I spent a ton of money this weekend at the dealer

[JConley]

When I saw the local Dodge dealer advertising a great deal on the remaining 05 Durango's, I took the wife down to the dealer to take one for a test drive. She liked it a lot, and while we were there I looked at the Mega Cab 2500 Rams. I had been there the day before looking at the Mega Cabs but they didnt have the color I wanted ( I wanted the Kacki exterior). I started looking at them again and I found a Mega Cab that had the interior and options I wanted but again... wrong color (this one was the dark Red). The dealer started looking around for what I wanted, and with each passing hour and deal, the price of the Red Mega Cab kept getting cheaper. When he found a kacki Mega Cab that would work, he knocked more money off in order to sell the red one he had on the lot. Then he started knocking more off the Durango and giving more for the trade in if we bought the two off the lot. Then the dealer came up with another $600 in rebates and gave me a $400. 00 allowance for accessories on the Mega Cab.





8 hours later and more numbers in my head than I could remember, I closed a deal on the 05 Durango Limited and the Red CTD 2500 MC 4X4.



I traded in my 98 QC 12 valve and that literally has been the best truck I have ever owned. The ride on the MC puts the 2wd 98 dodge to shame. I cant tell you how much I like this Mega Cab. What an awesome truck!



Now to rearrange the financing and start paying for this day... :{

 

[klenger]

Resitance is futile.

 

[GWBourne]

yeah, mine was an impulse buy as well... you are not alone... .

Grant

 

[ROCKJEEP]

Thats one hell of a sales man. I test drove my truck dec 2002 then parked it in the fleet lot. I was not happy with the price and walked, and was not in a hurry anyway. Well two months later I was look again and the truck was still there. In the same spot I parked it with no mileage increase. So I went to the fleet manager and drove it again. Walked out with a kick azz deal and they bought my old dodge, which was a sema show truck from 98. I only paid $29,6500. Not to bad.

Kory

 

[JConley]

We traded a 2001 PSD Excursion with 70K miles on the Durango and it cost us less than 10 grand to drive the Durango out the door. Sticker on the Durango was around 34K. I just couldnt pass up the deal.

 

[JasonBrown]

I feel your pain. I traded my 2003 QC 1500 for my 2005 CTD in August. When my wife took me to pick up the truck after they prepped it, she saw this Durango, we drove it she liked it. We couldn't get right on trading her Lincoln LS so we didn't get it. When I went back a month later for a dog and pony show I had to attend to get free lifetime tire rotations for the CTD, the sales manager decided he could give me the trade in on the Lincoln I originally asked for. Therefore we now have (2) 2005 Dodge products sitting in the driveway. Don't you love impulse decisions!

 

[FATCAT]

I traded in my 98 QC 12 valve and that literally has been the best truck I have ever owned.

What!!!! You traded in your 12 valve '98. That equates to taking your dog, your best pal, faithful friend ... down to the VET for a HOT SHOT.



For shame on you!!!



I hope the day you turned in your old faithful '98, when you took one final look back at you old truck with its big sad headlights looking back at you ... you had tears in your eyes.

 

[RustyJC]

I traded in my 98 QC 12 valve.....

John, that's like the holy grail of CTDs. It's none of my business, but wouldn't it have been worth more to an enthusiast here on the TDR?



Rusty

 

[JConley]

I will miss that truck. Had 8 years and 166K miles of memories. When I get in the new truck and turn on the satellite radio I dont miss the old one as much. The 06 is the nicest truck I have ever owned. Its also my first truck with a CD player and remote keyless entry. Pretty basic options, but I have always had basic no frills trucks.







Oh yea... my neighbors dont miss the old truck either.



Rusty.

The 98 had been depreciated since it is used for a business. If I had sold it to an individual I would have had to pay income tax on the sale. I would have had to get at least 30% more than the trade just to make up the income tax. Trading the truck in doesnt require me to pay the income tax on its value, and I save money on sales tax.



I ran the numbers and it wasnt worth the hassle based on the deal they were giving me.

 

[CHolman]

John, that's like the holy grail of CTDs. It's none of my business, but wouldn't it have been worth more to an enthusiast here on the TDR?



Rusty

That's what I thought too, but I do wish you luck and hope that your new truck is everything that your last one was... .

 

[EBottema]

Glad you are happy with your new deal. Sorry but I would never trade a 98 12v for a mega cab. That dealer scored

 

[RustyJC]

John,



I'm surprised no one has asked where you traded it in - just on the rare chance that it hasn't already been snapped up off the dealer's lot!!



Rusty

 

[manygears]

Big Congrads on the new truck. I feel your pain on the payments also :--) ..... But I didn't trade my 94' in... ... It would have broken my heart. The trucks my "dog" , you just don't let 'em go.

 

[JConley]

The dealer was going to send it to auction. Keep in mind in the eyes of a dealer and the banks, its a 98 truck with 166K miles on it. The loan value and the book value are fixed and regardless of how much we value this truck, a bank would never loan an individual more than what the truck is worth on paper. To be honest the dealer didnt care what engine it had in it, and never even saw the truck or had it appraised when I bought the Mega cab since we drove the Excursion to the dealership. He was going off book value, and what he could get for the truck at auction. Most dealers will not put a vehicle on the lot that has over 100K miles.



I am sure I could have gotten more if I had sold to truck to someone on this board that is IF they were to give me top dollar for the truck and IF they were able to get a bank to finance that much on an old truck. Trade in Blue Book value for my old truck is $7700 in good condition. Based on the deal I got, I would have lost money if I sold the truck at its highest retail value when you take into consideration the taxes, sales tax and time/effort. I am sure the dealer will make money on this truck, but they have to make something in order to stay in business. They lost money on both trucks at the time of sale, and only made $300 in profit after the Excursion sold at auction.





If anyone is interested in the truck, I sold it to Maxwell Dodge in Austin Texas at Hwy 620 and 183. Ask for Mike Kenney. He might be able to tell you where it went.