New truck #@$%@#&

[DieselBound]

Some "nicities" are good to have. I don't have any power window issues with my cars (now 15 and 18 years old). I also would have liked to have crank windows (had them in my old F250), but with our new dog/puppy who really likes to go for rides I find that being able to adjust windows up and down from the driver's seat is a huge plus: my "new" truck (94 Ram 2500) also has power windows (my old truck, 93 F250, did not- and the driver's window started to have difficulties).

I do not discount every techy thing. I believe that "hands-free" phone operation is a good thing. I customized my 18 year-old car such that I have an in-dash docking station for my phone (phone and head unit are Android): no plugging and unplugging, no phone mount/cradle, no wires hanging about; a direct connection means that the phone charges (can't do via BT); I have phone, music and map functions this way,. all via a larger screen on the stereo head unit. Heck, I even have a BT head unit in my NX!

Yes, when things don't work or stop working it's a pain. But for me, as I build and maintain most of my stuff, it's not quite so bad because I KNOW how it operates, I know how to troubleshoot and repair. Others might not have the time, patience, tools and or knowledge to do the same.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Some "nicities" are good to have. I don't have any power window issues with my cars (now 15 and 18 years old). I also would have liked to have crank windows (had them in my old F250), but with our new dog/puppy who really likes to go for rides I find that being able to adjust windows up and down from the driver's seat is a huge plus: my "new" truck (94 Ram 2500) also has power windows (my old truck, 93 F250, did not- and the driver's window started to have difficulties).

I do not discount every techy thing. I believe that "hands-free" phone operation is a good thing. I customized my 18 year-old car such that I have an in-dash docking station for my phone (phone and head unit are Android): no plugging and unplugging, no phone mount/cradle, no wires hanging about; a direct connection means that the phone charges (can't do via BT); I have phone, music and map functions this way,. all via a larger screen on the stereo head unit. Heck, I even have a BT head unit in my NX!

Yes, when things don't work or stop working it's a pain. But for me, as I build and maintain most of my stuff, it's not quite so bad because I KNOW how it operates, I know how to troubleshoot and repair. Others might not have the time, patience, tools and or knowledge to do the same.

Good points. Some don't understand manual windows and transmissions drive up production cost.

 

[Jstpssng]

I really don't care what the method is, as long as the windows go up and down. It is rather nice though to be able to crack a window for the dog, or open the passenger window at an intersection when it's frosted up, to ensure that no traffic is coming.

 

[3930dave]

Your two main points go hand in hand. Many people buy and finance a much more vehicle than they need, only to find that those bells and whistles don't make the car last any longer. So when they are upside down on an auto that is starting to go to pieces they find a dealer who will simply roll their current debt into a new car and out the door they go again. That jacks the prices up for everybody. I believe that our current auto loan situation will cause the next financial crisis.
The real reason that it's hard to find a stripped down version is because the dealers don't keep them in stock; and most people A) don't want to wait 6 months for their new car and B) really think that they "need" that automatic braking so that they don't need to pay attention to their driving.
It's been my general observation that no matter how much or how little I put for a down payment; that's what the vehicle will be worth by the time I pay it off.

A neighbour knows someone fairly high up in Finance at Honda Canada. They told him that they could sell lots more cars, if only they could find more people to qualify for loans..... a high percentage of applicants are in such bad shape after cycling through a few cars, and are so far underwater, that Honda won't authorize another loan.

The #'s out of consumer non-mortgage debt reports have been very scary, for quite some time.....

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

Good points. Some don't understand manual windows and transmissions drive up production cost.

Who pays ? ..... always the battle.....

My issue with production "optimizations" is when they drive up my ownership costs.... recognizing that many people don't hang onto vehicles as long as I do. Changing front wheel hubs on a truck has about a 10 to 1 price ratio, compared to tapered roller bearings.... just one example.

Modern auto manufacturing is more about integrating larger and larger sub-systems... the more that they can get done out-of-house, the faster their line-speed becomes...... the problem sets in with the reduced repair granularity........ really sucks to be handed the bill on a not-very-old vehicle that needs the entire electric steering rack replaced just because one torque/angle sensor is acting up on the rack.

I understand why some electric-window regulators today are made out of what I refer to as "dental-floss and tinfoil"..... saves material cost, and takes weight out of the vehicle....... down south, those may even last a while, but up here in ice-storm country, many don't last long. Agreed, when working, they are convenient.

Automatics - need more frequent fluid/filter changes than many people think, compared to traditional manual gear-boxes. Not that big a deal - service it yourself, pay to get it done, or just ignore the issue <- what a lot of people do. Here in salt country, auto trani lines also add points of failure - they rot and leak. I'm aware that few people are interested in driving stick today...... makes me appreciate the vehicle manuf that still offer 'em even more.....

Rgds, D.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

A neighbour knows someone fairly high up in Finance at Honda Canada. They told him that they could sell lots more cars, if only they could find more people to qualify for loans..... a high percentage of applicants are in such bad shape after cycling through a few cars, and are so far underwater, that Honda won't authorize another loan.

The #'s out of consumer non-mortgage debt reports have been very scary, for quite some time.....

Rgds, D.

It is wild out there. When I picked up our 2010 F150 this summer one sales person said the one that traded it in was upside down by $11K and another said $14K so it was hard closing the sale for a 2017 used car because of that factor. From the carfax she had only owned it for one year. Some must be really over paying for used vehicles then after they bruise them up some the trade in value is next to nothing compared to what they paid it seems often is the case. I am guessing in reality she overpaid the $11K-$14K that had to be borrowed to pay off the truck to close the car sell. It could take years of payments just to get out of the current upside down car deal.

 

[Jstpssng]

When people can't get a conventional loan anymore they go to the "buy here pay here" places, paying top dollar for bottom quality autos.

 

[Handloader109]

It is wild out there. When I picked up our 2010 F150 this summer one sales person said the one that traded it in was upside down by $11K and another said $14K so it was hard closing the sale for a 2017 used car because of that factor. From the carfax she had only owned it for one year. Some must be really over paying for used vehicles then after they bruise them up some the trade in value is next to nothing compared to what they paid it seems often is the case. I am guessing in reality she overpaid the $11K-$14K that had to be borrowed to pay off the truck to close the car sell. It could take years of payments just to get out of the current upside down car deal.

Wow, it is bad. I bought a fully equipped, top end leather, heated buttwiper f150 for $10,500 5 years ago. And while I know I had a deal, it ain't worth that today..... but I run them till wheels fall off. That's the issue, folks want new car and only look at the monthly payment, not the actual cost. And buy new which always loses 15 to 20 percent of its value in less than 6 months, NO matter the brand. Stupid. " Oh I got a steal, 10k off a 55k truck! " "Only 450 a month." Stupid

 

[Garandman]

We never owned a pickup nor in the market (we use a Silverado-based Tahoe for heaving Towing), but this article is noteworthy for how he roasts the new Silverado.

2019 Chevrolet Silverado: GM's Flagship Pickup Proves an All-Around Letdown

“Chevy half-assed the new Silverado. GM's franchise pickup truck is the most disappointing "all-new" vehicle I've driven this year. Aside from the utter face-plant of its styling, this Silverado reeks of cost-cutting and profit-padding. After two weeks in the Chevys embrace, I kept imagining a cigar-clouded boardroom atop GM headquarters in Detroit in which top executives said, The Silverado is good enough. Most of our loyal owners are not even looking at Ford or Ram. We own these guys. And let’s face it, if we were relying on profits from the Bolt, Volt, Dolt, whatever, we would all be out of work. We are going to mint money with this truck, and nobody is going to know the difference.”

 

[Citydude]

We never owned a pickup nor in the market (we use a Silverado-based Tahoe for heaving Towing), but this article is noteworthy for how he roasts the new Silverado.

2019 Chevrolet Silverado: GM's Flagship Pickup Proves an All-Around Letdown

“Chevy half-assed the new Silverado. GM's franchise pickup truck is the most disappointing "all-new" vehicle I've driven this year. Aside from the utter face-plant of its styling, this Silverado reeks of cost-cutting and profit-padding. After two weeks in the Chevys embrace, I kept imagining a cigar-clouded boardroom atop GM headquarters in Detroit in which top executives said, The Silverado is good enough. Most of our loyal owners are not even looking at Ford or Ram. We own these guys. And let’s face it, if we were relying on profits from the Bolt, Volt, Dolt, whatever, we would all be out of work. We are going to mint money with this truck, and nobody is going to know the difference.”

Wow. I've never seen an auto critic be so critical.....kind of felt sorry for Chevy and I'm a Ford driver