HELP - The wife is thinking $$$ - Diesel Forum

synapco · 10-03-2001, 04:04 PM

Wife currently has a F-250 (1998) 5.4 and is starting to think about selling and buying. I am suggesting a 2002 PS (no CC or SCab) because I already have a CC. Told her that with the way pricing was she could get a good deal - but could really get a great deal if she brought $$$ to the table. Anyone out there have any comments about this? We pull a small pop-up camper and do not have a need for a 5er or other pull behind.

She will be driving the vehicle ~300-500 miles each week - mainly hwy and little stop and go. Looking at an auto. She has always enjoyed trucks and would like to stay with one, but her current 5.4 with Scab is a little big for her. Any comments or thoughts would be most helpful. Thanks

synapco · 10-03-2001, 04:11 PM

Follow-up: Sorry saw it and forgot to also ask about using the X-Plan for price or would bringing $$$ to the table be better? If X-Plan how would one go about signing up for the service? Again Thanks.

mcbreth · 10-03-2001, 04:15 PM

Prepare for sacrilege:

Almost sounds like a Superduty or even an F-150 would be overkill. Ever consider a Sport Trac? Might be a little easier to commute with and park in town. Easier riding. Room for four adults and a bed for the provisions/luggage.

Marty
Bergstrom Ford
fordtrucks@bergstromauto.com

zip · 10-03-2001, 04:55 PM

synapco,
It looks like your wife will be putting over 100,000 miles every 4 years on this vehicle, from what you said. Why are you looking at destroying a new vehicle in a few years?
Better to pay cash for a real good used CAR
and save for a rainy day. She doesn't need another PSD for her trips. But she does need a good dependable vehicle that's cheap on gas. Just my $.02. [img]images/icons/blush.gif[/img]

wchain · 10-03-2001, 05:28 PM

Might I suggest a new VW Jetta TDI or a slightly used one? There are people who make perf parts out there for TDIs as well as PSDs, and have similar performance gains from such things as exhaust and chips, etc.

They are good little cars with peppy acceleration and outstanding mileage. Perhaps she would like a S/Crew? didnt know how little she wanted to go, but sounds like a PSD just for commuting would be overkill..You could always buy oine of the 20 Single Cab White XLT PSDs on ebay...

synapco · 10-03-2001, 06:32 PM

Thanks for the feedback! The VW Jetta TDI was something I thought about but did not mention to her! She is concerned about all the heavy duty trucks up here and since we lost a next door neighbor in January to a DUI she thought maybe sticking with a truck would better protect. Frankly from some of the drivers I've seen lately, I would have to agree to some extent. Anyway - getting back to the Jetta - anyone own one and what do they think about it? Again thks for the replies.

zip · 10-03-2001, 08:02 PM

OOOOPS... we almost forgot- your question about the X-Plan is answered in this forum.
Great plan for those of us not employed by FoMoCo when we can join EAA for $40.

synapco · 10-03-2001, 08:17 PM

If she decided to go with the TDI due they have a comparable X-Plan, don't know what it would be called but any help would be appreciated.

wchain · 10-03-2001, 09:03 PM

My sister has a 2000 Jetta TDI GLS, 5 speed (GO SIS!).

I like driving it, it is rated at 90hp and 149 ft-lbs of torque, and that is VERY obvious when you step on the gas, it just PULLS away from you like nobody's business.

As far as mileage, last time I drove it and used a full tank I got 42, that was in the city, mostly commuting, but my sister has claimed 48 from College Station to Houston and back in one trip (400 miles). That figure might go higher, but she likes to dirve 75+.

Almost no smoke, but you can make it smoke if you like, just go about 30 mph and stick it in 5th and floor it, pretty cool. I like the blue dash lights and red needles at night. Fit and finish are good, the faux wood is ok, but of obvious quality, we even bought the aftermarket VW faux wood shifter.

Factory stereo is good, sounds pretty clean.

No problems to report, biggest gripe is the dirver side powerwindow regulator went out twice, but that was both times when the car was less than 6 mos old.

Otherwise, its quiet, a little buzzy at 75-80, but we dont drive that fast do we?

If I wanted a commuter car, I would pick the Jetta TDI. I htink you can get Side IMpact bags now as well.

Too bad VW doesnt offer the 2.8L V6 TDI in the Passat that they have in Europe. The summer before I graduated college, I studied abroad in France for a smemester, my host family had a 99 Passat TDI V6,5sp , talk about moving down the road! WHOA!!!!!

Anyways, I like hte jetta, even the GL comes weith keyless and a Casette. What else do you need? [img]images/icons/laugh.gif[/img]

SmokeyWren · 10-03-2001, 09:25 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by synapco:
Told her that with the way pricing was she could get a good deal - but could really get a great deal if she brought $$$ to the table. Anyone out there have any comments about this? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeah. It's nonsense. [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

Money is money. Money from under her mattress is money. Money from her checking is money. Money from the cash value of her trade-in is money. Money from her savings is money whether the savings is in IRA accounts, investments in the stock market or mutual funds or CDs or money-market accounts. And finally, money from a "car loan" is money.

The dealer doesn't care where you get your money. To him, whether you get it from the cookie jar or from Ford Credit makes no difference. You will get no better deal by bringing money to the table.

With one exception: Right now is wierd. You can get zero percent financing from Ford with terms up to 36 months. So if you put enough money down to make the payments bearable with a 36-month zero-percent loan, then you're gonna save some money. Maybe. You give up a $1,000 rebate to get that zero percent financing, so you need to run the numbers before you assume the zero percent is the cat's meow.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>...forgot to also ask about using the X-Plan for price or would bringing $$$ to the table be better? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Apples and oranges. The X-plan deals with how much you're going to pay for the vehicle - negotiating the price. But "bringing $$$ to the table" has nothing to do with negotiating the price - it has to do only about what kind of money you'll use to pay for the negotiated price. But again, money is money.

I understand the desire to drive a larger vehicle. This summer Brother-in-Law had a wreck on the way from Denver to see me. Idiot in a stolen car spun out and crossed the median on the interstate - right in front of him. T-bone at 70 MPH. Idiot died instantly. Bro & Sis are okay, with a few broken bones and a couple of weeks in the hospital. They were driving their three-quarter-ton V-10 SuperCab. If they had been in their Saturn, they'd both have died instantly.

So I understand her need for a big honkin' pickup.

But you'll probably have trouble finding a regular-cab longbed XLT in stock. And Ford doesn't even make a SuperDuty regular-cab shorty or regular-cab Lariat.

You'll probably find a good selection of SuperCab shorties in stock, both XLT and Lariat. And the wheelbase is only 5 inches longer than a regular cab longbed (142" vs. 137").

But if she really wants a regular-cab XLT longbed, then you can order one. And wait 4 to 8 weeks for delivery.

But understand that a regular cab longbed will probably depreciate more than a SuperCab shorty. You'll pay about $2,100 less for it new, but you'll probably get a LOT less for it 4 or 5 years down the interstate. Check out prices for '97 PSDs on www.kbb.com and www.carprice.com to verify this.

BTW, we can discuss only Ford SuperDuty trucks in this forum. For other brands with diesel engines, post your inquiry in the General Diesel forum. For other gassers, please use the Other forum. Wes - you knew that. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

wchain · 10-03-2001, 11:02 PM

Sorry Smokester, [img]images/icons/blush.gif[/img] Just trying to answer the question of a fellow PSDer.

It wont happen again! [img]images/icons/laugh.gif[/img]

synapco · 10-04-2001, 05:12 PM

Sorry about getting off track on the TDI. Smokey your points are well taken and the dif between long vs. short is something I did not consider - Good point. Just thought that bringing $$$ to table would give you more bargining power. But qualifying for 0 percent and banking the difference might put more $$$ in the bank. I'll have to do the calculations and see if there is a benefit and if so how great. Again thanks.

JVencius · 10-04-2001, 05:25 PM

I should be alright with this one since I'm not mentioning any particular vehicle brand--If you're wife is rightfully concerned about her safety, a high performance vehicle like a "slightly improved" [img]images/icons/laugh.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] TDI Jetta (whoops, there goes the first line) might allow her to escape problems on the road through the ability to manuever/accelerate out of trouble instead of plowing right into it. Just last week this idiot in a lowered Acura tried to make a right turn from the center turning lane across two other lanes of traffic right in front of me. Instead of plowing right into him I stood on the gas, went through the light, and avoided an accident altogether.

pennyjim · 10-09-2001, 12:23 AM

Well Folks, at my house, if the spousal unit wants a big honking truck, then the spousal unit gets a big honking truck. I won't debate her on what she wants. Last few times, she's wanted a Caravan. (Oops, dodging the long arm of Smokey here. [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] )

Frankly, getting her to decide on what she wants is most of the battle.

jp