New truck prices

[Titan_Bow]

i didnt mean to further derail this thread. my apologies.

i want a new truck as well, but i just cant justify it. i had a finanical guy say to me, "its better to be rich than to look rich". i cant get his wisdom out of my head. he pretty much effed up my big purchases for the forseeable future. hahhaha.

I get that, and I am about as much a cheapskate as a guy can get. However, I love to hunt. I love to hunt out of state. I love to hunt places that require driving hundreds of miles, a lot of times in bad weather, and far off the beaten path. I need a vehicle that I can depend on to do this. My last Nissan Titan, I drove for 11 years and put 280K miles on it. I figure for me, its probably more cost effective, especially factoring in the hassle and time of working on vehicles, to simply buy something I am pretty confident is going to give me years of trouble-free use, versus constantly working on an old beater truck, or buying another higher mileage used truck every 4 or 5 years.

 

[cnelk]

^^^^ You are exactly right and will be more money ahead in the long run.

 

[txhunter581]

"its better to be rich than to look rich"

Very wise words. A truck is a tool, nothing more. I would never pay extra for any kind of 'status symbol" of a car/truck. I see ones like that going down the road all the time and just shake my head.

That said, recently (before Covid) had to buy a new car for my wife. Since we have a cabin in Colorado and I hunt there every year, we decided to go from a passenger car to a 4x4 SUV. Had always bought Ford, but the size SUV we wanted (Explorer) doesn't really come with very many off road options. With Ford you have to go up to an Expedition to get a decent off road vehicle, and those START at $50.000! So we looked at a Jeep Grand cherokee at the end of the model year (for a new "last years" model). Their "trailhawk" edition has just about everything you could ask for in a 4x4. And had niceties that the wife wanted. Long story short, we got a great deal and it was $3000 less than a much less equipped Explorer. Have been happy with it. Just got back from a mule deer hunt and she let me take her jeep!

 

[boom]

I get that, and I am about as much a cheapskate as a guy can get. However, I love to hunt. I love to hunt out of state. I love to hunt places that require driving hundreds of miles, a lot of times in bad weather, and far off the beaten path. I need a vehicle that I can depend on to do this. My last Nissan Titan, I drove for 11 years and put 280K miles on it. I figure for me, its probably more cost effective, especially factoring in the hassle and time of working on vehicles, to simply buy something I am pretty confident is going to give me years of trouble-free use, versus constantly working on an old beater truck, or buying another higher mileage used truck every 4 or 5 years.

no, if i were you i would be in the same boat. my 2006 tacoma is still going. you did it right in my opinion. you used up your last vehicle properly. if you amortizie your truck cost over that 11 year period, you did well. really well.

on a whim, i went to a GMC dealership to look at the new AT4. it was $78k at the sticker IIRC. i walked away. the salesman was chasing me down yelling something about 8 year financing.. hahhaa.. man. that would be painful.

i hope my 2006 tacoma goes a solid 20 years. so 2026. maybe i'll go look at the new GMC AT5!

 

[zacattack]

So, my trusty Nissan Xterra Pro-4X has met its match versus a little forky mule deer. I really didnt think they'd total it, but the collision place sent the estimate to Progressive for 13K! So, looks like I am going to be in the market for a new truck. I've been waffling between a lightly used one and a brand new one. The main reason I was looking at new, is that for Nissans, it seems like you could potentially haggle them down fairly low from MSRP, and get a better APR on a new versus used. This would be my 3rd Nissan in 20 years, and between my first Titan, and the Xterra, nearly 500K miles of problem-free driving, other than minor stuff and routine maintenance.
So, I am really wanting a base model crew cab 4x4 Titan. My first Titan was a 2004 base model, I really loved the vinyl floor and bench seats. I drove that first one 280K miles.
Question is, what is the best resource online to truly know what you ought to be paying for a new truck? I used to trust edmunds.com way way back in the day, but I think now they are in bed with the manufacturers, and aren't going to give you the "real" lowest price. Is there really such a thing as true invoice price? Will a dealer typically accept an offer at or near true invoice? Where to do you find that?

Work dealerships against each other. Find the one you want, email sales and see who is lowest. Then email that to the others and see if they can beat it. Also go on the last day of the month. They are trying to make sales quotas and moving a truck would be a big one. Also have a loan in hand if you need one, then try and see if the dealer loan place can beat that. Be prepared to walk of things stop going your way.

 

[Jagger0502]

I was just in a similar situation and found a mule deer 2000 miles from home on my elk hunt this year... on the way out! Limped my truck thru the mountains for 11 days and when I got home the insurance totaled it and said I should have left it on the side of the road when it happened.

So I went on a truck search and came to the conclusion that a new truck for 30k bare bones... 60k for a 4 door long bed to replace the old 4 door long bed I had wasn’t an option. Living in the rust belt in Pa I just can’t justify spending that much on a truck that will be a rust bucket in 10 years or less and worth next to nothing. So I found a guy that buys trucks out west and down south, Fixes any issues and gets them ready for inspection and resells them. Paid 10k for a 1993 F350 4 door long bed that has no mechanical issues. Figuring that I saved 20-30k that will pay for a lot of fuel and a lot of trips back out west over the next 10 years vs buying a new one. (At least that’s what I am telling my wife)

Just some food for thought.

 

[cnelk]

^^^ Those old Fords will pass everything but a gas station!

 

[100percent]

Get a beater truck to limp around in for 6mo-12mo until prices/inventory level out or implode

This^^^^^

 

[Spike elk]

I was just in a similar situation and found a mule deer 2000 miles from home on my elk hunt this year... on the way out! Limped my truck thru the mountains for 11 days and when I got home the insurance totaled it and said I should have left it on the side of the road when it happened.

So I went on a truck search and came to the conclusion that a new truck for 30k bare bones... 60k for a 4 door long bed to replace the old 4 door long bed I had wasn’t an option. Living in the rust belt in Pa I just can’t justify spending that much on a truck that will be a rust bucket in 10 years or less and worth next to nothing. So I found a guy that buys trucks out west and down south, Fixes any issues and gets them ready for inspection and resells them. Paid 10k for a 1993 F350 4 door long bed that has no mechanical issues. Figuring that I saved 20-30k that will pay for a lot of fuel and a lot of trips back out west over the next 10 years vs buying a new one. (At least that’s what I am telling my wife)

Just some food for thought.

View attachment 240664

Just did the same thing but with an old Chevy 2500HD with low miles. Couldn't talk myself into making payments on a truck that is newer so payed cash for the old gas guzzler. Course I don't have to drive very far for most of my outdoor adventures.

 

[jmez]

See if you can find a 2020. 2021s are out and hold overs are always deeply discounted.

Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk

 

[Jagger0502]

^^^ Those old Fords will pass everything but a gas station!

I have 20k+ buffer to cover the gas millage.

 

[bojangles808]

I'm going through this right now. Time to dump my 04 titan I don't want to dump any more $ in it and with a baby my wife wants something that won't randomly have issues at inopportune times.


Looking at 2020 f150 xl stx 2.7 v6 would be around 39 total otd
2020 ram classic warlock quad cab 3.5 v6 would be around 33 total(Would buy this mainland and ship)
And a 2021 tacoma sr5 double cab around 37 otd

I don't need loaded or 4x4 on this island are anything crazy to tow stuff hence the dweeby models. Not really sold on any but Tacomas have stupid resale value out here so leaning that way although I like the bigger cabs of a full size. Dealers kinda have a monopoly out here so hard to get good deals.

 

[YZF_88]

I bought a new truck recently. The time I invested in research was substantial. I found some great tips on the buying process and was very well informed. Some good tips on yourautoadvocate.com.

 

[buckslayer5676]

I bought a used truck a few months ago. I just checked and the same trucks are going for about 10% more. Crazy.

It is crazy! Hopefully things settle down in the next six months for used vehicle prices.

 

[Headwatermike]

I've been looking to replace my truck for months. I'm cheap and buy used but the market has been terrible. Used prices are as high as new. I've been talking to dealers now about new and am also unsure what the future holds. It turns out that a trillion dollars is a lot of money. Now they are going to put another trillion out to friends and families and dump what's left over to the people again. There aren't that many vehicles for sale so I guess that prices will remain high or get higher in the near future, maybe forever. I think that's what they call inflation. I wanted to make a purchase before the new year for tax purposes but it doesn't look like that will happen so I'll keep driving my old truck. That said, I suspect that buying new right now isn't a bad bet. I'm beginning to think that the new prices will rise to reflect inflation rather than the used prices coming down to where they were, but I'm not an economist. Hell, I thought there would have been a sale by now but another trillion dollars...

 

[Fullfan]

Yep they are crazy, looking for a new truck for the wife. Even a 2020 w 9k miles is going for 67-69k

 

[Spiral Horn]

I have a 2018 Nissan Titan PRO-4X and absolutely love it. Got an unbelievable deal on a loaded truck. Ran my first Titan for over 14 years and it sold it for 25% of what I paid. Very underrated vehicle with great deals currently available. Nissan is currently offering $4,000 customer cash on a 2021 Titan, plus a $500 military discount - and all of that is after your best negotiated deal.

Some have already provided great advise - here are a few things I do ahead of time:
- Research the exact models of interest, configuration and options desired. Do enough research to know a good/great deal when you see one.
- Narrow it down to a few different makes, and test drive them all on the same day (makes a huge difference).
- Once the precise vehicle is identified, ID dealers with that precise vehicle in stock. Then email the internet sales manager “tell them you already know the exact truck desired and are buying this week” and get a firm quote on a “driving away price” including 100% of taxes, charges, fees, and a full tank of gas. Tell them you will walk away if the price changes $1 from the quote. Many will want you to come in prior to giving a quote (don’t take the bait). Don’t waste 30 seconds on the guy who tells you to get your best deal and they’ll beat it by $50. To get the best deal you need to be committed to walking away from bad or mediocre ones.
- once the quote is offered, then is the time to spring the additional manufacturer to consumer incentives on them.
- pre-arrange loan approval with your financial institution prior to going to the dealer. This is important = You‘ll want a ”simple interest loan with no pre-payment penalty.” The kind of loan makes a huge difference. It‘s in the dealer‘s interest to match whatever your bank offers - loan commissions and incentives are big part of their business.
- most of the extended warranty, pre-paid maintenance, etc stuff is not with it. My Titan came standard with a 5/yr, 100k bumper-to-bumper warranty.
- the above formula worked pretty well for me. The key is to keep razor-focused on the “driving away” price of the truck and resist getting distracted by the shell game. No trades, and don’t let them weave “manufacturer to customer“ incentives into the discount the dealer is giving. Be firm but let them know you are ready to buy.
- above all the car buyer’s only superpowers are showing up, staying through the pitch, and executing the deal. Make them earn every part of that, be willing to walk, and willing to buy if the price is right. It also helps that this is the best time of year to buy a car - end of month and end of year incentives and goals are a big motivator for the dealer to move those cars off the lot, not to mention pending interest and taxes.

Sorry for the dissertation, but it’s a complex undertaking. Good luck.

 

[Drew10]

So, my trusty Nissan Xterra Pro-4X has met its match versus a little forky mule deer. I really didnt think they'd total it, but the collision place sent the estimate to Progressive for 13K! So, looks like I am going to be in the market for a new truck. I've been waffling between a lightly used one and a brand new one. The main reason I was looking at new, is that for Nissans, it seems like you could potentially haggle them down fairly low from MSRP, and get a better APR on a new versus used. This would be my 3rd Nissan in 20 years, and between my first Titan, and the Xterra, nearly 500K miles of problem-free driving, other than minor stuff and routine maintenance.
So, I am really wanting a base model crew cab 4x4 Titan. My first Titan was a 2004 base model, I really loved the vinyl floor and bench seats. I drove that first one 280K miles.
Question is, what is the best resource online to truly know what you ought to be paying for a new truck? I used to trust edmunds.com way way back in the day, but I think now they are in bed with the manufacturers, and aren't going to give you the "real" lowest price. Is there really such a thing as true invoice price? Will a dealer typically accept an offer at or near true invoice? Where to do you find that?

Them look cool

 

[kda082]

I have a 2018 Nissan Titan PRO-4X and absolutely love it. Got an unbelievable deal on a loaded truck. Ran my first Titan for over 14 years and it sold it for 25% of what I paid. Very underrated vehicle with great deals currently available. Nissan is currently offering $4,000 customer cash on a 2021 Titan, plus a $500 military discount - and all of that is after your best negotiated deal.

Some have already provided great advise - here are a few things I do ahead of time:
- Research the exact models of interest, configuration and options desired. Do enough research to know a good/great deal when you see one.
- Narrow it down to a few different makes, and test drive them all on the same day (makes a huge difference).
- Once the precise vehicle is identified, ID dealers with that precise vehicle in stock. Then email the internet sales manager “tell them you already know the exact truck desired and are buying this week” and get a firm quote on a “driving away price” including 100% of taxes, charges, fees, and a full tank of gas. Tell them you will walk away if the price changes $1 from the quote. Many will want you to come in prior to giving a quote (don’t take the bait). Don’t waste 30 seconds on the guy who tells you to get your best deal and they’ll beat it by $50. To get the best deal you need to be committed to walking away from bad or mediocre ones.
- once the quote is offered, then is the time to spring the additional manufacturer to consumer incentives on them.
- pre-arrange loan approval with your financial institution prior to going to the dealer. This is important = You‘ll want a ”simple interest loan with no pre-payment penalty.” The kind of loan makes a huge difference. It‘s in the dealer‘s interest to match whatever your bank offers - loan commissions and incentives are big part of their business.
- most of the extended warranty, pre-paid maintenance, etc stuff is not with it. My Titan came standard with a 5/yr, 100k powertrain warranty.
- the above formula worked pretty well for me. The key is to keep razor-focused on the “driving away” price of the truck and resist getting distracted by the shell game. No trades, and don’t let them weave “manufacturer to customer“ incentives into the discount the dealer is giving. Be firm but let them know you are ready to buy.
- above all the car buyer’s only superpowers are showing up, staying through the pitch, and executing the deal. Make them earn every part of that, be willing to walk, and willing to buy if the price is right. It also helps that this is the best time of year to buy a car - end of month and end of year incentives and goals are a big motivator for the dealer to move those cars off the lot, not to mention pending interest and taxes.

Sorry for the dissertation, but it’s a complex undertaking. Good luck.

Youre going with me on my next truck purchase. Loved my 05 Titan. Almost 200,000 trouble free miles and went anywhere I steered with no problems.

 

[30338]

Drove 12,000 plus miles since early Oct on hunts. A reliable truck is very important to me. I drive a different brand but buy new and grind them into the dirt. The last few I have bought I contact 3 high volume dealers via email, tell them what I want and that I am buying in next 48 hours. Then take the best price and move on. Probably better ways but I hate spending too much time on it and seems like I get pretty decent deals.

Curious about the 2022 Tundras.