Anyone else drive a Toyota Tacoma

[Shwaa]

and not feel guilty about it?

Currently driving a 2013 TRD Tacoma.  I admit when I purchased it (Jan 14') I didn't purchase it in the smartest way possible.  I took out a loan for 24k (after a 7k down payment).  I have been paying it off very aggressively as of late though and should have it paid off in June/July of this year (approx 2.5 years on 5 year loan).  It is my only debt currently, and I have been able to make those aggressive payments while still maxing out 2 retirement accounts (401k and Roth) which has been great.

I love the truck and plan to have it for years to come.  Currently at 40k miles.   It is probably worth 24-25k currently.  Yea, I could sell it and buy something cheaper but I love it.  Taken road trips all over the place with it.

Anyone else drive one and feel the same? 

Or, anyone drive an "expensive" car/truck and not feel guilty about going with something cheaper?

[TooManyGuitars]

My guess is you are not going to get much positive response from this group for borrowing money to buy a large gas guzzling truck and drive it 20k miles a year.  But we'll see what people say...

I too own a large v6 guzzler as the only car for a family of 4. (ford territory, we live in Australia.  It's a midsize SUV).  It's long paid for and only gets driven about 4000 miles a year though.  I still think I deserve a face punch for it sometimes, but I do use the cargo space - 3 times this week I have had it full of 3-5 grown men with 3-5 surfboards and kitesurfing kites.  It is very rarely used just to transport one human from point a to b. 

[Syonyk]

At least you're not posting this about a Tundra...

I have a large truck, but I don't drive it 20k miles/yr...  it sees about 3k/yr, which may go up a bit once we have a 5th wheel for long camping trips.  I ride my electric bike as a commuter, and generally drive the truck if I'm hauling large things, heavy things, or both (crew cab, 8' bed).  Very few miles are single occupant, and the bulk of those are driving to go pick up something large or heavy.  It gets about 20-30 miles/month in general potting around and keeping things moving (also, draining the bed, since it turns into a lake during the winter).

As I'm moving to farm country and working on a few acres of property, I expect it to get quite well used for being a truck.

What percentage of your miles are single occupant/empty/not towing?  If you're using it 20k miles/yr for truck-like things, fine.  If you're mostly using it to replace a bicycle or a Civic (transporting one person over short distances), it's pretty well stupid from the perspective of financially efficient transportation.

$25k is a very nice cheaper car ($10k), a cheap truck for your truck-like needs ($3k-$5k depending), and a good chunk of change left over!

What do you use it as a truck for?  The towing capacity is limited (~3500 lbs), and it doesn't have that large a bed.  You could get an old Ranger or S10 or something for your truck needs, a Prius or Fit or something for your comically high annual miles, and still be saving a lot of money.

Seriously, what are you doing with all that driving?  You can't be towing a home behind it, and with only 3500 lbs of towing, you can't be doing long distance trailer delivery or car transport or anything...

[randymarsh]

I bought a much too nice Civic a few years ago and while I do like it a lot, I actually still feel guilty. Not guilty I guess, but I still view it as a mistake. Funnily enough, the forum members here tried to talk me out of it but only succeeded halfway. I got a 2 year old car instead of the brand new one I totally needed.

If you're saving 20K+ for retirement, it appears you can afford it easily, but to me the non-financial costs are the issue.

I put 15K miles on that Civic during each of my last 2 years of college and holy crap, driving that much for work/school is not fun! I've since moved to a city and my full year here had me at 9000 miles and that was with a 30 mile roundtrip work commute. Much better for quality of life. Now I've switched to a job that's within walking/biking distance and holy crap it is awesome!

[obstinate]

Or, anyone drive an "expensive" car/truck and not feel guilty about going with something cheaper?

No, you are definitely not the only person who behaves in an environmentally and financially irresponsible manner and eschews guilt.

[libertarian4321]

Tacoma?

Isn't that a little tiny fuel efficient enviro weenie truck?

HELL NO, I drive a full sized truck, and don't even feel slightly guilty about it.  I love it and will probably keep it another 14 years.

[rjg]

I'm even worse - I drive a 2014 BMW and absolutely love it. Atleast it gets about 33 mpg on the highway. No guilt whatsoever. Totally able and willing to cut expenses in other areas that I don't care about. For example, I could care less about having a big house, cable, nice restaurants, etc


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[lukebuz]

You drive a truck all around, and love every minute of it.  Others hop a jet plane and love every minute of it.  They are similar yearly costs and enivro impacts.  I see no problem with it.

[Chris22]

Things like little trucks (Tacoma, Nissan Frontier, Ford Ranger, etc) are where this philosophy comes off the rails a little bit for me.  I know it's all uber-save the earth and crap, but otherwise, a small truck is basically, IMO, the perfect MMM-style vehicle.  Reasonable to buy, dirt cheap to own, they last forever, can be fixed easily by DIYers, have stellar resale (adds into low cost of ownership) and are extremely versatile for lots of DIY household type projects.  Yeah, the fuel economy isn't great, but if you aren't commuting great distances, it really doesn't matter given all the other factors. 

[Jon_Snow]

Yep, Tacoma owner since 2000. It may be the only vehicle I ever need.

[use2betrix]

I drive a F-250 with 60k miles that's still worth $45k. However, I actually use it to tow my 5th wheel I live full time in. I would love to drive an older 7.3 diesel but unfortunately their towing capacity is only around 12k for the dually vs over 15k for my newer f-250 (my trailer is around 15-16k) since it wouldn't be practical to have another vehicle when I move 1200 miles regularly, the truck also needs to be my DD. We've talked about downsizing our trailer so I could get a half ton or old 7.3, but full time living in around 300-400 sq ft is not easy. The main concern is storage.

[fishnfool]

I bought my '07 TRD sport prerunner over 4 years ago with 60k miles for $17k. It was originally a $30k truck so I'm glad the previous owner ate the depreciation for me.

I love my Tacoma and now have 87k miles. Great for hauling my fishing kayak and gear. Have done a few camping trips with it too.


Toyota makes very dependable vehicles and they hold their value.

No need to feel guilty......enjoy!

[alsoknownasDean]

It's not so bad if you have an older one, don't do huge miles and use it's truck capabilities regularly.

Buying a brand new one on credit and doing 20k miles a year? That's a paddlin' around here :)

The Tacoma is about Hilux size, isn't it?

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[Chris22]

It's not so bad if you have an older one, don't do huge miles and use it's truck capabilities regularly.

Buying a brand new one on credit and doing 20k miles a year? That's a paddlin' around here :)

The Tacoma is about Hilux size, isn't it?

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Honestly, the way the Tacoma specifically holds its value, buying new is a smarter move.  We're talking near-sticker resale for 2-3 years.  The old "let the first owner take the depreciation hit" adage isn't always universal.  And credit is dirt cheap these days. 

[BTDretire]

We have a 1997 Toyota T-100, bought in 2000 for $11,000.
We put about 4000 miles a year on it, and it has almost
97,000 miles on it now.
I hope to get another 20 years use.

[Fishindude]

I like those Tacomas, nice little trucks, very durable and will last a long time.

One beef I do have against these smaller trucks is that the mileage isn't greatly improved over a full sized truck.
The small trucks have so much crap on them anymore that they've ruined the fuel efficiency.  I had a 4 cyl, 5 speed, 2wd Toyota pick-up back in early 80's that got 30 mpg.

[soccerluvof4]

Loved mine but just sold it. I dont need it anymore so got rid of it, updated the family cars to more fuel efficient and to last for next 10 years plus. Great truck though! loved it.

[millennialstache]

2016 Silverado Double Cab here and I love it. No regrets

[Inaya]

My husband had a 2007 Tacoma TRD 4WD for a couple years (before we were married). We loved it. So many memories. At the time he had a motorcycle and motorcycle friends, and he was always the designated "guy with the truck" when somebody's bike broke down. During a road trip we found somebody had managed to bog their little sedan in a muddy shoulder, and we pulled them out during a deluge.

We had lots of adventures doing idiot kid stuff like towing each other around on the dirt, riding car hoods or man hole covers or whatever we could find abandoned out in the desert. Or pulling half-buried cars out of dirt for no reason other than to see if we could. Or driving through flooded arroyos during a monsoon rain. Or just hanging out in the bed with friends listening to music. We were rough on that truck and it took everything we threw at it. Except financial hardship--hubs had to downsize while I was finishing off school.

He later bought a 1987 Tacoma, which was also a beast in its own way. Sadly, when we moved here we sold it to a "friend" who paid half and then abruptly disappeared--at least I was cynical enough to demand half up front. The plan was to buy it back if we moved back, but I guess that wasn't meant to be.

Would we buy one again? Not here; Chicagoland is a pretty truck-unfriendly locale, and we'd never see any of the utilization we had back home. But if we moved back? Probably in a heartbeat, and probably the same year (although hubs wants to track down another '80s model to play with).

[millennialstache]

Honestly, I recognize that its extremely anti-mustachian, but I've always loved cars/trucks so that's kind of my one guilty pleasure.  I do need a truck because I flip properties on the side so its necessary.  Of course, I don't need that large/nice of a truck, but I'm still saving quite a bit a year for my age, so I don't feel too guilty about it.  It won't impact my FIRE plans significantly at all, so I went for it.

[Digital Dogma]

I paid 24k cash for my Tacoma in 2009 when I was doing logging and stone masonry, and have since switched jobs to a place where someone HAS to be there regardless of weather conditions. The Taco has served me well in all weather, offroad and on, and I can attest to its safety after having totaled my 07 Tacoma on black ice in a front end crash.

I got the base model, standard 6 speed, access cab (suicide half doors in back) v6 with no other upgrades. If I were to do it again Id probably go with the 4cyl instead. I have zero complaints about the truck besides the shitty stereo they put in it.

Its no Honda Fit, but my Taco was a good purchase. Its at 100,000 miles now and I hope to triple that before its ready to retire.

[MillenialMustache]

One of our two vehicles is a 2002 Toyota Tacoma. We paid $6,000 for it in 2008. It is a stick and has about 110,000 miles on it now. So it is already 14 years old and we are expecting to keep it long enough to transfer an antique car plate my DH has onto it. The cost of ownership on it is very low and we own one rental property now and another in the future, so it is helpful to haul things around while fixing it, and even the lawn mower in between tenants. 2002 was also one of the last years of the smaller engine, so it doesn't use as much gas as the current ones. I think done right it can be mustachian.

[BarkyardBQ]

2008 Tundra CrewMax 4WD-TRD w/ 118k miles. Commute vehicle (DW and I carpool), takes us to the mountains to ski, off-road and camp, and the bed is large enough for transporting materials for home projects. Will keep it for another 15-20 years.

[sirdoug007]

I don't get the disdain for financing a vehicle.

You can get auto loan rates at 2% or less these days.  That is pretty much the cheapest debt out there.  Cheaper than mortgage debt and about the same rate as inflation.  With a 1.5% loan you are basically paying nothing factoring in inflation.

So why not finance the car and plow the money into your stache?  Seems irrational that "because it's a depreciating asset" auto debt is bad.  The depreciation is a whole different cost that should be avoided by buying vehicles that maintain their value and buying used.  Cheap debt should be the last you pay off.

[Digital Dogma]

I don't get the disdain for financing a vehicle.

You can get auto loan rates at 2% or less these days.  That is pretty much the cheapest debt out there.  Cheaper than mortgage debt and about the same rate as inflation.  With a 1.5% loan you are basically paying nothing factoring in inflation.

So why not finance the car and plow the money into your stache?

You may not be taking into account the cost of insuring your vehicle to the satisfaction of the institution thats loaning you money.

[alsoknownasDean]

I don't get the disdain for financing a vehicle.

You can get auto loan rates at 2% or less these days.  That is pretty much the cheapest debt out there.  Cheaper than mortgage debt and about the same rate as inflation.  With a 1.5% loan you are basically paying nothing factoring in inflation.

So why not finance the car and plow the money into your stache?  Seems irrational that "because it's a depreciating asset" auto debt is bad.  The depreciation is a whole different cost that should be avoided by buying vehicles that maintain their value and buying used.  Cheap debt should be the last you pay off.

Can you get 2% finance on a seven year old used car, or is it new cars only?

That's the issue, it's not just the debt, but you're spending too much on the car.

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[SandyBoxx]

We just sold our 2012 Tacoma TRD a couple of weeks ago.  We had always wanted one, and loved the truck while we had it, but we decided we did not need a $30K vehicle sitting in our driveway.  We are replacing it this week with a $5000 mid 90's Cherokee and banking the rest. 

An '06 Mazda 3 remains our family vehicle, and the Cherokee is for transporting yard waste, and local fishing & camping adventures.  We will see how things go!

[LanceThrustington]

How much does registration/insurance ect cost in the US?

I often see people here saying they have cars but rarely use them to save on "gas" money, or have 2 cars a truck and a hatchback.

In Australia it costs (per car approx)
Registration ~ $700
Insurance ~ $700 (obviously this is pretty variable 400-1000 for most people)
yearly service and replacing consumables like tyres/brakes/repairs = ~ $2000 total pa before depreciation.

I drive about 10,000 miles a year which costs $1500 in fuel.

The costs of owning, running and maintaining the ute and depreciation  are by far the biggest costs.

buying a 2nd car in Australia to save a couple hundred dollars a year in fuel would net you a huge loss.

PS My car is a 2014 Mitsubishi triton 4x4 diesel 5 seat. payload in the tray 2400lbs. tows 6600lbs. my average city consumption 26mpg. bought new cash for equiv $21,000 usd. I get the guilts about the depreciation/service costs... but not the fuel consumption. the yearly fuel is almost paid for in a few firewood runs

[scottish]

Registration in Canada is around 75 CAD / year.    700 AUD is a lot!

[Chris22]

Costs In the US vary by state. Where I am in IL, cars cost $101/yr for registration, no matter the value of the car. Other states are more or less expensive, some charge property tax, etc. My third fun car costs me basically $100 registration + $50/mo insurance and then DIY maintenance and gas. Cheap fun IMO.

[LanceThrustington]

Well that makes sense yeah $719 and $734 for our 2 cars this year . My motorbikes used to be about $800 money went to anti motorbike safety campaign. gone now.

So yeah our 2 cars cost about $3500 per year sitting in the driveway not including depreciation (which would be about $3000 per anum for mine for the next couple of years) and about $2000 in fuel for total of say 15000miles.

for us, to get 20% more fuel efficient cars (hard when we live in a super hilly area) would save only $200 per anum.  of a total cost of $8500

for us to sell both our cars and buy 2 second hand fuel efficient cars of AUD $10,000 value costs us about $800 to sell the cars (to get it to road worthy certification level -they are strict and advertising costs) and about $800 in stamp duty and taxes to buy the 2 new cars.

so  in our case, would cost approx $1600 in taxes/costs to save $200 per year. allot of effort to save 3% of overall costs

the biggest saving for us would be 1 car (not practical) or cars that depreciate less, bit late for that now in my case. Her 2004 kia rio with 50,000miles isnt depreciating anymore.

[alsoknownasDean]

Registration in Canada is around 75 CAD / year.    700 AUD is a lot!

Yes but in some states it includes an insurance premium insuring against road injuries (in Victoria the TAC premium makes up about tow thirds of my registration). I just paid mine at $771.60. If one lives in a rural area, has a concession card and drives a Prius ($100 discount for hybrids), it'll be quite a bit cheaper.

Although as registration is expensive, it makes owning a big truck and a small car slightly less worthwhile. Probably why most of the utes I see around here use ~3L diesel engines instead of gasoline V8s.

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[Glenstache]

I'm on Taco #3 at this point. I feel like Han Solo getting back in the Millenium Falcon with it.
1. I had a 1998 Tacoma that I ran into the ground (but wish I'd kicked and kept running instead of selling)
2. That was replaced by a shiny new red 2012 Tacoma that I sold two years later because I couldn't justify having a $25k pickup truck that got worse mileage that the 14 year older model. I then bought a really cheap car as replacement trying to see how much less I could get away with. I overshot the mark and ended up having not enough car for some work and personal needs.
3. So, I cruised CL for a few months and bought a 2000 Tacoma that I picked up for just over $3k used. It needed a bit of work, which I used as my annual winter project (replaced the cylinder head). 

I do feel a bit guilty about having two cars at this point, but both of them are very cheap to own and penciling out the other options didn't end up making much sense. Besides, it is one of the few "things" in my life that make me happy. The other two are a guitar and a bike.

Tacomas have a bit of a cult following because they are super reliable, competent and a "fun" truck to drive if you like trucks. I have a number of friends who get pretty nostalgic about their old Tacomas.  I think that effect is less so post 2005 as they got bigger along with the broader trend in pickups. I do miss my 98, but had no real love for the 2012. That makes me a bit sad, because the 1997-2004 Tacos are getting up in miles and there isn't really a good replacement in that niche.

[ltt]

We have a Tacoma--hubby drives it.  It's over 10 years old with around a little over 100k miles and still going strong--doesn't give him any problems.

[Rocket]

I have a 2003 prerunner with 32k miles.  Drive it to work about 3 miles.  Its very reliable but doesnt get great millage but I dont commute far. In CA it wont rust so I might keep it forever.

[Abel]

We just sold our 2012 Tacoma TRD a couple of weeks ago.  We had always wanted one, and loved the truck while we had it, but we decided we did not need a $30K vehicle sitting in our driveway.  We are replacing it this week with a $5000 mid 90's Cherokee and banking the rest. 

An '06 Mazda 3 remains our family vehicle, and the Cherokee is for transporting yard waste, and local fishing & camping adventures.  We will see how things go!

SandyBoxx this was me about six months ago, same 2012 Tacoma. It was the time I decided to put my Mustachian muscles into action and start working them versus just thinking about it. Now I drive an older hatchback that has 2x+ the fuel efficiency and 1/2 the value (though even that gets very few miles because I bicycle commute to work and ride for most groceries / errands). Selling the Tacoma was a difficult step, but it helped me make a lot of other positive life choices to save money and live less wastefully.

I can definitely see myself getting another Tacoma in the future, they are great trucks, and will be useful when I'm in a future season of my life with more DIY projects, home improvement / remodeling, outdoors adventures, etc. But it will probably be at least a decade old with a lot of miles and less fancypants than the one I had.

[JoRocka]

I see nothing wrong with it- I love them. I would never feel guilty for owning one. they hold their value extremely well.  It's my dream truck when I own my own house. It's one of the least offensive trucks that you can still call a truck LOL

[Shwaa]

Interesting replies, thanks everyone...

For myself, I know its not the ideal commuter vehicle.  I have gotten the OK at work to work from home 1-2 days a week, as of this week, so that will cut some of the commuting time down. I love the truck, has a camper-shell,  I use it for road-trips, camping, throwing the mountain bike in the back etc.  Its my "do all" vehicle.  Buying a 2nd more fuel efficient car for commuting wouldn't make sense financially.  It would take years to break even.   My truck has 45k on it, and I hope to keep it till 300k +.  As of July it will be fully paid off as well as I mentioned earlier.

FYI Jon_Snow...

Nice set-up!

[EXLIer]

I'm considering selling my diesel truck and minivan and buying a Toyota Tundra.  I know they're gas hogs - but I don't drive many miles per year ( about 5K ) and I need something to town a large heavy trailer for my business as well as move my family around in a convenient manner.

I really want a used one, but for what I can get a new one for, It doesn't make sense.

[NorCalMK3]

No need to feel guilty. I own a 99 Tacoma 4x4, v6 Manual. 223k on the chassis, 130k-ish on the engine. It's not too bad on fuel, maintenance is minimal and you can't beat it for hauling stuff. Tacos have great resale value and are great trucks. I paid cash for mine a few years ago and plan on driving it until it won't go anymore. the 5VZ engine in the 1st gen tacos is pretty much considered to be the new 22r (virtually indestructible, long life engine for you non-gearheads out there)

[Shwaa]

No need to feel guilty. I own a 99 Tacoma 4x4, v6 Manual. 223k on the chassis, 130k-ish on the engine. It's not too bad on fuel, maintenance is minimal and you can't beat it for hauling stuff. Tacos have great resale value and are great trucks. I paid cash for mine a few years ago and plan on driving it until it won't go anymore. the 5VZ engine in the 1st gen tacos is pretty much considered to be the new 22r (virtually indestructible, long life engine for you non-gearheads out there)

I had a 94' Toyota (pre-Tacoma) with the 22-RE.  Loved that truck.  If the current V6 in my 2013 turns out anywhere near as reliable I will be happy.

[Guses]

I drive a F-250 with 60k miles that's still worth $45k.

That's insane! Is there really a market for $45k used trucks? How much did it cost new? You can buy a HOUSE for that price!

I can totally relate to the OP though. I drive a 1999 Trek 6000 and I totally don't feel guilty about keeping it instead of trading it for a 50$ beater. 

[Shwaa]

I drive a F-250 with 60k miles that's still worth $45k.

I can totally relate to the OP though. I drive a 1999 Trek 6000 and I totally don't feel guilty about keeping it instead of trading it for a 50$ beater. 

Good call.  Trek 6000 is a solid hardtail, don't trade down for a beater ;)  Have a Trek hardtail myself. 

[tobitonic]

I drive a Sienna AWD, and am hopping onto this thread since it's a Toyota, and as all Toyotas, is designed to run forever.  Plan on keeping it til 400k or until I get a really, really good reason to switch.

[steviesterno]

i have the SUV version, the FJ cruiser. 07 I bought in 13, now has almost 60k on it. same motor and frame as the Taco, just a hard shell in the back.

I bought it pre MMM so paying on it (0.9% on 15k price, so not terrible). since I bought it, it has actually APPRECIATED like $3k more than I paid for it, since the demand is going up. I was going to trade it in or sell it, but I can't. it's perfect for puttering around, and I can haul piles of crap and the whole family. bad milage but I only like 9 miles from work, so who cares?

I was going to sell it, but the new plan is to drive it until electric cars are the norm. or build it into a beach cruiser in my retirement, 18 years hence.

[use2betrix]

I drive a F-250 with 60k miles that's still worth $45k.

That's insane! Is there really a market for $45k used trucks? How much did it cost new? You can buy a HOUSE for that price!

I can totally relate to the OP though. I drive a 1999 Trek 6000 and I totally don't feel guilty about keeping it instead of trading it for a 50$ beater.

Yes. Diesel trucks hold their value better than most any car. The MSRP new was $62,000 (purchase price is often 6k-10k less). And the market is very big for them. I would have no problem getting 43-45k for mine, especially in its condition with all the service records.

I bought the truck (pre MMM) after a terrible experience with a 2009 wrangler. I was sick of missing work being in the shop. I also switched from a permanent job to doing contract work all over the country, thus living full time in a 5th wheel. I'm not upside down on the truck and will save enough just this month and next month to completely pay it off, which I may do.

Unfortunately, due to high resale and increased towing capacities, not many older trucks are legally/safely capable of towing 15,000 lbs. I'd love to have an older 7.3, even an f-350 dually, however my 6.7 f-250 is capable of towing 3000-4000 lbs more than an older much "larger" truck. Plus, if I keep this truck to 200,000+ miles I think I made an ok choice. I plan to downsize in a few years once I prepare for a partial retirement, working 3-4 months a year. By then I plan on having a home and children (or a child) likely so I could get by with a much smaller truck and trailer. Still have time to decide on future plans.

If I keep the truck 7 years and sell it, my cost for the truck itself vs what I get selling it, will have cost me around $400/mo over 7 years.

[Guses]

I drive a F-250 with 60k miles that's still worth $45k.

That's insane! Is there really a market for $45k used trucks? How much did it cost new? You can buy a HOUSE for that price!

Yes. Diesel trucks hold their value better than most any car. The MSRP new was $62,000 (purchase price is often 6k-10k less). And the market is very big for them. I would have no problem getting 43-45k for mine, especially in its condition with all the service records.

This is the part I don't get. Who in their right mind would purchase a used truck (2-4 years old I assume?) with 60,000 miles for $45k when you can purchase a brand new one for $52-58K?

Are you sure you can sell it for that price?

[Shwaa]

i have the SUV version, the FJ cruiser. 07 I bought in 13, now has almost 60k on it. same motor and frame as the Taco, just a hard shell in the back.

I bought it pre MMM so paying on it (0.9% on 15k price, so not terrible). since I bought it, it has actually APPRECIATED like $3k more than I paid for it, since the demand is going up. I was going to trade it in or sell it, but I can't. it's perfect for puttering around, and I can haul piles of crap and the whole family. bad milage but I only like 9 miles from work, so who cares?

I was going to sell it, but the new plan is to drive it until electric cars are the norm. or build it into a beach cruiser in my retirement, 18 years hence.

I used to dislike the FJ Cruisers but I wasn't ever sure why.  Now I think they are great, after seeing what can be done with them for expedition travel, off roading etc. They are very capable. Seems good for a family style car as well for the "adventurous" family.    It's crazy how well Toyota's hold their value isn't it, particularly FJ's and Tacomas.  They seem to always be at the top of the list.

[use2betrix]

I drive a F-250 with 60k miles that's still worth $45k.

That's insane! Is there really a market for $45k used trucks? How much did it cost new? You can buy a HOUSE for that price!

Yes. Diesel trucks hold their value better than most any car. The MSRP new was $62,000 (purchase price is often 6k-10k less). And the market is very big for them. I would have no problem getting 43-45k for mine, especially in its condition with all the service records.

This is the part I don't get. Who in their right mind would purchase a used truck (2-4 years old I assume?) with 60,000 miles for $45k when you can purchase a brand new one for $52-58K?

Are you sure you can sell it for that price?

This one has 64k miles. I have several towing features which would bring the price up a couple grand (hitch, air bags, aux tank, etc.)

Believe it or not, not everything you read on financial forums or from gurus about buying new vehicles, is true. It's not always as bad of a deal as some people think. Of course, that'd take doing independent research and not believing everything you read.

So who in the right mind would do that? Someone who believes it's always the best deal to buy a used vehicle 2-4 years old because that's what they read on the Internet. Obviously, I didn't.

[Fastfwd]

Registration in Canada is around 75 CAD / year.    700 AUD is a lot!

Varies by province and specific location. My registration is over 100$ due to a tax that goes to the public transport fund since I live close to Montreal. I used to have another tax on top of that for engines bigger than 4.0L (F250 was 6.2L). Last time I registered a motorcycle it was 350$ I think. Still cheap compared to Australia but definitely not likely that paying for a 2nd car to save on gas would make sense.