Is it possible to keep truck too long?

[petethepug]

With 60, 80, 100, $150k automobiles that were previously 40-$60k, the day of the RestoMod is center stage.

You’ve really gotta ask yourself, $150k on a Escalade V or $100k on a 600hp Gen IV or V 6.6L DuraMax + Allison Burb or Esky or YXL.

 

[vcode]

no rust here, stuff last's a long time

Yep, you guys are lucky!

 

[Larryjb]

no rust here, stuff last's a long time

With 60, 80, 100, $150k automobiles that were previously 40-$60k, the day of the RestoMod is center stage.

You’ve really gotta ask yourself, $150k on a Escalade V or $100k on a 600hp Gen IV or V 6.6L DuraMax + Allison Burb or Esky or YXL.

And much more expensive to repair when out of warrantee.

 

[Pyramid_Head]

And much more expensive to repair when out of warrantee.

100000% agree. Another reason why older is better. You just have to take your time and research what will work best for you. The GMT900 will be my last new car I'll ever buy. Once it gives up on me, I'll just repair it, or get me an older model thats was well maintained. They're out there, believe it or not.

 

[91RS]

100000% agree. Another reason why older is better. You just have to take your time and research what will work best for you. The GMT900 will be my last new car I'll ever buy. Once it gives up on me, I'll just repair it, or get me an older model thats was well maintained. They're out there, believe it or not.

I really don’t understand how so many people seem to be ok loosing such massive amounts of money on these new vehicles. They’re still depreciating to the same values they always have but MSRP’s keep skyrocketing. I’m already seeing 2020 Escalades dip into the high 30’s, 2018’s for low 30’s.

Imagine you bought a 2020 Escalade for $80k and financed it for 7 years. That’s a $1000 payment and you probably still owe more than it’s worth after paying in it for 4-5 years, your powertrain warranty is about to expire, and B2B has been expired for 2 years. So, now what? Trade it in and do it again? I don’t see how this is sustainable. More and more manufacturers are blocking reprogramming so you can’t buy used parts, but you need to be green a buy an EV while we fill up landfills with perfectly good parts and cars. You bump a shopping cart and it’s $5k in damage because of all the sensors behind the bumpers.

I agree, I think the 900s are perfect. They have just enough technology but not to the overwhelming amount that it is now. But, GM is discontinuing parts for them like crazy. I’ve stocked up on some stuff I think I might need.

 

[OR VietVet]

100000% agree. Another reason why older is better. You just have to take your time and research what will work best for you. The GMT900 will be my last new car I'll ever buy. Once it gives up on me, I'll just repair it, or get me an older model thats was well maintained. They're out there, believe it or not.

I really don’t understand how so many people seem to be ok loosing such massive amounts of money on these new vehicles. They’re still depreciating to the same values they always have but MSRP’s keep skyrocketing. I’m already seeing 2020 Escalades dip into the high 30’s, 2018’s for low 30’s.

Imagine you bought a 2020 Escalade for $80k and financed it for 7 years. That’s a $1000 payment and you probably still owe more than it’s worth after paying in it for 4-5 years, your powertrain warranty is about to expire, and B2B has been expired for 2 years. So, now what? Trade it in and do it again? I don’t see how this is sustainable. More and more manufacturers are blocking reprogramming so you can’t buy used parts, but you need to be green a buy an EV while we fill up landfills with perfectly good parts and cars. You bump a shopping cart and it’s $5k in damage because of all the sensors behind the bumpers.

I agree, I think the 900s are perfect. They have just enough technology but not to the overwhelming amount that it is now. But, GM is discontinuing parts for them like crazy. I’ve stocked up on some stuff I think I might need.

You can find lower mileage, well taken care of GMT800's-my preference and GMT900's at B.A.T. auctions. I knew I was keeping my 2005 Z71 and if you look at my build thread, you can see how I invested in Genuine GM parts and went thru 90% of the truck, except for the engine and transmission. Eventually the parts were going to be needed and I did it before the breakdown process started.

I know that people buy new for either hopeful piece of mind or just gotta have new and don't think of the loss of value over time. I have gone that route before and stopped when I put pen to paper and see how much money I was wasting. If you can get a non rusted out older truck and invest in it, you come out money ahead for sure.

 

[vcode]

I really don’t understand how so many people seem to be ok loosing such massive amounts of money on these new vehicles. They’re still depreciating to the same values they always have but MSRP’s keep skyrocketing. I’m already seeing 2020 Escalades dip into the high 30’s, 2018’s for low 30’s.

Imagine you bought a 2020 Escalade for $80k and financed it for 7 years. That’s a $1000 payment and you probably still owe more than it’s worth after paying in it for 4-5 years, your powertrain warranty is about to expire, and B2B has been expired for 2 years. So, now what? Trade it in and do it again? I don’t see how this is sustainable. More and more manufacturers are blocking reprogramming so you can’t buy used parts, but you need to be green a buy an EV while we fill up landfills with perfectly good parts and cars. You bump a shopping cart and it’s $5k in damage because of all the sensors behind the bumpers.

I agree, I think the 900s are perfect. They have just enough technology but not to the overwhelming amount that it is now. But, GM is discontinuing parts for them like crazy. I’ve stocked up on some stuff I think I might need.

It's simple. Because there is a lot of money out there. A lot. It may not be in your hands or mine, but it is there. A lot of people made a killing on the stock market recently, and I know a lot of 2 income families making $250K or more a year. They have money to burn......

 

[91RS]

It's simple. Because there is a lot of money out there. A lot. It may not be in your hands or mine, but it is there. A lot of people made a killing on the stock market recently, and I know a lot of 2 income families making $250K or more a year. They have money to burn......

With as much as everything costs these days, I wouldn’t say $250k is year gives you much money to burn. When a starter home is $400k with a $2500 payment, groceries are $300 a week, two $1000 car payments, health “insurance” is $1500 a month and doesn’t cover anything. $250k burns up FAST.

 

[tooleyondeck]

It's simple. Because there is a lot of money out there. A lot. It may not be in your hands or mine, but it is there. A lot of people made a killing on the stock market recently, and I know a lot of 2 income families making $250K or more a year. They have money to burn......

That's certainly one factor, another is driving experience. It's foolish to expect to get a good ROI on any vehicle, but driving a newer model is a much more comfortable experience to the average driver. I'm sure most 21+ full-size V8 SUV buyers value that to some extent because it's certainly not about economy when the mid-size market offers just as many creature comforts for far less of a price point.

 

[91RS]

Being that many people trade it worn out cars they didn’t take care of, a new car almost always feels better to your average driver. They’ll argue to the death when I say my 2008 rides better than the new ones after I replaced every suspension part with new OEM (except the lowering springs for the rear and the sway bars) and put Michelins on it. The new ones handle better and the electric power steering feels different but you still feel every bump on the road even with air suspension. That isn’t $100k vehicle for me.

 

[OR VietVet]

After rebuilding the entire steering/suspension on my GMT800, it drives and handles like a dream and the always more comfortable seats make it even better.

 

[Pyramid_Head]

It's simple. Because there is a lot of money out there. A lot. It may not be in your hands or mine, but it is there. A lot of people made a killing on the stock market recently, and I know a lot of 2 income families making $250K or more a year. They have money to burn......

True. Business owners, and independent 1099 workers can write off new vehicles that weigh at least 6000lbs on tax code 179. It just needs to pass certain prerequisites. I think it has to be no less than a few years and use it for business for the most part. I own a business, and tried to do that with my burb a few years back, but I was only able to write off repairs, gas, and maintenance due to its age.

In all honestly, I still prefer my 2011. It's complicated and costly as is when swapping out the transmission, yet it's easy enough for me to repair it as is.

Maybe I'm just stuck in the 80s and 90s when cars were easier to repair and weite off.

 

[AndrewM23]

I think it’s worth your time and money if your truck is in good shape still, to fix your rig and keep it than to spend another 20-40k for a new or new to you rig. I have a 04 Denali XL 150k and I spent 4K in a new transmission, and everything else that comes with that and I know I won’t have to worry about if for at least another 100k hopefully with proper maintenance and such. Just for reference my father has a 2002 Tahoe with 280k and still going strong only thing major he had to replace was transmission at 225k! 1 Water pump and 2 sets of plugs and wires that’s it

 

[Pyramid_Head]

I think it’s worth your time and money if your truck is in good shape still, to fix your rig and keep it than to spend another 20-40k for a new or new to you rig. I have a 04 Denali XL 150k and I spent 4K in a new transmission, and everything else that comes with that and I know I won’t have to worry about if for at least another 100k hopefully with proper maintenance and such. Just for reference my father has a 2002 Tahoe with 280k and still going strong only thing major he had to replace was transmission at 225k! 1 Water pump and 2 sets of plugs and wires that’s it

Very true. If there's massive rust in panels and frame, move on to another vehicle without rust. I live in Socal, the Antelope Valley area, and my cars have no rust at all.

 

[vcode]

With as much as everything costs these days, I wouldn’t say $250k is year gives you much money to burn. When a starter home is $400k with a $2500 payment, groceries are $300 a week, two $1000 car payments, health “insurance” is $1500 a month and doesn’t cover anything. $250k burns up FAST.

Some depends on where you live. My wife and I never came close to $100K a year and never spent more than $60K a year. Yet we live in a 2400 sq ft brick ranch and I retired at 60. Couldn't do that in CA. though.....

 

[Grady_Wilson]

FWIW I plan on keeping my GMT900 for a very long time.
Right now it has 125k miles and it still runs great.
I do need to swap out the rear shocks and maybe the compressor but other than that it is pretty close to perfect.

I tend to keep my cars a long time.
Bought a 2002 Nissan Altima SE brand new and I still have it. It now has 250k miles and still runs like a top.
Paint is faded because Nissan clear coat sucks but mechanically it is darn near perfect.

I do all my own maintenance and I am very meticulous about it.