I am seriously considering selling my truck to save on gas but it's realistic private market value is only about 2200-2600 and that's if the ad doesn't "sit" unsold for a while. I looked at compareables on craigslist/kijiji and think 2600 is a good starting point for what I have but it's possible I don't even get any bites all the way down to 2000.
It's a reliable V6 small pickup so it's not THAT bad but it's not great either. I'd be seeing probably 120-140 in gas savings a month and I am a first year apprentice so I get annual 10% raises. I am trying to make myself more financially comfortable especially over the first 2 years of apprenticeship, ESPECIALLY first year. I do bring home about 2600/month after taxes but I am trying to free up some cash each month so I can pay down my CC debt, cover bills and that is my first year goals.
If I realistically have 2200-2600 cash to buy a used car from a private seller my only worry is I get something unreliable, where repair costs offset any gas savings I see. I also need snow tires for the winter which my truck has. Guzzle gas as it may, it's reliable and I know it can handle the winter. Buying a new used car, is a big unknown.
I work on various jobsites across the city, right now we're on a stable site for at least another 3-6 months, but after that who knows? I might end up living next door to the jobsite (we build hotels, high rises, warehouses etc) but in my current situation it's on the complete other side of town which brings me to a 20 minute morning commute and 35-45 minute commute home. We start at 5:45am so public transit isn't really an option, neither is biking.
I don't want to take more debt for car payments either.
In my situation do you still think it's best to sell my '01 small pickup with 240,000km, good snow tires and some rust issues, but mechanically sound to buy an older (95-98) hatchback with higher kilometers that is a complete unknown to save some gas money each month? I'd probably have to look at buying used snow tires and do it quickly.
