igotyourgoat

well i went to the dealership today and they talked me into taking a FULLY LOADED (tv and everything) 07 6.7 MC dually 4x4 home with me to let the wife peak at it. It has the 6spd auto along with EVERY option available. I have an 05 2500 QC 4x4 with the nv5600 6spd, 5.9 cummins and NO OPTIONS ( i mean vynil, man. widows and door locks). The new one is AWESOME and i absolutely love it. I work out of my truck everyday because I own my own bussiness laying hardwood and ceramic tile. So I really would like the extra comfort and the auto. The nav. would also be a HUGE PLUS.

So heres my question..... I pay 420 a month on my dodge now with 44k on the odo. The new one has a sticker of 58,900 and because of a great chrysler disc. I could own it for around 45k. I think payments would be about 750-800. So how many of you, if you were in my shoes, would go ahead and splurge for the new comfort... OR how many of you would keep the WORK truck and play with some mods like a box and other little things to spice it up.

I really would like to hear some of you 6.7 guys chime in on this as well with your opinions and advice.

I really like my truck now but MAN that new stuff is NICE... I called a dif. dealer and he could possibly hit around 42 or maybe even 40 for the new one. I would just have to drive a little to get it.

THANKS in advance for your opinions and this GREAT SITE....

to make matters more interesting I have a baby girl ( my first baby) that will be here in november. so the dvd player would be a little bit of a plus.

sorry for the LONG POST

FATCAT

I'll say it again like I said to another fellow here on the board ... you just answered your own question.

The extra $400/month you would be spending on a new truck would be better spent on your new child ... wouldn't you agree?

Since its your first, you are still in living in the "single" mindset. That will all change this fall ... and whats more important, a new truck or the well being of your child.

Yeah I know, I'm a kill joy ... look at what I drive ... a rusted out old '97. Your 2005 looks like a super-duper sports car to me, but my rusty old '97 still does the job just fine.

Focus on your new daughter, she will be FAR MORE IMPORTANT to you than your truck.

CoolumConst

1 1/2 days laying wood will pay the payment. I am also looking at a new truck for the business(me). If your business is making money after paying yourself and your employees then why not get the truck. Plus in a couple of years, the banging feet on your seat gets very old in a QC.

StrokeThisCTD

If you can afford it, jump on it.

TrkEnvy

you dont seem to be in a huge rush to buy so if i was you i would wait another couple months. Like Oct. you would have a lot of leverage buying a new 07 when all there 08s are coming in.

Luke S

Here here! I guess I am not the only conservative thinker left! I too would stay with the old one, all that extra glitter and shine is just that, and eventually the fun of all that new stuff will wear off and you'll find yourself wanting more. I am even worse than Fatcat, I still drive a first gen, and I run a Dodge dealership. It's easy for people to sit on the other end of the computer and tell you to spend your hard earned dollars, but you need to do what is best for your family now, not for you. If you really want to upgrade, why not look at a 2500 mega cab SLT, you could get into one of those for about $10,000 less than that loaded up 3500 Mega cab laramie dually. $10,000 bucks is still a lot of money to me, but what do I know, I still drive a first gen and invest my money in other things besides a $40-50k truck that go up in value instead of things that drop like a rock in value.

Spooler

Keep what you have. I thought about getting a new truck myself but not for what my payment would be. $700 a month for a vehicle is just to much. Your truck isn't even broke in good yet. Be wise and keep it. Who needs an all optioned work truck. Not me....

MikeyB

I would have to agree with what the other members are saying.
But on the other hand you do own a business and can deduct as a business expense. Do you have a tax adviser? I would contact one to see what your options are.

MikeyB

ozob nospej

Far from it, I have a '98 5 speed and due to strange circumstances a 2007.5 auto. Stay with the older truck and provide for the family man! We got the new one because the wife totalled the car. It is a great truck, but not so much better than the earlier truck. Keep your old truck up to date, and your way ahead. At 250K the 98 is just broken in!

SOhappy

Gee, I think I paid like $100 for my DVD player. Sounds better than $400/month.




But, if your accountant says "it's either a new truck or give it to Uncle Sam", I'd go with the new truck of course. My neighbor is in that same quandary, selling a cherry '02 v-10 2500 QC Laramie 4x4 with only 40k on it to buy a 6.7MC because his accountant told him so.

ptgarcia

Why not look for one a little less loaded like Luke S suggested? You can add a DVD player for the little one for much less than Dodge charges, as well as leather, navigation, etc. And you can do it when you need it.

Speaking from a business point of view, the deductions you get for up to $100k for business equipment expenses is a Republican thing, and you can bet once the Democrats take office it will be nixed. That leaves the rest of this year and next year to take advantage of it. After that you'll have to depreciate vehicle the other way, which is over many years. If you need a truck consider it.

patdaly

Better yet, lay away 450 a month into a no touch account, thats roughly what the additional payment and added insurance would be anyway. See where you are at in October ( or better yet next October after you have been a father for awhile ) and utilize the bargaining power when the 09's come in. You will have a big chunk of change for a down payment, your current truck will be that much closer to being paid for, and you will see what your financial situation will be like with the added payment. The best part is your payments will not be the 7-800 a month, but much easier to swing. ( Then you could be like me, when you see that chunk of money setting there, you might decide the fancy items might not mean as much to you as the cash, and decide to keep the old girl......)

Congrats on the kid, your life is about to get cool, and scary at the same time.

Joe T

That's a lot of scratch. I bought the Laramie in my sig for under 35K but it's not a 6.7, DRW or Mega, but still that shouldn't have added 10 grand.

The trick is to sell your truck for cash and put that down on a new one. I sold my other truck for 12K cash after paying it off about 6 months early and put it all down and got my payments to $480 a month for 60 months. I had my 04 sold cash in hand monday morning and I was picking up the 07 I made a deal on the weekend before monday evening after work... that's the way to do it. Although I had to bum a ride from work to the dealer .

FSTDL

It all depends on how much cash you have,how much you make and what is important to you.These are things we just can not answer.But thats a lot of cash a month.Thats some peoples house payment.But if you make big bucks then who cares,buy it.