The old TV commercial where the oil filter technician said “You can pay me now or pay me later,” implies that saving a little money up-front
might cost much more in the long run. This advice applies on a much larger scale when considering the acquisition of new vehicles. If one only considers the up-front acquisition costs, a shortsighted choice can lead to significantly higher costs during the life of a vehicle.
Comparing the time to break even for various equipment options on an otherwise identical truck is a common form of cost analysis, but limiting this comparison to the direct costs and benefits of an option might not provide the entire story.