Paid off !

[RaftingDave]

We took a lease on our 2017 Ram 1500 BH at the beginning of October 2017. At the time, the salesman told us that the rebates were higher on leases than purchases (Jedi mind trick?)....anyway, we went with it, the payments were <$190/month, so I saved a pile out of every paycheck since then. I lost my job this past June, but I had saved enough to buy it out.

At 34.5 months, the truck is paid off with about 23600 miles. Felt a little weird writing a hefty 5 figure check with no job, but that was the plan and we stuck to it. Should get the title in about a week.

Mileage-wise, definitely the earliest I've ever paid off a vehicle. Feels kinda good....although I wish I was working. The wife's Grand Cherokee is showing its age, and no way we could get into another loan (or lease) on just her income.

But all that aside...damn thing is paid off !!

Photo from Dixie Nat'l Forest, south central Utah, Sept 2018. With our popup.

Peace out.

 

[co-pilot]

Congrats!......and looks like your enjoying your time off!!

 

[indept]

Congratulations. I find it's a lot nicer to drive when it's paid off.

 

[NJMOPAR]

Kudos to sticking with the plan!

 

[ArmyGrunt66]

Suuuuuweat ride, congrats on sticking to your plan, enjoy

 

[Booms]

Nice !

 

[Sandevino]

Nice ride, much nicer now that it’s paid off.

Business to attend to now that it’s paid off is to call your insurance company and update the lien holder info. There’s a 5-10% premium you pay when financing a vehicle. You should also consider adding GAP to your policy in the event you get hit.

 

[tidefan1967]

Awesome! Better save that picture, I doubt that it will be called the "Dixie" National Forest for too much longer........some twit's liable to get offended by that name LOL.

 

[RaftingDave]

Awesome! Better save that picture, I doubt that it will be called the "Dixie" National Forest for too much longer........some twit's liable to get offended by that name LOL.

They can call it anything they want. I'd like to think that rivers and forests and wilderness areas are indifferent to political or sociological sensitivities.

 

[Sandevino]

Awesome! Better save that picture, I doubt that it will be called the "Dixie" National Forest for too much longer........some ****’s liable to get offended by that name LOL.

Fixed it for you

 

[RLJ10X]

Leasing is the most expensive way to obtain a vehicle. I don't care what smoke and mirrors ******** some car salesman tells you. Never lease. The best thing you can do is save a while longer, and pay cash.

Once your cars and house are paid off, the money piles up surprisingly quickly.

 

[MRFREEZE57]

congratulations. by the way, how do you like that pop up?

 

[Murphy Slaw]

Congrats.

We like to pay ours off, then drive them a few years before going back in hock.

You're way ahead of the curve on that one!

 

[Richg87]

Congrats! Kudos to you for sticking to your plan.

 

[RaftingDave]

congratulations. by the way, how do you like that pop up?

Thanks. The pop-up is a 2017 Flagstaff 201STSE, a little extra ground clearance and some diamond plate around the body. 2200# empty, ~3100# loaded...two batteries, two propane tanks, and we use an E2 anti-sway/WDS hitch. Stove, fridge, stereo, water heater, inside toilet, propane grill (which we use a lot). We love the thing. Weight-wise, it's well suited to the 1500, and the anti-sway keeps it real stable on the highway. We drop the anti-sway bars off when we're in tight turns, usually driving through campgrounds looking for a spot, or when backing it in. 25 mins to set up.

No significant issues with it in its fourth season. The door latch needed to be replaced, one or two real minor things. I think our only complaint is that the heater fan is a bit loud at night. It's wired for solar if we want to get panels for it.

Regarding the comment above about leasing - you won't get any argument from me that cash is the cheapest way to get into a new vehicle. I had a 2007 1500 that had hit about 120K, still in good shape, but I was also looking at retirement not too far off (it may have come sooner than I thought !), I didn't want a car loan after I quit working, and it would have taken us several more years before we could have saved up enough to buy a new one outright, at which time my trade would have been worth squat. We wanted to have a newer vehicle when we bought the camper, and between my age and the downward slope of the 2007's resale value, we figured we should just bite the bullet and go with a low-monthly lease, and save up to buy it out at lease end.

In retrospect, adding everything up, the deal was okay, not spectacular, but we got it done. So now, I may be out of work, but the camper and truck are both paid for.

 

[Salty Ram]

Congratulations on getting them both paid off! It has got to be a great feeling when you get out from underneath a car payment. I have 4 right now and am planning on having 2 paid off next year and will put those payment toward the other 2 to get them knocked out quickly. Two more years and we'll have all 4 paid for! Man am I looking forward to that!

 

[RLJ10X]

To each his own. I’m not putting anyone down. I got debt free 10 years ago; house and everything. Being debt free is something I wish everyone could be. It is a different lifestyle with a different outlook on things. Debt free is stress free.

There is NOTHING in the world that would ever make me take out a loan ever again. It is simply not worth it. I will never be held hostage ever again.

Once you quit paying interest and making someone else rich, YOUR money piles up surprisingly fast. Then you can pay cash.

ok, I’ll get off the soap box for now.

 

[Riderone]

To each his own. I’m not putting anyone down. I got debt free 10 years ago; house and everything. Being debt free is something I wish everyone could be. It is a different lifestyle with a different outlook on things. Debt free is stress free.

There is NOTHING in the world that would ever make me take out a loan ever again. It is simply not worth it. I will never be held hostage ever again.

Once you quit paying interest and making someone else rich, YOUR money piles up surprisingly fast. Then you can pay cash.

ok, I’ll get off the soap box for now.

That is what I am working toward now. Everything paid off but the house and that one goes away in 13 months. Am counting down the days to debt free!

 

[tones2SS]

Awesome.
Congrats!

 

[LoneStarSilver]

Before buying my 2018 Ram I had a 2012 Ram and paid it off a year before I sold it. That is a wonderful feeling. I wish I would only have a few thousand miles on my 2018 when I get it paid for, but I am already at 51,000 in two years. When I sold my 2012 it had over 300K on it but still looked like a brand new truck. This one will probably be the same at this rate.