Congrats on the new job and getting your truck back. I would say get yours paid for and hang onto it. Do your own work and you can rebuild one bumper to bumper 3-4 times and still spend less than what a new one costs.

 

Well i just had to read through this again because i've been eyeing newer trucks again. Im now 21 and the truck is upto 161k, with $4700 left to go til its paid off. I'm still in my internship for the power company as a lineman helper making a great hourly wage for someone my age...so i can easily afford a newer truck but i still just dont think it'd be worth it.

My truck still has the same electrical problem as when this started, but besides that it just keeps ticking along. It does need injectors as its smoking and running pretty rough recently...so theres $1500, and it needs an oil cooler again, another $300...but besides that it seems alright. Trans still shifts well. The way i look at it, is theres $1800 in parts i need to buy...but then again thats like almost 3 payments on a 6.7.

The one thing that does suck is i noticed a rust bubble on the wheel well on the bed like a month ago, and its already surrounded by probably 20 more bubbles...so theres the beginning of the end happening right there. The cab is still good luckily, and the bed itself is solid.

It has begun making all sorts of clunks and odd noises and i can tell its getting older and needs some work, like im pretty sure im still on original front wheel bearings at 161k which seems pretty high. My dad is dead set on not putting a dime into my truck (not even fixing anything) and trading it in ASAP. I have actually really not put any money into this truck...i can't remember what my last "mod" was and all i think ive changed parts wise is oil/fuel filters and an icp center, water pump and fan clutch. With that, i've saved up the most money i've ever had (around 12k right now) which may not seem like much but im happy with having a good savings in case anything major happens.

One of the biggest things with getting a newer truck/bigger payment is the fact that i have 1 more year of school to go through this fall/spring and although i can still work 4 days a week for good pay, once the snow flies i have to rely on that so i dont want to take a chance with a bigger payment and not having an income. So i think im just going to put in a set of injectors soon because it is pretty annoying driving it with how rough it runs...and hope it keeps running well until its paid off. Everyone knock on wood please lol. Im really hoping to get hired on full time with eversource (power company) as a lineman apprentice...all the linemen and bosses seem to like me and say im a great worker and they'd be foolish not to hire me, but its a corporation so its really up to headquarters and who knows, theres not a single apprentice in the company which makes no sense to me.

Either way, figured i would update this instead of making a new thread

 

Good luck with truck and with the possible job.

It's tough because I'd say hang on to the truck until you've secured something. But how much will you need to dump into it until then? Will you lose trade value? What if you haven't secured a job and have a $650/month non negotiable due every month payment? Quite the pickle without an easy answer.

What I've learned with all the financial pickles I've been in is that it works itself out eventually. Keep that $12k in the bank. Or say to yourself you can only spend whatever is above $10k. Money in the bank is more important than anything. I wish I had that......

Good luck with everything.

 

Sell it now before the rust gets bad. Don't bother sinking money into injectors or the oil cooler.

Once it rusts through the value drops like a rock.

 

I'm really not sure what to do. I'd like to just trade it in and be done with it but I'll get maybe 10k and I still owe 4700...

 

This ^^^^^

 

Miles,

Never mind you know what I'm going to say

 

Well i guess im keeping it for a while because i just bought some injectors

 

Sell that too...

Razzi will be in the market for same ones soon!

 

As much as i'd love a 6.7 that would be the dumbest purchase i could ever think of. A set of injectors is 2 payments on that thing lol

 

I understand, I'll let you slide this year! Lol

 

I wouldnt buy a new truck. If anything Id recomend selling your current truck and downsizing to something that isnt going to require so much work be needed at times. Youre young. You can get a new diesel when youre a little older and dont have so many other things going on.

 

So, I get it now, I'm on vacation right now in IL/MI which both use a lot of salt in the winter apparently. I've NEVER seen so many rusted out, crappy looking cars/trucks that are only 5-6 years old. I don't know how anyone could spend money on a nice truck when you know it's going to get destroyed, period. My mind is totally boggled at the idea haha But with that said I would keep the King Ranch running for another year or two and get to a good stable place where you feel really ready to step up.

I know having a larger payment scared the heck out of me when I bought my F-150 last summer. I made a point to pay ahead a few months so I have a couple month buffer if need be, I've also been paying $50 over the required payment, that has already knocked a year off the term. Hold out because when you are able to upgrade do it right, you'll be happy you did.

 

Couldn't agree more.

You've got an awesome start on your savings. A few more years of saving and you'll have a significant amount for a downpayment on a house. Something that typically increases value (or at the very least hold it's value) vs always depreciating. If that's something you want.

I appreciate and enjoy my house/land much more than my truck. Don't get me wrong I still enjoy my truck and use it near daily for my summer business. But if I had a 10+ year head start like you possibly could in a house. Things would be awesome sooner with not having a mortgage. Could be contemplating an awesome new 5th wheel for family adventures vs looking at used.

I just was unable to think that way 15 years ago.

 

If I bought a new truck it would need to be garaged all winter as mine currently does. I buy used vehicles to become the "sacrificial anode" to save my truck by allowing it to sit all winter. It is quite depressing how within 5-6 years we're talking not just rust but rot through.