Leaving truck with Parents for 3 years! Advice?

At least the truck would smell amazing!

 

I wouldn't know what to do if I saw someone wax with pledge.

 

I never said I didn't want them to drive it. I'm just trying to protect my truck from any overt wear and damage.

 

The idea of selling it seems to make the most sense. The truck will just depreciate over the time that you're gone, but if you had the money in the bank, it will grow.

Plus you have the expense of insurance if you keep it.

 

My reasoning for keeping it was it lets me continue building credit, and gives me the opportunity to pay it off by the time I come back. In regards to the insurance situation, as long as my folks keep insurance under their name I'll be good. The money I save on insurance can go right back into the monthly payments.

 

to keep the interior looking good tell them no food or drink in the truck! I've been in many of my company's pickups and there's coffee/coke/red bull spilled everywhere, french fries and potato chips on the seats and floors along with their grease stains, garbage, etc...

 

Sell it and buy another when you get back.

 

Don't just have them drive it, have them drive it for an extended period of time, like 1/2 hour at least with some heavy acceleration once the truck is at fully op temp. Would be good for it to get on the highway for an hour at a time, every couple weeks.

 

My parents have my old truck and my mom has been daily driving it for the past year and a half now. They know how much I take care of my vehicles and really like the truck so they take great care of it. All I said is please put 93 (custom tune) in it and change the oil on time. The truck is always clean inside and out and in great shape. I wouldnt worry too much, give them a chance haha

 

Why keep a depreciating asset for 3 years if you aren't getting any use out of it? Sell it and invest what you get then when you move back you'll have a nice down payment on a 2018. Just enough time for Toyota to figure out the 3rd gen trucks

 

A truck is hardly an asset.

 

Make sure and provide for washing and waxing. I left my 93 ford with my father while deployed and when I came back the paint was horrible. Luckily I was able to clay bar, wax and polish to restore it. I was only gone for 15 months.

On the other hand CARMAX gives good money for these with very little effort.

 

Yes it is
as·set
ˈaset/
noun

1. a useful or valuable thing, person, or quality.
   "quick reflexes were his chief asset"
   synonyms: benefit, advantage, blessing, good point, strong point, selling point,strength, forte, virtue, recommendation, attraction, resource, boon, merit,bonus, plus, pro
   "he sees his age as an asset"
   • property owned by a person or company, regarded as having value and available to meet debts, commitments, or legacies.
     "growth in net assets"
     synonyms: property, resources, estate, holdings, possessions, effects, goods,valuables, belongings, chattels
     "the seizure of all their assets"
   • military equipment, such as planes, ships, communications and radar installations, employed or targeted in military operations.

 

i let my dad borrow my lowered tahoe, and when i got it back there was mud on the tires and a little on the body panels. i refrained and drove off.

 

Don't just have them drive it, have them drive it for an extended period of time, like 1/2 hour at least with some heavy acceleration once the truck is at fully op temp. Would be good for it to get on the highway for an hour at a time, every couple weeks.

I think you meant investment...

 

Yeah that's the direction I'm heading. I'm going to check out some wet okole's on Friday so my seats stay nice. There's actually wet okole store about 45 minutes from me so I figure it'd be worth the drive to see them in person.

 

Don't knock it till you try it...hehehe

I used pledge on the rims of my old Hayabusa, worked like a champ on the wheels.
Never tried on the paint though.

 

hah rims I could kinda see that. Especially if they were chrome. I just couldn't imagine someone taking that and putting it on paint. I wonder how it did and if it worked.

 

If their driving it daily then no worries other than we had a friend who's mom had her Ranger. Drove it yes. No oil changes in 4 years while she was in the peace corp Africa or ... whatever... yep... let em drive it but check the maint. part and Thank you for your Service! I am envious and grateful to all who are in our armed forces!

 

It sounds like your parents need the truck for whatever reason. And part of this deal is to help them out. You see the arrangement as a commitment to your parents. Do they see this as a burden/responsibility?

You would need to do the math to see what works better for you. Selling now with recent depreciation of a newer vehicle, verses what you think it will be worth in three years and the payments you will make.

Remember when you get back, you will be seeing all three years of wear, minor dings and scratches all at once, not accumulated a little at a time if you had driven the truck.

Check with your lender about the insurance coverage and whether it needs to be in your name and what coverage is required for this arrangement.

Do they know about four wheel drive? Shouldn't it be engaged periodically? What about dry pavement?

You might want to make arrangements with a local detailer for whatever timeframe and work you think is appropriate. Get some touch up paint so he can repair any dings. He might even come to your parents place to detail it. Also figure out where you want the service done and make it as easy for your parents as possible.

The truck won't love you back so let it go. However it looks when you get back, you'll never know if it would have looked better if you had been the driver for the three years. All sorts of things could have happened differently. Expect the worse, hope for the best.