Used Truck - Buy Now or Later?

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

I have a 2014 Ram 1500 sport with 108k miles and the 5.7 hemi tick that’s slowly getting better with redline 5w30. It’s been reliable for 2 years so far, but I’m not convinced that it’s worth keeping long term. And the tick is annoying of course.

I’m interested in a 2014+ Tundra crewcab but used prices on them under 100k miles seem crazy. Budget would be $40k for a tundra. Should I wait it out and keep driving the Ram?

Being in WA, we get lots of used Canadian trucks, so rust is a concern. Also wonder how comfortable a tundra would be off-road compared to a ram given the tundra leaf spring rear vs the ram coil spring rear.

If the Ram is worth keeping I’d look at putting a 4” BDS with bilstein 6112’s on the front. Then 18” wheels and 35” tires that I could air down. Tundra would probably stay stock or leveled suspension but 17” or 18” wheels with 33” tires to air down.

What would you do?

 

[Ucsdryder]

Canadian trucks are fine, trying to buy from the west. Keep an eye on warranties. Some warranties (ram) don’t necessarily transfer. Chevy and ford should transfer. Obviously if it’s out of warranty, not an issue.

I’d keep your current truck. A year from now I’d plan on buying. I wouldn’t put any money into aftermarket lifts.

 

[Bubblehide]

Currently repossessions are the highest they have been in over 10 years. I'd hold off. Prices will come down.

 

[MuleyFever]

Currently repossessions are the highest they have been in over 10 years. I'd hold off. Prices will come down.

If he is selling his used truck that also means the value of his truck will go down. I think there is more to consider if you are also trading in or selling a truck to buy another. If you are just buying then the price trends matter more. That said price swings will affect some models/years more than others.

 

[Bubblehide]

If he is selling his used truck that also means the value of his truck will go down. I think there is more to consider if you are also trading in or selling a truck to buy another. If you are just buying then the price trends matter more. That said price swings will affect some models/years more than others.

True, but I'd bet he is aware of that. But you're right, I was strictly refering to the purchase.

 

[SwiftShot]

If you buying and selling in the same market, it kind of cancels out. Not 100 percent but it does depending on upgrade or downgrade.

 

[Yarak]

If you’re paying cash then most dealers will work with you but if you’re financing then you’ll pay the exorbitant price plus the ever rising interest rates

 

[ETtikka]

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

Yes, I’d be trading the Ram in. Good points on interest rates. I still owe some on the Ram but the rate is low.

I understand saying don’t lift it. But what about replacing suspension components? I feel like it doesn’t ride as well as it could.

 

[Bendejo]

My hemi tick was fixed by replacing snapped exhaust manifold bolts.

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk

 

[downthepipe]

Yeah the tick should be looked at as manifold head bolts replace. It can be one or both sides. It should be fixable with about $400-500 to your mechanic.

 

[roosiebull]

I have a 2014 Ram 1500 sport with 108k miles and the 5.7 hemi tick that’s slowly getting better with redline 5w30. It’s been reliable for 2 years so far, but I’m not convinced that it’s worth keeping long term. And the tick is annoying of course.

I’m interested in a 2014+ Tundra crewcab but used prices on them under 100k miles seem crazy. Budget would be $40k for a tundra. Should I wait it out and keep driving the Ram?

Being in WA, we get lots of used Canadian trucks, so rust is a concern. Also wonder how comfortable a tundra would be off-road compared to a ram given the tundra leaf spring rear vs the ram coil spring rear.

If the Ram is worth keeping I’d look at putting a 4” BDS with bilstein 6112’s on the front. Then 18” wheels and 35” tires that I could air down. Tundra would probably stay stock or leveled suspension but 17” or 18” wheels with 33” tires to air down.

What would you do?

You can get tundras fairly comfortable off-road, but they kinda suck stock, very “boaty”

Gets messy with a full cup of coffee on bumpy roads, of course Toyota has a ton of aftermarket support, so that can be dealt with. Unless you find a good deal on a trd, I would rather do the upgrades myself, you’ll be better off.

It’s been awhile since I drove a half ton ram off-road, but I remember it being a nice pickup, it was probably 2016 and I got a brand new ram as a rental, my Chevy s-10 zr2 burned up the day before spring bear started, which was why I had the ram, from my recollection, the ram was not bad off-road.

I know I liked it a lot more than the wrangler I bought a week later, which I quickly sold and bought a 4Runner, and had it a solid 2 weeks until I got a taco… it was kind of a cluster for a couple weeks, but I liked the ram for a 1/2 ton.

The tundra is a great pickup, but I don’t care to drive ours, unless I’m pulling something too heavy for my pickup, but my sis in law had a trd pro for a few years and I didn’t mind the ride of that pickup, and you could attain that same ride quality at a reasonable price on your own.

Tundra is a fuel hog, we have had 2, an 08 and a 21, and they are roomy and comfortable, really nice ride on pavement if you aren’t always in a hurry, zipping through corners on a windy road it gets boaty… of course all of that can easily be fixed.

Our current tundra was out of necessity, I needed something to pull my ocean boat, and I traded my first Colorado zr2 for it new, I planned on putting all new suspension and skid plates on it but eventually talked my wife into driving it and I got another Colorado zr2, so I don’t know what it costs to get it where I would want it in terms of handling… I like little pickups myself, so that could be a bias I start with, so take it for what it is.

If I lived over east, I would probably be happy driving one with some suspension work, if I was driving on snow for 1/3 of the year and no brushed in roads I need to get through, the tundra is more attractive… I just despise big pickups on the coast, they get trashed quick.

If they sold the new version of the samurai in the US, I would own one, the smaller the better for me, so again, I have some bias.

The only half ton I kept over 6 months myself was a 95 f-150 standard cab short box, bought it with just over 50k on it, and that thing was great in the woods, had an insane turning radius and held the road great… worked good everywhere… it wasn’t anything special, and I didn’t care about scratching it.

If you can handle the fuel and doing some suspension upgrades, the tundra is a nice pickup, quiet and smooth, lots of room, plenty of power… they are nice, and if I liked 1/2 tons, I would likely drive a tundra

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

It’s definitely hemi tick. The exhaust manifold bolts did shear at around 90k and I had them replaced, all new ones and new gaskets. It ticked on the way home from the shop.

Manifold leak is also typically louder at cold start and gets quieter as the engine warms. My tick is consistent but worse at certain RPM’s, no difference with engine temp. I’ve been on Ramforum a lot trying to deal with it.

Just gonna keep doing redline 5w30 every 5k miles, add lubeguard biotech, run it a little over filled for increased oil pressure, and royal purple filters. It’s slowly getting better I think.

 

[Nevvon]

I was in a similar situation a few months back. I had a 13 gmc with 168k on it, and thr normal things that mileage lime that for engine- small leaks, minor rust, etc. I looked at used tacomas (i am in northen mi) in my area and found that an 6-8 year old tacoma was only a few k off of new. I went to dealership and got full bluebook for my gmc (12k) and a new tacoma. I found the toyota dealer here was a straight shooter and gave me a great deal. You might be able to do same for your tundra

 

[Unckebob]

The prices on used vehicles are insane. There a lot of people in the auto business expecting them to drop like a rock as interest rate increases make for higher payments

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

Yeah like some have mentioned though, if used truck values plummet I assume trade in value for mine will too.

Not sure a new tundra is in the cards. I have seen some 2019, 2020 Silverado’s with ~50k miles in my price range. My 2010 was bulletproof, wonder if those would be decent options.