Buy A New Truck - The 50% Off Sale Has Arrived!
Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 8:39 pm
50% off sale On New trucks I have been watching the dealer lots and researching rebates since November for a new truck, end of year 2008 model. The last used truck I purchased ended up being more work than fun. I decided that if the day came that the rebates were right and the discount was also available, then I just might take the leap. Especially if a 50% off sale came about. That is, 50% off the sticker price. I worked on a guy at the Ford used car lot in February on a 2007 Dodge every way possible. I finally told the sales manager, I'll just come back in a few months when you have a 50% off sale and buy then. He just laughed at me and said that won't happen. Remember, I just need basic transportation in a truck, regular cab, V-6, auto, and air. I really like the vinyl floor mats and roll up windows.
Guess I'm too much from the 70's. Anyway, all I have heard from the big three were buy now we will make your payments with very little rebates offered. You could have made a better deal in September. However, things changed today at Dodge and with their rebates. At:
http://www.greenville-chrysler.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
2008 Ram 1500 Regular Cab V-6, short bed, auto - Sticker price $24,455 less discount and rebates makes a sales price of $11,550. A Farm Bureau rebate knocks off another $500. Now that is getting there. Especially since a vehicle is a depreciating asset. There are alot of used car dealers selling a used truck just like this today for more than that. This really hurts the poor guy who is upside down and bought a few months back, but helps the guy who has been looking. The question is, could it go even lower?
Guess I'm too much from the 70's. Anyway, all I have heard from the big three were buy now we will make your payments with very little rebates offered. You could have made a better deal in September. However, things changed today at Dodge and with their rebates. At:
http://www.greenville-chrysler.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
2008 Ram 1500 Regular Cab V-6, short bed, auto - Sticker price $24,455 less discount and rebates makes a sales price of $11,550. A Farm Bureau rebate knocks off another $500. Now that is getting there. Especially since a vehicle is a depreciating asset. There are alot of used car dealers selling a used truck just like this today for more than that. This really hurts the poor guy who is upside down and bought a few months back, but helps the guy who has been looking. The question is, could it go even lower?
Don't buy a V6 full size truck, you will regret it. The gas mileage is the same as the bigger V8 but you don't get any of the power benefits. Basically you will end up running the engine at 80-100% all the time which kills your mileage and makes it wear out quicker.
I love that truck though, it's one tough 1/2 ton ( well, it's actually no longer a 1/2 ton ).. I've done everything from offroading it, to heavy hauling ( it stayed hooked to a trailer for 4 yrs straight ), you name it this truck has done it, and for the abuse I've put it through it's by far the toughest truck I've ever owned.. It does eat U joints though, but being lifted I expect that.. 200K miles and I've done no major work to speak of. I'm actually planning on a Cummins swap here in a few yrs, reg cab short bed truck with a Cummins, oh yeah! I wouldnt hesitate to buy another Dodge, but I have no use for a 1/2 ton anymore.. I really have no use for a 1 ton anymore, I need something bigger ( I wear out suspensions, by around 50K miles I'm having to replace leaf springs, I run extra springs now, plus air bags, it's not that I overload them, it's that I tow so much ), so this is why I haven't bought another Dodge..
). Although the 4th gen's dont have tranny problems. The Cummins did have problems with lift pumps, a FASS pump takes care of that, takes the stress off it. But then you get to Ford's, the 6.0's have injector problems ( just like the D-max ), head gasket problems, and if you idle for prolonged periods the variable vane turbo tends to carbon up and needs to be cleaned quite often. The had EGR problems too, which is normally mis diagnosed as being blown head gaskets. The 6.4's have lots of problems too, the most common is the EGR cooler, they like to leak, which dumps antifreeze into the crankcase, because factory gauges stink so bad you dont know you fried a engine until it's to late. Every newer diesel running a ton of emissions equipment has EGR and head gasket problems ( International, Volvo, Cat, just to name a few )... I could go on and on about that, I've experienced most of it myself... 2 words, 7.3 Powerstroke.. One tough engine that doesnt quit..