If you’ve wondered, “Should I buy a truck,” check out these facts. Trucks can cost less than SUVs, which don’t even have as much space for the first two rows of passengers and are not as good for outdoor activities as trucks. You can get a full-size truck, with four doors and four-wheel drive, for around $30,000. And to get an upgraded motor, fancy interior, and other luxury items, you can spend around $50,000. That’s a lot less than a fancy SUV that starts at $65,000. And modern trucks are safer, faster, roomier, and more fuel efficient than most people think.
When Is the Best Time to Buy a New Truck?
Chevy, Ford, and Ram are coming out with new trucks this year and are competing with each other, so 2018 is a great year to buy. On new trucks, manufacturers are going to give a lot of deals to try to either get you to stay with their brand or to switch to their brand, giving you big savings and perks. This will be going on all year long.
You might even want to look at a brand you haven’t been traditionally interested in; just look for the features and the price you need. If you’re able to get a great deal and get everything you want, you might not tell people, “I only buy Chevys,” or whatever you said before.
How to Research Trucks
The basic specs for several major kinds of trucks are in our truck buying guide below. Once you understand these, do some research on what’s available in used trucks there, too, because new vehicles lose so much value as soon as you buy them.
If you find a type of truck that looks good for the features and price you need, you can then Google that make, model, and year to find out if there are any complaints or issues with it, or look at a site like Carcomplaints.com. If there are any problems, look at what the report says about how to fix the problem. You can do further research and find reviews on a site like Edmunds.com, which will also tell you about the availability of cars in your area.
New Truck Buying Guide
Chevy Silverado (Full-Size)
- 2019 Silverado comes out later this year in eight different versions
- The body, bed, and frame are all made of steel (unlike Ford’s trucks, which are moving to more aluminum)
- 2018 Silverado starts at $28,285
Ram 1500 (Full-Size)
- 2019 Ram 1500 starts at $31,695
- Comes in choice of six versions, including the luxurious Limited, which starts at $55,485
- Re-designed proportions make it wider and longer
Ford Ranger (Mid-Size)
- Much-anticipated return after several years off the market
- Price will start somewhere around $25,000
- Will come in configurations including XL, XLT, and Lariat
Toyota Tacoma (Mid-Size)
- 2018 Tacoma starts at $28,860
- Motor Trend Magazine’s Truck of the Year in 2005
Chevy Colorado (Mid-Size)
- 2018 Colorado starts at $20,200
- Gets up to 30 miles per gallon on the highway
Honda Ridgeline (Mid-Size)
- Sometimes called a sport utility truck or lifestyle pickup
- 2018 Ridgeline starts at $29,990
Nissan Frontier (Mid-Size)
- 2018 Frontier starts at $18,990
- 2017 Frontier won J.D. Power award for “Highest Ranked Midsize Pickup in Initial Quality”
Once you find the truck you want, check out the accessories we offer for it. At the top left of our Collections page, use the drop downs to select the make and model of the truck you want. (You don’t have to select the year, if you don’t want to.) Hit the Search button. We have tail light covers, wind guards, tailgate caps, and much more to customize your truck to look the way you want.