GEN 2 Life and job change, do I keep the Raptor?

[BroncoAZ]

So, I’ve had my Raptor for a month and have put 700 miles on it, added a Diamondback HD cover, added PPF on the front end, ceramic coated, added E&G console safe, and bought the tire warranties from Discount for the stock tires. I don’t even have plates on the Raptor yet since buying it out of state. The truck is getting dialed in, but I haven’t started daily driving it yet as I still have my sedan and the wife still has her SUV (currently for sale).

Today I got a call about a job out of state that has been in the works for a year, awesome career opportunity in a great industry with room for growth, 50% more salary, comes with a company truck and gas card. I’m 99% sure I’m accepting the position and moving from AZ to MA in the next 6 weeks. My current job I’ve been at for 14 years is solid and predictable, but I’ve hit a ceiling on both salary and position, at 44 I’m not done growing.

I bought the Raptor because in AZ there are plenty of opportunities to use it properly, almost limitless places to offroad, explore, and camp within a day’s drive. With them giving me a company truck (probably a 3/4 ton 4x4 crew cab short bed) I’m not sure how much use the Raptor will see. I will be living at my family’s house on Cape Cod initially, so there is beach to drive on, but I’ll also have access to a boat full time and a Ford Expedition with a beach sticker. I’m not sure what the excursion opportunities are in MA/NH/VT area and if the Raptor makes sense or if I should sell it while it’s still basically as close to new as a used truck can be. If I move with the Raptor it will see a quick 5-10K miles between moving within AZ and the drive across country. Money isn’t the primary factor on the truck decision, but if I sold the truck and rented our current home I would essentially have no bills beyond utilities in the MA house.

Moving to MA posed other challenges related to my firearms and other logistics, but I think this career is worth those compromises. Other benefits include the fact that two of my best friends live within 30 miles of where I’ll be moving to, and my folks spend summers there. My wife’s career in AZ is solid but also somewhat stagnant, and the opportunities for her profession in MA are substantial. We could continue along just fine where we are, but I think this would make me happier long term and likely facilitate retirement sooner.

 

[Donmatteo]

You will want the raptor for the snow and ice

 

[CoronaRaptor]

Sell it and move on with your life. Can always get another one later on, if the desire is still there.

 

[GCATX]

Keep it. It's only going to go up in value if recent history continues.
I was the same age as you 5 years ago and in the same position of being at the end of the pay "schedule". Didn't have to physically move, but pivoted jobs within same industry, it's been awesome.
You are approaching your max earning years, you'll already be making 50% more off the bat. Raptors not going to go down much in value since you aren't gonna be racking up the miles, likely may go up some over the next year, given the inflation that's going to be coming eventually. lol.

 

[smurfslayer]

As someone with a couple/few years on you, I’ll chime in.

I lived my entire life in and around Washington, DC and have seen first hand what it’s like to live in an area that fosters and foments essentially total government control. MA, as you or anyone else knows, is what I like to call the most far left government in the galaxy. My former neighbor from the soviet union moved there, and fled to northern Virginia because ‘he left the frying pan for the fire’.

I fled the northern Virginia area this year and couldn’t be happier. Instead of worrying about inattentive cell yakkers piloting a 3500 pound rolling anvil pinballing between other vehicles on the road, I have to worry about the periodic bovine breakout and someone maybe going 63 in a 65 signed 2 lane country road.

I have had some business interests in and around Boston.

Humans were not meant to live in this climate. They have roof heaters to keep frozen precipitation from collapsing their roofs. <-- this is, what Drill Sergeant Booth referred to as “a clue”. I was there in April a couple years ago and they still had snow mountains in the parking lots. It was 72F outside.

It’s obviously going to depend on what makes you happy. You’ll definitely have fewer “Raptor” opportunities pretty much anywhere on the East Coast, mostly because it’s overbuilt, overcrowded and has fewer areas that are wide open - essentially none. There are areas to off road, but mostly public access, government regulated.

If you’re more comfortable in crowded cities / burbs, then you’ll be ok but if that isn’t your cup of tea, a better job opportunity may not be enough. Don’t try to talk yourself into this if you know, deep down that being surrounded by *****, commies who sympathize with the Tsarnaevs and routinely elect people with the last name “Kennedy” will grind on you daily. Or if knowing your neighbors will happily rat you out for grass that is 2-3 inches too tall for local regs, or you happen to like pronouncing the letter “R”.

You may need to sell the Raptor to afford a big and bad enough snowblower.

Good luck with your choice.

 

[Rednose]

If you will be making a 25% net profit over what you earned in your previous job ,I would say sell your raptor pay all your bank commitments and save for the Gen 3 by that time you would have an idea whether you will stay in the new job and state is all what you dreamed off or move to a new job and a new state were you can enjoy off-roading.
Good luck either ways with whatever option you go with.

 

[Bryantbjb]

I used to live in Mass and don’t ever want to go back. However, career opportunities, in this environment, mean something. Sell the Raptor and go.

 

[jabroni619]

Sell it, you bought it once you can buy it again if you decide you want another one. Especially if you’re earning more $$$

 

[BroncoAZ]

Base salary wise I'd be looking at a 78% increase, my current non guaranteed bonus is another 25% of my current salary making the net difference about 45%. I think the 401K match is also better. My wife would likely make 50-100% more there once she settled in. So in two years we'd probably increase our combined income by six figures or close to.

As far as current financial commitments go, we have about 38% equity in our current home in Flagstaff on a cheap 15 year mortgage. The market is generally pretty good and rentals seem to do well. My first thought is to rent our home so we have an appreciating asset over time and a place for retirement in AZ later. We could probably rent with a property management company and come close to breaking even or be out of pocket a few hundred a month. The only other debt is the Raptor, which I put 1/3 down on and could just about write a check for the rest today if I had to. We have no other debt. I would like to put more away for retirement going forward. We’re probably in a better position than many our age, but I’d like to retire comfortably by 65 if I can.

I've spent a bunch of time in MA in the summers for most of my life, so I already know the area and the politics. It will bother me some of the time, but I'll be working in a smaller company owned by a Trump supporter who loves guns. I’ll be living on Cape Cod in a non HOA neighborhood where my family has owned the home for ~20 years. There is enough parking for everything and nobody to complain as the neighbors are decent and mostly summer only. Eventually if everything works out I’d probably buy a home south shore. I spent a few summers working in South Dartmouth, there are some larger properties with space for a shop or barn. Gun wise I will have to figure out what I can actually take with me to MA, I know the AR’s and AK’s are right out so they will live at my folks house in AZ. I think there is a one time semi amnesty moving into the state for Glocks that you can technically own but couldn’t legally purchase in MA. I’ll have to purchase a bunch of 10 round mags and a new safe for the house there.

My wife and I have been discussing it for a couple hours and we’re feeling good about the decision. Still no decision on the Raptor, but I’m thinking we should keep her VW Touareg that I just listed for sale and sell my Passat instead. The Touareg is great in snow and can tow the boat.

 

[John813]

TORR seems to have quite a few events on the East coast, and just had an event at VIR.
So, while on a weekly basis there's less chances to use the Raptor, there's still places to use it.
Your salary will be increasing by quite a bit, but I assume the taxes will be more in Mass, but you still should be way ahead income wise.

I would keep it.