Who can afford a new truck anymore?

[Duwop]

"Affording it is not the problem. It's convincing myself it's a good use of funds that holds me back."

I felt the pain, I stood in the dealership looking out the window and said to the Sales Manager " this is plum stupid crazy" my 96 F150 XL plain basic work truck cost $14,300 in 95. It has 201k and has begun to cost more to keep. I convinced myself base on life of 96 that this new one would be my last. If the new one serves me as well as the 96 I will be 73 in 20 years or so and should at that time give up driving, good Lord willing.

 

[Duwop]

"Affording it is not the problem. It's convincing myself it's a good use of funds that holds me back."

I felt the pain, I stood in the dealership looking out the window and said to the Sales Manager " this is plum stupid crazy" my 96 F150 XL plain basic work truck cost $14,300 in 95. It has 201k and has begun to cost more to keep. I convinced myself base on life of 96 that this new one would be my last. If the new one serves me as well as the 96 I will be 73 in 20 years or so and should at that time give up driving, good Lord willing.

 

[murphy1244]

"Affording it is not the problem. It's convincing myself it's a good use of funds that holds me back."

I felt the pain, I stood in the dealership looking out the window and said to the Sales Manager " this is plum stupid crazy" my 96 F150 XL plain basic work truck cost $14,300 in 95. It has 201k and has begun to cost more to keep. I convinced myself base on life of 96 that this new one would be my last. If the new one serves me as well as the 96 I will be 73 in 20 years or so and should at that time give up driving, good Lord willing.

My Mother still drives and she's 84.

 

[Duwop]

Murph, that's great your mom is doing so well, unfortunately I don't see myself in that shape and I'd like to add that where I live I see to many elderly on the road that are hazards to themselves and others. I plan to remove myself at the time I pull out and putt well below posted speed and develop the lean, when your car veers to which ever side side your head leans to. We don't have safe shoulders here and to many crash after leaning to far either way. Best to your mom.

 

[houstonscott]

Funny how no one has mentioned or appears to know why a new vehicle is so expensive. Ever thought about what your money is worth compared to 10 years ago ? Well 10 years ago people were complaining about the $30k price tag on a decent new truck. And 10 years from now, they will be complaining about $120K trucks. Its all planned to payback all the loans other countries (one mainly) have made to us in cheaper dollars. Loans we need because we don't live within our means, pay people to not work have children for profit and fight other people's battles using fair warfare instead of brutal warfare. So what. Instead of partying in school, I reached for good grades, applied for a collage scholarship at a school far away from home, studied long and hard nights, got a rewarding job, saved a lot of money, no expensive vacations or divorces, kids earned their way, and I invested wisely with professional money managers. Now, my 401k is my IRA and the only source of income other than some chump change from Social Security. My IRA still earns enough to buy a new truck of my choosing every month if I wish. But, I drive used cars and a truck. Buy lots of cool factor stuff at flea markets and estate sales and am enjoying the un-wasted fruits of my career. So keep buying all that cheap foreign crap and get your kids fully indentured into this Chinese colony. And be sure to applaud that new double minimum wage. Same work for same job. Now that's great for the value of money, eh? I suggest you buy at least one wheel barrow and keep it safe in the garage or basement. You will need it in a few years to take a load of paper money to the store to buy a loaf of bread, just like my great grandparents did. I need to go out now to buy a $5.00 3/4 size Hershey bar for desert while they last....

Well said. HS

 

[dave1949]

My Mother still drives and she's 84.

What kind of truck is she driving?

My Mom is 88 and she drives still. From behind you'd swear you are following a driverless vehicle since her head is below the seat top.

 

[gary49]

My mother is 88 and still drives. She got a speeding ticket a couple of years ago.

 

[RalphVa]

I can afford one, but none made that I currently want to replace my 10 year old Taco. Actually wish we'd kept the 1996 Taco, as we liked it far better. This one has nicer mirrors and easier to use tonneau cover.

Where are the hybrids? Where are the all electric ones? Congress needs to get ultra tough and raise the fuel CAFEs on trucks and SUVs to require these (and diesels).

We could do fine with an all electric one.

Ralph

 

[buickanddeere]

I can afford one, but none made that I currently want to replace my 10 year old Taco. Actually wish we'd kept the 1996 Taco, as we liked it far better. This one has nicer mirrors and easier to use tonneau cover.

Where are the hybrids? Where are the all electric ones? Congress needs to get ultra tough and raise the fuel CAFEs on trucks and SUVs to require these (and diesels).

We could do fine with an all electric one.

Ralph

The hybrids and electric are not not on the market for a reason. Only the Eco green zealots buy them for status or they sincerely think they are so important that thier green mobile will affect the earth all on it's own and make a difference .
Hybrid vehicles cost more to design, more to build,more to sell and more to service . I just read about a whole bunch of people saying that vehicles are already too $$$.
Electric doesn't work because it doesn't work. The huge $$$ battery pack in a Chevy Volt for instance gives the range that 1-1/2 goons of gasoline would.
There just is not the energy storage density in batteries that there is in diesel or gasoline .

 

[buickanddeere]

I can afford one, but none made that I currently want to replace my 10 year old Taco. Actually wish we'd kept the 1996 Taco, as we liked it far better. This one has nicer mirrors and easier to use tonneau cover.

Where are the hybrids? Where are the all electric ones? Congress needs to get ultra tough and raise the fuel CAFEs on trucks and SUVs to require these (and diesels).

We could do fine with an all electric one.

Ralph

The hybrids and electric are not not on the market for a reason. Only the Eco green zealots buy them for status or they sincerely think they are so important that thier green mobile will affect the earth all on it's own and make a difference .
Hybrid vehicles cost more to design, more to build,more to sell and more to service . I just read about a whole bunch of people saying that vehicles are already too $$$.
Electric doesn't work because it doesn't work. The huge $$$ battery pack in a Chevy Volt for instance gives the range that 1-1/2 goons of gasoline would.
There just is not the energy storage density in batteries that there is in diesel or gasoline .