SwampSurvivor
Thread starter
Yes-new trucks cost money. The truck you were driving probably is 50 grand. Trucks for some is a WANT and not a NEED. They hardly ever pencil out. Most could get the utility they need from a minivan-and we know how those things sell.
I do tow quite a bit, but locally the old f350 works. While I don't feel I actually "need" a truck , I could justify one for hobbies. 99% of the stuff I move around for my house renovation can be accomplished with my homemade utility trailer behind the Forester. I could actually live with this truck as a DD, same with the 2WD 1500 I had before. Snow tires and some weight and it'll work in the winter. They get decent MPG empty with the tall gears, powerful engine combined with a light truck.
It was a base model 4x2 XL with some goodies. No factory tow package, 3.31 gears. 5.0L engine ($2k option). I just priced out something pretty close to this and it was about $35K.
This year, two trips, I'll have $700 into rental trucks. No matter how I spin it, that's significantly less than buying a newer truck.