5 Pickup Truck Buying Mistakes to Avoid This Fall

Shopping for a pickup truck can be overwhelming. It’s easy to overlook important things, especially once you’re at the dealership. Here are 5 pickup truck buying mistakes to avoid.

1. Not Doing Your Research

There are a lot of things to think about when considering the purchase of a used pickup truck.

• What size truck is right for me?
• Will I be hauling or towing anything?
• Does my budget fit for what I need?

If you’ve been shopping, you know that a pickup truck isn’t just a pickup truck.

The three most popular sizes of pickup truck are Compact, Midsize, and Full Size.

• Compact pickup trucks are built on a separate chassis frame from their full-size brethren and usually offer a range of four-cylinder and V6 engines. Today’s smallest trucks aren’t very small at all. As many drivers have discovered, some are really midsize trucks with near full-size proportions.

  The most popular compact trucks include the Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier, Ford Explorer Sport Trac, and Honda Ridgeline.

• Midsize pickups are commonly used as general purpose passenger cars here in Colorado. They are popular with construction and tradespeople along with everyday commuters and families. Because of this, there is demand for a pickup truck that is bigger than a compact, yet smaller and more fuel efficient than a full-size pickup.

  The increased popularity of midsize trucks has led to the need for several different configurations and style of cab. Mid-size trucks come with single, extended, or crew cab configurations depending on the model.

  Notable midsize trucks include the Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, Dodge Dakota, and Ford Explorer SportTrac.

• Full Size pickup trucks are the brawny workhorses of the pickup world. They are larger and more rugged, and they ride higher off the ground than compacts/midsizes do. They also come in several configurations of cab type, bed size, and drivetrain.

  The basic pickup truck is what used to be called the half-ton truck and is now often called 1500-series. Current models in this class include the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Ram 1500, Ford F-150, GMC Sierra 1500, Nissan Titan, and Toyota Tundra. These form the backbone of the pickup truck market. They serve well as work trucks and, for many, as a family car substitute.

• Full Size Heavier-duty pickup trucks, which may carry numerical designations such as 2500 or 3500, are configured for carrying very serious loads and for hauling fifth-wheel trailers, those with a hitch point in the center of the cargo bed. These are bulky trucks for the most demanding chores, making them great for hauling a huge trailer.

2. Declining the Test Drive

Every pickup truck shopper is looking for a vehicle that fits his or her specific needs. After all, there’s only so much research one can do online. There comes a point in every buyer’s journey where you need to experience the vehicle(s) you’re considering. The test drive is a great way to determine which pickup truck is best for you.

3. Not Knowing Your Credit Score

Knowing what’s in your credit report saves time and money. You make better decisions and things go smoother when you’re at the dealership.

If you plan on using financing to buy a used pickup truck, your credit score is key to getting the lowest interest rates. Your credit score is a three-digit number that uses your credit information to assess how risky a borrower you are, and it can significantly influence how lenders decide the terms of your loan.

The higher your credit score, the lower your risk and the lower your interest rate. The lower your credit score, the riskier you are and the higher your interest rates. Be proactive in checking your credit score beforehand so you know where your credit stands before you apply for a loan.

4. Bypassing a Full Examination of Your Needs

Buying a pickup truck is an investment. Take a close look at your lifestyle and needs, now and in the future. Answer these seven questions to help determine which pickup truck works best for you:

1. Do I prefer a specific brand?
2. What do I plan on carrying or hauling?
3. Compact, midsize or full size?
4. Standard, extended or crew cab?
5. Standard or long bed?
6. Do I plan on towing a trailer?
7. What’s my budget?

Read more about examining your needs in our blog post, “How to Choose the Best Pickup Truck for Your Needs”. 

5. Not Shopping Around for a Loan

As car loan interest rates rise, the need becomes greater for consumers to work a little harder when shopping for the best deals.

Shopping for a car loan can be just as daunting as shopping for a car or truck. Most shopping begins online. If you’ve ever done a Google search for “car loan,” you know how many hundreds of options are available. But how do you choose which car loan is best?

Here’s where your local car dealer can help. Dealerships offer a lot of advantages, here’s why:

• Dealerships have close relationships will all sorts of lenders.
• It’s super convenient since you’re already at the dealership.
• Dealerships have flexible lenders who are open to people who have lower credit scores.
• Pre-approval is easy!

Many dealers, like us at Dye Autos, offer an easy way for customers to get pre-approved.

This fast and easy process lets you choose how much you want to borrow based on the type of vehicle you’re looking for. Pre-approved truck financing with DYE Autos is just a click away. Visit this link >>>here<<< to get pre-qualified.

We’ll put our experience to work for you!