Make sure you are looking at a 2023 on the calculator, they have $5000 in general incentives for the Big Horn using that GA zip, the 2024 doesn’t have anything. And start looking around at inventory to see if you can find a 2023 with the options you are looking for. Good luck!
1 Like
I see what you are saying now. I changed the months randomly to 39 and that was the first time I saw ‘general incentives’, before then I only saw all the super niche program incentives.
1 Like
Hi Jaskwith,
Thank you for your service e to ur great Nation, numero uno! If you plan is to keep the truck, which BTW, great choice! I have had 3 RAM 1500’s and they’re amazing. Make sure to get the 8-speed transmission. In my humble opinion, and I have been in this situation before, I would consider buying upfront. You will end up paying a lot more in the long run between the 3 year cost of the lease and then buying out the remaining principle on another loan later. Not to mention you have to pay for a State Inspection and tag/title/registration fees all over to put into your name alone on the buy out. So if you figure you would be potentially looking at a total of 8 years between two loans, look at an 84 month financing outright up front. You’re payment will be a little higher yes, but if you can go a couple hundred more a month, then it is worth considering. You can even try to make additional principle payments throughout the loan which will in the end up lowering the total payments made and interest charges. Sometimes Chrysler Financial has subtend rates for long term financing and certainly Navy FCU or USAA do as well. I did a quick calculation with $5k down @ 84 months and depending on the rate you can get you would be in the mid-$700’s. However again consider all the additional charges you will have to pay on the buyout and the net difference is lower out of pocket. Best of luck I hope this helps.
Cheers and God Speed.
Andy Perez
Andy,
Thanks. Yeah I think the problem is that I just cannot afford much right now but with the used car market I don’t want to over extend and then have something break down because of some undisclosed history that doesn’t appear on carfax etc.
If we weren’t just returning from overseas with no car I would definitely just wait until conditions improve or until I could build up a better figure to put down or something… This is why I was looking primarily used… but with used it just seems that the payment is around what a lease would cost. I know that the lease to buy out the lease isn’t good financial decision but for me splitting it into two different amounts to finance makes it more ‘affordable’ and solves a problem. The inefficiency of this model described in the fees at each finance right now are looking like convenience costs. This is the dilemma I am finding myself in currently.
I have investments and savings, I just don’t want to tap into those right now.
It’s crazy… I don’t understand how people afford these 700+/month payments. The Army says that I make over 90K in entitlements but after taxes and three kids and a mortgage…. I feel more poor now than I did when I first enlisted lol….
I do thank everyone who is contributing to this thread. I wonder if I should change the name from Deal Check: Dodge Ram to ‘Deal Check: Joe’s Life’ lol….
Thank your friendly neighborhood Federal Reserve bank for printing us into poverty
most of them probably barely can
1 Like
This is the thread I mentioned earlier. IDK if it’s going to be very helpful if you’re set on something like a full-size 4-door pickup but just throwing it out there.
For those who want to wait for the market to get better and need rear leg space, a Mercury Grand Marquis or 2001-2006 Lexus LS isn’t the worst choice. Or a first gen Sequoia if you need more utility.
1 Like
I get it for sure. I have two children and feeding the 4 of us even making good money it’s still a struggle after everything. Not to mention being taxed on every side. The cost of living even being frugal is tough. The used prices are still high especially on trucks. They just don’t really drop a lot even with high miles, Jeep’s are the same way. You have try to see if any dealers have a new demo or a 2023 they really to to move and get a higher discount and also lease. I know the last RAM 1500 I purchased I got like $10k with all the incentives. Best of luck my friend.
Cheers,
Andy Perez
1 Like