My F250 finally bit me in the bu##

kirkl wrote:

schlep1967 wrote:

IdaD wrote:

schlep1967 wrote:
They all bite us eventually. My Ram got me twice in the last 6 months. Turbo went bad in October ($3,000 variable fin type of course) and I just got hit with the dreaded Dodge death wobble last week. Thankfully I wasn't towing. $2,000 going into front end parts on Monday.

Still cheaper than a $75,000 replacement truck.

I agree with your premise, but the bit about the $75,000 replacement truck feels like a stretch to make yourself feel better. You can get a modestly optioned gas truck for well under $40k in a 4wd/crew cab cab configuration, or a bit over $40k if you want diesel. You can check a bunch more boxes and work up to $75,000 but that's certainly not the entry point.

I don't see me going to a tradesman level with no A/C and very few other amenities. And it has to be suitable for the fifth-wheel I currently have and would be looking ahead to the next one I would need.

Lol, you must not have researched tradesmans before. I paid 43k for my new tradesman diesel long bed 4x4. Power windows, XM radio, Cruise, backup camera, exhaust brake and heck they even threw in heat and AC for me :)

Most Tradesman trucks, at least in the popular crew cab 4wd configuration, come with all the basic SLT options. They aren't loaded by any means but they're not the basic work trucks many expect. Add to your list - bluetooth/hands free calling, IBC, auto headlamps, keyless, limited slip diff, spray in bed liner...even a heater. The only interior part that feels cheap to me are the door panels but that's a minor thing. The chrome hubcaps over steel wheels look tacky too but that's a cheap fix with factory takeoffs from Craigslist or aftermarket wheels.

Mine was a bit over $39k before tax and title but that was back in 2015 and they've gone up a little.