Going used truck shopping today.
- Thread starter maroonmadman
- Start date
Honda Ridgeline are very fine trucks…ride like a car. Drawback is towing capacity.
A used Tacoma isnt much less than a new one. So may as well get a new one with the options you want. Also, used or new car salesmen are pieces of ****. You know more about the vehicle you want to buy than they do if you spend 30 seconds reading the window sticker. Get them yo tell you all about the features you know the vehicle doesn’t have. They will lie to you about 8 times per hour, I also try to match their lie rate.
Is there a better method of online searching than cars.com? Surely you don’t have to go to each dealerships site. Will soon be in the market for my teen driver.
Correct. The insurance company “totals the vehicle”. They fix them and resell. We had 4 cars drone them and never had a problem on any of them. My Chevy 2019 with a clean tile cost me thousands when the high pressure fuel pump blew up. The wife’s explorer we bought with 3 miles on it has been in the shop more than all the red titles combined. It’s there if you want to check it out. If not y’all all keep paying full price and leave the deals for me when I need a new car!
Day 2 Report:
Just to clarify, I am not financing, paying cash.
Yesterday I did the I-55 North (Greater JXN metro) dealers. Today I ventured down I-55 some and over to Hwy 80 in Brandon.
I went to 6 different dealerships today. 5 out of 6 salespersons were good, not obnoxious or any overly aggressive sales techniques. One was a true dick head. Fortunately, he didn't have anything that met my criteria. That's when he became a dick head trying to sell me something I was not even interested in.
So far I've driven Tacomas (4 & 6 cyl.), Frontiers, Ridgeline and Ranger. My leaders so far are a 2022 Frontier SV and a 2020 Tacoma SR5 for just best overall value. The Frontier is going to be about $2500 cheaper than the Toy. It has only 13K mi. The Toy has 28K mi. If I can get them down on the Toy I'll jump on it, if not I'm perfectly happy with the Frontier.
I was unable to find (at the dealers I went to) any Colorados or Canyons. I even went to 2 different GM dealers. Nada.
Online shopping is great but it does not tell the whole story as far as inventory goes. Apparently these dealerships don't employ anyone to constantly update their inventory. Some only update every few weeks or so. There were 2 occasions where I went to look at a specific truck only to find it had been sold and there were a few occasions where I looked at trucks that were not listed online. Sometimes you just gotta pound the pavement.
I tested a Toyota Tacoma with over 70K mi. just for the hell of it and was pleasantly impressed with how well it did considering +70K mi. The Honda had 56K mi. and I was impressed with it as well. It had several nice features lacking on other trucks - tailgate that opens 2 ways and under bed storage.
I'll probably buy a new ride sometimes next week. (waiting on insurance co. to send check) Right now I'm getting several cold adult beverages and chilling out, it's been stressful.
Just to clarify, I am not financing, paying cash.
Yesterday I did the I-55 North (Greater JXN metro) dealers. Today I ventured down I-55 some and over to Hwy 80 in Brandon.
I went to 6 different dealerships today. 5 out of 6 salespersons were good, not obnoxious or any overly aggressive sales techniques. One was a true dick head. Fortunately, he didn't have anything that met my criteria. That's when he became a dick head trying to sell me something I was not even interested in.
So far I've driven Tacomas (4 & 6 cyl.), Frontiers, Ridgeline and Ranger. My leaders so far are a 2022 Frontier SV and a 2020 Tacoma SR5 for just best overall value. The Frontier is going to be about $2500 cheaper than the Toy. It has only 13K mi. The Toy has 28K mi. If I can get them down on the Toy I'll jump on it, if not I'm perfectly happy with the Frontier.
I was unable to find (at the dealers I went to) any Colorados or Canyons. I even went to 2 different GM dealers. Nada.
Online shopping is great but it does not tell the whole story as far as inventory goes. Apparently these dealerships don't employ anyone to constantly update their inventory. Some only update every few weeks or so. There were 2 occasions where I went to look at a specific truck only to find it had been sold and there were a few occasions where I looked at trucks that were not listed online. Sometimes you just gotta pound the pavement.
I tested a Toyota Tacoma with over 70K mi. just for the hell of it and was pleasantly impressed with how well it did considering +70K mi. The Honda had 56K mi. and I was impressed with it as well. It had several nice features lacking on other trucks - tailgate that opens 2 ways and under bed storage.
I'll probably buy a new ride sometimes next week. (waiting on insurance co. to send check) Right now I'm getting several cold adult beverages and chilling out, it's been stressful.
Since you have that much experience with Toyotas, quick question for you. I just bought a 2007 Tundra with 240k miles. It’s in amazing shape and runs great. My question is about the transmission fluid. I have all the original owner’s service records and I don’t think the transmission fluid has ever been changed. Is that normal?
Personally, I have never messed with an automatic transmission on any vehicle unless there was something wrong. If the fluid smells burnt or it starts slipping then you do something. I had more than a couple of mechanics tell me when I was young to leave it alone. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
I was told the same and also don’t know if that advice is foolproof. I have a RAV4 with 150k miles on it. The transmission fluid was changed once when it was jumping a lot on acceleration. A buddy of mine did the same with his 4Runner. Fixed the problem immediately and I wouldn’t have done it unless that issue happened.
Plus it comes with a lifetime supply of Bud Light. No baw gonna get caught dead in a Ridgeline.
Squared-I’ve been browsing caredge.com for a year or so. For each vehicle, it shows the pricing history (can not confirm the accuracy), and I would like to think that’s a metric to use when shopping/negotiating. I haven’t made any purchases but expect to in the next year or so.
As OP mentioned, I have found that trucks listed on caredge aren’t on dealers sites.
I’ve had all Toyotas until my current vehicle. I needed something that got better fuel economy ( 100 mile commute for work) than the Toys, so I got a Canyon with the small duramax motor. 28 mpg, 4x4 and 33” tires, 118k miles.
I drive a Jeep Gladiator. It’s a great Jeep but it’s a so-so pickup. I’ve always had a Jeep and usually a truck as well. I consolidated with the Gladiator and it serves me at my place in life but it’s really not a viable option if you need a half ton truck.
1) I advise against the Tacoma 4cyl. Great truck, will last forever. Gets practically no better gas mileage than the V6 and is woefully underpowered.
2) I'm convinced that dealers on purpose do not update websites so that they force people to come in. At least that is my Jackson, MS experience. Nearly never had a car on the lot that was on the website when I was looking.
If I don't know how this dramatic saga ends soon I won't be able to sleep
It should be changed on a regular schedule (manual should tell you). And I always heard not to change or not to if you didn't do it early on. That's horse hockey. If you don't, you will eventually if you keep it long enough. Thing will start to shift poorly . Sound like you're riding across a cattle gap. I had a truck several years ago I never changed until it had 250K, and started with the rough shifting. It fixed the issue. No other problems. Now, with these newer 10 speed transmissions, you better folllw the manual somewhat at least.
Haven’t bought a truck yet. I’m still waiting on my insurance company to send me a check. On Monday I had reached a deal on a truck and had cleared using my Amex card for the purchase but the Sales Manager shot down that idea. No idea why and it left the sales person looking confused.
Top contenders: 2022 Frontier SV, 2020 Tacoma SR5, 2020 Ridgeline, 2021 Frontier SV 4x4.
I’m heading to CarMax later today so maybe there will be an update later.
I like both the Frontier 2022 and the Toyota. The Toy dealership doesn’t want to come down on price though and I can get the Frontier - drive off the lot price - for less than what they are asking for the Toy.
I’ll keep updating. The saga continues….
Trade it prior to the warranty expiring. Spent $4k on my 2015 JKU this year alone.