Looking for Cheap Used Pickups? Then don't look at Yotas (FTW)

Which Used Pickups Are the Best Bargain?
Posted by Mark Williams | June 18, 2018


If you're in the market for an almost-new used pickup truck, wouldn't it be good to know where the best bargains exist? Yes, it would. Happily, a new study from automotive research firm iSeeCars.com provides that information. It collected data that shows which relatively new used pickups have depreciated the most, making them the best choices for those looking to get the most bang for their buck.

According to the survey, the average new vehicle depreciates 35 percent after three years of ownership, with some of the highest-depreciating vehicles losing between 46 and 52 percent of their value when driven off the lot. However, when looking at just pickup trucks, the much lower average is 23.3 percent.

"Below-average depreciation isn't surprising when you consider the increased demand for trucks," iSeeCars CEO Phong Ly said in a statement. "People tend to use their pickup trucks for work and hold onto them, which limits the supply in the secondary [used vehicle] marketplace."

The study analyzed more than 4.1 million car sales to identify models that have the greatest drop in value over a three-year period (when most leased vehicles re-enter the auto market).

Top Three Full-Size Used Pickup Deals

1. Ram 1500: $41,803 average price, 33.2 percent drop
2. Ford F-150: $48,685 average price, 32.4 percent drop
3. GMC Sierra 1500: $44,284 average price, 26.7 percent drop

The used pickup with the lowest depreciation over a three-year period — drum roll please — is the Toyota Tacoma, losing only 18.2 percent of its value, with an average transaction price after three years of $26,329. The Toyota Tundra has a 22.2 percent depreciation rate (the lowest number of any full-size pickup) and an average transaction price of $32,834 after three years.

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2018/06/which-used-pickups-are-the-best-bargain.html

 

I wonder why Toyotas hold their value so much better? Says the 2002 Tundra original owner.

 

Another way to look at it is Toyota isn't pumping out trucks like the big 3. There are just less of them in general.
I'd think reliability of the vehicle would push the price up for reputation, but lower (albeit only slightly) the impact of low production numbers (more of them in the market because they last longer).

Markets are hard to predict. you never know what people are going to do lol

 

They forgot the Titans.. Those things devalue quicker than the RAM's.

 

I traded my 2002 Tacoma in on the Tundra. I paid $20,000 for it new in 2002, traded in this year, 16 years old and still got $9,000 for my trade. Dealer had it on the lot for $11,000. I checked similar equipped Chevy S-10 and Dodge Dakota trucks were about $1,800 for trade value. Almost unbelievable.

 

I literally sold my 2016 SR5 with the TRD OR package and a number of aftermarket upgrades for almost exactly what I bought it for two years prior. Erased $15k of debt. Will return.

 

I bought a 99 taco in 2003 for 19k, and had it bought back for frame rust in 2008 for 17k.
Used that 17k +1k loyalty towards a new 08 Tacoma trd sport which I paid 29k for in late 08. Got 19k for it when I traded in towards my 2015 tundra in late 2016.
So yeah I've had good luck with value.

 

i wonder what they're measuring the depreciation from though? Is it MSRP? If so, then it's flawed since no-one with more than 2 brain cells pays MSRP for one of the big 3. real value of a beer can f-150 is at least 12k off sticker but possibly more towards 20%.

 

I bought an '85 Hi-Lux SR-5 22RE LB for $4000 about 10 years ago to turn into a rockcrawler. It was so clean and original that I couldn't bring myself to cut it up. I decided to let it go for something larger, plus we needed a tow vehicle. Ten years and 70K miles later it sold for $6500 with 296K miles on it. Oh what a feeling!

 

I know it’s not a truck but look at the FJ cruiser’s. I think some people are getting exactly what they paid for them. Some people that bought them used end up getting more money than they paid for them.

 

Great comments on the article

 

This ^^^

It's really hard to compare depreciation of our Toyotas where we're only getting around 10% off MSRP to a Ford or Chevy where people are getting 20-25% off MSRP. Maybe our trucks do hold their value a bit better, but let's not all drink the Kool-aid and think it's that much better than the competition.

Forgot this:

 

This^^^^^. Your exactly right TJ. With the Tacoma and Tundras low depreciation value, it makes no sense to buy a 2-3 old truck. For the price used dealers want, your better off buying new. Now if you can find a older Tundra with low miles, generally your getting a good deal. If Toyota nails the 4th Gen Tundra, I will be in the market, and a good friend of mine already has his check book out to buy my 08. Good stuff man

 

When I bought mine everyone was crying about 15/18 mpg... I tell them that after they add back in all the repairs to get their f150 to go 125k miles that I will have money to burn... Then I look at the residual value for trade in. These trucks create headaches for my accountant because they are worth more than the depreciation after 5 years lol.

 

I started my search in the used market assuming I would get more for my money. Quickly learned that’s not really the case with Tundras.

When I traded in my 2013 Tacoma I got about 70% value for a vehicle I had 5 years. Dealer listed it at about 15% depreciation from original purchase price.

It’s insane how well these things hold their value.

 

But does it have an outside temperature gauge?! It looks like at least a 100 mail box truck, maybe a 75’ cliff-er...

Buddy just bought an old 90s taco 4x4 with 200k... we took it up a roughish trail with kids loaded in the back and it ran like a champ! The technology was only slightly older than my 2017 Tundra... It even has a TAPE DECK! Why didn’t my truck come with one? Hehe

 

I was looking for used 3rd gen expecting better pricing, shopped around for a few weeks then decided to look for new out of the area. After I bought new and a few thousand miles, I could've traded the Tundra in for the sale price, give a couple hundred dollars. I'm unsure what my truck's value is now but I plan on keeping it for a very long time.

 

When I was looking at trucks and had decided on a tundra I found a 2016 with some obvious cosmetic issues - scratched up and dingged up inside and out. Not sure how the engine was maintained. I think it had 18k on it and they were asking 30k-ish. I could have probably gotten them down to 28 or so, but I’m glad I bought new. It was a little under 1/3 less for the used one, there’s some savings there, but again I’m glad I got the 2017 with just about everything I wanted - and I’m the first owner, so I know it’s history pretty well