2016 Taco

[z50king]

First, is this the right forum for this?

I just got news that I will be signing my full time contract (FTE) tomorrow for next year. The 60% increase to full time, along with a negotiated raise across the district, is looking to nearly triple my salary. I am really looking to buy a truck while I still live at home. Hoping to finance it and pay it off in under a year. Need to get some credit to start looking at houses in a few years.

I went to a couple Toyota dealerships around here to check out the tacomas. Only Elway wanted to actually help me and the salesman pointed out that the 2016 would be here in around 4 months and would be a brand new truck. I have looked into the 16 and it looks to have upgrades in their v6 taken from a Lexus with 300hp. It is rumored the truck version will have more power than that and get better gas mileage compared to the current 17-21 listed for the 4L v6 used currently.

I test drove a 2015 v4 double cab prerunner. I wasn't interested in the prerunner until I saw the 400 dollar price difference between base models. That seems stupid that it's only a 400 dollar difference.

I have looked at used Tacomas and there is not a big enough drop in price to justify the risk of buying a used small truck. I don't think I can trust driving habits of small truck owners.

I have been driving my Sentra for 11 years at 140k. Beside my mom, I have been the only owner. She drove it for a few weeks and then gave it to me when she hit a dog with it.

It's not a Jeep. I have driven current Jeeps and they will not work for my current commute.

Does anyone have advise for a first time car buyer? I helped Amber buy her Honda butt that's all the experience I have. My dad is a technical salesperson but I usually go to him with research and facts and he helps me last.


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[forty2]

I have a way of buying cars that has worked for me pretty well for the last three new cars I've purchased, having some flexibility, the unquestionable ability to pay, and not being in a rush helps. Basically, I know what car I want to buy and I shoot an email to all appropriate dealerships in a 200 mile radius. I tell them what I want, that I'm fine with traveling, and what I'm willing to pay (gotta be somewhat realistic here). I make sure they know I don't mind waiting 2 months or more for the right car, if I tell them I want a manual trans and black is not going to work for me and they come back with "I have one on the lot but it's an auto and in black, great deal though" I'm done with that dealer. I also tell them if I get constant calls about nothing I'm done. Hell, if they call me at all we're likely done, I want shit in writing. I am only willing to enter the dealership twice, once for a deposit after they provide me with a VIN on the appropriate incoming vehicle and one more time to finalize purchase. The person at the dealership that handles fleet sales is usually the most responsive to this approach. I can't say for certain that this has saved me a lot of money, I've paid about the same percentage below MSRP that I always have, but the time I've spent in dealerships for the last three cars (about an hour per car for the whole process) compared to the years that have been forcibly sucked out of me from traditional car buying makes it very much worthwhile.

[offroadace]

If you are working for a company that has affiliate programs check to see if you have dealer/brand discounts. You might be able to get a fleet pricing for a vehicle which is usually just above dealer cost on what they have on the lot. Adding options is additional/normal cost.

[ped453]

Originally Posted by offroadace

If you are working for a company that has affiliate programs check to see if you have dealer/brand discounts. You might be able to get a fleet pricing for a vehicle which is usually just above dealer cost on what they have on the lot. Adding options is additional/normal cost.

This is so true. Some companies do have this program. It wouldn't hurt checking into it. It'll save you some $$

[badhoopty]

i would buy a nice used truck, and save the rest towards that house and investing.

[johnnyh66]

Vehicle payments suck. Even used for 500 miles will save you $$$.

[humve]

If you are looking to buy a vehicle use NADA National Auto Dealers Association. It is free the only thing they may ask you is for your zip code. That is what my dad and I use. Also if you are looking used don't for get to CarFax it to make sure it has not had any bad days in its life lol.

[struhall]

I wouldn't buy anything new unless it's going to be able to be used for tax purposes. The money you lose as soon as you sign your name is not worth it to me. Payments suck too but that's another issue in itself.

I very much enjoy driving my $550 Jeep Cherokee and don't plan to replace it unless I can pay cash. I'll admit that I'm jealous of my brothers 2011 VW Golf but I couldn't make myself do payments.

Read Dave Ramsey's book "Total Money Makeover" and you will change your mind.

[humve]

Don't ever buy a VW my dad worked on one before in order to change the heater core we had to take the glass and half the interior apart. One other one that my dad worked on was a VW suv over 600 dollars to change the front light bulb per side.

[struhall]

Originally Posted by humve

Don't ever buy a VW my dad worked on one before in order to change the heater core we had to take the glass and half the interior apart. One other one that my dad worked on was a VW suv over 600 dollars to change the front light bulb per side.

The heater core sounds about like doing one in a Cherokee, you have to remove the entire dash to get to it AND open up the AC system so you not only have the cost of the heater core but also paying someone to deal with your AC refrigerant and the parts needed for that. My next car purchase will probably be a VW, but not anything new, and hopefully something old enough to drink a beer with, something from the early 90s or older, preferably a diesel so I'll have an excuse to make bio-diesel.

OP, sorry to get off topic... Carry on.

[WHITE-TRASH]

Rationalize payments any way you like but buying new is dumb. Depreciation is a bitch, I drive older rigs that I pay for in cash then build them to fit my needs. No previous owner will put them through as much torture as I do on a daily basis.

[z50king]

Have any of you seen the depreciation of Toyota Tacomas?

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[littlemel]

Originally Posted by humve

Don't ever buy a VW my dad worked on one before in order to change the heater core we had to take the glass and half the interior apart.

Ever worked on any other brand....pretty much the same thing to get at a heater core.