Buying New vs Used in terms of depreciation...
Depreciation only matters when you look to trade-in a vehicle. If you keep and fix your vehicle, thats the most financially responsible way to go. I used to have a truck and wanted another. One of my 2 cars had to go. (An '89 Bonneville or a '93 grand Caravan). Neither has a trade-in value. I get a bigger "value" when I donated the Bonny to charity and take a tax write off.
Which is the better deal...new vs used
When I went to Sam Galloway Ford here in Ft. Myers the jackass tries to sell me a 2001 f-150 w/ 40,000 miles for $21,000 and a great 30 DAY warranty.
Our conversation was....."I can get an '03, 3yr/36,000 starting at $24,000, and 0% for 5 years."
"That's impossible - no you can't and even if you could, this is a better deal"
My last words were...."You're a F#@king moron"

My point is that this isn't brain surgery and you don't need to be a CPA to figure out what's finanically best for you. What someone has to weigh is their Wants/Needs/Budget. If your "honest" with yourself then you'll have the correct answer.

 

I thought Hurst was the company that made the floor shifter transmission......why would it pull a u-haul?..Was the MIL a race car driver or something?

 

Hey brainiac, my post was a reply to the post before it, so step off. Ok, the cost of the 250 SD Screw is 46k, well, the 2000 250 SD SC is 37k here at my local Ford dealer, and I don't know if it's exactly 90%, but I know that MY truck doesn't have that percentage of it's original cost for a resale value right now. Now, prove me otherwise, or at least try not to have your head so far up your hiney the next time you post.

 

I like to buy new whenever I can. First of all, I drive a vehicle until the wheels fall off, so there will be no resale value no matter what I start with.

Second, When I buy new, I take care of it from day 1. Going used, you don't know how bad the thing was beat on before the guy got rid of it. You could get a vehicle that has 50K on it, but is beat so bad it might as well have twice that. ESPECIALLY with 4x4s. Another poster mentioned mods adding value. Some do, bedliners, step bars, etc. Performance mods almost always DECREASE value. Chalk it up to the "beat" factor. If it has a lot of performance mods, it was beat. Nobody goes for better performance and doesn't use it.

A used truck may have been in a wreck. If it was fixed out of pocket, there will be no carfax or other record of it. Even if the fix was perfect, the shock will cause other failures, often cascading.

The only time I buy used is if I'm BUILDING something. Like I wanted a bulletproof Wrangler, this means no computer stuff on it. Solution, go buy a junker, and build it up.

That's my financial advice. If you like buying new or used, hey like others said, it's your money, spend it how you want. Important thing is you like what you have.

 

I disagree. I can't believe you think the 97-03 has character. No offense, but I feel like those were the dark years for Ford trucks. The F150's where cheapened up in the look and the front fenders and front end have a rounded unfinished look. I went to Chevy during that period. I honestly think the new F150 front end is classy and more tuff looking. The rest of the truck looks like a truck rather than a new millenium sports car. I like trucks to look like trucks. Just my opinion.

In regard to safety. It was all over the print about how the new F150 was strengthen in the frame and there are pictures of crash test done by Ford on the web pages here. I would not have bought the last F150 not only because of the design problems I stated earlier, but also because from experience working with them as well as the crash reports that they were not safe.

 

Oh how I love to be challenged and have the opportunity to prove me right and the other wrong...

Ok, the cost of the 250 SD Screw is 46k, well, the 2000 250 SD SC is 37k here at my local Ford dealer, and I don't know if it's exactly 90%, but I know that MY truck doesn't have that percentage of it's original cost for a resale value right now. Now, prove me otherwise, or at least try not to have your head so far up your hiney the next time you post.

...Here you go PUM, my proof from the FMC build and price webpage:
2004 F-250 SD Lariat™
SuperCab 4X4 - 6-3/4'

Total MSRP: $46,690.00
Series: Lariat
Cab: SuperCab
Drive: 4X4
Box: 6-3/4'
Engine: 6.0L Power Stroke Turbo Diesel V8
Transmission: Electronic TorqShift™ 5-Speed Automatic
Transmission (6.0L Diesel)

I chose the Lariat because this is what I ordered and since it is the "Top of the Line" model it will hold resale value better. This means I am trying to help you out a bit. Now you step up. Show the rest of us your claim of resale. That would be a 4 year old SD with a resale value of 90% ($42, 021.00) Otherwise try to remember there is a stark difference between your perspective and actual reality.

As for this:but I know that MY truck doesn't have that percentage of it's original cost for a resale value right now. This should be elementary but NO vehicle holds its resale value after purchase, especially in the first year. Say it with me slowly, D E P R E C I A T I O N. So since you confess me to be the Brainiac which implies that you are not, I did the math for you. The hard numbers reveal a used SD at a $37K resale (if it is) is 79% of original cost.

So now PUM, you step up with hard numbers like I just did or at least admit that you were POSING just a bit with an exaggerated post reply. And Oh, I almost forgot: If I did all this with my head up my hiney, just imagine how brainy I am with it out.

Note:
TraderOnline.com says resale for SD is 59% of original cost:
2000 Ford F250 3/4 Ton Truck 4x4 Super Duty Crew Cab
Price: $27800
Color: Dark Blue and Beige Two Tone
Miles: 47000

 

Well, you can't, because a 2000 SD 250 didn't have the 6.0L, and brand new trucks last year cost more than they cost in 2000. Secondly, my truck isn't in it's `first year`, it's a 97, and when I bought it, I gave $36,000 for it. Now, it's worth $7,800. You didn't have hard numbers, you have no actual numbers, you have what your truck cost you, and you want me to find a truck that didn't even cost that much new that is now 4 years old, when it really isn't even comparably equipped. I am not arguing this point with you anymore, you are a troll, and if you think that a SD doesn't hold more resale value than an F-150 (our original debate), then you are a raving idiot. I will not reply to you ever again, troll. Get off my bridge troll, get off my bridge.

 

I don't want to contribute a debate that likely isn't going to be resolved to anyone's satisfaction (it's probably best for you guys to agree to disagree ), but from personal experience, I don't think that the F-150 depreciates too badly.

I took delivery of my '97 F150 XLT SCAB on 6/25/96. I paid A-Plan, but it's invoice was $23,561 and MSRP was $27,026. I traded it in for my '04 on 10/30/03 (7 years, 4 months) at 88,000 miles. I got $9,000 trade allowance from my dealer, who sold me the '04 SCrew at invoice. The dealer had it on their lot for $12,500 and it's already been sold, although I don't know for how much.

 

Feeble minds are laughable. You humor me PUM as you find that you are absent of logic and resort to name calling like an adolescent. Move along little one, move along.

 

Okay, now we are making some progress. In your original post you didn't mention the diesel, you just said F250!

I will agree with you that a diesel F250 will retain more resale value than a gas F250. The 6.0 probably more so than the 7.3 due to a not so perfect track record from the 7.3.

I interpreted you as comparing apples to apples (a gas F250 vs. a gas F150) in resale value retention %. Throwing the diesel into the F250 sort of skews the comparison - agreed?

 

Well I took a big loss getting into my '04 F-150. I traded in my '03 Lightning. I am known to trade often, but that damn Lightning was truly something I had fun with. I put $1,300 in mods in it, I took them all off and sold them on NLOC.net So I really didn't lose anything there. I'm just going to miss going 0-60 in 4.6 seconds. That's what my truck was doing at the track with my mods. I ran a 13.3 at 103. The reason I had to get the '04 was cause I needed an all season truck, I'm going to school soon so I needed a lower payment, and I needed to lower my insurance costs.

The '04 costs $7,000 more than my Lightning, but my payment went down $100.00 a month due to the 1.9% financing. I am also now paying lower insurance thanks to the truck not being supercharged, that may change as soon as some kits come out though. So getting into the '04 actually saved me money, but at the same time took away my happiness I get from racing.

 

Tough trade, you may have lost a lightning but save your money and get the next Shelby or Cobra Mustang and have the best of both worlds a fast car and a truck to haul it with.

 

I came across this today regarding F150 resale and thought of this thread, as there had been some active debate about how well F150's held their resale value.

From Kelley Blue BookTop 10 list of 2004 model year vehicles that will best hold their value over the next 5 years
The Pickup winner is the Toyota Tacoma Prerunner Crew Cab 4D V6 4WD, but it goes on to say:
It doesn't necessarily mean anything, and it's not surprising either, but as an owner, it's nice to see on a site that specializes in reporting on used car values.