Have any of you....
05-12-2014, 11:52 AM
#31
I concur with the majority of prior comments; hold off on purchasing a new vehicle. I purchased my first new vehicle in 2007 when I was 20, but my father had to co-sign and help me with payments during the time between me finishing college and finding my first full time job (about six months). I had a work-study job in college that gave me a lot of hours and paid fairly well, but even still, I had to finance the truck over 72 months to keep the note down (not ideal).
If your parents cannot (or will not) help you with payments if things get tight, you have to operate within your means. Like other posters stated, the best thing to do is find a used model truck (F150 of not) with low mileage that you can afford. Get a base model with no options to lower the cost. If you can drive a manual transmission, those models always sell for less. Families who are selling their older relatives vehicles for a variety of reasons are often willing to make a quick sell at a reasonable price, and those vehicles are almost always lightly driven. You have a variety of options at your disposal; do your research and make a great deal! When the time comes to buy a new truck in a few years, you'll already have the basics of deal-making down to a science.
If your parents cannot (or will not) help you with payments if things get tight, you have to operate within your means. Like other posters stated, the best thing to do is find a used model truck (F150 of not) with low mileage that you can afford. Get a base model with no options to lower the cost. If you can drive a manual transmission, those models always sell for less. Families who are selling their older relatives vehicles for a variety of reasons are often willing to make a quick sell at a reasonable price, and those vehicles are almost always lightly driven. You have a variety of options at your disposal; do your research and make a great deal! When the time comes to buy a new truck in a few years, you'll already have the basics of deal-making down to a science.
05-12-2014, 12:42 PM
#33
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I concur with the majority of prior comments; hold off on purchasing a new vehicle. I purchased my first new vehicle in 2007 when I was 20, but my father had to co-sign and help me with payments during the time between me finishing college and finding my first full time job (about six months). I had a work-study job in college that gave me a lot of hours and paid fairly well, but even still, I had to finance the truck over 72 months to keep the note down (not ideal).
If your parents cannot (or will not) help you with payments if things get tight, you have to operate within your means. Like other posters stated, the best thing to do is find a used model truck (F150 of not) with low mileage that you can afford. Get a base model with no options to lower the cost. If you can drive a manual transmission, those models always sell for less. Families who are selling their older relatives vehicles for a variety of reasons are often willing to make a quick sell at a reasonable price, and those vehicles are almost always lightly driven. You have a variety of options at your disposal; do your research and make a great deal! When the time comes to buy a new truck in a few years, you'll already have the basics of deal-making down to a science.
If your parents cannot (or will not) help you with payments if things get tight, you have to operate within your means. Like other posters stated, the best thing to do is find a used model truck (F150 of not) with low mileage that you can afford. Get a base model with no options to lower the cost. If you can drive a manual transmission, those models always sell for less. Families who are selling their older relatives vehicles for a variety of reasons are often willing to make a quick sell at a reasonable price, and those vehicles are almost always lightly driven. You have a variety of options at your disposal; do your research and make a great deal! When the time comes to buy a new truck in a few years, you'll already have the basics of deal-making down to a science.
05-12-2014, 01:43 PM
#34
Snow Engineer
I make over 50k a year, own a home and everything that makes you "happy" and there's still no way I would drop dough on a new truck. The newest vehicle out of the 8 I've ever owned was already 3 years old.
Buy some crap cheap. Waste your money learning to replace parts and fix it. Be able to forget about it and park it for months without any financial penalty if you have to. Walk away having learned a thing or two.
Buy some crap cheap. Waste your money learning to replace parts and fix it. Be able to forget about it and park it for months without any financial penalty if you have to. Walk away having learned a thing or two.
05-12-2014, 01:59 PM
#35
Senior Member
Some great advice here indeed. I will add, my son, when he turned 22 and got out of college wanted to buy a truck. Even though he had a full time job I still had to co-sign with him. He decided to buy used, not too used, only 5 years old and the truck only had 49,000 miles on it. It was a 4x2 regular cab 2005 XLT. Still owns it today and will be paid off in less than a year. He's done a great job in not only being wise about what he could afford but also realizing that there were used options out there that made it possible for him to pick up the truck he wanted. Just so you're aware, he went the Carmax route and swears by his experience there. They really treated him well and the truck's been phenomenal since he's owned it.
I am in no way trying to be discouraging, but you are young. There is plenty of time and the trucks WILL be there when you can afford them. Get that degree! That's going to set you up for life and make it possible to afford the things you want...
Good Luck to you!
I am in no way trying to be discouraging, but you are young. There is plenty of time and the trucks WILL be there when you can afford them. Get that degree! That's going to set you up for life and make it possible to afford the things you want...
Good Luck to you!
05-12-2014, 03:28 PM
#36
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I make over 50k a year, own a home and everything that makes you "happy" and there's still no way I would drop dough on a new truck. The newest vehicle out of the 8 I've ever owned was already 3 years old.
Buy some crap cheap. Waste your money learning to replace parts and fix it. Be able to forget about it and park it for months without any financial penalty if you have to. Walk away having learned a thing or two.
Buy some crap cheap. Waste your money learning to replace parts and fix it. Be able to forget about it and park it for months without any financial penalty if you have to. Walk away having learned a thing or two.
I will get a cheap truck and learn how to take care of it. I'll love to mod it and what not. I was just afraid of it breaking down in a few months.
05-12-2014, 03:32 PM
#37
Hey man I'm 21 finished high school and college after working part time since I was 17. buying and selling cars I finally got to a full time job to afford my 2014 no cosigner and 0% interest. I financed a used 09 f150 to build credit and paid school loans. Paid my 09 in a year and traded it in on my 14. So what I would do if I was you. Finance a nice used truck like 09 ish that way you find what you like and don't like about the truck and can correct it on the new truck after working saving and paying off that older truck. I never thought there would be so many things I'd want to change coming from my 09 and I'm glad I held off on buying a new one. You also get use to and budget for cost of gas and maintenance for the truck and that makes going into the new one easier. I vote hold off for awhile and finance an older truck to build credit.
05-12-2014, 03:33 PM
#38
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Some great advice here indeed. I will add, my son, when he turned 22 and got out of college wanted to buy a truck. Even though he had a full time job I still had to co-sign with him. He decided to buy used, not too used, only 5 years old and the truck only had 49,000 miles on it. It was a 4x2 regular cab 2005 XLT. Still owns it today and will be paid off in less than a year. He's done a great job in not only being wise about what he could afford but also realizing that there were used options out there that made it possible for him to pick up the truck he wanted. Just so you're aware, he went the Carmax route and swears by his experience there. They really treated him well and the truck's been phenomenal since he's owned it.
I am in no way trying to be discouraging, but you are young. There is plenty of time and the trucks WILL be there when you can afford them. Get that degree! That's going to set you up for life and make it possible to afford the things you want...
Good Luck to you!
I am in no way trying to be discouraging, but you are young. There is plenty of time and the trucks WILL be there when you can afford them. Get that degree! That's going to set you up for life and make it possible to afford the things you want...
Good Luck to you!
I am trying my best. Thank you
05-12-2014, 03:43 PM
#39
Five-0 Ret.
[MENTION=179452]ramb13[/MENTION], I want to congratulate you on your common sense. An attribute many young people (and old) just don't have these days. I know your parents are proud of you. You have already decided against buying new, and that's good. The last thing you want is to live so close to the edge that you screw up your chances of going to college. Many of us have been right where you are now, but I will say with you attitude you will get past the pay check to pay check living in the near future. Good luck young man.
BTW, I stared out in 1969 with a 1959 Ford Galaxie that had been driven hard. Wasn't able to buy new until 1972. But, a new car was $2783, and I traded a pretty sad '65 Impala for the thing. Dad still had to co-sign as I was only making $1.25 an hour. I'm telling you, $40 a month was hard to come by back in the stone ages.
BTW, I stared out in 1969 with a 1959 Ford Galaxie that had been driven hard. Wasn't able to buy new until 1972. But, a new car was $2783, and I traded a pretty sad '65 Impala for the thing. Dad still had to co-sign as I was only making $1.25 an hour. I'm telling you, $40 a month was hard to come by back in the stone ages.
Last edited by Wanted33; 05-12-2014 at 03:47 PM.
05-12-2014, 04:31 PM
#40
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Hey man I'm 21 finished high school and college after working part time since I was 17. buying and selling cars I finally got to a full time job to afford my 2014 no cosigner and 0% interest. I financed a used 09 f150 to build credit and paid school loans. Paid my 09 in a year and traded it in on my 14. So what I would do if I was you. Finance a nice used truck like 09 ish that way you find what you like and don't like about the truck and can correct it on the new truck after working saving and paying off that older truck. I never thought there would be so many things I'd want to change coming from my 09 and I'm glad I held off on buying a new one. You also get use to and budget for cost of gas and maintenance for the truck and that makes going into the new one easier. I vote hold off for awhile and finance an older truck to build credit.