Help me choose a new truck

[Sam Murdoch]

Here is a general question about buying a used vehicle and I would greatly appreciate some opinions to help me decide. Thanks in advance.

I am looking to replace my small pick up with a newer but very same model. Not to get distracted, I am not identifying the make or model. Yes, I am buying from a dealer for all kinds of reasons not the least is that I am not a mechanic and I need a warranty.

I am looking at 2 pristine, single owner trucks. #1 is a 2006 with 24,000 miles, asking price $19,000.00. #2 is a 2010 truck with a few minor additional options but otherwise the same as # 1 and also in near new condition. This with 40,600 miles and an asking price of $ 23,000.00.

Question - Is there more value in the older truck with fewer miles than in the newer truck with the additional 16,600 more miles?

I of course understand that the dealer asking price is negotiable but it seems to me that the # 1 truck is starting out especially over priced. The only real deal is the low mileage. The local dealership (according to CARFAX) is the original seller and servicer of this particular truck whereas # 2 came from an auction but is also a single owner New England vehicle.

Will the financing on the older truck be more expensive just because of its age - all other considerations being equal?

Anyway, I wouldn't mind spending $ 4,000.00 less but ...

Appreciate any advice on the matter.

[Chuck Wintle]

Whatever you buy try and have it inspected by someone qualified and independent. Also the older truck, although cheaper, probably has depreciated much more than the price would indicate.

[Alan Bienlein]

I'd get the newer truck with more miles. The older truck was basically driven just over 3000 miles a year which in my book is hard mileage as nothing ever really got hot enough to burn off from the fluids along with the moisture in the exhaust system. That older truck would have to have at least 80,000 miles before I would consider it.

[Jamie Buxton]

If you're buying from a dealer, I find the value per dollar is highest in a brand-new truck. When I look on the used-car lot of a dealership, the prices are very nearly the prices of new trucks, despite the miles and wear on the used trucks. I think this is because a dealership has to invest work in a used truck. The dealership has to inspect it and repair it, and there's probably paperwork with the state and the bank. All of that adds to the price of the used truck. In contrast, there's no added work involved in the new truck.

Also, it has been my experience that the new-car side of the dealership is more willing to bargain. The used-car guys say "that's the price, take it or leave it", but the new car guys are willing to dicker. I think this is because the new car guys know they are going to get another shipment of new cars next month, and the month after. They have got to move cars, or they'll get swamped. The used-car guys don't have that pressure.

[Jerome Stanek]

has the newer truck any water damage from Sandy

[Sam Murdoch]

has the newer truck any water damage from Sandy

No - both of these trucks are in perfect condition - at least visually. I did do an online search for how to spot a flood damaged car before I started shopping and the truck from southern New England passed the inspection.

Jamie - I know that what you say is true but I just don't want to go the extra $ 5 grand + towards a new truck. I'd like to work on better terms for one of the above which are perfect for my needs but I don't know enough to make a fair comparison, and so this thread. I think Allen makes a good point about the older vehicle never having been properly broken in. Certainly worth more questions.

[Stephen Cherry]

Lots of the trucks out there are selling with 200,000 plus miles. (not all, but many models of trucks will provide this type of service.) So, assuming that it's a truck that is capable of rolling 200K or more miles, I would say that the mileage is not a big issue either way.

What does concern me with vehicles is age. Wiring, electronics, plastic and rubber parts- time is not kind to these. That said, I would look first at the newer truck.

THe exception is if you do a lot of driving that will wear out the truck on miles before it is old. Then you want the low mile one, cheaper one.

By the way, is it a Ford or Chevy (just joking- don't want to get that started).

[Brian Elfert]

I don't understand dealer pricing on used vehicles. Some of the prices are just laughable. I've seen used cars listed for more than a new one costs. I was looking for a lightly used Dodge Grand Caravan a bit over a year ago. Most everything was priced at or above the same price I could get a new one for. I almost made a 500 mile round trip for one that was priced good, but I ended up buying a brand new one locally instead that was the low end model without the fancy power doors and such. Price difference was within $1000.

Dealers must find suckers to buy the really overpriced used cars, or folks negotiate a price well below the asking price. If a dealer starts at a ridiculous price I won't even consider the car.

[James Conrad]

If you are going to finance, why not new? Ford, Chevy and Toyota all have some great deals, very low or no interest. I,d sooner barrow another 5k at 0% over 5-6 years then used at 3-5% for 3-4 years. Used cars typically have shorter terms and higher rates. I assume you've talked to Darling's, and as much as I dislike them Prime typically has the lowest prices in the State, but a bit of travel, they will deal over the phone.

As for the two choices, look them up on kbb.com and check private sale listings to see what they go for outside a dealer and negotiate for that price with the dealer if those are the two you want.

- ex-Mainer now in flatlander territory

[Fred Chan]

Why not just buy a new ford f150 XLT ? Last time I checked with dealer incentives and Costco rebate was only about $24K here in Canada. Must be cheaper in the States.

[David Weaver]

I sold a low mileage car five years ago. At the time, 25,000 miles was worth about $1k. I also have a 10 year old car with low miles and it's had its share of repairs. I would always go with newer (even if that means fewer options) unless a redesign is known to have problems. Given the prices you mentioned, I would probably look at new with fewer options, though.

[Myk Rian]

I bought a 1997 Ranger XLT with 72,000 on it, 2 years ago. It was 14 years old, so low yearly mileage has no meaning. I have 93,000 on it now.
It's been a great truck. Everything works.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Sam, just get the one you like better. Vehicles are are expense, not an investment, it all comes down to some quantity of dollars leaving your pocket book per mile. All you can do is set the base amount. Personally I buy new so that the good warranty covers all repairs, so I know exactly what it will cost per mile. We have no control over what the future value of a good condition used vehicle is as well, so buy what you want and just enjoy it.

For what its worth, newer pickups have great potential for high miles. I am brand loyal, and routinely get my prefered pickups between 200,000 to 300,000 miles before any major issues. I get them new and hand down to employees or family. One even had 356,000 before it was sold again. Driving that many miles sure makes the cost of the vehicle per mile pretty low.

[Pat Barry]

I'd get the newer truck with more miles. The older truck was basically driven just over 3000 miles a year which in my book is hard mileage as nothing ever really got hot enough to burn off from the fluids along with the moisture in the exhaust system. That older truck would have to have at least 80,000 miles before I would consider it.
This is not sound logic. It just might be that they drove it infrequently but plenty long distances each time. No one knows the facts abbout that. Why in the world would you prefer a vehicle with 80,000 miles over one with 24,000? That makes no sense unless the 24,000 mile vehicle had been in accident or mis-used which there is no indication of. For me, I would go with the 24,000 mile vehicle and there wouldn't be much to think about.

[Jerome Stanek]

When my daughter was looking she found an suv that was bought at auction and had a clean carfax on it but when I looked at it the whole one side had been replaced and you could see where the frame was straightened. The dealer said it wasn't in an accident because the carfax would show up. I said I had a truck that was in an accident but I replaced the parts and my friend painted it and no carfax showed up.

[James Conrad]

Auction cars are hit or miss. When my wife was looking for a new car a dealer showed us a used model, one walk around told me everything I needed to know - it had hit everything but the lottery down the right side and repaired with some of the worst work. Overspray, they flattened the panel with what looked like 60 grit, misaligned body panels - they claimed they knew nothing about it- how you could miss that bad of work was beyond me let alone try and pass it along to someone else.

So, always check the paint on racking angles, like checking your project finish, look for scratches, excessive orange peel, drips, color changes etc. Lift up the rubber seals and look for paint lines and overspray, especially in tight corners around mirrors that are hard to mask, door jams too they often won't get painted and you can spot mistakes there too.

[Sam Murdoch]

Thanks everyone some good advice to consider. I go tomorrow to kick the tires and who knows what else :rolleyes:. Thinking about the older low mileage truck I realize - knowing where the home town is located relative to the rest of the state - that these folk(s) very rarely took that truck anywhere without driving at least 10 miles one way as every trip would have been an out of town drive. Does that qualify as a decent break in interval?

[Pat Barry]

Sam, thats exactly what I'm talking about. The car got warmed up enough to 'burn off' the moisture so no worries that I would expect

[Mike Olson]

If you are willing to spend that much on a used truck, i would SERIOUSLY consider talking to a new truck dealer just to get some ideas. with the incentives and some offer you 0% or close to it interest rate it can make it very close to the price of a used truck.

I just purchased a new car 6 months ago because after looking closely at finances it was only $3000 more than the 2010 model i was considering.

[Sam Murdoch]

Well - I went out today and after about 6 hours of haggling and financing I bought the 2006 with less than 24,000 miles. :rolleyes:
I paid more than $ 2,000.00 less than the asking price after all was said and done and got a decent trade in too. Lower interest rates (a zero rate wasn't an option) notwithstanding I didn't want to spend $ 25,000.00 + on a new truck. I think I did OK. Time will tell.

Thank you all for chiming in with your comments. They were helpful. Oh - and the # 2 option had been sold. They were going fast.

The side note - There was some old dude stuttering in disbelief at the sales manager when I walked in from doing paper work. He was incredulous that I had bought the truck he was going to buy and wouldn't believe that I wasn't just a salesman joining in on playing a prank at his expense. He said "I gave up my nap for this aggravation? Now what will I drive?