buy a new truck?

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hamesdart

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ok, heres my scenario.
19 years old... i have a 2 year old son.
And going to be having another kid in the near future....still pending...
Anyway i have my 69 dart street strip car project.
And my daily driver rite now is a nice clean bodied 54 dodge truck w/318 i bought for 400 bucks.
Now i just got my class A license so im getting a new job and making more money and so on... but im thinking about selling the 54 truck and buying a newer vehicle...
I dont think i need to have the dart and also the truck as a project.
The other thing is that i dont have a car to take the kids around myself and the obvious things...heater..ac..and so on like the ease of starting and knowing your getting to work on time in the morning.
Im just tired of buying and selling projects all the time.
i bought a 65 dart for 100 bucks and sold it for 1200 and the truck i bought for 400 and have a guy offering me 1000 for it everyday,,
Already found a good truck
1997 dodge 3500,v10, automatic,roll pan,leather,power everything
125k miles,hideaway tonnu cover,bedcarpet, for $6000 very clean duelly
what do you guys think?
 
hamesdart said:
ok, heres my scenario.
19 years old... i have a 2 year old son.

Already found a good truck
1997 dodge 3500,v10, automatic,roll pan,leather,power everything
125k miles,hideaway tonnu cover,bedcarpet, for $6000 very clean duelly
what do you guys think?
Click to expand...

I would look at something a little more fuel effecient. V10 will suck gas all the time, dually takes 2 extra tires for what?, unless you need a HEAVY DUTY truck I would pass. A small V8 1/2 ton extended cab would be a better vehicle. I think $6,000 is on the high side for a 12 year old truck with 125K miles. If you just have to have a truck I would look somewhere else.

My 2 Cents
 
If you have, or are going to have 2 kids, I'd be looking for something more like a Durango than a pickup. Unless it's a club cab or something, 2 car seats are going to be tough to fit in a pickup - heck, even with the extended cab. I know it's a tough decision, but think of the kids first - even if you get them both in the front seat or squeeze them in an extended cab, they'd be a lot safer in the back of an SUV. Front seat for kids can be extremely dangerous.
 
have you looked at a cummins? reasonable gas mileage and you can get a 4 door so everyone can fit. they are more money but if you can do it it would make sense to me.
 
tyler_s18 said:
have you looked at a cummins? reasonable gas mileage and you can get a 4 door so everyone can fit. they are more money but if you can do it it would make sense to me.
Click to expand...

I got a cummins and absolutely love it, BUT, I would not recommend it to anyone unless they NEED IT! If you are pulling a big trailer a lot then I would say you need it. If you just pull big trailer a couple of times a year then not needed. Gas is much cheaper to buy, maintain and fuel. Yes I get good mileage, but since they went to low sulfur diesel my mileage has dropped

I would still recommend a gas extended cab or quad cab if you need a truck. 19 and kids you will have a long road ahead, buy wisely, live well, why spend all your money on fuel?

When I was younger had a 79 Ford F 150 that got 8~10 MPG, beautiful truck that I loved, but could not afford to drive it, and gas was much cheaper, pay was a lot less too.

As suggested a Durango, or even the dreaded mini van would be a better option. I drive a 93 Grand Caravan to work. Bought new in Dec 92, has 180,000 miles, still gets 16~17 MPG around town and 20 if I drive on the interstate mostly. I have removed the rear seat so it is a 5 passenger, but I haul lots of stuff, easy to load, great for kids.

Good Luck on your decission
 
Absolutely not. You started with "buying a new truck". 97 is not new ! Go to a dealership and let them give you a new 08 with warrenty an all.
I know a few ( including my bro ) who did within the past year. Trucks with 36 K window stickers rolling away at 18, 200. If for some reson you can't make the payments and its reposessed, so what?, its just a truck. My bro kept his tired ol 72 F100 for just such ocassion. Starts it and drives it around the block weekly
Granted a repo might scar your credit for 7 years but thousands of folks are getting their scars daily. Adding explanation letters to a credit report is now an available option for all of us. Besides at 19 now, 7 years is a piece of cake.
There may not be a better time to buy a brand new vehicle in your life than right now.
 
I agree with redfish. There are some AMAZING deals right now. Companies just want to practically give these new cars/trucks away just to lower their overhead. Hit up a dealership.. I saw an amazing deal at the dodge dealer nearby my place in San Diego on tv the other day..

Id look into getting a car or a 4 door truck or like danmc said, a durango would be great.
 
why not look into a dakota club cab if your looking for a truck? available v8 power, 4 doors, a bed to carry stuff in and it should cost less than a ram....I agree with everyone else on new cars being a deal right now....If i wasnt in such a hurry to get the scamp on the road, i think id buy myself a dodge truck instead of shuffling between 300 dollar beaters every few months
 
awsome! lots of responses...
Well this is what im looking for. overall..
1. Somthing i can have kids in.
2. Something that can tow my dart to the races.
3. Something nice inside and out. leather.good interior.
4.Something i can throw a toolbox in.
I have been in construction my whole life..electritian,framer,heavy equipt operator...and so on.
now i just got my class a license so im getting a job as a truck driver...
I had a durango a while back all leather with the 5.9 and loved it but i dont think it would have been able to tow my dart to the races all that well and i couldnt have tools in it.
I think i may lean towards a 2500 truck. gas motor probly.
I dont drive that much...just to work. and I just need to be able to take the kids around. We have a family car as well but i need to be able to take them if shes at work or something.
What do you guys think
 
well yes i would like to go get a 09 ram or something because i like the new body style and interior and everything but my price range isnt 15k
im looking like 6k and lower unfortuanatly.
See when i had my son i had to sell my s10 project truck and get a new vehicle. When i did i went to the dealership and i get a emplyee discount since we know the owners of crown dodge down here do the durango was priced at 24k and i got it for 14k out the door.,.,..but i was on my brothers credit and he had an unbeliveable interest rate but i had no choice i had to get something and i liked it. Then down the road payments and everything became too much so i got a loan and sold the durango back to them and went upside down and went and bought my dart so i already have 10k plus in loans paying off the dart and durango...
So now im going to sell my 54 truck and get somthing newer.
 
hmmm went looking tonight for trucks and couldnt find any dodges!
even at the dodge dealer.
I found one 2500 white that was a 5.9 with 100k miles for like 8k$ or so but i wasnt too interested.
Even though i dont need a 2500/3500 im still kinda interested in them.
See as gas milage goes.. i live 5 minutes from work and my new job is going to be about 10 minutes from home.
I know i dont need a duelly but with the economy being how it is everyone knows people are selling good **** dirt cheap.
This is the truck im looking at.
And the weird thing is i ask the fiance and she loved it. haha

9765757477_255978147_IM1_MAIN_565x421_A_562x421.jpg
 
Run as fast as you can AWAY from that V10 ....... Just price a few replacement parts for it and see what you come up with..... I am on my 3rd Cummins truck right now and have loved them all... But I would not want the new 6.7 Cummins..... I would buy a nice four door Hemi truck.... Like Others said.. Now is the time to buy !!!!
 
Get the job first. Get a few paychecks under your belt, make sure you enjoy what you are doing. Go get a new 4 door, 0% financing Toyota or Honda good safe economical reliable car. Keep the kids safe, take your time and get the truck you really want later on when you are established.
Just my 2 cents. Best of luck.
 
If that truck was a cummins deisel model I would think you shoudl consider it, but I would stay away from a V-10 (unless the guy gives it to you for a few thousand dollars less, like $3500-4000!!).

I think a later hemi powered truck will trailer your dart to the track easily. I tow 73 dart sport racecar (3100 lbs.) around on its 15 foot open trailer with a 1997 ram 1500 club cab 2 WD with a 5.9 L magnum engine, auto trans and a 3.54 trac loc rear (all original with over 190,000 miles on the clock!).

If you are determined to get a 2500 or 3500 ram, look around and you can find a cummins powered one for less $6000. I would be alot happier about buying a diesel powered truck with over 100K miles than a gasoline engine!! If the previous owners took reasonable care of it the diesel engine is probably good for over 300K miles (which will take you a long time to get to driving 10 miles to work daily).

Another thing to look for is getting an extended cab Ram truck made 1998 or later, it will have rear opening doors (this will make getting to the twin car seats in back much easier) so you and your spouse can get the kids in and out of the back of the truck!!

I had my '97 ram without this feature and traded the wife.s car in on a minivan because the extended cab truck was not very family friendly!

Bob


PS: you hav eto take my advice with a "grain of salt" since I am currently trying to convince my wife that a 2009 Challenger is a family car since it can seat us and our three adolesant children!!
 
yes. i do understand all of the above.
Like i said if i could get the new hemi truck 4 door i would buy one tonight.
unfortuanatly like i said my price range is more on the 6k rannge and the dealerships arent hurting that much haha,. i wish,
i think i mite just stick to a 2500 or something.
But the thing is my durango 5.9 got tossed around by my dart.... and
new truck is not really an option...i have worked construction and will continue too like i said so i need a truck..
But i dono ill just have to see
 
just out of curiousity everyone seems against a v10.
people with them seem to love em and people who dont hate them.
Now being a old car guy any new car repair is expensive...
but is the v10 more expensive then the v8 its sitting next to?
at 125k miles if it crapped out at 200k miles i would probly get about 4 years out of it..
Im somewhat partial to the truck so im one sided but i dono.
 
That truck is not practical for you, trust me, just trust me. I know it's hard but just get something ordinary that is easy to haul kids in. I'd actually look at a slightly used Sebring sedan or something like that. You can have 4 doors, mileage in the high 20's and a warranty. They range in price from $9k-$12k all day long with 15 thousand miles or less and it should last you for 5 years. With the dart you should be all set.
 
But theres a problem with the family van... or sedan...
i cant put my tool box and tools in them...
i cant tow my car to the races...
This is going to be a nice cheap work truck/truck to tow my dart.
no sedan or van can give me that.
We have a 4 door family car but she drives it to work and everything so if shes working i just need something just in case i have to take the kids somewere. primary use for the vehicle is a work truck/ tow rig...
With the comforatable cababilty of throwing the kids in.
 
im leaning to trying to get more money..somewere and get a newer one.
The newer 2003 and up body style is growing on me.
Hemi is the only option for me.
Now i have to decide 1500 or 2500
To me i would like the 2500 w/hemi just because i dont like lighter duty trucks that much. I hate the feeling of getting pushed around by a trailor.
Anyone have the 1500 and use it for heavy towing?
 
hamesdart said:
Anyone have the 1500 and use it for heavy towing?
Click to expand...


I've got an '06 4door ram 1500 with the hemi. It pulls my 30 foot camper with no problems. And it pulls my heavy as hell car trailer with a car on it with no problems. Sucks the gas down with no problems too!
 
The 03 and later 2500s will have the Hemi standard. Just be ready for piss poor fuel millage. Mine gets around 9mpg if I treat it nice.

You can probably get a better deal on a 2500 then a 1500 as well. I paid 14K for mine.

IM000355.jpg
 
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