Did resale value play a factor in your last Ford truck purchase? If so, to what extent?
The odds are that if you have a television, you’ve seen automotive commercials talking about resale value. Resale value has grown to be a hot topic that automakers and media alike focus on when discussing a new vehicle purchase. But after speaking with friends who recently purchased a new vehicle, they admitted they didn’t do any resale-value research before buying their new ride.
When the Ford F-150 and Super Duty were introduced with aluminum bodies, some people expected that resale values would be high since, unlike steel, the aluminum body of the newest F-Series pickups would not rust – in theory. The lack of rust should lead to a longer lifespan, as anyone who has owned an older truck knows. Rust can kill a vehicle far quicker than any basic mechanical issue.
With that all in mind, we come to our newest “Question of the Week.”
Last time you shopped for a new Ford truck or SUV, was resale value one of your concerns? While few people own a vehicle for the entirety of its useful life, others simply want to own them for a few years, or even lease them for two or three. Depending on the buying scenario, resale value can play a huge, or very little factor.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
