To Trade or Not to Trade — That is the Question!

[Mal106]

Go with your gut, it's right on.

Sponsored

 

[Aminorjourney]

I would not upgrade. The '22s are some of the most loaded, and honestly, I really like them.

The question to ask yourself is "Why does the dealer WANT yours?"

The answer is "To sell you the other one, and then flip yours for way more than he's offering".

 

[davel8257]

Was at a Ford dealer yesterday “gassing“ up my 2022 Lariat Lightning ER. The truck has 27,200 miles on it. Color is Ice Blue Silver. GSM kept bugging me that he wanted to buy my truck even though I told him repeatedly that it was not for sale. Truck is in excellent condition.

Dealer offered $40,000 for my truck with a $34K trade difference out the door on a new comparably equipped 2025 Lariat Lightning ER (including e 9.6 kW onboard power, trailer towing technology, spare tire and wheel locks. I owe $4,300 on the 2022 and it should pay off at the end of August. According to Ford, the high voltage battery state of health is 96%.

Payment would be approx $620 per month for 60 months through Navy Federal Credit Union and I would need to buy a new extended service plan from Granger or Flood Ford.

My gut is that I should keep the truck and not get a new one.

Thoughts?

re: $620 / month payment -- other members state their truck is trouble-free (as EVs should be due to their design) -- in 10 months, you'd put out $6,200. in 20 months, that doubles to $12,400. What's a battery replacement cost?

 

[Henry Ford]

$34k for 27k miles is an extremely bad deal.

 

[electricpig]

$34k for 27k miles is an extremely bad deal.

Agree with this. That's a ripoff number. Sales guy is hoping to screw you over.

 

[rdr854]

If I was your father, and I'm not, as I have four sons of my own, already, there is absolutely NO reason to listen to, much less Consider, whatever this 'sales person' mentioned to you... he is, after all, a SALES person, and NOT a financial advisor. You already OWN a terrific, exceptional, and AMAZING MACHINE.

for consideration, though, my fatherly advice, with my own sons, is not always readily accepted, either, although well-meaning and financial 'sound'... the world doesn't always revolve around 'common sense' financial living, though.
...
While I and my wife have been driving full EVs for years, with our LIGHTNING and EV9, and several before those, and our two 'youngest' sons, with help from me, are now driving full EV Chevy Bolts, moving them up from their initial older LEAF EVs, our two oldest sons, 8-10 years older, though, had yet to enter the EV fray, and not necessarily enamored with our 'success'...

With our second son and his wife contemplating a newborn last year, though, they suddenly wanted to 'upgrade' her old sedan to something more 'family' oriented.
I 'advised' them, or better yet, softly suggested, that it might be 'time' to consider moving into the EV world, with now so many different family-oriented models and options... SUVs.
But, alas, while the son was 'interested' in pursuing this idea, especially since he's already owned several e-bikes, his wife, was, well, not so much.
Sometimes in the EV world, one spouse is the 'driver' of the conversation, while the other is the 'not so interested' passenger, or maybe someone who is overly 'concerned' about whether any 'EV' could really work for them, or 'get' them where they want to go.
They chose a Mazda CX-30. Oh well... but...

... the story doesn't end there, though...

Just at a year later, they made a move from their home, sold quickly, to a brand new Apartment complex... an interim move until they decide whether to stay in the area, put down roots for the long-term, but while exploring a new career move.
It's a nice, large, expansive complex, and, most interestingly, from my perspective, offering many FREE 240v Level 2 EV charging parking spaces, all throughout the many parking areas.
But, even for them, this 'benefit' was not yet on their 'radar', although, during a visit, his brother, 8 years younger, and driving a BOLT, a visit from 200+ miles away, enjoyed those FREE 'benefits' during his overnight stay.
My son took his new Career job, locally, and started his orientation that same week of moving into the new Apartment, while his wife, and now with a 1 year old, continued hers. Everything is good.....

until....

My son reached out to me, his auto insurance agent, back in late March, and said that he was looking for a nice, small, low-cost EV for his wife, maybe a older LEAF, just something where she can drive the 1/2 mile to work, and without having to 'crank' an engine for such a short trip...
leaving the Mazda for 'family trips', when needed, as he, himself, was going to ride either his e-bike, or his motorcycle, to his new Career job, 1 mile away. Great, I know a LOT about LEAFS, and, fortunately, it would be a low-cost add to their insurance policy.

I said that he was really on to something good - the EV would be a great exercise in exactly how great the EV idea is for that exact scenario, and, not to even mention the FREE charging where they live.
Well, at least if he could get HER to 'buy into' the idea.
She did.
He did... $3,500 on Facebook marketplace. One owner. Great battery health...

She now drives a small, quirky-looking, BABY BLUE 2015 Nissan Leaf, quietly and easily to work each morning, and back to the apartment for lunch, and back to work for the afternoon, and, well, all without cranking an engine, making much of a 'sound', and never having to stop at a gas-station again.
We've got her now.

But, even THAT is not the end of the story...

My son reached out to me, AGAIN, just yesterday. They were looking online, at their 'favorite' car dealer, the very one who sold them the Mazda last year, and were VERY interested in 'upgrading' to an EV - an EV to REPLACE their Mazda 'family trip' vehicle...

yes, we've now brought them FULLY to the Dark Side!

They now own and drive NOTHING that requires gas, well, except for a motorcycle...which only 'sips' gasoline... and even THAT vehicle probably won't be around for long.
They now own and drive ONLY EVs, which they charge for FREE - a 2015 Leaf, and a 2023 VW id.4.

Go figure. : ) I'm a proud father.
One more to go.

I have found very little in the 25 to be compelling and might have been interested in the Flash to get rid of the sunroof - but even there I would have to drop to a smaller battery which is a hard no.

Right now, we have two EVs (Lightning and Volvo EX90) and a Subaru Outback. The Lightning has an issue with an interior trim piece to the sunroof that will be fixed (Subaru has the same issue as well), but otherwise has been fairly well behaved (ok - it ate the first set of tires at 25,000 miles).

Thinking that I will apply the Lightning payment after it pays off later this Summer to the Subaru and then apply the combined payment to the Volvo. Sometime in the 27 model year, I want to trade the Subaru for a Volvo EX60 if my wife likes it. Your son was smart not to force a car down his wife’s throat.


BTW - we did the same thing with our three boys. New cars (Ford Fusions) after freshman or sophomore year of college under the condition that they bought the cars from me once they graduated college at the then full retail value of the car assuming it was in perfect condition. I serviced each car before the sale and put new tires on it as the graduation gift.

 

[rdr854]

I agree that there is nothing compelling with the 25 Lariat over the 22 Lariat. and, even if the vehicle features were switched, with the 25 having the 22’s features and vice versa, I still don’t think a trade would make sense.

As indicated in a thread above, I will use the car payment paydown my other car notes.

Sponsored