Toyota Sequoia anyone have one?

[CAB]

Has anyone ever read the book "The millionaire next door"? If you have, you'd know that the majority of self-made millionaires pay cash for their vehicles, drive them 11-13 years and then sell and repeat (and the majority of them aren;'t driving Jaguars and Bentleys). I don't know what you're all driving, but a new Toyota will easily run 11 years with minimal problems, and any maintenance costs will pale in comparison to what you're shelling out monthly for a spiffy new leased vehicle (incl. insurance, licensing, etc...). Personally, I'd rather retire and send my kids to school than drive a big new truck. For those of you out there who can afford to do both, disregard that!

[Mark_M]

Kevin, Boit and CAB are all correct. I especially agree with CAB's comment. I did an undergrad degree in finance with an MBA, so I learned how to amortize debt and look at investments. I take CAB's approach. I just bought a Ford Expedition with all options that somebody had on a 2 year lease. It had 38K miles and was in perfect condition. My neighbor is a Ford dealer so I got a good deal at 26K, I will drive it for 10 years at least... Always consider your total cost/mile. BTW, I wouldn't have got such a big gas guzzler if I didn't have family of 5 and often tow a boat... Just my 2 cents..

[This message has been edited by Mark M (edited 01-29-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Mark M (edited 01-30-2001).]

[Dave_VanBrocklin]

I don't understand some of your thinking,I will be driving a vehicle that is less than 2 years old all the time, Iwill never have to pay for a 30K maintenance, let alone tires or any other thing that comes along, I will never have to repair the vehicle at my cost, It will never be out of warranty. I pay approximately 4250 dollars a year to drive a new vehicle. If I decide to buy this vehicle after 2 years(It will never happen) I can buy it for approximately 18000 dollars. That means I drove the vehicle virtually interest free for 2 years.(26000dollars minus 8500 dollars=17500) That is not a bad deal in my opinion. I am a technician by trade, and far from rich,but I would rather drive a new vehicle that I never have to work on, then have to worry about my vehicle doing what I want it to do reliably.I pull a 26' travel trailer, along with a utility trailer that I fill with bikes and ATV's. I work a vehicle hard and don't want to repair it as it gets older.I will wear a vehicle out before I would finish paying for it.

I guess what I am saying, is that we all use and pay for our vehicles differently. What works for some doesn't work for others.

Besides, somebody has to buy these vehicles new, so you guys can buy them used!!

Am I crazy?!!

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00 WZ400

01 Yamaha Raptor

99 Kawasaki ZRX1100

99 Yamaha Warrior

[GRC]

Dave VanBrocklin,

You hit the nail on the head as to why lease a vehicle. Bar None that is a perfect example.

Before anyone buys a new automobile. Please contact me by e-mail or leave me a message on the forum. My family has owned several new car dealerships and I can tell you where they make their money and how to save some money. Recently I worked at a dealership in the finance dept but first as a salesman. But not anymore so I don't stand to make anything here. Just don't want to see anyone get taken advantage of. Not to say anyone will but, there are things you just don't know unless you have worked there and seen it on a day to day bacis.

[This message has been edited by GRC (edited 01-30-2001).]

[Dan]

OK. Want my two cents? CAB and BOIT have it down, if you can swing it. If it's a Toyota, it's good for 200k to 300k miles if you truly take care of maintenance. Even fairly hard miles. My best buddy just bought a Sequoia, we took it duck hunting in the snow and ice. 4wd works great, vehicle is comfortable but tough, and you can take it out on the town if you want. I have a suburban for towing >8000 lbs, but if I didn't tow so much weight, I'd have the Sequoia or the Tundra.

[TheBOS]

The TOY is the way to go. My brother and I have always had Toyota trucks. I currently have a 97 Tacoma. It's great, has lots of power (V6 5-spd) and it's damn tough. I can't ride my bike b/c we have so much snow on ground so I have been taking the TOY offroad and treating it like it's a dirtbike.

My brother-in-law has the '01 Tacoma with a 4 cylinder and he tows 300 gallons of water with it!

-Brett

[Boit]

GRC: I'm all ears(eyes) for any advice you care to give. I'm not so old or set in my ways that I can't learn something new. Perhaps I need rethink the way I've been financing my vehicles.