"Downgrading" trucks

[LIKE2BUILD]

I'd like to hear comments from anyone that has previously owned an HD truck (2500 and higher) then stepped back down to a 1500 series.

The long of the story is our two boys are several activities and with those busy schedules we just don't have time for camping 😞 Rather than having valuable assets setting unused we're in the process of selling our "extras" while they still have good value.

If I no longer have a 5th wheel I can't see a good reason to keep my diesel HD truck. Pretty much any 1500 truck on the market will pull the other things I'm going to keep. My thought is to get max value out of the Ram now, step down to a 1500 for my daily driver and pulling duties, and then if we get back into camping in 6 or 7 years get a new HD truck. If I keep the Ram it will be 11 or 12 years old by the time we get another 5th wheel. Not necessarily a dinosaur but I'm sure I'll have well over 200,000 miles on the clock by that point.

Here's the kicker....the truck is paid off so I'm not in a situation where I HAVE to get rid of it. I'm just trying to think what makes the most sense. So, I'd love to hear from anyone that did this. Did it work out or did you regret it and jump back to an HD truck? :h

KJ

[1oldtruck]

I wouldn’t call it downgrading. More like downsizing. I did the exact same thing about four years ago. Kids and work obligations left the TT sitting unused. I spent more time cleaning the TT than using it so it was sold. Without it I really didn’t need the diesel anymore. It was more for payload than power. I traded for a new 1/2 ton that was fully optioned. DW likes all the safety features like front and rear park assist, and lane departure. She feels safer. I can’t say that I’ve noticed much of a savings from a fuel or maintenance standpoint.

I still tow a small horse trailer and an open trailer with my tractor on it. No issues or concerns using the 1/2 ton.

We agreed when we return to Rving we will buy a Super C and tow her Jeep. It’s really up to how you see your needs in the future. Good luck.

[Grit_dog]

twodownzero wrote:
A 1/2 ton is not a tow vehicle.

Only in your world bud...

[patperry2766]

LIKE2BUILD wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Paid for or not.....if not used frequently SELL IT

Get max $$$ now and use to purchase the 1500

Right tool for the right job at the right time!

I am leaning in that direction for sure. I'm asking myself if I don't NEED an HD truck why keep it when it still has high value?
But as others have said, a paid off HD truck with known history has it's advantages.

I do have a beater car that I drive to keep miles off the truck, but that's also one more set of wheels to maintain, register, and insure. Over time that all adds up quite a bit. If I go to a 1500 I can sell the beater and be down to a single vehicle.

To give a bit of context I bought the Ram HD for a song. Seriously, the deal I got was about $9,000 under book value 4 years ago. In fact, current book value on the truck is still $1,500 ABOVE what I paid for it :B :E Currently the truck has 141,000 miles. I've been shopping online a lot and basically I could sell the HD, buy a 2015 or 2016 Ram Ecodiesel with about 50,000 miles, and walk away with $5,000 cash in hand. Are the lower miles and cash in hand worth it?!?!?

I thought about offering the 5th wheel and truck as a package deal but I don't know how many buyers are out there looking for that kind of deal. I know the truck will sell easily on it's own so maybe the right thing is to sell the 5th first, then test the waters to see if I can get my top dollar out of the truck. If that happens then I walk away happy and if not, well I just keep it.

We will be empty nesters in 6 years and I'll have at least 8 more years after that before I retire so I'm trying to think long term here. The big takeaway is that I'm not in a financial pinch. I don't HAVE to move it, but it just doesn't make sense for valuable assets to set unused.

Ram Ecodiesel settlement

The year model EcoDiesel you referenced has an emissions recall. There have been some reports that the vehicle has a loss of power and MPG after the computer reflash. FYI

[kw_00]

Well, personally I would. If you don’t need it and can get good money for the truck now then it’s a done deal in my book. If a 1/2 ton or even midsized trucks works for you then I would go that route. Chances are in 7 years trucks will be changed even more so and you may want or need something different then anyhow. Your camping style or ideas may change then as well. If I didn’t need a HD truck I sure would not have one. A 1/2 ton with the newer diesel or even a mid sized diesel would work for me, if I was not pulling this large fifth wheel. So that’s my opinion only. I love my gas GMC, it’s paid for, does everything I need it to do, but financially if I didn’t need it then I would get something that made more sense for me. A diesel standing by and driven just a few times a year is a recipe for disaster....just ask my family who has a farm...if the diesel sit to long.... good grief.. the newer trucks have to run.... even gas jobs go to run since ethanol stepped into the picture now. So a 1/2 ton truck could be your daily driver and get decent fuel mpg and tow what you need it to tow.

[LIKE2BUILD]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Paid for or not.....if not used frequently SELL IT

Get max $$$ now and use to purchase the 1500

Right tool for the right job at the right time!

I am leaning in that direction for sure. I'm asking myself if I don't NEED an HD truck why keep it when it still has high value?
But as others have said, a paid off HD truck with known history has it's advantages.

I do have a beater car that I drive to keep miles off the truck, but that's also one more set of wheels to maintain, register, and insure. Over time that all adds up quite a bit. If I go to a 1500 I can sell the beater and be down to a single vehicle.

To give a bit of context I bought the Ram HD for a song. Seriously, the deal I got was about $9,000 under book value 4 years ago. In fact, current book value on the truck is still $1,500 ABOVE what I paid for it :B :E Currently the truck has 141,000 miles. I've been shopping online a lot and basically I could sell the HD, buy a 2015 or 2016 Ram Ecodiesel with about 50,000 miles, and walk away with $5,000 cash in hand. Are the lower miles and cash in hand worth it?!?!?

I thought about offering the 5th wheel and truck as a package deal but I don't know how many buyers are out there looking for that kind of deal. I know the truck will sell easily on it's own so maybe the right thing is to sell the 5th first, then test the waters to see if I can get my top dollar out of the truck. If that happens then I walk away happy and if not, well I just keep it.

We will be empty nesters in 6 years and I'll have at least 8 more years after that before I retire so I'm trying to think long term here. The big takeaway is that I'm not in a financial pinch. I don't HAVE to move it, but it just doesn't make sense for valuable assets to set unused.

[Bionic_Man]

If your primary motivation is a financial one, it’s unlikely that selling your paid for truck and buying something new is the right decision. You already took the largest part of depreciation and the CTD will likely hold its value better than a 1500.

If you want to have a new truck, or a smaller truck, or a truck that is more comfortable to drive than your current truck, go for that 1500.

[mkirsch]

You don't need it and it will pretty much pay for a brand new 1500 in trade in value. I say downgrade.

Even though I have a 3500, I find myself driving the 1500 and even towing with it almost all the time. Unless I have a need to go camping or pull 10,000lbs. My 1500 has a 3.08 axle but it pulls the same trailer just as well as my 3500 does with the camper in the back. Obviously, no comparison empty truck to empty truck but I didn't buy the 3500 for that. I bought it to haul the camper.

[badercubed]

I went from a 2018 F-250 gasser and a 35ft total length TT to a 2018 GMC Canyon and 24ft total length TT because I switched jobs and no longer needed the HD truck for work. I had the option of buying the F-250 from my previous employer as it had 3,000 miles on it and they knew I used it to tow my TT, but I opted to downsize everything even though I have two kids that are 4 and 7. I actually wanted the smaller TT for going to more State Parks and boondocking, and the Canyon has done everything I need from a household standpoint, including 1,500lbs of mulch.

[IdaD]

I'd keep the HD. The only downside to is is a stiffer ride and it gives you some flexibility to get back to a camper without having to buy a truck and camper at the same time. It's also paid for and you're not going to walk out of a dealership with a new truck without the dealership taking some money from you, and you'll lose money again when you trade the half ton in to go back to an HD in 6-7 years.

Plus, let's just be honest here, HD diesels are way cooler than half tons.

[twodownzero]

If I had any interest in towing at all, keep the HD truck. A 1/2 ton is not a tow vehicle. I kept mine when I went off to school for 5 years and it hardly got driven at all. It's paid for though; no regrets!

[thomasmnile]

Due to health concerns (DW's about me) and lack of use, we totally exited RV life this year, selling the trailer and the truck. Had an '05 Ram 3500 SRW We bought in 2008 when we had a fifth wheel. Traded the fifth wheel for a new TT in 2012 but kept the truck as it was paid for. Sold the truck at a CarMax in February for $14K, sixty percent of the original price I paid. If the truck doesn't get a regular workout, I'd be inclined to trade/sell if a half ton will do it in your current circumstances.

[patperry2766]

Test the waters. Go to a dealership and see what it's worth as a trade.

Right now, at least in Texas the 1/2T Rams have some really good rebates and dealer discounts trying to clear the lots for the 2020's that will soon be hitting so it is a REALLY good time to buy.

Had been a Ford person for years, switched to a 3/4T Ram. Had to have my truck in service so I had a `19 Ram to drive for a couple of days. It was mid-trim level and it was nice. Ram has stepped up their game and is way, way better than the Ford I had. only problem with the Rams is payload is on the low side so keep than in mind.

[ShinerBock]

Keep the truck and then tune it. It will feel like a whole new truck and you will also get the fuel mileage of most half tons. You don't need to delete it to tune it either. Most(if not all) emissions intact tuners just turn off the EGR so there is not more exhaust going back into the engine.

[camperdave]

Been there. We sat on the equipment and only camped 1-2x/year for quite a few years. Worth it for us as truck and trailer were paid for and old enough to not be worth much anyway.

We're pulling out of it all now, travel sports are pretty much over for us and only a few more years till both kids are off to college (or whatever is next).

We got back into RVing last year again and decided to sell the trailer (still kept the van though) and move to a motorhome. So one could certainly argue that the 5 or so years that the trailer sat in our yard getting used 1x/year was a waste of money, but to me it was worth it for those 1-2 trips with the family.

Even if it was only a few trips, both kids feel like they grew up camping.

Anyway, to the point, no I did not do what you are proposing. But when we did get back into RVing several years later, our needs had changed significantly and we're now in a motorhome instead of a truck/trailer. So one could certainly argue that the smart move would have been to sell everything way back then, and rent for the one trip/year. But hindsight and all that, it's hard to predict. I always went into each year thinking, 'this is the year we get out camping again!' only to end up at softball fields every weekend lol.

[ib516]

My divorce helped me downsize (everything) 🙂 !

I had to sell my 2014 RAM 2500 and ended up in a 2001 Chevy Malibu and sold the RV. Now I'm back to RV ownership - albeit a small one and a 1/2 ton truck with high miles. I couldn't be happier.

I really enjoy the small RV and the truck. That said, going from a 3/4 ton diesel to a 1/2 ton (gas presumably), the only improvement you will see is in ride comfort and maybe save a little on maintenance. With a 10k tow rating (or more, but realistically 7-8k), you can tow a decently sized RV if you want. So, those are the PROS for swapping.

Buying new vs owning something that's paid for is a bad financial decision generally speaking, but so is owning an RV. Sometimes it's just about getting what you WANT.

I have no regrets about downsizing the truck and RV. In fact, I like the smaller combo much better. Many of the campgrounds we frequent in the Canadian Rockies have a very limited spots (if any at all) for anything over 25 feet long.

If I could change anything, I would rather have a hard sided RV instead of the hybrid, and only because the hybrid gets cold as most nights in the Rockies near the glaciers etc. get down to just above freezing at night.