So our truck, a 68K mile '05 1500 QC Hemi 4X4 SLT has served us well, there have been some trials and tribulations over the years but we bought it new on the summer of '05, and technically the first new vehicle I have ever owned (I've always bought things a few years old, used, but in 05 when we went looking the used 03's were on the lot the same prices as the discounted brand new 05's so we went new).

Anyhow, the truck is paid off, we like not having a payment, but we are getting to the point of thinking about modifying it, so I am wondering if I should modify the current truck or trade it in on a used CTD truck???

The modifications (and repairs) we need to do, are to make it able to reliably(sp?) tow an ~10K # trailer cross the country a few times, since we are thinking of moving from just outside Philly PA to just outside Portland OR. Also, since I am in the hobby of drag racing and messing with cars I have a few projects that would need to be hauled in my enclosed trailer and would need to make at least 2 trips to get vehicles and household goods over there. The truck is normally used as my daily driver (yet I work from home and only really go into the office 1 or so times a week) and tow rig for the trailer on weekends for races. With just the race car, tools, generator, and etc, the trailer is just about 9K # loaded for the races, with the move I would be adding houshold goods and etc and probably have over 10K# (won't know actual weight until it's loaded). The truck has already had a few mods to safely haul it the way it sits even thought that is just a little over max factory ratings, with upgraded tires, air springs, better factory replacement brakes (that still don't work up to par), and an air intake to help add a little power.

What I think the truck needs right now is:
-- new fuel injectors (+ $500, the truck has had problems with leaky injectors causing hard/no start issues and I was just going to swap them all to aftermarket, rounded up to include shipping and misc materials when doing the work)
-- gear upgrade (+ $2500, to help with performance and towing plus the addition of LSD or locker to the rear )
-- new tires (+ $1300, larger diameter E rated)
-- new aftermarket brakes (+ $1500)
-- normal maintenance on a 68K mile truck (+500, all fluid and filter changes, all 16 plugs, and wire change, plus there is a strange vibration on the highway I need to figure out, but may require a new front halfshaft so I rounded up)
-- performance mods ($700, programmer and exhaust)

That is a minimum of $7K just to make get my current truck to a point where I think it can reliably(sp?) tow cross country. If I take that $7K and add in my truck as a trade in ($12-13.5K according to KBB) I could have damn near 20K to put down on a CTD truck and not really have to do anything to handle this trailer right? I looked today and there are 2 used CTD trucks in my area, same options (color, SLT, 4x4, QC) that mine has and they are in the $33K range, so that would only be financing $13K-ish, would a CTD truck be worth picking up another car payment or should I just mod the hemi?

I will be reading the CTD section of the forums to get more answers of how they perform or if there are mods needed, and the differences in the years and all that, but was just looking for opinions on if I should even continue thinking about trading my truck in...

 

Well by the sound of the post, you seem to have all your finances taken care of. I think since the CTD is more of a NEEDED item as apposed to a wanted item, and if you can afford it, i would say it would be more beneficial to buy the used truck which is made for you're needs then upgrade the one you have now but thats just me. I'm sure my opinion will be shot down. I just think because you will be useing the CTD for the "long haul" literally lol that it would just be in right mind to get it. Just hope that the CTD doesn't need the tires you need and more added issues cause then instead of buying somthing that will benefit you, your gunna be sinking money into somthing that was supposed to be saving you the hassle. Thats just my 2 cents, hope it helps!

Hontz

 

yeah it sounds to me like you've got all your eggs in a basket (so to speak).but i really don't think you'll get 12-13K for a trade in on your old truck with how car and truck sales are going theese days.but for what your going to be doing in the future with any truck you do have, i'd go for the CTD one.

 

Go ctd!!!!!!

 

Ctd!!

 

Go with the CTD, from what you posted it sounds like you are going to need it.

Where outside of Philly are you located? I saw an 06 CTD yesterday pretty cheap.

 

I am with everyone else, go with the CTD from the sounds of it you really do need it and the cost to make the hemi the way you want it as far as hauling your better off with the CTD because most of the stuff you would need to do to the hemi is already on the CTD.

 

Thanks for the thoughts, I guess I need to run some numbers to see if I am willing to pick up a new car payment... So far I guess nobody thinks it's worth keeping the hemi, I like the idea of the CTD, but have never owned, nor know anything about diesels...

Off_Road_Teacher - I am south of the international airport, just past the I-95 and 476 interchange, in the borough of Brookhaven...

 

u literally can NOT beat a CTD in anything other than the price

 

I think a dealer would give you more along the lines of $10k for your truck. KBB is useless. NADA average trade-in is $10,200 or $11,000 w/ a Hemi.
Most dealers are barely giving Average trade-in because the book is still a high figure.
Total would be like this....$23k plus taxes less deposit($7k)

If you've got $7k worth of problems that you know about, certainly you cannot expect top dollar from the dealer.

I don't think you'll need a CTD to get the job done for a "few" occasional trips. A 2500 is all that is really needed IMO. CTD is overboard for the occasional user. For me to even debate about buying a CTD, I would need to prove to myself that the power of the CTD would be used more than half of the time. Pulling 3 or 4 times a year is a waste of a CTD again...IMO.
I just see it as a lot of money for something that doesn't get used enough. Not to mention nobody besides dealers will work on Diesels. Most small repair garages push the diesels away. At least that's the case around here.(NY)

If you think your gas truck is expensive, just wait till the Dieseal needs to be worked on. $7k is easily spent if your turbo goes and you can't do the work yourself.