Ok folks, I am in a real dilemma. Right now I have a 1998.5 2500 4x4 Cummins, and I recently got a job that is 75 miles away from home. It is costing me ~$25 a day to get back and forth to work. Tires are 2x the cost of car tires. Oil changes are 2x the cost of a gas motor. Diesel is ~$.65 more than gas. I am getting about 17mpg running mostly highway to and from work.

I am looking at the Chrysler Pacifica as a replacement for the car. I am a big man, 6'5" and 375lbs. The Pacifica fits me well, is fun to drive, business like, and gets ~24mpg. I was hoping for a car with 30mpg, but that is a pipe dream when someone is my size. This car fits the family man image well, without being a geek machine.

My truck has all the accoutrements in my signature, and is in really pretty decent shape. It needs the bottom of one door painted, and the front corner of the bed painted. And it needs a new bumper. I just had the rear driveshaft u-joints and carrier bearing replaced last Monday night. I have sanded down the rot on the insides of both doors and primered and painted them. The DTT tranny only has 25k miles on it. The injection pump, Edge Comp, and Holley pusher pump are only 1 year old. I just replaced the track bar and sway bar end links 1 month ago. The rims are 2 weeks old, and the tires have less than 10k miles on them.

I need some assurance that I am doing the right thing here. I have reached a time in my life where business appearance is more important than fun, and the truck is not made to be a long distance commuter. I have had it for 5.5 years, and put a lot of money and time into it. I have moved families with it, pulled cars with it, hauled four wheelers around with it, and loved every minute. But it is not cost effective for me to drive it 750 miles a week to a corporate setting.

Please chime in with your thoughts and opinions. I really do not know what to do. The business side of me says sell it to someone who will love it, and use it like a truck. The emotional side of me says keep it and drive it. I need some advice. Thanks.

Tiny

 

Motorcycle, or really cheap beater-mobile?


A new Pacifica is going to take quite a while to recoup the investment in gas savings, unless you could get a great deal on you're truck. Being it's modified, I don't know how the aftermarket is...

 

Tiny,

I would sell it. $100 a month to drive back and forth to work is a lot of gas. It is only going to get worse. Think about another 1 or 2 dollar increase per gallon and what that will do. I'm also thinking of selling and going to a 1500 series. I'm not going to get a fiver anymore so I can't really justify the operating expense of the 2500, although I love the truck. I just have to talk myself into selling it now.

Keep the extra $1,200 a year.

Good luck,
Bob

 

Used beater-mobile to commute with the truck as a back-up.

 

I second Shovelhead's advice. The way I look at it is, as long as your current monthly fuel bill is greater than a monthly payment on a used car + gas, you'll be ahead.. But I'm also assuming the truck is payed off...

 

Of course, I dont know your financial situation, but Id have to guess that if you averaged out the cost of fuel, tires, oil changes, etc per month, its still cheaper than a new car payment.
But like I said, that depends on how much you have to put down, interest rates, etc, etc.

Id agree with Shovelhead and keep the truck and buy a mid life used car as your "beater".

Rich

 

[suckinguptoadmins]I agree with Shovelhead and DieselDaze.[/suckinguptoadmins] For another option,off lease Dodge minivans seem plentiful according to the newspaper ads around here. Getting one 3 or 4 yrs old, shouldn't be that expensive and you'd probably beat 24 mpg in a 4 banger. This will allow you to keep your truck.

If you do decide to sell your Cummins, maybe you could find a 2wd 12 valve and have the best of both worlds.

 

Like has been said, the cost of fuel, tires, and oil, is still way less on a monthly basis than a new car.

I use to have to drive my playtoy (offroad toy now) to work every day. At 8 mpg (then), and a 44 mile round trip, it was pricey. But even with all that, it would have been 2-3 times more for JUST the payment on something new, than what I was spending.

Remember, even that new car requires oil changes, fuel, and eventually tires, so figure them into your mothly costs also.

Also, don't' forget the depreciation costs on a new car....and will the new vehicle last as long as the truck before major repairs are needed ?

I think you will find it is best to keep what you have, if you honestly figure up all the costs.

 

I second...third, well I agree with keeping the truck, I too was in the same position, and weighed the cost of new and proffesional, used and homely, or the cost of fuel, I kept the truck and told the one boss that said I looked unprofessional that if they raised my pay, I could afford the $70k gas guzzling SUV, no pay raise, but hey!

 

Keep the truck, drive the truck...unless its a real financial burden on your family.
Why? The truck is fun to drive Life can't be ALL about the "bottom line".

 

I bought a P.O.S. 95 escort to drive for work. 42mpg and very cheap insurance. Truck just sits in the driveway for when I need it.

 

We have a man at our work who drives 63 miles each way to work. For the past 12 years he has driven a series of Ford Festiva's, the first one of which he paid $600 for, (which was distroyed in a tornado) then $350 for the next one, this most recent one was free. He will literally drive each until it drops. He's not in a position to take people out to lunch, and his commute is, well, quite cheap.

Oh - he's also 6' 2" and at around 350 lbs also. It can be done...

 

Well, I am going to test drive a 2004 Pacifica tomorrow evening. Not sure what will happen, but I will keep you all updated. I am not willing to drive a beater, I want to be comfortable during a 90 minute commute each way. The truck is fun to drive, but does not drive so smoothly on the highway.

 

you know, in an effort to save your truck, money, and the environment....
is public transportation available? I have used a bus every day for 6 years. I am happy with it. gives me time to relax while someone else drives. my truck doesnt get senseless miles racked up on it. these days, alot of employers are subsidizing(sp?) public transportation costs.
just a thought.

 

Take a look at VW diesels....
Beetle; Jetta; Passat; I think the tourag WAS available w/ diesel

BTW...our jetta averages close to 35/36MPG in the summer (>100F; peaking at 115) and >42 in temps less than 95F. These MPG's are driving in traffic, both ways which is less than ideal mileage conditions!

HTH

Tony