Don White wrote:
Well...I picked up the Ranger extended cab 'Sport' this morning, c/w 3.0
liter V6 and 5 speed OD automatic.
I took the snap on tonneau cover and the step up rails as my free
accessory choice. I had them install a box liner....
Salesman indicated I might be responsible for refinishing box at turn in
time if it got too banged/scratched up.
Got a bit lucky playing.. 'Make a deal'. I won $500.00 by picking the
right briefcase and not taking a chance on trying to increase by chosing
another.
Can't wait till I hitch the sailboat to the truck and head for the water.

Well congrats!

Yesterday was new car day for SWMBO around here. (Next time hybrids
come up for discussion I'll have some first hand experiences to
report),

I concur with the remarks, down thread, that this is the proper time to
apply any bedliners, undercoats, etc. If you apply these coatings over
a surface where rust has started up, there's a chance the rust might
just continue its dirty work under the plastic or tar.

Interesting that you opted for a lease. We were prepared to write a
check for the wife's new ride, but opted for a "single payment" lease
instead. We wrote a check for 20% of the price of the car, turned in
the Subaru, and our lease payment each month for the next three years
is $0.00. The cost of money on this deal was less than 2%, even when
factoring in that when leasing one does not get the tax credit normally
offered to buyers of hybrids. Seemed like a no-brainer, as if we simply
leave the money in savings it will earn more in interest than it is
costing to (in effect) "finance" the balloon payment (residual). The
other reason I thought a lease made sense was the "new technology"
aspect of the vehicle. Those of us who remember the "new technology" of
the GM diesels from the early 80's know what can happen to resale if
public sentiment turns against a new system or something else
unforeseen (like a revolutionary improvement) occurs. I can remember
driving around trying to wholesale 2 and 3 year old Oldsmobile and
Cadillac diesel trade-ins and getting offers like "$500. I've got a
back row full of them already!" It was tough to make a deal when the
buyers, even in those days, still owed $10,000 on a $500 car.

Consumer Reports just stated that the vehicle we purhcased was among
the 2 or 3 "most reliable" vehicles introduced in 2005 as 2006 models,
but if that doesn't turn out to be the case and resale value drops to
some ridiculously low figure, we can always turn it in and our
depreciation will be limited to the difference between what we paid and
the (in effect) "guaranteed resale value" provided by the residual.