A discussion about new trucks/ the current state of the economy

Just looking for some advice. I've been toying with the idea of a 3rd gen Tundra for a while now. It is not hard for me to justify a full size truck either. I own a Four wheel camper and a tractor as well so i'm always doing 1/2 ton things (or 1 ton things...) with a 1/4 ton truck, lol. However I see articles like this and it just re-affirms the decision to hold on to my low mileage Tacoma even longer...a truck that is simple and owes me nothing, and one that I am familiar with inside and out. I could spend my money on suspension as a reward, and wait out this economic disaster patiently.

Toyota Targets Price Hikes in U.S. And Europe to Counter Rising Costs (jalopnik.com)

Side note: I am a sucker for features and gadgets, but I also fear the general trend of new vehicles being a smartphone on wheels. Too many things to go wrong, that I may not be "allowed" or able to fix, gives me Big Brother type vibes.

 

What exactly are you asking for advice on?

If you want/can afford a new truck, go for it. If you feel they are too expensive, keep driving your older truck that gets the job done.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kfVsfOSbJY0

 

Sounds like you have a reliable truck that can do most of the things you want, and you have time on your side. Have you considered getting an older truck (1970's-1990's) to use for hauling and such? I don't know if you have space or interest in having an additional vehicle, but it may make sense in your case.

 

Could get a good used 2010-2015 is tundra. Don't really need it to be new.

 

Sorry I forgot to post the link I was speaking to. Fixed. But yeah I'm just looking for some general input, what people would do in my shoes. It might be obvious that the best decision is to wait. Wait for the "1st year of a new generation issues" to settle out, and also for financial reasons. No doubt I would benefit financially by waiting and saving a down payment a little longer, especially since I do not need a new truck at all. It's more of a want.

 

True, that would be the least painful upgrade for me. I never loved the look of those Tundras but it would be a happy medium speaking to cost and attainability.

 

One thing to consider is that the new Tundra launch has not gone well at all. Lots of problems and build quality is not (yet) up to Toyota expectations. Reviews in the press have been luke warm at best too. Your Tacoma on the other hand is well into the design / build cycle and most problems have been ironed out.

 

I have a 15 year old Tundra (76K miles) because I also own an RV, J.Deere, double horse trailer and sometimes I need a truck to do "truck" things. But I also have a Tacoma do "regular" things - go to the store, etc, tow my golf cart. Each has its own purpose. If you want a bigger truck, have a place to keep it, can afford it, consider a good used Tundra (or other) for what you need it for. If it's not your daily driver, it will likely last a long - long time - you'll probably get tired of it before wearing it out.

 

Jalopnik

How in the world is that site still operating. The last content I really read on there was back when Doug Demuro was still around.

 

I say fuck it! sell everything you have, buy a carb all mechanical car and go off grid.

lol jk it’s Friday.

 

Haha I would actually love that. And since you commented I notice you have an 05. Tell me, what mileage and have you had a head gasket issue?

 

Narrator: they can’t be half ton things if they can be done with a quarter ton truck.

 

WhistlinDiesel would like a word with you.

 

This is not the time to buy, help the feds achieve their goal. It will also help my 401k and many others.

 

Can and should be are not the same thing.

 

I would not buy a vehicle right now unless you ABSOLUTELY had to, let the used car market explode along with this recession looming in the distance first, before you grab a new truck.
I'm going through a similar situation in a sense, but I just got my truck a couple years ago and I use it for truck things along with pulling my 3500 lb camper. Now my wife is talking about buying a Airstream lol.
Meanwhile I have no desire for a Tundra or a full size diesel. I just rented a 21 Tundra for a week while in AZ mountain biking, honestly I was expecting more. It drove just as archaic as my 12 Tacoma.

 

If you're towing things that heavy, you can justify a bigger truck. I'd keep the Tacoma and be on the hunt for a 15-20 year old 3/4 ton. Many smaller trucks are worn out before their time by guys trying to tow/haul more than they were designed for. A lot of guys buy 3/4 tons and rarely come close to towing/hauling what they are capable of. Lots of them have low miles because the owners drove a car for their daily driver and used the truck when they needed a truck.

 

Kind of a catch 22. With midterms coming up, a lot of people are waiting to see what happens with that and the effect it will have on the economy. Lots of dealers are still light on inventory and adding a market adjustment to their stock units up to 20,000 on some models like the new Sequoia. You pay the premium and unless you are paying cash that is money that is going to be tacked onto your overall payoff amount. Once the market turns, which it has a bit, used car price values are going to drop and you are going to be stuck with a vehicle that isn't worth what you own it for. Some people are going to be really screwed when that happens. Interest rates are high even for strong credit scores so that plays into it too. If the truck is good and solid, keep it. I had my previous car paid off and it was fine but my Tacoma was too nice to pass up and I was able to make it work for me with the higher trade in values and got in before the rates jumped significantly.

 

Sounds like if you want a new truck and you think prices will go up, buy now. Who knows what'll happen.

 

It’s not really a hard decision if you base it off needs.
You either need the truck or you don’t.

The real questions is, can your current truck keep getting the job done reliably.
What’s the chances you break something, and what would it cost to fix it.