At what point does "new" make financial sense?

X2

BTW -- i dont understand. I payed 23K for a dual cab 4x4 with tow pkg. the whole certified deal and 100K milage drive train warranty. it had 37K

the truck was a california truck

i looked underneath and the paint and aluminum trans case was like off the factory floor.

i was and still am very happy

 

I would have to disagree. The fact that a car depreciates and has maintenance costs does not make it a financially bad purchase. Something can make financial sense and not be an investment. Paying bills comes to mind. Financial sense to me is getting the most value for your money. I would say that $100 in electricity outweighs living my life by the sun.

Similarly, if "taking off" 30,000 miles (new vs. used) has more value than the $2000 price difference dealers associate between new and used on these trucks, which I would say is true, then it could make financial sense to buy new. The question is, how much "value" does that 30,000 miles really have?

 

I did quite a bit of shopping before buying my truck...here are a few options around Orange County/LA that I was contemplating.

2008 DCSB TRD Sport 4x4 VERY CLEAN private party sale - 51k miles - asking $25,000 firm

2010 DCLB TRD Sport 4x4 32k miles - w/matching tonneau cap and TRD exhaust - Toyota dealer, certified pre-owned warranty transferrable - $32,000 sticker (not much wiggle room)

2012 DCLB TRD Sport 4x4 - 0 miles - Toyota dealer $34,200 (maybe could have talked them down to $34,000 out the door).

2010 DCSB SR5 4x4 51k miles - CarMax - in brand new condition - never off-roaded - $24,900 (no haggle price).

I went with the latter. 5 day return policy, I sold my old car to them for a down payment, and 30 day warranty. Powertrain warranty still good to 60k, and electrical/computer warranty good until 80k. So far, I've had nothing but smiles

 

Perfect example. Assuming you had the money, and you could get both trucks at the price you listed, the tonneau and exhaust ran ~$1200, making the 2012 $35,200 equally outfitted (not really the case, because the add-ons would depreciate too,) is 32k miles less worth an extra $3-3,200?

 

Yes

 

I think you have to consider your plans. Do you intend to keep the truck for a long time? I do, and with the prices I looked at on some used ones being as much or more than I wound up paying for mine new, it seemed like the way to go to me. I plan to drive this truck long until after its paid off so I like knowing what it's been through, what's been done to it, and how it's been drove.

But if you only plan to drive it for a short time or wheel it heavily a used might be the better way to go to save what you can.

My 2

 

I'm just shocked that the best you can do is $32k on a used and $34k on a new one. Are DCLB Sports really that much and the dealer really not willing to move at all?

And while maybe not best financially, I like knowing I was the only owner of the vehicle so there's no worry on how it was treated. I paid cash and bought mine new and will do the same with my next truck, assuming I don't have to buy a new truck prematurely.

 

Consider the DCLB Sport 4x4 the Cadillac of Tacomas...If they don't sell here, they'll ship them up to Oregon and Washington where they WILL sell for $34k

 

The DCLB 4x4 Sport is common in Canada , unfortunately they cost $43K

 

In fake money.

/Thread

 

Worth more than yours

 

I agree (with you disagreeing). On a Tacoma, where used is almost the same price as new, buy new. Why buy a three year old vehicle for almost the same price? Also, in another three years the now new truck will only be three years old, while the now used truck will be six years old, which get a little long in the teeth, although it still has a lot of life left, but still the argument.
It sounds like you want to buy cash, but if you finance for, let's say 48 months, the new vehicle will be only 4 years old when paid off, and will then be a good trade-in with lots of equity. The used vehicle will be 7 years old by the time it is paid off, and at that time it will start to drop big time in resale value - all while you basically had the same payment for 48 months.

Some other manufacturers that have lousy resale - used makes more sense because you can buy a three year old vehicle for half the price as a new one. (if you are willing to fix it all the time, but that's another topic)

 

I already covered your argument:

 

I agree with your second assessment, but disagree with your first...I think new CAN make financial sense.

 

if you can afford new buy new, worth the extra $ IMO. get exactly what you want and have the piece of mind that there is no previous owner that may have bagged the shit out of it before he or she sold/traded it in.

 

You're confusing subjective value with monetary value. Financial sense = the math works.

Relax. Large parts of our economy wouldn't work if people didn't value things that weren't money. You can still buy a new truck (I did). Just don't try to fool yourself that it makes financial sense.

 

Jan speaks the truth

I'd still buy new though

 

As I have mentioned above, in five years when the now new truck is worth a lot more than the now used truck, for a trade in, then it makes financial sense to buy new now, considering that your monthly payment will be the same for the 4 or 5 years that you pay on it, just to end up with a paid truck that is worth either still a lot or not so much anymore.

New vs. 3 years old = almost same price
4 years old vs 7 years old = big price diff.

These trucks don't depreciate much in the first few years, but eventually it drops. Not as much as most other vehicles, but it does ( just have to)

 

I see what you mean. Good points.

 

I would call and figure out the difference in insurance rates and use that as a basis.

I want a first gen right now so idk... :/