I agree with the guys who posted above, do not get one. BUT, I will add this little bit in there-do not get one unless you have the money in your pocket, all of it, when you go to buy it.

I am a junior/almost senior right now, and have a big payment for my truck for a college student. I would never recommend anyone go through the headaches I have gone through with making the payments for this truck. I have thought about selling it, I still have quite a bit left on the note, so I wouldnt get much to get myself another vehicle.

If I honestly had to do it all over again, I would have kept the 97 gasser I had, and bought a small car for around town trips. The 97 needed some work done, but it still was alright. The small car would be for trips around town and also to go see my girlfriend in another town that is 100 miles away. It would save me enough on fuel to fix up my gasser truck, and I would still have it when I went home to hunt and whatnot.

Think it over real good. If you feel that you would have to take out a loan for the truck, and would be working while going to school, and you really want to do good in school, then forget it. There are some people I know who can work 40 hours a week and still do great in school, just not me though.

 

i went through this in college...i bought my first diesel 2 years before i was done, but to this day i wish i would have found a $500 beater (or something cheap that was reliable (not saying my truck wasnt)) and not have to worry about a car payment and the insurance that comes with it. put your money in your priority, school. AND use the extra money for road trips with friends and spring breaks and to get home for Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks!!

unless (what was said above) you have the money to buy one or willing to work during school. the latter really sucks during finals and when friends want to go out and you cant cuz youre at work!!

if youre not 100% set on it, dont. if you find a heck of a deal, maybe but remember the consequences.

good luck!!

 

Big toys cost Big bucks, just remember that.

 

I live in Grasonville, on the Eastern Shore and I'm thinking about going to Hawkeye Comm. College or going to North Dakota but I really want to go to Iowa. The farm work isn't heavy stuff, jus moving a little bit of equipment and most of the work I do on it is to maintain it for hunting season. Seriously, I'm between at least 5 diff. options but diesel sticks out there. I'm starting to back down from it b/c of the price, maybe something to buy after college when I'm on my feet. My best friend has a 'Yota pickup that gets like 31mpg so a 'Yota is an option. Plain and simple, I'm getting a truck. I hate cars, I feel to low and I feel as if I have no power on the road. I have to be higher up, when I first started driving, I was better at driving my dad's 1 ton chevy than my moms sedan. I'm prob gonna go gas though. First mods will be lift tires wheels and exhaust, common mods around my area. Thanks y'all for the help.

 

No!!!!!!!!

 

This truck takes up way too much of my time! Not just for working on it, but also browsing this forums and constantly looking up info about it just cause I like it so much. Wish I didn't... I'm in college too. Find some other way to satisfy your vehicle desires. A used diesel truck will have a lot of maintenance hours and money involved. And like others mentioned, it is not daily driver friendly. A Honda Accord, you start it up and within 30 seconds you're already halfway down the road. It takes 30 seconds just to start this truck.

 

There's just so many better ways to spend your hard earned money, than on depreciating liabilities (cars) ... and on items that have no value, or maybe even negative value as soon as you purchase them (i.e. lift kits, wheels, exhausts). You never get that money back, and people (like me) find a vehicle that has been torn through less desirable, than one that is as close to stock as possible. I'll pay more for a 4X4 truck that has not been lifted, than I would that is identical in every other way, except it has been lifted and has big wheels and tires.

I'm not innocent of wasting money though. I've laid down some dough. I raced motorcycles *after college.* Once I started racing motorcycles, cars and trucks seemed like a tools, not a sport or hobby. And I'm a big believer of equipping yourself with the right tool for the job.

College is a stairway to the rest of your future. And it is a period of time that you may want to be able to chill out, make some memories, etc. Girls will not date you for your truck. And if you find some girl who would, I would advise you to look elsewhere.

If you must own a truck for some kind of ranch or farm type work, get *just enough* truck to get the job done (because it is a tool) and don't waste your money and your elbow grease, and your time on something you don't need in the first place. At least not while you're at such an important stage in your life.

Me, I spend as little on my truck as I can. Some guys bomb their trucks. I'm busy bombing my IRAs, 401k, and mortgage. Because its the best way for me to *spend* my money at this stage of my life.

That's why I keep saying, "No!!!!!!!!"

- JyRO

 

I get alot of dates from my truck and I a ummmm like it, and I personally make money to have fun.

 

May I ask what you are going to be studying at a college half way across the country?

 

Okay, first of all "No power on the road" could mean two things ... either you are talking about horsepower and the ability to really DRIVE, which I would not understand at all, many great performance cars are just that, Cars. Low center of gravity = control and roadholding. OR you could mean "Power = control" meaning "Get out of my way." In which case - end of discussion, I'm through with this discussion as I'm not out there to assert my "authority" upon other drivers.

Secondly (remmber this is a free country, take or leave what we're saying) but if you are concerend about the cost of buying a truck and then are going to turn around and lift it right away, isnt' that sort of ...

 

96_12V, cut him a break. He has to look at least as good as his buddies.
Look for a used, already lifted, Toyo truck. A lift will add near zero resale value, so your lift will cost you money; previous owner lift, his loss, your gain.
-P

 

Well, you never told us the miles you are going to be putting down so it is hard to advise. For the premium you'll pay and not having the ability to do any heavy work a little Toyota truck might not be the best option unless you are driving a lot of miles.

During college, in my Z28 I burned probably 12 gallons of fuel a week around town... And did about 13,000 miles a year including going out of town etc..

If you are getting 12mpg that would be about 1,100 gallons a year in fuel if you drive like me @ 2.50 a gallon would be around $3,000 a year in fuel. Or at 21 mpg in a toy @ 2.50 a gallon would be around $1,600 a year. Also insurance is going to be higher on a 3/4 or 1 ton truck(you can always do farm tags though)... So would your side work and personal enjoyment make up for the extra fuel cost and insurance? Is the extra economy worth the premium you'll pay for the toyota? You'd have to calculate that.

If it was me I'd find a later V8 or V10 second gen 4x4 this summer when gas prices peak and do some sort of leveling kit on it and some A/T or M/T tires that are reasonable in price. The gasser will be easier to work on and cheaper all around.


I bought the 2007 in my sig a couple years after I got out of college. I bought a new 2004 Reg Cab Short Bed Hemi Sport going into my senior year of college... I ran up about $5,000 in student loans during that period too, I very highly advise against taking out student loans during your first years in college to cover personal expenses. I didn't exactly make notes off the student loans but they paid some personal expenses, gas and etc... Money is fungilble ya know...

That was the only year that my summer job didn't cover me through out the year for personal expenses... And my parents were generous with me as far as necessites go.

 

Sorry - you're right, that was a bit close in. Had a bit of a frustrating day, sorry it showed through. Good luck with your decision.

 

you said you wanted to use it for farm work,every farmer out here has at least one pickup,if not more.and if your working for em you'll be using their truck.

 

JD - A bet a dollar to a doughnut that it's not your truck that you're getting dates from. Sure a girlie might look into a truck if it's some kind of spectacle, but it's what they see in the truck that makes them respond. Perfect example ... put me in your truck. Girlies might look, but then they'll throw-up and go see their therapist.