally had an old Econo and and old PU and they spent far too much time in the garage, got a new van and it ended up costing less. Got my second new one since, did look at used again but still no bargain with the high miles and high price on used market.

Another point, pull up to a $750K home with a rusted out banging van it's hard to get a decent rate for your work, if you even get the job.

 

[Ponchik]

I am on my second service utility body van. $60K, $1000 monthly. It is worth every penny, IMO. I am like a hardware store on wheels. My last one had $135K miles on it and it got totaled in an accident.

My second one (bought in 2018) is made by KNAPHEID Truck body, it very well made, but their electronic locking system sucks, I may have had bad batches of electronic locks. So far I have 5 locks that froze in the locked position and you can't get into the compartment unless you drill out the lock. Each lock is about $300+ to replace.

 

[readydave8]

When I was looking for specific truck in 2014, new wasn't substantially more than used with 100,000

I looked at difference, not total

Ideally, truck expense is built in to pricing so there us money saved for when time comes to buy

 

[AC\DC]

I am on my second service utility body van. $60K, $1000 monthly. It is worth every penny, IMO. I am like a hardware store on wheels. My last one had $135K miles on it and it got totaled in an accident.

My second one (bought in 2018) is made by KNAPHEID Truck body, it very well made, but their electronic locking system sucks, I may have had bad batches of electronic locks. So far I have 5 locks that froze in the locked position and you can't get into the compartment unless you drill out the lock. Each lock is about $300+ to replace.

Nope those lock suck I just got a used e-350
With knapheid box.
One lock went out and another is gridding. Going to see about getting another type of lock.
It’s nice though to just hit lock and unlock instead of using key