Would you do it?

[00Crew]

Ok guys and gals. Beginning of the year I leased my wife a new Sonata, sold the 2000 Nissan Frontier and adopted her 2005 Xterra. Since then I have been longing for another truck, especially now that we are finally expecting our first child and I am finishing the closing of the garage for a play room/laundry.

The Xterra is pretty clean and has 92,000 miles. I have a trailer, but a truck would sometimes be more convenient (May just be trying to talk myself into one).

Anyways, I have hade a trade offer posted on craigslist for some time with no offers worth entertaining and decided I would just keep the Xterra for a while longer. Right before taking the ad down, I got an offer from someone local. A 2002 GMC 2500hd Crew Cab with the 6.0. Only downside is a dent here and there,and abs sensor, and 169,000 miles.

Guy seems real honest, and just got a job offer and will have to do some traveling, and while not much, the Xterra does get a little better mpg on the highway.

What are your thoughts, should I pass or entertain the offer? The truck rides great for as big as it is and with that many miles.

My thinking was with it being older and more miles, it still has roughly the same blue book value. So in my mind in 2-3 years if I do decide to get a newer truck, the GMC would hold its value better and be easier to sell. That could just be me trying to talk myself into it though.

What would you do?

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: 00Crew


What would you do?


Hang my head in shame for getting fleeced by a lease.

Then (assuming at that age it's paid for) keep the Nissan.

 

[00Crew]

Haha, we'll it was a no money down lease which is the only reason I went for it.

And yes, the Nissan is paid for.

 

[fdcg27]

I don't think that this would be a great trade.
You have the Xterra with reasonably low miles and it's a known quantity to you.
You'd be stepping into an older vehicle with almost double the miles that may have problems not yet evident to you. You'd also be getting an enormous truck with a thirst for fuel that will make the not exactly thifty Xterra look like a Prius in comparison.
If you really want a truck, keep your eyes open for a base Ranger and buy it as a third vehicle.
They're cheap to buy, easy on gas and cheap to maintain.

 

[MinamiKotaro]

Get a trailer. You have a tow vehicle that is paid for and in great shape.

 

[BobsArmory]

The 6 liter engine is very thirsty. I know, I have one.

 

[toneydoc]

Keep the NISSAN. It is paid for and you already know it!!!

 

[redhat]

Yes, keep the Nissan, you know all about it.

IMO, vehicle reliability/dependability is something that I would be SUPER anxious about if I was taking a new job.

 

[Tdbo]

Keep the Nissan. It is a known quantity and paid for.
I would then start looking for a "beater" truck or a "bubba" truck, if you will. Something in decent shape that you can keep as a third vehicle.
You can find one in any size you need. Check my signature to see what I did.

 

[hemitom]

I"m willing to bet that the truck at 169k has had more than a few hard miles put on it. Like others have said your nissan is a known entity, the truck may be a ticking time bomb. Pass on it.

 

[MCompact]

Keep the Xterra.

 

[SLATRON]

hey I know someone with think 03 Sonoma 4*4 , auto, air, cruise, al cap, tow wiring. little rust n wheel bearing need fixing, $2k

but I'm in central ny, you can find hundreds of beater trucks alike on the interwebs.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: 00Crew
The Xterra is pretty clean and has 92,000 miles. I have a trailer, but a truck would sometimes be more convenient (May just be trying to talk myself into one).


Years ago, we had a truck as a third vehicle, and sold it and replaced it with an open bed 5x8 utility trailer. It has worked out very well; I have no desire to own a pickup truck to take care of the relatively light hauling we do. A small trailer gives you the best of both worlds if you don't otherwise care to have a truck: you can drive the vehicle you really want to drive during the week, and you can haul your building materials or mulch or whatever it may be on the weekend...still in the vehicle you really want to drive.

Now...if you just want a truck anyway, then that's a different story. I'd still keep the Xterra if I were you.

 

[hattaresguy]

Why do you need a truck? A lot of my subs do just fine with suv's, vans, and even cars. I would only consider a 3/4 ton if I needed to haul a lot of heavy material or pull equipment.

Throw a roof rack on the Nissan for long stuff and get a utility trailer for dirty stuff. The rest jam inside.

 

[NHHEMI]

I would not trade any vehicle I needed to depend on if the one I had to give up only has 92K and I am supposed to trade it for one with 169K. No way no how.

I am no Nissan or Xterra fan but I wouldn't make that trade even if you got some cash too.

 

[Cutehumor]

keep your vehicles. I know with our first child, you will need a back seat to transport your kid in either car. trucks do have four doors, but a car is easier to load a kid in a car seat than in a truck.

 

[dareo]

Keeping the Xterra is a good idea. Look for a clean cheap truck like a Toyota T100. 3rd vehicle that won't give you any trouble or lose any value.

I'd also consider getting into a Tacoma 4 door instead of the Xterra because "trucks are awesome"

Nissan might practically give you a new Frontier 4 door and take that Xterra on trade. Probably a lot of demand for a clean Xterra.

 

[FutureDoc]

Nope. Keep the Nissan.

Unless your livelihood requires such a vehicle then it is just a waste (and you got to compensate for something). OK, joking aside, HD trucks are mostly not "pleasure" vehicles and get used. My inlaws farm and they get the most out of their HD trucks and they only sell them if there is something just not quite right about it. They kept "ol'blue" a '87 for general farm use but sold the '03 after 6 years. That should give you an idea about that vintage.

+1 on the trailer if you are doing "occasional hauling" but look at the trips you make and compare that to the use of the vehicle... do not buy a vehicle for the capacity that you use it for less than 1% of the time... which means about 1 roundtrip every 2 months that the vehicle is REQUIRED (and not just convenient).

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
keep your vehicles. I know with our first child, you will need a back seat to transport your kid in either car. trucks do have four doors, but a car is easier to load a kid in a car seat than in a truck.


Keep the Nissan,

but Cutehumor that may be a matter of taste. I have a full four door pickup and it is much easier getting the car seats and the kids in and out it VS the Grand Prix or the Equinox. I don't drive the Truck, well basically, ever, but when we camp I sure do like how easy it is getting everything in and out.

 

[00Crew]

Thanks for all of the responses. I really had it set in my head that I wanted this truck. It took all I had to deny the guy the trade, but it was truly what was best for my growing family.

Thank you everyone for your input!