Talk me out of a TRX!

"Dream" cars are not practical and you will get tired of it sooner then you think and will be so upside down on the purchase you will never get close to recouping your money given the asking price. Once the newness wears off you will regret the purchase. I see a lot of people dumping them after the first year because it just doesn't made sense

If you hit the lotto and can get one as a weekend driver by all means.

My 2p

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as a TRX owner I can’t tell you not to get one lol. I personally don’t think they are worth the price that they are going for new. If you are only looking at new you are paying a lot. Used you can get one at a decent amount less but then you have to worry about how the truck was treated. The power wagon is going to be a better offroad truck all day any day but if you are not using it to it potential the TRX will be a real fun daily driver.

Yeah, check the insurance costs. Why not talk to the dealer some more and see if they have much wiggle room in the price, and how much? Check lease options. A lot of times there are big savings on leases. Say, there is a $10k lease deal. The dealer comes down $10k. Then jump on it, pay it off or however you want to go about it (if there ARE lease savings).

Looking at our current market and the insane MSRP on that truck, It's not going to be as capable as your power wagon you have low miles, got it just the way you want it and its been problem free, I would keep what you got for now, you don't know what the markets going to be, I know the need for speed is on all of our minds!

Another option is to consider a used Challenger ..instead of a TRX?? Something completely different. Challenger for commuting. Keep both.

Don't buy a TRX...there, did I talk you out of it?!?! Haha

Biggest downside is 6.5 mpg in the city. Otherwise, most amazing vehicle I've ever had or driven. Get an IGLA to protect it from being stolen. Check out Mark Dodge in Louisiana. Not sure if they have anything on the lot but they are honest and easy to deal with. No mark-ups and in fact they are/were discounting new TRX's.

It’s all perspective and what you want. If it’s just acceleration, do a little hop up on your present truck. I like the motor and suspension on the TRX. I don’t like all the electronics. It makes the truck pricey. You can build a TRX without all the electronics for a lot less money. One of the newer TRX’s will retain its value cuz the V-8’s are going away but if you drive it back and forth to work, value will dive. To me, not worth it. I can do the Flared fenders, horsepower and suspension myself and be happier.

I sold my Honda Ridgeline to get a RAM 2500 6.7 to haul an new RV... The guy that bought my Ridgeline bought it because he had a TRX and told me he sold it because: 1- Gas mpg was in the single digits even when he was trying to be good 2- Insurance was obscene 3- his 5'2" wife struggled to get in and out of it 4- The final straw was getting stuck on a jeep trail that a Subaru Forester made it up.

Do you! If that is the TRX, post some pics. I will say your current ride sounds sweet, barely broken in, and it won't make you as nutty when parking as that TRX will when someone parks in the same time as you. Jealous that you have such problems on either end: dream rides both ways.

I was talking to an old friend a few weeks ago and he said "Hey Bob, I just bought a new Cadillac!". I asked "Why did you do that, you have a beautiful nearly new Lincoln?" His reply, "Because I can!" So, a couple of weeks later I bought my new 3500 Laramie.

Happy wife=happy life...

Michael Phipps said:

I have a 18 PowerWagon that is my daily driver that I've customized just a bit to the point that I absolutely love it. It only has 35K miles, and other than being generally dirty it's as good as new with nearly every option on it. No problems whatsoever. My wife and I used to go off road alot more but these days it's only one or twice a year, and it's mostly snow, trail, and fire road driving. No rockclimbing or mudding anymore. The floor shifted 4wd is a favorite of mine as I appreciate the positive feedback of chunking it into gear when it's time to have some fun. I love the truck- especially the reliability, toughness, and overall quality of the truck. I don't even care that I get MPG that would make a NASCAR driver blush. I switched jobs from when I bought the PW and now I drive 20 miles into work daily. Before I was a remote worker, so it rarely was driven but now I'm in it probably 6 days a week.

BUT... The dealer near my house has 3 Level 2 TRXs on their lot and even though they are stupidly priced ($122k) I can't stop thinking about them. I really miss the power of my Hellcat that I sold to get into the PowerWagon. The idea of a great truck with all the power of a hellcat under the hood- the sound, the acceleration, the speed- is intoxicating. Also, now that I'm on the highway everyday I'd love the passing power of a hellcat. PS, I never got a ticket when I was in my charger hellcat, but I came damn close several times. Hitting 150 again on an open road in Mexico with that supercharger whine would make me feel like a kid again.

There's no chance my wife will let me keep the PW and just get the TRX. In fact talking her into the TRX will be no small feat as it's absolutely a mid-life-crisis buy more than anything. I'm fat and don't fit into Corvettes. I can afford it, but it'll take sacrifices. And I have to believe that while it'll never be an appreciating asset it will depreciate more slowly than my PW is.

So, does the switch make sense, or am I just ******* over the TRX's ample cylinders? Is a 5th gen 1500 that much better than a 4th gen 2500 PW?

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I heard they are getting stolen often becase the vaule has gone up so high. A police article was saying theives are putting Apple air tags on vehicles when they are out in public, so they can track & steal them later. If you do buy, protect it!

OK, so to address a few questions that were raised:

No I'm not close to independently wealthy. I do work white collar but I make about what a good mechanic will make. My retirement fund isn't abundant and my monthly cash flow is such that I don't worry about paying my bills, but I don't have "permission" to go shopping whenever I want and major purchases require boss' approval first "Sacrifices" means taking on a car loan (I don't have one now), giving up on some more expensive hobbies I've discussed picking up, and generally having a lower ability to talk my wife into spending.

I'm 48. I plan on working to 67 at least. Longer if I can because I enjoy my work but not because I'll have to.

I carry no debt other than the house. No car loans, no credit cards, nothing. I have excellent credit. Every extra penny goes into either 401k or savings.

I'm no mechanic- I'm not opposed to overhauling my PW engine, but I wouldn't be able to do the work or maintenance myself. I'd need an expert.

Wife doesn't like the PW- it's too tall for her (stock). I imagine the TRX would be too. I love the PW. She prefers to ride in our V6 Grand Cherokee if she has the choice.

I do NOT have a garage that I'd store it in either at home or at work. It'll be exposed to the elements every day AND be a daily driver. As far as security is concerned I live and work in a pretty safe place but I believe the reality is if they want it they'll take it and there's not much I can do about that other than aftermarket security. I just keep really good insurance and try to be smart about where I leave it.

I floated this idea to my wife over the weekend. She was 100% not on board with the idea of gifting my PW to my niece (she'll need a car next fall) and then buying a TRX. She did however make the comment "Why not just look for a good deal on a used hellcat you can pay cash for?" So I think she's on board with the motor and vehicle, just not the payments. I can afford to pay cash for a used charger/challenger if I really wanted to, but I'd be all out of brownie points.

Insurance isn't an issue. I'm an extremely favorable risk and my agent loves me. Insurance would definitely go up with a new TRX, but not so much it would be cost prohibitive.

Work is an interesting question. I work in a great job in a mostly recession proof industry. However, there's very little loyalty in my business. To that end I've been laid off 3 times in the last decade, and been off work 60 days or less during each layoff. Recently (last year) I decided to make a major career change and shifted from one side of my business to another moving into a "softer" role with greater job satisfaction but a 40% pay cut. On the "pro" side of that I love my new role, the work is steady, and I have greater job security. On the "con" side I make alot less, my job titles are 'less sexy', and growth opportunities are small. From a short term perspective my role isn't going away soon and there are lots of opportunities in the market for me. In the long term, my role will be adversely impacted in a very big way by the development of AI I believe. I don't worry about my job for the next 5-10 years, but I would absolutely discourage a young person from getting into my line of work.

So with the info here, along with my wife's reaction to the general idea of the switch, I think my TRX dreams are on hold for now. With that being said I think I'll keep my eyes open for a really good used Hellcat or Trackhawk (to replace her Jeep).

Don't do it! Deny your desires and stay the mature, conservative, intelligent, course. Crush and suppress your dreams and desires. Do you really think you deserve this truck? I think not. What would you do with two trucks? Neither TRX is probably in a color you like. Hold back, don't give in, and soon enough the trucks and the chance to obtain one will disappear forever and you will live happily ever after. Last summer the wife complained snorted and got nasty over the idea of trading her Durango R/T in on a Premium Durango SRT. 3 months later she snarled, "oh yeah a-hole, keep up with this", and stomped on the pedal. I just sat there and grinned. I miss my Charger Hellcat so much. Instead of going for a Durango Hellcat and listening to the crab session all over again I just stated fine, there's something called a four door Charger Banshee coming and I'll be at the dealer the day I can order one. She accepted that. If you can manage it without doing without other things, DO IT! I traded my HellCat in just over three years later knowing the Banshee was coming and got almost what I paid for it. I've yet to see one damn person driving a TRX that didn't have a cat who ate the canary smile on his face!

Thanks for the response, though way more information than we needed to know

Sounds like the thread filled your request to be talked out of it. I would imagine there will be fast trucks in the future, though probably nothing like what we have now. The jury is still out whether or not that will be better.

You can't just 'build a TRX' from another truck. There are key differences from the foundation up. One might be able to get fundamentally 'close'...or close enough for what matters for most guys. But it's a whole different animal. That's what makes it a TRX, and why thay "aint't" cheap. And a built Ram won't have the *provonance* of a TRX. That is....if a guy wants a GENUINE TRX.

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Personally, if it were me, at the OP's age, I'd put the TRX on hold a bit (but not forever), and funnel ALL the money towards & pay the house off. Just git it dun! Figure out the max payments you can make (make your sacrifices now). Then do something like making a graph or thermometer, put it on the fridge and color in the amount paid each month so you can see your progress towards your goal. Sounds cheesy but it works. Worked for me. Keeps ya focused. Teaches kids the value of saving too.

Some people say that's a bad financial decision, but my 401k proves the market also goes down! LOL. And the thousands of dollars (maybe 10-20k??) in interest you will SAVE is a for-sure investment you can't lose on. Money in your pocket! Doing so COMPLETELY free's up a guy's mindset so he can change jobs and/or take measured risks (new job, new business, new properties, etc) he might not otherwise be comfortable doing with a mortgage at almost 50yrs old. That freedom can lead to a greater salary and more TRX money down the road. Of course don't stop with other retirement savings. Just put the TRX money towards the house. Get the TRX later when the economy goes into a funk...from other guys who can't afford the toys (and NEED to sell toys to keep THEIR home!).

If (more like 'when') the economy goes into a cyclical slump, and a guy loses his job, he's got options. And if the house were paid off, buying a TRX might not be as big of a sacrifice. Best thing we ever did was get serious and pay off our properties, loong time ago. Saved 10's of thousands in interest. Quit jobs and found better with more $$ b/c we didn't have a rope around our necks. I don't have to suck it up in a crappy situation if I want to change again. Toys, no problem. Economy goes down, it's easy to buy a better property. It's liberating more than words can describe. Financial advisors never talk about those intangibles.

What caught my attention many years ago, after we got married, was my wife's folks found a house they liked and wrote out a check for cash...and bought it. Outright. They made very average $$. That woke me up.

Then the OP could buy a used TRX down the road and not worry about 'sacrifices' as much.

Jeepwalker said:

Personally, if it were me, at the OP's age, I'd put the TRX on hold a bit, and funnel all the money towards & pay the house off.

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This exactly! Your comments made me 180. Definitely not at a point in life for a $100k vehicle. Financed or not. What's that saying about assumptions...