To buy a older car or a newer 2wd truck?

JonBoy

Active Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
Hampstead NC
About a year ago I lost my company car and started a different job I been driving my 98 Chevy 1500 Cheyenne ever since. The $80 a week in gas is just to much for me to handle. If I buy a Car I am keeping my current truck but would have to be under $2000 car thinking Older Toyota or Honda possible a Mazda. If I get a truck would prob be around $6000 to $8000 possibly 99+ excab Chevy Silverado V6. Cant consider small trucks unless 4 door but that puts me over my price limit on most but a dodge but there gas millage is just as bad as my current chevy. My current truck is a Cheyenne so better than the WT but not a Silverado. Has 305 5 speed ex cab 4x4 decent shape. Spit bench seats that I would not mind finding some bucket seats out of a Silverado for it. 155k miles with a possible intake leak im loosing coolant somewhere and have been for about 6 months need to fill it up about every 100 miles. Is it time to move on? On another note wife is starting a job Monday and she has not worked in 3 years so might have a little extra money for maintenance IMPROVMENTS that I have not been able to do in the past. let me add I am getting 15MPG out of it so for what it is I dont think that that bad.
 
Jonboy, get on Craigslist and find you a used little daily driver. I personally bought a 93 Geo Prism, which was actually built by Toyota (Corolla) so it is very reliable and I am getting 34mpg real consistently.

It cost me $1700, 93k miles, auto, a/c, had some paint fade/clear coat peeling, but good tires and a great commuter car.

Compared to my 12-14 mpg truck.. I drive 50 miles a day round trip:

250 miles a week / 12 mpg = 20.8 gallons
250 miles a week / 34 mpg = 7.4 gallons

13.4 gallons per week x $3.75 = $50 per week savings right now.

$1700 / $50 week = 34 weeks, 8 months later I "broke even" on cash. Actually was 9 months because of added insurance and tags.

Start putting that same $50 per week into your "Trail Rig" fund... and you will have all SORTS of cool new stuff.


Start putting that $50 per week into an IRA you open at your bank (Invest it in SP500 index mutual funds) and in 10 years you will have $43k. 20 years you will have $156k and in 30 years it will be $449k

Wow, you just thought you wanted to save a few bucks at the gas pumps and now you can retire "rich!!" :driver:
 
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