Truck question

[DEFIANCE1]

I'm sure some people have run into the same problem im trying to figure out. Currently I have a 1997 dodge ram 1500 130k 4x4. This is my only vehicle. It's starting to become a headache and I really dont trust it as a daily driver. Just replaced the clutch in it last month and have had 3 differnt incidents where the brake lines have blown in the last couple months. Ball joints and other front suspension parts need to be replaced soon and its probably going to be about a $1000 fix. I tow a 24 foot penn yan and the 1500 is about at its max when the boat is full of fuel and gear. Boat fully loaded weighs probably no more than 7k at the max. So im looking to get a new to me truck(used). I would really like to get a 2500 and possibly a diesel. Im looking to spend somwhere around 16k-20k. What I have been finding is that to get a 2500 diesel for that price the miles are very high. Ive been debating on two different options. First, I could buy the new truck that will satisfy my towing and hunting needs as well as serve as my daily driver. The concern is that im going to be putting 13-15k a year on this truck and im going to be back in the same situation that im in now with a high mileage truck. Second option, keep the truck I have now which does what I need and look at getting a car as a second vehicle to use as my daily driver. I could do most of the repairs myself on the truck if I didint depend on it to drive to work each day. I would look at spending about 7-9k on a car to keep my payments down to offset the cost of insuring a second vehicle.

Anyone been in this situation before and what did you end up doing? Having a 2500 diesel will be nice for towing the boat but I really only tow it maybe 10-12 times along the south shore of lake ontario for tournaments. But, I would hate to put a ton a miles on it each day driving to work where I dont need the truck.

[holy mackerel]

I bought a new Ford focus in '07 when gas was at the peak. I think it was $13k and is now paid for with 60k on it. I kept my'01 F150 to tow with.

I am saving $100/ 1000 miles because of the milage difference 34 mpg/ 14mpg. One advantage is I go where and when I want and still only use 8 to 10 gallons of gas per week. The insurance wasn't that bad. You may do better with new with the year end finance rates which are much lower than used vehicles. also consider the warranty.

Now that the car is paid off, I plan on doing some maintainence on the truck, tires brakes and such.

Looking back, It worked out very well buying the second vehicle for me.

[seasquirrel]

I currently drive a 2500 HD dodge with a 5.7 Hemi in it. It is my daily driver. I tow my boat 27' Searay Amberjack two hours to lake O in the spring and home in the fall. Truck handles the load excellent. I get about 5 mpg towing and maybe 12-14 mpg on highway when not towing. I haul an insane amount of firewood so that is another reason for the 3/4 ton truck for me. I am currently looking to buy a Ford F250 with the 7.3 diesel in it. Tough to find a used one with that engine. I have owned two dodge trucks and while I love the Hemi motor in my current truck, the truck has had pre-mature wear on drivetrain and front end. Good luck in your decision.

[MCF]

Gas is now over $3.00 per gallon again and likely to stay there. I would seriously investigate your second option, buying a car with better gas mileage and using/repairing the truck to just tow. Hard to justify driving a 3/4 ton pick up all year. A decade ago I drove a ram for six years, "because I needed it to two a boat on occasion "that was when gas was a lot less.

[tcon]

We bought a used mini van (Dodge Caravan) from Avon dodge, not sure if all the Dodge dealers are doing it but they offer a "LIFETIME" waranty on any certified dodge vehicle certified meening they go thru it with a fine tooth comb and it has to pass all there standards before they will ok it for this program. I read thru all the documentation before I signed on the dotted line and its unbelievable what this warranty covers! The only catch and I guess its not really a catch is its a $150. deductible and if you can get out of a repair shop for less than $150. unless it's an oil change your doing pretty good . Well something to look into. We have the same problem with the mileage my wife and I do about 25k to 30k a year running the kiddos around so a 5 year loan doesn't make much sense. Good luck.

Tom

[goin deep]

I was in the same position you are currently in. I have a 2002 F-250 w/ a 7.3 diesel and 125,000 miles on it and found a 1995 Honda civic 5 speed w/ 29,000 miles on it. The Honda ain't pretty but she gets 38 MPG. Like holy mackerel said, I go places where and when I want because I'm not spending a fortune on gas. Also, normal wear & tear items such as brakes and tires cost a lot less than on my truck.

Brian

[sszoldra]

I was towing my boat the 2 hrs. to Lake O each way with my F-150 with the 5.4 and getting around 10 MPG. (that's stretching it) It never had the chance to get into overdrive with it downshifting so much. I found a 2000 Ford Excursion with the 7.3 diesel and 225,000 miles on it, and paid $5000.00. I get over 15 MPG towing 70 MPH across the thruway, it doesn't feel like there's anything behind me. (better than 18 MPG highway without a performance chip)and I have no worries taking that truck anywhere. The mileage on a diesel means nothing. As long as the vehicle was maintained, and in my opinion, when towing nothing is overkill.

[chowder]

Heavy duty diesel pickup trucks are very expensive to own & maintain (older, poorly maintained units are notoriously hard/impossible to start in cold weather) and only 'pay for themselves' if you operate a business that requires you to haul a heavy payload or trailer day in and day out, otherwise they are an expensive 'toy'. Some people can truly afford to own & operate a 'toy' and there's nothing wrong w/ that & some people (cattle haulers,heavy duty truck repair people,etc) can actually pay for a diesel truck by using it but way too many people burn a lot of fuel and maintenance dollars up long after the 'thrill' of having a HD diesel truck is gone.

Although I'm a dairy farm owner and have a lot of very large farm equipment and have to get large & heavy parts & tires, and tow heavy trailers and wagons on a regular basis I have never in twenty five years, owned anything larger than a F-150 Pickup w/ a small V8.

I realize that my situation is very different from yours but I would look hard and realistically at the total costs of owning 2 older used vehicles vs. one modest, later model vehicle (SUV maybe?) that could handle both the bulk of life's obligations and your recreational desires at the same time. Anyway, that's my 2 cents. -Andy

[jimski2]

Your problem is the boat. Get an 18 foot aluminum boat like a Lund or Crestliner and you can tow it with a six cylinder F 150. Your daily driver use will be better. If it is too rough out there for the 18 footer, it is too rough. The world has changed in the past twenty years and our economyis like it was 70 years ago when a 14 foot boat was all the average Joe could get.

[Tim Bromund]

Jim, no offense, but that is quite possible the stupidest advice you've ever given.

Tim

[rustyrat]

Yea those 18 ft Lunds and crestliners cost more than a truck used if you get one in good shape!

RR

[Misty IV]

I have a 2002 Expedition with the trailer towing package and it is my daily driver, as well as my tow vehicle. I tow my Islander 221 long distances (2) times a year - 5 hours to the lake in the spring and 5 hours home to PA in the fall. The boat stays at the lakehouse during the season. The Expedition is approaching 150,000 miles and still runs like a dream. She tows the Islander very well. I have been toying with the idea of getting a second vehicle for the daily commute and taking the wear and tear off the Expy. As you are finding out, though, getting a 2500 or F-250 diesel in decent shape for between $16-20k is difficult to do. If it were me, I'd look at a very economical car for my daily chores and when the time arises for the boat, use the truck. In the meantime, with the money you'd eventually save, put that towards the repairs to the Dodge. New or fairly new trucks these days are too expensive, in my opinion. I plan on keeping my Expedition until it dies or seriously starts costing me money. That's just my $0.02. Let us know what you do decide to do!

[Gator]

I've pulled our 24' Wellcraft around with my Silverado 1500 no problem, and I'm assuming that my new F150 would perform just as well (it's rated to tow up to 9500 lbs), but I also drive the truck daily and use it like a truck should be used. I can't imagine driving a rice-burner. That having been said, my wife's Honda has 150,000 on it and is still going strong. So I guess my opinion is that getting a second vehicle is the way to go, if you don't have a routine need for a truck.

To me, a 2500 or diesel seems like overkill for the occasional trip.

I guess I'm going to chime in on Jimski2's post, too. I know a couple of guys who fish out of 18-19' aluminum boats, and they are usually able to fish the same water that we are...perhaps not as comfortably. But they save lots of $$$ and don't seem to have any problems running 8 lines for four guys. It almost makes me miss the old days of the original Nothing but Net, a 19' Sea Nymph GLS. Almost

Not that the original question had anything to do with boats...

[DEFIANCE1]

Thanks for all the advice guys. What I think im going to do now is keep the dodge for now and start really putting some money away for a new truck maybe this spring. I just hope something major doesnt go wrong where im forced to buy a new truck quickly. I think the 2500 diesel might be a little overkill for what I need. It would be nice to have when im towing the boat but it really doesnt justify the added expense. I think a 1500 will do fine for the amount of towing I really do. Next truck is definatly going to be extended cab or even crew cab, its really nice to have that room for hunting trips.

[jimski2]

I also own a 32 foot Marinette that has set on the dock for seven years now. The cost of fuel to run it anywhere cuts down my fishing time. I have a 14 foot Grumman for inland lakes also. it is easy to tow.

As a presidential candidate said to win the election, "it's the economy".

My 18 foot Crestliner with a 90 HP motor, 10 HP Honda trolling motor, burns 6 to 9 gallons a day for eight hours on the water trolling. I leave my boat at a campground on the waterfront with a ramp, but many days we hook up and run to Barcelona, Dunkirk or Lake Ontario. The cost of towing is only a couple MPG.