Any American make vehicle with a V8 engine will take a trade-in pounding these days. The F150 is no exception. If the thought of rapid depreciation makes you bothered, consider keeping the truck until it no longer moves but this probably means many, many years of ownership. Just enjoy the truck, and try to think of other things when fueling the beast.

 

when they total a vehicle you get RETAIL value... not TRADE-IN value... I just went through this with my 95 f150... it was totaled... they offered me $3,000 ... I did my homework... found the retail value on NADA site and they ended up cutting me a check for $7,600

 

Yup, same here. We had someone total my wife's Civic a few years back and we sure as hell didn't get the trade in value. However, if you buy a new truck, your still going to take a huge hit on depreciation so the gap insurance on a new truck might be a good idea. I picked up my "used" truck for KBB trade in value since the truck had been on the lot a while and wasn't moving. They tried to talk me into gap insurance and I sure as hell walked away from that one.

 

I replaced the 95 with an 04... it was on a jeep dealer's lot..., they wanted 15,000 for it... I drove off with it paying 11,000, and I got them to refund me $300 for paint bubbling on rear quarter panel.... got home.... went to local ford dealer and got them to replace the quarter panel for zip under paint warranty...

 

Yep. People gave me crap when I leased my 04, telling me how such a bad idea it was. Who's laughing now?

Gave it back in 2007 when I could have bought it for the "discounted" price of $18,000 with 34,000 miles on it...no way. I saw where the dealership had it listed for $18,500.

 

i just got offered 24k for a 07 H3 the was 42k in dec of 06
we are lookin at a mustang (v6) and a vw beetle

 

+1

Buy a beater!

 

Wow, I guess I traded my F150 at the right time. Mine was a 2004 FX4 with 27,000 miles, traded last May for $24,000.

 

don't bother...


I bought this little pile o' pooh for my g/f to drive to work, and for me to drive instead of my truck on weekends. to save a bit on gas.
It sucks. I realized just how much I like my truck after driving it.
I mostly got the car for my girl, so I don't regret the purchase, but I know more now than ever that I'm not an econo-box kinda guy. I borrowed my friends wrx for the weekend, and apparently turbo awd cars are right up my alley!!

I'm not sure about you guys, but a vehicle is an extension of my personality, and probably even my ****. I lose 2 optical inches every time I get behind the wheel of that civic!

 

Not only that, but if you get plowed by an F150 or big SUV in that can-on-wheels, they might as well bury you in it. I'm 6'6" and I wouldn't drive a coffin on wheels like this for nothing where I live.......

 

I never got rid of my beater. Just need to get it tagged and inspected and change the oil.

 

hope you weren't/still are upside down then. I have a very good buddy paying for a truck he totalled 2 yrs ago. He owed $20k and they gave him about $12k after the accident. Gap is like an extended warranty. $500-600 up front just in case. It's only ~1 payment worth and hopefully you never use it...but some end up using it
I partially feel your pain. 6'3" here and 270 lbs. I physically don't fit in most small cars.

 

I feel your pain. I'm 6'5". It's a main reason I drive a large vehicle. I am large!!!!!!!!!

 

I tried to trade in my 06 2wd supercab lariat a couple of months ago. at the time it had about 36,000 miles and they offered me 9,000. Great condition, one or two minor scratches and perfect interior.

 

You should read up a little on modern vehicle safety. My wife was in a bad accident with a Ford Windstar van in her Civic. Car was totaled but she walked away only with bruises from her seatbelt and a little burn from the airbag.

I wound up only a little upside down on the Ranger. I'd paid enough on it and was hoping to get high blue book value, but as seen here, dealers aren't paying even blue book for trucks, even a Ranger. It's ok though, I got a good enough deal on the F150 to make up for it and I'm sooooo much happier now driving the F150 than I ever was that Ranger. The suspension is sooo much better, especially on crappy Cleveland streets.