Base OR Loaded????

How Will You Take It???

My question for today does not have anything to do with baked potatoes or speakers.  I am talking about cars.  Follow me for just a minute.  When looking at vehicles are you mostly interested in the basic model or do you need every gadget you can possibly have?  Or does this question even come up for you?

Let's look at a couple of examples of where this idea comes to play.  Take the Ford F150 XL as an example.  By itself this vehicle as a base has no frills and manual everything.  So this truck is just a work truck.  Nothing special  But it does get the job done.  

Ford F150 XL - NO FRILLS-

 

 

The King Ranch F150 is a different story.  This truck has everything you can want and more.  In fact you will probably never use this as a work truck, it's too nice and flashy.  It's more of a status symbol.

Ford King Ranch F150- ALL FRILLS-

Okay let's look at one more example.  The Toyota Rav4 has 3 models, basic, sport and limited.  There are several differences between these models but all are interior extras.  

 

The Limited model has extras such as a navigation package, climate control and a smart key system.  

The first example with the Ford is a little more unusual in the fact that those are basically two totally different trucks.  My second example with the Rav4 is a little more common, as most cars are basically like this.  You can't really tell by looking at them what is the base or better model.

Does buying one over the other really make a difference?  Typically the only difference for you is the cost.  Which can range from a $20,000 difference as in the first example to the typical few thousand difference in the bottom example.  

Does it make a difference in resale?  Not really.  They will still be about even when it comes to resale value as well.  No loss, no gain between the two.

The only bonus that would ever come to my mind in the difference of the two is by purchasing the base model would be that there are less things to break!  While all the new gadgets are really cool and fun to use, there is more room for error.  Meaning if they break, it also might break your wallet!

So before you purchase consider your needs and if that navigation system is really worth an extra $2,000!  It may or may not be what you need.  After all there is something to be said for a Garmin!!