I've owned 2 new vehicles in my life. Both were excellent vehicles, and pretty much trouble free. Both had Synthetic oil from the first oil change, and both over 250,000 miles before selling them. But both were almost base models with very few options. The 2006 Pontiac is still being driven daily as the wife's work car.
But for over 30 years I've bought used besides the Pontiac, and every one I have driven 5 to 10 years and sold for what I paid, or slightly more!! Can't do that with new!
These vehicles were all loaded with options as well, and we'll taken care of before I got them. I look hard and usually spend from a couple months, to this last one over a year to find unique, functional, and particularly what I would ant in a new one if I were ordering it.
I spent nearly a year trying to find a replacement for my 1999 Suburban. I found Silverado in February and drove 400+ miles to get it. But it was more than I would have demanded if I bought it new myself.
What I wanted was a GM truck or Suburban, with 5.3 engine because of their durability and efficiency with plenty of power for everything I need, as long as they were NOT EQIPED WITH AFM systems!!
G80 locking diff, 3.42 gears I drive mostly unloaded, and for pulling up to 9,000 lbs. occasionally, the best most economical choice.
Luxury items, captions chairs w/ armrests and full consoles for storage, 4wd, tow package, and with a truck heavy payload package, with tow haul mode in the bigger tranny, under 150,000 miles, and power everything, which anymore is about standard, but more than I would require on a new truck.
But what sold me on this truck was the L33 version of the 5.3 engine. Not the HP of a 2022 5.3, but,, all aluminum with thicker cylender walls than any other 5.3 block, LS6 Corvette cathedral port heads, 10:1 compression, a special truck cam, with no AMF or variable cam timing,,, and only available on 06 and 07 GMC and Chevy extended cab, 4wl drive 1/2 ton trucks.
It had a few luxury options I would have lived without, but with more than I wanted, no hole cut in the roof, and one owner in great condition with service records,,, right up my ally for $7200.00 perfect for me.
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I'll drive this for few years, but taken care of, with today's prices for trucks, and what we will see in 5 or 6 years, I plan on getting all my money back. The 1999 Suburban I just sold made me 600 dollars over what I paid, covering the 300 dollar fuel pump I put in it, and my oil changes I do myself. I count the set of tires I put on it the same as fuel, things that are required if you want to drive them.
Even if I don't get all my money back, I can dam near buy 10 of these for what a new truck cost with everything it has, this why i thank those that prefer the latest and greatest, they make my life better when i want a new to me vehickle!.
