Advice on when to buy?

[Dlginla]

Since you-all are up on the ins and outs of the trucks... .



I'm in the market for a new dodge cummins, I have a 98. 5 and ready to upgrade to the HO with a full cab.



Should I buy a 2003 now, or a 2004 now, or wait till 2004 and buy then,



what is your opinion? and why?



oh ya, I live in Calif, with a Vacation home in Ariz. (If you have good advice on registration)

 

[Rosco]

First off the 2003's are getting snatched up fast so if you want one buy it now. Also, in my area the 03's have $4500 cash back as opposed to the 04's $2500. If you can register your truck at your vacation home you can purchase a HO then after the alloted miles just transfer the reg to California.

 

[KBennett]

I just got a 2004 HO 6-speed for 7K off MSRP from Chad Sterling at Christopher Dodge in Golden, CO and they were offering some pretty good interest rates as well. Their selection was quite impressive. If you custom order you will probably not get the big discounts but I got lucky and found the exact truck I wanted off the lot.

 

[dpatt67]

I have never seen a better time to buy a new truck than now. With the incentives on the 03's and the 04's and interest rates what they are now, it's definitely a buyers market. Enjoy your new truck.

 

[ttreibel]

Good luck finding a new 03 you want they are the best deal now. Our local dealers lots here are empty, they have almost no leftover stock and the 04's are disappearing as fast as they come in it seems.



BTW The Ford dealer is swimming in left 03 Super Duties I think they are betting on a sales increase after the fix-all flash comes out.

 

[Charliep]

I just traded my 98. 5 on an 03 quad 3500, HO 6-spd 2WD - hard to find! Got NADA average trade, paid $4500 under invoice. Yes, now is a good time if you can find them.

 

[JRensel]

Charliep,



Thats amazing, I have looked all over the NW and no one, including Dave Smith (the largest Dodge dealer in the US) is offering anywhere near that kind of deal ($4500 off invoice). Where did you get it? Maybe you were just referring to the rebate.



I even know a dealer personally in the Portland area and he cant give me that kind of deal. Most dealers start at 2 or 3% over then the rule is sell at near invoice. Lots of people in this forum claim they get 1, 2 or 3% below invoice, but I have yet to see any details of what their invoice price was, the options at invoice and the other stuff. In most states, you subtract the rebate from the total INCLUDING tax, not the subtotal before. A common dealer trick is to do it the other way, so you are talkiing about a number that is low (i. e. , invoice price minus rebate with no reference to state sales tax).

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

If you are restricted to the Cal 235 hp with catalytic converter, I'd wait for the 2004. 5. If you can get a federal 305 hp, I'd buy NOW. You can get that kind of deal, invoice -4500 on '03 or invoice -2500 on '04 here in the Vegas area. To ensure getting the 305 hp without the tighter emissions compliance of 2004, buy off the lot now.



I bought off the lot at Saitta Trudeau Dodge in Pahrump and got an excellent price on a truck almost perfectly optioned for my preferences. Best wishes with your search and "New Truck Adventure. "

 

[jjdiesel]

hey Joe, what kind of DD goodies have you started out with? My '04 just got here yesterday, looking for some good tips

 

[Ladders]

Finally found the site where you can find out what the restrictions are/or why its taking soooo-long. Had trouble with getting it up so copied the info below:



Dodge Ram - 1500,2500 and 3500



*

Regular Cab

*

Quad Cab

* Chassis Cab







8-12



* The following options are on indefinite restriction

* 34 Gallon Fuel Tank (NFU)

* Fixed Side Step (78Y)

* GPS Navigation Radio (RB4)

* P245/70R17 BSW All Season Tires (TSR)

* P275/60R20 BSW All Season Tires (TTJ) with Aluminum Wheels (WF3/WPG) - 1500 SLT or Laramie models

* Fire Extinguisher (XEN)

* Block Heater (HCA)

* Emergency Kit Group (ACK)

* Uconnect Hands Free Communication (RSP)

* Quad Cab Value Package (2TJ)

* 4. 7L V8 Engine (EVA) with Full-Time Transfer Case (DHU) - 1500 4X4 models (DR6***)

* The Chassis Cab is not scheduled for production in model year 2004, production may resume for the 2005 model year but timing is TBD

* The 5. 9L Cummins Diesel (ETH) with Clean Fleet Fuel (XKC) is on restriction until 01/05/04 - 2500 and 3500 models

* The 4. 7L V8 FFV Engine (EVD) is on restriction until 11/17/03



It is: www.donlen.com and then click on "Whats New" then on "Production updates". I had to use the urls to get to the info above but this should help those who are waiting for a build date and have any of the above on their order.



SOTSU!!

\\BF//



EDIT: if you need to goto the site for the info, use the site map, on the site, to navigate the pages.

 

[Charliep]

response to JRensel

Brought mine at Dave Smith - cruised in on a long shot looking for a 2WD bargin - they had 3 3500 Quad HO 6SP units for 24900. All 3 were gone by the end of the day. I just heard the Sandpoint ID dealer and one in Las Vegas advertising on the radio similar discount deals on my trip down last week. I was blown away by the deal and couldn't refuse!

 

[JRensel]

Thanks for the reply, I am dealing with Dave Smith too, but they can only match my local dealer on a 2004 Quad Cab 4x4 Laramie with the invoice price (without tax, after main and farm rebates) around $36K. But indeed you did get a very good deal!

 

[Charliep]

I noticed 2 dealer ads in the local paper (Lake Havasu City). Both advertising the same 03 truck, $5000 difference in price. The lower price dealer is passing the $4500 03 spiff on to the customer, the other is keeping it in his pocket.

Talk to "Bear" at Smith and tell him to find you the same deal I got<G>.

 

[nickleinonen]

• Fire Extinguisher (XEN)
  
• Emergency Kit Group (ACK)

these were options at one point?

i can understand the fire extingusher, but what was/is included with the emergency kit group?

 

[WadePatton]

When to buy?

Two model years old or at least 50k on the clock.



Why?

Depreciation.



I'm looking at a dandy '96 tomorrow.

 

[Dlginla]

Well it happened, Me and the wife had an unexpected trip to Lake Havasu available come up (fires at home), so we took it. I made a visit to the Dodge dealer to see if they could flash my 98. 5 transmission, and I decided to look to see if they had any 03's. Completely out, with about 10 04's. So came the test ride, then the next day I brought the wife, another test drive between a red or a white, and the red won.



Now proud owners of a 2004, 2500 HO Quad, 4x4 LB, larimie pkg, Red with tan leather inside, aftermarket rims and tires...

WOO-HOOO!!



New trucks are a vast improvement over 5 years ago, many new features that made it worth it. Hopefully this will be our last for along time, until we step up to the Diesel pusher!!!



Thank you all for you input, it definitly helped when negotiating a for a good price!

 

[KBennett]

Curious?

I thought the HO was not available in CA?



Congrats on the new one!!

 

[PLaFrombois]

Best I could find on a 2wd 3500 6-speed was $29,500 after rebates.

Paul

 

[Dlginla]

KB, you are correct, they are not avail. in CA until 1/1/2004, even then they will be less horse power. We own a vacation home at Lake Havasu where our boat is stored at, so it got registered there.



The truck runs great, good power, same as old one with the Banks, but a lot smother with quicker response off the line.



Brakes are much better with all disk, and the wife loves her own temp controls on the dash.



I wait about a year then chip it up!