Mcdanielsamuel wrote:Just get a 2000s Dodge 2500 diesel with 200000-250000 miles for under 15k and pay your house off. When the house is paid off, look for a 'better' truck. My 2 cents for the day.
I can't risk another old truck. I tow cross country and local pretty much from March to November. Believe me I've considered that option. Coworker just bought a mint 94 cummins cab n a half for $4k. But I can't bring myself to trust something that old. Drivetrain may hold out just fine but the rest of the systems are pretty much end of life cycle.
AAA only covers 200 miles of towing and when im doing Gridlife events, the trailer has to make it there in time, and has to make it home in a week's time.
I need something reliable. With the covid chit, I'm not doing much this year. I think my year is actually over. Might work an event in October but won't be towing.
If i was just staying local, and people weren't depending on me and my truck, id care a lot less. I need a crew cab. Kid's getting too big for cab n a half. I need 4wd - been stuck more times than I can count. No plow trucks, no rental trucks, no commercial use trucks (i know how i treated my work trucks, and same with my coworkers). I need 3/4 ton or 1 ton chassis. next camper will probably be a 5th wheel toy hauler. I could survive on a half ton till then, but would rather get the truck i need rather than buy a fill-in to do this all over again in a year or two.
Ideally I want to find the retiree who lives in a camper in Florida every winter's truck. Something that was used, maintained, but not beat. I've found a couple of them, but they sell fast.
Edit: new trucks aren't guaranteed issue free, but having a warranty thats good nationwide means i can be towed anywhere, get a loaner, finish my trip, and get my truck repaired for the drive home. I know a few people who have bought new and got an absolute basketcase of a truck, but thats rare. Rarer than a used truck crapping out.