Who can afford a new truck anymore?

[4570Man]

My Grandpa paid 10,000 for his first house on 10 acres of land.

 

[TomSeller]

My Grandpa paid 10,000 for his first house on 10 acres of land.

These days you need that much for transaction, moving, closing

 

[ultrarunner]

Just ordered a new RAM 2500 crew cab short bed fully loaded. My dad told me his first house cost less then my truck. I'm hoping to keep this one for a long time as long as I don't have too many problems with it down the road.

By your avatar... I can see you keep vehicles a very long time~!

My first home cost 15k in 1983 and my next home was $11,500 in 1984.... both in Oakland California... and back then I was driving and today still own the $800 used car I bought in 1982.... a then ten year old 1972 Plymouth Valiant.

 

[KiwiBro]

By your avatar... I can see you keep vehicles a very long time~!

My first home cost 15k in 1983 and my next home was $11,500 in 1984.... both in Oakland California... and back then I was driving and today still own the $800 used car I bought in 1982.... a then ten year old 1972 Plymouth Valiant.

A very good onya from down here on the other side of the world.
The debt-fuelled hedonism of too many of the people I encounter every day here in NZ and from what I can see in many other countries, is putting those countries sovereignty and future generations at great risk.

 

[TomSeller]

A very good onya from down here on the other side of the world.
The debt-fuelled hedonism of too many of the people I encounter every day here in NZ and from what I can see in many other countries, is putting those countries sovereignty and future generations at great risk.

Correct. Too many seem to need the latest and greatest when what they have will do just fine by the end of the day at the fraction of the cost of new. I begrudgingly am in a 2009 daily driver (wife's hand me down). Fancy compared to previous 1996 Cadillac. My pickup is a 1999 F250 and my newest tractor was made in 2006. My oldest tractor dates to 1954. I don't have to have new, I like paid for and proven.

 

[ultrarunner]

A very good onya from down here on the other side of the world.
The debt-fuelled hedonism of too many of the people I encounter every day here in NZ and from what I can see in many other countries, is putting those countries sovereignty and future generations at great risk.

If I ever have the chance to visit New Zealand I will try to look up the 1968 Mustang I restored for my brother and the one he made his driving test when he was 16...

He owned it 25 years, with the last few not being used much... family and commitments made the Mustang too small.

When he finally decided the smart thing would be to sell... it went to a gentleman from New Zealand... I did try to contact with no answer... it was a good, rust free California car with options like factory A/C

Car and total restoration cost $3,000 back then with the motor and trans I rebuilt, paint, upholstery, etc... I think he sold it for $7500...

Maybe today's high priced trucks will be looked back as bargains 25 years from now?

 

[KiwiBro]

Maybe today's high priced trucks will be looked back as bargains 25 years from now?

That's a scary thought.

 

[ultrarunner]

That's a scary thought.

I'm seeing the stage set for massive inflation.... just too many dollars out their and it seems the government with quantitative easing has planned all along to inflate our way to prosperity...

With few exceptions... prices continue to rise and homes prices here are up 50 to 100% from 4 years ago... medical, insurance, etc...

 

[buickanddeere]

I envy you folk who live where salt is not spread on the roads. Then again we don't have fire ants either.

 

[KiwiBro]

I'm seeing the stage set for massive inflation

A few years ago, I would have agreed. Now, I'm not so sure.

 

[KiwiBro]

I envy you folk who live where salt is not spread on the roads. Then again we don't have fire ants either.

Only a week or two ago some parts of the country down South were hitting record lows (and panel-beaters record highs). Here in the North of the country, we got a few frosts that killed off about a dozen of my tamarillos, darn it.

No fire ants, termites nor nasty snakes. Plenty of sheep to...ummmm...shear. Fishing and hunting is pretty good.

But we drive on the wrong side of the road and our cheese tastes funny.

 

[buickanddeere]

Only a week or two ago some parts of the country down South were hitting record lows (and panel-beaters record highs). Here in the North of the country, we got a few frosts that killed off about a dozen of my tamarillos, darn it.

No fire ants, termites nor nasty snakes. Plenty of sheep to...ummmm...shear. Fishing and hunting is pretty good.

But we drive on the wrong side of the road and our cheese tastes funny.

The Land of Kiwi is on our to do list. We have a friend on the South Island we are supposed to visit and stay at her place. She was up her for a week last year and we toured around looking at anything of interest.
Our Pine River Cheese is among the better dairy products on the market.

 

[KiotiKowboy]

A few years ago, I would have agreed. Now, I'm not so sure.

Our economy is held up by smoke and mirrors. There is NO possible way it will not collapse. The national debt, stated around $18T, is actually many times higher - just off the books. Inflation is running much higher than claimed - they changed the formula, much like with unemployment. Entitlements are completely out of control. The interest on our debt is consuming more and more of our resource. Only an idiot would say the national debt will EVER be repaid.

The can has been kicked down the road so many times, we've reached the end of that road. MAJOR trouble is ahead.

 

[KiwiBro]

Our economy is held up by smoke and mirrors. There is NO possible way it will not collapse. The national debt, stated around $18T, is actually many times higher - just off the books. Inflation is running much higher than claimed - they changed the formula, much like with unemployment. Entitlements are completely out of control. The interest on our debt is consuming more and more of our resource. Only an idiot would say the national debt will EVER be repaid.

The can has been kicked down the road so many times, we've reached the end of that road. MAJOR trouble is ahead.

Amen.
It's been a fascinating and highly frustrating watch over the last few years. Every time I have felt like it can't possibly continue, it does. The way I see it, great octopuses are locked in a battle where the chances of all parties dying from their injuries before sucking the life out of the others are pretty high. If one prevails, it will be a hollow victory and take decades to recover from.

 

[houstonscott]

Our economy is held up by smoke and mirrors. There is NO possible way it will not collapse. The national debt, stated around $18T, is actually many times higher - just off the books. Inflation is running much higher than claimed - they changed the formula, much like with unemployment. Entitlements are completely out of control. The interest on our debt is consuming more and more of our resource. Only an idiot would say the national debt will EVER be repaid. The can has been kicked down the road so many times, we've reached the end of that road. MAJOR trouble is ahead.

The only question is when, 2022 is when it starts getting real interesting, can't cover it up after that, have to start taxing bigger, cutting benefits and government, or all three. At this point I can't wait! Melt it down. Like to see a nation with post office and military and not much more. HS

 

[houstonscott]

Our economy is held up by smoke and mirrors. There is NO possible way it will not collapse. The national debt, stated around $18T, is actually many times higher - just off the books. Inflation is running much higher than claimed - they changed the formula, much like with unemployment. Entitlements are completely out of control. The interest on our debt is consuming more and more of our resource. Only an idiot would say the national debt will EVER be repaid. The can has been kicked down the road so many times, we've reached the end of that road. MAJOR trouble is ahead.

The only question is when, 2022 is when it starts getting real interesting, can't cover it up after that, have to start taxing bigger, cutting benefits and government, or all three. At this point I can't wait! Melt it down. Like to see a nation with post office and military and not much more. HS

 

[MossRoad]

The only question is when, 2022 is when it starts getting real interesting, can't cover it up after that, have to start taxing bigger, cutting benefits and government, or all three. At this point I can't wait! Melt it down. Like to see a nation with post office and military and not much more. HS

Yeah, we certainly don't need any streets or sewers or police and stuff like that.

 

[MossRoad]

The only question is when, 2022 is when it starts getting real interesting, can't cover it up after that, have to start taxing bigger, cutting benefits and government, or all three. At this point I can't wait! Melt it down. Like to see a nation with post office and military and not much more. HS

Yeah, we certainly don't need any streets or sewers or police and stuff like that.

 

[RollingsFarms]

Yeah, we certainly don't need any streets or sewers or police and stuff like that.

The ironic thing is we pay more in taxes now than we ever have and our streets are in horrible shape.

 

[MossRoad]

The ironic thing is we pay more in taxes now than we ever have and our streets are in horrible shape.

Yep. There was a story on the news just tonight about that and talk of raising the gasoline tax. Some study said the raise in taxes would be less to the average person than the damage done to their cars by driving on bad roads on an annual basis.... I kinda think they're taking some averages there. Like one person getting a thousand bucks in damage will offset 10 people paying $100 more per year in gas tax. Anyhow, no free lunch... or roads.