Tax advantages for buying new vs used.

You have NOT driven them all if you didn't run the 6x4, 5x4 4x4 the duplexes and triplexes etc. Just saying.

 

That's true. But shifting gears is still NOT all it's cracked up to be.

 

I say to each their own. I enjoy shifting some don't, it's second nature to me. HOWEVER I do say that you should NOT be issued a CDL unless you can shift a manual transmission. Yes I know they restrict the CDLs to account for those that only can drive a truck with an automatic. I'm not saying I'm right I'm just expressing my thoughts on it period.

 

Your right, we should also do away with radios, heaters, power steering, air conditioning and air ride, bring back the camel hump!!!!!! BTW, my first "big" truck experience was a quadruplex on an old converted grain truck, took a torch to the shift levers and bent them together so I could one hand it, I think I was 14,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

LOL I remember not having radios, heaters, power steering, air conditioning and air ride in a cab over 13 letter ***t spreader. That was a smart idea with the shifters.

 

Stan my grandfather made us learn to drive the 54 Plymouth with 3 on the column up and down the pasture before we got to drive the 66 Plymouth automatic on the road from the farm to town at 12 or 13. Our cousin was the State Trooper in that area, so it was ok.
My Grandfather used to always say later in life that power windows and a radio were just something to go wrong. I remembered what he said when I was fixing a power window motor that went out on a 94 F-150 some years later. It was a pain to fix, but it beat the hell out of manual windows.
One of my first commercial vehicles was an old FWD cement mixer similar to this one with 3 stick shifts. I have an 18 speed in my glider and I would have an auto shift in it if I could have got one in it. My days of enjoying shifting are long past. I do enjoy the power windows and radio.

 

To the original topic, I’m thinking of new next time around .. a buddy has told me since I knew him to buy a new truck every 3-4 years before warranty runs out and I always thought he was bat crap nuts.. A week ago we had this same debate and he decided to put his money where his mouth was and dared to show my numbers and compare,

My truck expenses for year
$15,396. Payments
$20,648 repairs ( injectors, egr valve, tires, etc) preventive maintence

$36,044
5.4mpg yearly average


His
$33,360 payments
$6,100 preventive maintence and misc

$39,460
6.3 mpg yearly average

With the almost 1mpg better and just the more $ in depreciation write offs It far outweighs the couple of thousand he spent more than I did on Truck expenses and he drives a NEW Truck every 3-4 years.. When I said, but what about when your warranty runs out, he said trade it, I said what about tires, he said ok there is $3700 added to the year,. Lol seems he may be on to something after all, seriously gave me something to think about when I look to upgrade the current ride.. i know my repair may not be $20k next year but then again they may be more if more expensive stuff goes down.. gave me something to think about.

Just mine and his numbers, of course we are only talking on terms of financing a new or new to You Truck, not the pay it off and drive it till the wheels fall off operators..

 

I don't see insurance factored in. Was that significantly different?

 

We were leased to same carrier and his insurance was $2800 more a year than mine.. its a % of Truck value..

 

You also didn't include your downtime (loss) in your equation.

I ran the numbers back & forth along with input from my CPA. The obvious choice for me was new. Not a lease, but a purchase finance at a competitive commercial rate of 5.5%. That's the way I went and will do again in a couple more years.

In addition, it's hard to put a value on relative peace of mind knowing your odds of being broken down on the side of the road are pretty low in a new truck. I don't possess the skill, time or desire to tinker around on an old truck. That's just me.

Others mileage obviously varies.