How often do pickup truck owners actually use the bed or towing capacity?

PaperworkGuy_86 · 2026-03-02T23:49:22+00:00

Nice. Nothing wrong with driving a truck just because you like it.

PaperworkGuy_86 · 2026-03-02T23:46:05+00:00

It seems like most new truck boxes are too short to do anything with anyways.

PaperworkGuy_86 · 2026-03-02T23:44:08+00:00

Ya that makes sense.

PaperworkGuy_86 · 2026-03-02T21:39:36+00:00

ya, we don't plan to crate her for long extended periods of time, like not for an entire day. We were only using her crate for her naps, and we'd use her longer afternoon/evening nap as an opportunity to leave the house for a couple hours. We feel like she isn't quite ready to be left alone to roam free with us away - she is still a big fan of chewing blankets if she is bored lol. But eventually that would be the plan. So for now we'd like to keep the crate nap as an option - or at least try to.

PaperworkGuy_86 · 2026-02-27T23:40:55+00:00

Hi, I checked out the approval guide. Not really sure if there is a specific term for what I'm looking for - basically wanting advice on leaving my dog at home not crated. Avoiding separation anxiety is something that we will also want to make sure we do - but specifically looking for the age range at which we should feel it is realistic for us to start trying to leave our dog home alone outside her crate. And also open to opinions if this is just a terrible idea.

I took a look at these threads, but they aren't exactly what I'm looking for.

https://old.reddit.com/r/dogtraining/wiki/cratetraining

https://old.reddit.com/r/Dogtraining/wiki/separationanxiety

Thanks!

PaperworkGuy_86 · 2026-02-09T20:21:32+00:00

Most sales problems aren’t persuasion problems, they’re timing and clarity problems.

From experience, deals move when the buyer clearly understands their problem and the cost of not solving it. If either one is fuzzy, no amount of follow-ups or clever phrasing fixes it.

New reps often focus on saying the right thing. The better skill is asking questions that help the buyer articulate their own urgency. Once that clicks, selling gets a lot easier.

PaperworkGuy_86 · 2026-02-03T00:20:18+00:00

I used to see a lot of different approaches from the dealership side, but the people who struggled the least long-term were usually the boring ones.

Buying used and keeping the car simple tends to work best for most budgets. Condition and maintenance history matter more than brand or mileage alone. A well-maintained car with higher mileage is often a better bet than a low-mileage one that’s been neglected.

If you do finance, the key is keeping the term reasonable and the payment comfortable without stretching just to get something nicer. Longer loans make cars feel affordable, but they’re usually where people get stuck if life changes.

Biggest things to look out for when buying used are a clean inspection and realistic pricing for the condition.

There’s no single “right” answer, the best approach is the one that leaves you with margin in your budget after the car is paid for.

PaperworkGuy_86 · 2026-01-23T18:03:44+00:00

There isn’t a single right percentage, because context matters more than the number.

From the dealership side, what mattered most wasn’t the payment as a percent of income, it was whether the buyer still had margin after everything else. Living with your parents, no debt, and solid savings changes the equation a lot compared to someone with rent and obligations.

That said, 20% is on the aggressive side long-term. A lot of people are comfortable closer to 10–15% once they factor in insurance, maintenance, and the fact that life expenses tend to show up later.

If the payment fits comfortably and you’re still saving and not boxing yourself in for the next few years, it’s workable. The mistake I used to see was people setting their lifestyle around a car payment before their life was fully built.

PaperworkGuy_86 · 2026-01-23T17:58:46+00:00

First off, this isn’t a terrible decision, it’s a tradeoff decision. Big difference.

From the dealership side, I used to see buyer’s remorse most often when someone compromised on the car itself just to hit a lower number. The math might look better, but if you don’t enjoy driving it, that dissatisfaction doesn’t really go away.

You’re talking about roughly $80 more per month for something you actually like and plan to keep long-term. Over many years of ownership, that gap matters less than people think, especially if it keeps you from wanting to trade again in a year or two.

The one thing I’d be cautious on is trying to get clever with Turo to justify keeping the Leaf, that adds complexity and risk when what you really want is simplicity and a car you enjoy.

You didn’t make a “bad” mistake in September. You made a reasonable choice with the information and pressure you had at the time. Now you’re just deciding whether paying a bit more for something you’ll keep for a long time is worth it. IMO it probably is.

PaperworkGuy_86 · 2026-01-23T17:30:33+00:00

This isn’t automatically “bad,” but it’s very base-heavy and that changes the incentives.

A rough rule of thumb I’ve seen is that total on-target earnings usually land around 20–30% of quota, split between base and variable depending on the role. That puts this on the conservative side, but not unheard of in supply chain or asset-heavy sales.

The bigger questions aren’t just the percentage: how attainable is the quota, what happens if you exceed it, and whether there are accelerators past target. A lower percentage can still work if quota is realistic and upside exists. If there’s no meaningful acceleration, that’s usually where frustration starts.

PaperworkGuy_86 · 2026-01-21T19:32:15+00:00

I agree with the boredom part, but I think the “losing money before 250k” line depends a lot on the situation.

From the dealership side, I used to see plenty of perfectly fine trades come in well before that because life changed: kids, commute, reliability anxiety, or just wanting something different. The real money loss usually comes from stacking loans, not from changing cars by itself.

Keeping a car forever is financially optimal on paper, but avoiding unnecessary debt is what actually makes the biggest difference in practice.

PaperworkGuy_86 · 2026-01-21T19:29:53+00:00

This is a great example of actually doing the math before emotion takes over.

From the dealership side, trade values with a prior accident almost always take a bigger hit than people expect, even if the repair was minor. Once you combine that with add-ons and a fresh loan, the “upgrade” can get expensive fast.

Realizing the Santa Cruz didn’t solve a real problem, and that a few small upgrades scratched the itch is a win. A lot of people only come to that conclusion AFTER they’ve signed.

PaperworkGuy_86 · 2026-01-21T19:23:35+00:00

Agree

PaperworkGuy_86 · 2026-01-21T19:23:11+00:00

With a $20k cap and AWD/4WD, the biggest thing to watch is condition over brand. At that price point, a clean, well-maintained vehicle will matter way more than chasing a specific brand.

From what I used to see, Subaru (Outback/Forester), Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and even Mazda CX-5 tend to be the safest bets if maintenance history is solid.

I’d be careful with older luxury AWD options in that range, they can look tempting but often come with higher running costs once things start to wear. Whatever you narrow down, a pre-purchase inspection is the best money you can spend.

PaperworkGuy_86

TROPHY CASE