The Down Range Forum

Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: TAB on January 25, 2025, 01:33:27 PM

Title: Car dealerships crack me up
Post by: TAB on January 25, 2025, 01:33:27 PM
So a week ago I drove 5.5 hours each way to look at a used truck.  They wanted $xx995.   I told them how we round up to the next thousand out the door, cash now.( pulled out the cash)  No dealer fees or document fees.   Now this was in a different  state so no sale tax or license.  Just bill of sale and you sign over the title.  I drive it back than register it here and pay the sale tax and license here.   Easy, deal. It's a yes or a no.   The young guy there said he could not make the deal, but his boss could, but he was gone for the weekend and not answering his phone.   OK, so call me before Trump becomes the potus and we can do the deal with a wire transfer.   Fast forward a week.   Just got a call from them saying they had an offer on the truck and could I match it.   Ugh, yeah  my offer$-5k  for the not calling me Monday.   

I don't get it.   You have a truck I am willing to give you more than your asking price to drive it off the lot now
   In hundreds no less.   I guess you really just want that kick back from the predatory loans that you sign people up for. 

I just can't stomach the price of a new 1 ton diesel.    It's not even about being able to afford it, it would just make me sad every time I see it/drive it knowing how much it cost. 
Title: Re: Car dealerships crack me up
Post by: Diamondback on January 25, 2025, 06:00:16 PM
Ugh, I am SOOO not looking forward to that nightmare when I find my '83 Firebird or '87 Crown Vic to start custom work on...
Title: Re: Car dealerships crack me up
Post by: Big Frank on January 26, 2025, 01:28:20 AM
I don't want an HD pickup or a diesel engine but I built a 2024 Silverado 2500 HD with a diesel engine online. It was $51,200 before I added $10,000 in accessories. That made it $62,660 with freight and destination charges. In 1991 I paid $25,000 for my house, which is now worth $36,600. That truck is worth $26,000 more than my house, and you can guess how likely I am to pay that kind of price for a truck. I think that's almost 3 times what I paid for my last pickup truck.
Title: Re: Car dealerships crack me up
Post by: TAB on January 26, 2025, 07:27:01 AM
An xlt f350 starts at 53k.   The diesel alone is a 12k option

Built the way I want in with a standard cab it's 74k the crew cab is 83k.     This is just an xlt.   The second from the bottom in thrim.   Thr next step up adds almost 10k more.   The highest level adds 23k
Title: Re: Car dealerships crack me up
Post by: alfsauve on January 26, 2025, 09:00:16 AM
I think you’re right about dealerships. It’s all about the financing. That’s where the profit is.

I’ve always used financing as a bargaining chip. Lead with, “I’m preapproved with xyzzy-who-has-the-lowest-advertised-rates”.  Not only do I get, I think, an overall good bottom line, but the manufacturer usually buys the rates down.  0.9% two years ago. 
Title: Re: Car dealerships crack me up
Post by: TAB on January 26, 2025, 09:48:47 AM
Never finance a deprecating asset, unless the tax write off is worth it. 

Can't write off a personal truck.


The funny thing is my guys give me shit about my old truck... they keep telling me I should buy a new one.   I keep responding  with "it's paid off, what's your car payment?"   I drive my vehicles into the ground.
Title: Re: Car dealerships crack me up
Post by: alfsauve on January 26, 2025, 10:55:15 AM
Never finance a deprecating asset, unless the tax write off is worth it. 

Here we differ.  If I'm earning 5% on an investment and I can borrow  at 0.9%, it makes sense to me to let that money earn as much as I can for as long as I can. 

Of course Miss Kitty hates being in debt so we compromise on 1 year.
Title: Re: Car dealerships crack me up
Post by: Big Frank on January 26, 2025, 11:54:41 AM
I forgot to post pics of the 2500 HD diesel build. They make a 6.6L V8 gas engine, the same size as the diesel, but the diesel has more power because it's a turbo. You can get an Allison 10-speed automatic transmission with either one, with or without a PTO. The 2500 HD is ugly compared to a regular 1500 pickup.
Title: Re: Car dealerships crack me up
Post by: TAB on January 26, 2025, 01:31:59 PM
Here we differ.  If I'm earning 5% on an investment and I can borrow  at 0.9%, it makes sense to me to let that money earn as much as I can for as long as I can. 

Of course Miss Kitty hates being in debt so we compromise on 1 year.


2008 taught me a very valuable  lesson.   I now only go into debt for thing that I make money with.   Rather it's work relayed or property.  I don't like owing people money.  I have a couple cc I use for different things.  Mainly for the addional benefits they offer.   Like free insurance on rental cars doubling the manufacturers warranty  and etc.   I don't even use them for points any more.   What makes no sense is my credit score has dropped significantly  since I stopped borrowing money. 
Title: Re: Car dealerships crack me up
Post by: Rastus on January 26, 2025, 05:12:13 PM
Yeah, my credit score has got to be around zero.  Some years ago we went to the big dog show in NYC and were kicking around Macy's.  They badgered the crap out of me saying that anything I bought that day was 25 or 40% off no limit on what we bought if we got one of their credit cards.  So, OK..well no.  My credit score was too low because we hadn't had debt for years.  We owned our home outright.  I had been working 50-60 hour weeks to get there but that's OK because we don't have the boogie man on our backs on anything. 

Oh, and not paying for items on medical bills you really did not get when you go in the hospital doesn't help...if you call it that when it comes to credit scores.  $10-$20 for a single tylenol that you did not take because you brought your own, the $100 care package of a cheap plastic water carafe and cup, etc., etc., etc., but the charge nurse says you did get it and used it...NOPE...ain't paying.  So that's where they punish you...your credit score.  You get punished for not paying for their meds at astronomical prices...shame on you...we're going to hit your credit score for being so insolent.  So what, hit it....working 50-60 hours a week for decades is good for standing your ground. 
Title: Re: Car dealerships crack me up
Post by: Big Frank on January 27, 2025, 02:34:28 AM
My credit score has always suffered from my never having a mortgage. When I bought my house from my next door neighbor he said he wanted a cashier's check, so went to the credit union and got him one. It sure was nice having money before I got married. My credit score went down to 715 on December 5th and hasn't changed since. It should start going up any day now because I cashed in some savings bonds last week and paid over $7,000 on my credit cards since then, with almost another $3,400 in payments scheduled in the next few weeks. My $3,700 of Series EE bonds from back in the '80s were worth over $8,500 when I cashed them in Wednesday. I was guessing they would be worth $7,000+, but was pleasantly surprised at what it totaled.