Help 8.1 or 6.0

01Sierra · July 23, 2005

I really need some help here. I posted the other day about a deal on a leftover 04 8.1/ally. It's got 78 miles on it. I had pretty much ruled it out and was going to simply order an 06 SLT with 6.0 and all the options. I can't afford to go up to a 8.1 if I go with all the options (the sunroof is probably the most appealing to me), and the 8.1 would be more of a luxury than need for me, so that's why I stuck with the 6.0.

The 8.1 I looked at was an SLE and it was fairly well equipped. 39,500 MSRP. Bottomline the dealer just called and will give it to me for 26,000. That's a heck of a deal and I'm not sure I want to pass on it. I don't like the color and some other things about it though. With the ordered 06, I'll pay a lot more but I'll get everything I want.

I've gone back and forth so much on this in the last couple of days, I can't make up mind now. What would you do if you were me?

minnow · July 23, 2005

You'll never get an '06 for $26,000. I'd jump on the deal now. You may even be able to get the dealer even a little lower too.

01Sierra · July 23, 2005

You'll never get an '06 for $26,000. I'd jump on the deal now. You may even be able to get the dealer even a little lower too.

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Nah, he started out at 29,400. Said he'd go as low as 29,000. I laughed at him and said thanks but no thanks. He came down some more and I still said no. He asked what it would take and I said 26, or no deal. He called today and said they would give me that, but I have to get it off their lot by the end of the day on Monday. I seriously doubt he's going to go even one dollar lower. 26 is an awesome price. The truck just isn't what I really want though. I agree that I won't get even close to 26 on an 06 though, that's the only reason I'm considering it.

Being that it's not exactly what I want, eventually, I'll be looking to trade it in on what I do want. I get a new truck every 5years regardless though (for tax write-offs). With it being an 04, even though the miles will be extremely low, I'm going to get hammered on trade in value. Especially if I wait the whole 5 years, it'll be considered a 7 year old truck.

What I really want is an 8.1/ally ECLB 4x4 SLT. My financial situation doesn't allow me to get all of that though. So it's either trade off on the 8.1, or trade off on the options I want. I spend a ton of time in my truck, so getting the leather and the sunroof, etc. means a good bit to me. The truck in question is white, and after having a white truck several years ago, I vowed to never own another white truck.

minnow · July 23, 2005

Sounds to me like you've made your decesion. Skip this deal cause your NOT gonna be happy with this truck.

max71z · July 23, 2005

i had the 8.1 never so happay as the day it was stold

it was useing oil and the gas big time !

just got the d-max LOVE it !

whitesnake01 · July 23, 2005

With it being an 04, even though the miles will be extremely low, I'm going to get hammered on trade in value. Especially if I wait the whole 5 years, it'll be considered a 7 year old truck.

I am not so sure you'll get "hammered" when you think in absolute dollars. You are already starting at $26,000 as opposed to about $33K (a quick guess) or so for a comparable 06. Suppose your 06 drops 50% in five years. This means you've lost about $16.5K. Do you think you can peddle the 04 for $9.5K when the time comes? If so, you'll be break even and also have paid much less in interest.

whitesnake01 · July 23, 2005

Incidentally, not sure what the rebates will be on the 06, but you can be sure that it'll be much less than on 05s if you are trying to make a move in Aug or so.

ElephantNest · July 24, 2005

I'd call around for a dealer that will work with you like mine did. Find a dealer, the sales manager preferrably, who will locate an '05 with everything you want. Then you get the employee discount, the truck you want, and no need to trade later.

I had to call around to about 6 dealers before I found one who would take the time to actually find the truck I wanted, but when I did, he made quick of it, and I had it in 2 or 3 days.

99silveradoz71 · July 24, 2005

Sounds like a good deal, but is a good deal going to make you happy if it's not what you really want?

kdog55 · July 24, 2005

I would say even if it is a steal, you are still going to be $26,000 worth of not satisfied. We are not talking about being out of chocolate so I'll take vanilla here. If I seen a $500,000 Lamborgini for $250,000 I still would not buy it just because it is a steal. Heck, our parents didn't pay as much for their homes as we did for our trucks! I say it is just too much money to "settle" for what you really do not want. Just my 2 cents worth!

I wanted a GMC this time around and traveled because the GMC dealers are alot more scarce than Chevy dealers, but if I was going $30,000+ in debt I was going to get what I wanted, not what some dealer could not get rid of to anyone else. Good Luck with this decision!

Z71-cummins · July 24, 2005

You'll never get an '06 for $26,000. I'd jump on the deal now. You may even be able to get the dealer even a little lower too.

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why buy a used one right now when you can get a new one for about 25 cause of the employee discount sale goin on. Why would you get a 8.1 anyway the 6000 vortec has all the power anyone really needs and gets decent fuel mileage.

01Sierra · July 24, 2005

Thanks for all the comments everyone. I think I knew what to do all along, but just needed to hear it from others. I'm not getting the 8.1 for $26K. I'm going to wait for the prices to come out for the 06's (they are supposed to be going with a whole new pricing structure) and then order exactly what I want. So far, i've got two dealers who will get it for me at invoice. The trade in on my current truck will be what determines which dealer I use.

To answer a few of the comments, the selection on 05's right now is really slim. Around here (right outside Philly), the dealers only have White, Green and Silver Birch Metallic as far as colors left. There's isn't an SLT within 350 miles of me as I've had several dealers do searches for them. There's one 05 8.1 out there, but it's a WT with rubber flooring and vinyl seats. It's not a matter of finding a dealer who will work with me, there just aren't that many trucks left out there. They've sold most of them with the discounts.

I could use the extra power of an 8.1 for work, but I'd rather deal with a little less power and be able to get the options I want. I don't know about the experiences of others so much, but I'm getting 12 MPG with my 01 and 6.0. I consistently see people posting that they are getting 10+ with their 8.1's, so MPG really isn't much of an issue. For numerous reasons, I've ruled out the Dmax altogether.

I still think $26K for a truck that has an MSRP of $39,500 is an awesome price. Part of me still wants to take advantage of that deal, but I'm not. I can only guess right now, but the truck I'm going to end up with ($41,400 MSRP as per GMC.com) will cost me around $35-$36K. Big difference in price, but at least it'll be the color and setup I want. I'm still going to keep my eye open for something that is much closer to what I want in an 05, but I doubt it'll happen.

Z71-cummins · July 25, 2005

So you wont get a 05 cause there are none on the lots what a dumbass excuse is that. You can get the discounts on all vehicles even if u order them so why in the world would u wait for the price to shoot right back up. No offense in sayin this but thats dumb as hell.

01Sierra · July 25, 2005

So you wont get a 05 cause there are none on the lots what a dumbass excuse is that. You can get the discounts on all vehicles even if u order them so why in the world would u wait for the price to shoot right back up. No offense in sayin this but thats dumb as hell.

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I'd suggest you educate yourself some before you call anyone dumb. Simple fact, you can NOT order any more 05 trucks from GM. Gee, don't you think I would have simply done just that if it was so simple?

Z71-cummins · July 25, 2005

Thats strange cause the chevy dealership here keeps ordering new trucks and offered to order the one i wanted which is the 2500 hd w/ 6.0L v8 4x4 ext cab ls with the options i wanted. Educate hmm?