Some of you know me, but there are some people who don't. I figured I give an update.



I had a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 for about 17k miles. I traded it in on a 2009 Nissan Versa with no power windows or door locks. It has power mirrors, a radio and A/C. It is a 1.8L with a 6 speed manual. It was on sale for 10,900$ and I got it for less then that, brand new.

Skip to today. We miss the truck, but not the truck payments. We really don't miss filling the tank. As far as the truck part, it was not a hard change to the Versa. My wife has a 2006 Pacifica that is loaded, but we never drive it. It gets 17-19 mpg city and highway. It can fit big purchases and stuff we used the truck for. The Versa gets a solid 31 mpg.

Money wise, we cut 210$ from the payment and 200$ a month in gas. I put about 2000-2400 miles a month on the Versa adding up to a grand total of 12,500 miles in six months. Adding it all up, we saved about 2500$ over six months by having the Versa.

Again, we miss the truck, but not paying for it.

I checked recently and my truck is still for sale. I traded it in November. The dealer took off my Undercover, but the steps are still on it. They also re-badged it. I think they were asking 28,500$. I got 28,500$ for it in trade. I am pretty sure the Nissan dealership lost money, or at least they didn't make a whole lot.

The real reason we got rid of the truck was money. We wanted a financial future that was secure. When we broke it down, we decided to invest the money saved into a 509 for both the kids and start saving for a house. We should have the Versa paid off in the next year and a half.

For the third time, we really miss it, but retiring early and putting our kids through college is more important than having a nice truck.

 

Sorry to hear you got rid of the truck.. Happy to hear things are better for you. I'm glad my truck isn't a daily driver, that would hurt money wise too. Sar, did you buy a manual for the Dodge? I don't remember if it was you or not...

 

I did buy a manual.

That's the thing. If I only drive the truck a few hundred miles a month, it would have been a different story.

I plan on keeping the Versa until the wheels fall off. It is probably going to last about 200K before I have to start worrying about it.

 

Good luck on the early retirement, we are working on the same. This will be my last new truck, used to get one every 3-4 years.

 

You thinking you want to get rid of the manual? If so, how much is it worth, if you still have it?

 

I just traded a 2008 Lexus GS450H that got 27 to 33 MPG for a a Dodge diesel dually truck that will probably get half of that.

I haven't done any camping since the early to mid 1980s and I have wanted to do it again for a few years. I have friend friends and relatives scattered all over the country and a lot of places I want to see and places I visited 20+ years ago that I want to visit again and the truck will make it possible.

I have done a lot of traveling by car sleeping in motels but sleeping in your own be and cooking your own food is the only way to go. last time I had a pull behind this time it will be a slide in.

I have always had some kind of SUV with room to haul stuff and I really missed having something to haul stuff in.

I posted pictures of the camper i will be picking up at the factory in another thread. There were a few reasons I went for the slide in is they are easier to maneuver and I sometimes drive through Manhattan on my way to Long Island, and in SC cars, motor homes and trailers are taxed as property every year and campers aren't taxed because they are considered cargo, so that saves me hundreds of dollars in taxes maybe a thousand a year.

If anyone is interested you can go to this thread

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/4th-gen...ou-perfer.html

 

That is a good reason to get a truck.

I really like the look of the 2010 Cummins as well.

 

Got to do what you got to do.... Good luck.

 

Well I think you made the right choice and thanks for stopping by to say hi and fill us in.

 

i was thinking of the same concerns you had.. but instead of trading in the truck, i just decided to make more money