Truck Advice

[90vert]

I'm a project manager for a construction company and they give me $550/mo. truck allowance and pay my fuel. I drive 200+ miles a day. I currently have a 2008 F-150 FX4 with 108k on it and I'm upside down. My question is what is the best way to get out of this truck and in to a cheap diesel while minimizing the hit I'm going to take on my current truck?

TIA

[GrayStangGT]

It seems to me that you are always going to be behind at $550 a month unless you just buy a bottom of the line half ton. By the time you factor in a payment and maintenance $550 a month doesn't go very far.

[90vert]

Yeah I know. I started a year ago and had 45k on it I should have gotten rid of it then... I really need something that I can reliably drive to 300k.

[Cooter]

that's a shitty truck allowance... I used to get $750/mo a few years ago, and after I left, they bumped it to $1000/mo

[90vert]

that's a shitty truck allowance... I used to get $750/mo a few years ago, and after I left, they bumped it to $1000/mo

I agree, especially with the miles that are required to do my job. But... I'm employed and all other things considered its a pretty good job.

[Cooter]

I hear that... I would get a 12v Cummins if they don't have a year limit

[Baron Von Crowder]

we were in opposite positions, but I had a no frills Ranger that I put the first 100K on, banked the allowance and fuel checks, and then bought my dodge used with the the money (I was getting somewhere around 1250-1500 a month with fuel)

[aggie97]

show up in a beat up POS Nissan little truck and see how long it takes to get a larger allowance. Unless they are paying you mileage too....pretty crappy deal.

Honestly, drive what you got into the ground. Keep in mind with construction, you might not have a job at the end of your project and don't want to get stuck with a monster truck payment. I rode that roller coaster as a PM for 10 years and it sucked. With the market the way it is...be mindful.

Who you workin' for? I've worked for nearly all the major GC's in dallas....with as much driving as you are describing, sounds like a home builder or a sub.

Good Luck either way!

[90vert]

No year limit. My Dad has an 01 Dodge dually and then my grandmother just gave him an '01 2500 cummins it had 85k on the clock and literally driven by a lil old lady its whole life. I tried to buy it from him but he likes the fuel economy. It looks like I either need to drive this one into the dirt or just balls up, take the hit, and get into a stripped down 3/4 ton.

I was really wondering if anyone had experience with the dealers that promise to buy you out of a vehicle no matter what. Seems to me that they will just show it on paper then roll it over, and I would guess that you would need to be looking at something pretty high end.

[78X]

this-

92 12v cummins, 80k miles, 1 owner, $7000 price

[Cooter]

we were in opposite positions, but I had a no frills Ranger that I put the first 100K on, banked the allowance and fuel checks, and then bought my dodge used with the the money (I was getting somewhere around 1250-1500 a month with fuel)

I did the same... I bought a 98 12v for $10k and banked my truck allowance... I got $12k in truck allowance while I was working there and sold the truck for $7k

[Cooter]

this-

92 12v cummins, 80k miles, 1 owner, $7000 price

that's fresh!!! underpowered, but I love that bed

[SSMAN]

2011 Ford 150 with either the 6 cylinder turbo or the 5.0

[90vert]

show up in a beat up POS Nissan little truck and see how long it takes to get a larger allowance. Unless they are paying you mileage too....pretty crappy deal.

Honestly, drive what you got into the ground. Keep in mind with construction, you might not have a job at the end of your project and don't want to get stuck with a monster truck payment. I rode that roller coaster as a PM for 10 years and it sucked. With the market the way it is...be mindful.

Who you workin' for? I've worked for nearly all the major GC's in dallas....with as much driving as you are describing, sounds like a home builder or a sub.

Good Luck either way!

I'd prefer not to say on here but you are right our biggest contracts are sub work and we make most of our money in pipe, however we also GC - mainly City projects... and gig'em I graduated '08. Who are you working for if you don't mind me asking?

[aggie97]

I'd prefer not to say on here but you are right our biggest contracts are sub work and we make most of our money in pipe, however we also GC - mainly City projects... and gig'em I graduated '08. Who are you working for if you don't mind me asking?

I stopped working for guys clawing at the scraps from the table or willing to do work for free and went big time. I work as under a professional services contract to the US Postal Service. Somewhat stable, decent people to work with but they are hurting just like everyone else. Nice thing is that it is easier and cheaper for them to hire a contractor than a permanant employee. Only thing that has kept food on my table for the last 3 years. I've considered starting my own firm and doing small projects for them but have been out of the game for so long, most of my former subs are all out of business and I have few contacts any more.

as long as the truck you have doesn't have massive problems....keep it and pocket cash when you pay it off.