Cob Jockey

I can't say I went into this week expecting I would come home with a new truck, but when life hands you a great deal and your savings account is ready, you jump!  And I thought I'd share my decision-making process in case it helps out future horsey truck shoppers.

No filter - it was a gorgeous evening with big rainbows over the truck when I test drove!

After I paid my last truck off three years ago, I kept on paying that car payment every month, only I paid it to myself instead of a bank, into a high yield savings account I opened specifically for vehicle-related finances.  If my current truck needed a major repair, I pulled from that fund, but otherwise, money was slowly accumulating in preparation for buying my next truck, even though I was in no hurry to replace my 2005 GMC Sierra Denali.

Old truck next to new truck

Since I wasn't in a hurry, I could afford to be picky (and I was - I've been casually keeping tabs on the truck segment I've been interested in for a couple of years).  I knew what I wanted: a 2015+ Sierra with low miles, one owner, the tow package, the 5.3L V8 engine, heated seats (duh) and the upgraded 3.42 rear axle (which will give me slightly worse fuel economy, but more towing power).  

Old truck had fold flat seats.  New truck has fold up seats.  Keys for scale.

There's a bigger engine available, the 6.2L V8, but it requires premium gasoline, which is no small expense for a truck!  Plus engines have advanced so much in the last 15 years since my 2005 was made - the 2018 5.3L V8 puts out 50 more HP than my 2005 6.0L V8.  PLUS I tow the world's tiniest horse trailer and I only tow east of the Rockies, I want a big heavy truck but I don't necessarily need an overkill engine.  So I decided early on to rule out the 6.2, but if you're towing a 2H with dressing room or bigger, and/or you live in hilly terrain, you're gonna want as much engine as you can get.

Testing out that Bose system with Your Ex-Lover is Dead by Stars

Everything I'd seen in my price range had 50-75k miles on it, but then something totally surprising showed up in my saved searches.  A 2018 GMC Sierra Denali 5.3 with 29,000 miles and the 3.42 real axle, off a one-owner lease, with all service records.  And it'd sat in the dealer's lot for a few months, giving me some delightful leverage.

Have I mentioned I enjoy the negotiating game?

TWENTY NINE THOUSAND MILES AT THIS PRICE \ARE YOU KIDDING ME

When it was all said and done, I'd gotten the truck for almost $5k under the KBB value, almost half of its new price, plus they'd given me $1800 more for my trade than I thought I'd get based on KBB. 


Now to see about getting that GMC multi-camera trailering package added...