Buying a new truck ? Times have changed.

[Jstpssng]

Maybe affordability is in the eye of the beholder, but my recollection is that even a Honda subcompact was pushing $20k around middle Tennessee when I was car shopping last year.

There's a slight difference between 20 and 70K. Somebody mentioned they just bought a new car for $14,000.
That has me thinking about a new car again, as what I've been finding used is worn out or over 10K for something 5 years old and beyond the mileage warranty.

Automatic has been standard for a very long time as many simply not good at shifting gears.

I must be the last person that likes a work truck without carpet...

Automatics have become better than manuals in a lot of ways. For decades they have had a larger towing capacity, and with an eight or ten speed transmission they work pretty well. Of course it also costs about 5 grand when they go, but by then should have over 100K miles on them.

I prefer carpet because it dries easier. Especially in winter you are bound to get moisture working it's way down through the cracks, and once the mats mildew it's almost impossible to get the stench out. I do put rubber mats over the carpet which are easy to take out and clean, and let the air to the carpet.

 

[newbury]

If time was in my side I would have ordered.

It took me about a year of determined looking to buy my Wife's 2019 Escape.
/edit but when we finally bought it it was an end-of-the year with options discounted down about $10K

Cheapest gas anywhere here is still $5.

$3.39 yesterday in Fulton.

Diesel still over $6 today.

$4.59 yesterday in Fulton.

 

[5030]

I wanted but I'm told they will be retrofitted when parts become available.

Kind of like the Takata air bag fiasco. We keep getting notices to have it replaced at the dealer but when I ask the dealer about it, they have never seen any replacements. So far neither vehicles have had exploding air bags.

 

[deserteagle71]

Kind of like the Takata air bag fiasco. We keep getting notices to have it replaced at the dealer but when I ask the dealer about it, they have never seen any replacements. So far neither vehicles have had exploding air bags.

Yup. Got a good friend with a 2017 Chevy Bolt (EV) he bought new. Two years ago he was contacted by GM and told to park the car away from his buildings because there was a good possibility the battery could catch fire. They would contact him when a replacement battery was available. Despite numerous phone calls to GM he is still waiting for his replacement battery.

 

[JasperFrank]

As was said in the Vid link posted, THERE ARE HUGE INVENTORIES. They are just sitting on large lots being metered out to auction because Banks don't want to collapse the market. It is the De Beers model of limiting the market. Yes, these are used vehicles. But they are used because buyers walked on their payments. They bought vehicles they couldn't afford. And dealerships played along.
Last auction I was at, they only had a few junkers up for bid. But look at this lot. You can't see it from ground level as they have put up high fencing to block anyone from seeing just how many vehicles they are withholding.

 

[ultrarunner]

Kind of like the Takata air bag fiasco. We keep getting notices to have it replaced at the dealer but when I ask the dealer about it, they have never seen any replacements. So far neither vehicles have had exploding air bags.

It took two months for Toyota and a couple of years for BMW.

BMW said not to operate until replaced???

Anyway, had both replaced and on the way out the air back light came on... good, I'm going to have it replaced today...

Airbags replaced, light still on... told I would need to bring it back and pay 2 hours estimated diagnostic time at $225 an hour in order to have an estimate to turn out the light... when pushed was told it could be very expensive!

 

[5030]

It took two months for Toyota and a couple of years for BMW.

BMW said not to operate until replaced???

Anyway, had both replaced and on the way out the air back light came on... good, I'm going to have it replaced today...

Airbags replaced, light still on... told I would need to bring it back and pay 2 hours estimated diagnostic time at $225 an hour in order to have an estimate to turn out the light... when pushed was told it could be very expensive!

Remove the bulb, simple answer.

 

[RSKY]

Don't know how to tell anybody how to get cigarette smoke smell out of a vehicle. BUT when we had a skunk spray under our house we rented an ozone generator from Servpro. Supposed to clear the smoke smell from a 150,000 sq. ft. warehouse in 24 hours. Can't prove that but we ran that thing in every room in our house for a full day. It got rid of the smell. Was told to stay in the house no longer than 10-15 minutes when changing units location. At 15 minutes I would get a bad headache.

Sisters and I divided many quilts that my mother had made. They are stored in plastic containers, the black ones with yellow tops that you get from Lowes or Home Depot. I ordered charcoal filled bags from Amazon that we placed in each container to remove the musty smell from the quilts. It seems to be working. So when I left the windows down on my truck and it came a small flood I put several of the bags in the truck to remove the wet puppy smell. It seems to be working there too.

RSKY

 

[bdhsfz6]

Remove the bulb, simple answer.

Even simpler, cover the dash light with a piece of black tape.

 

[Oaktree]

The biggest aggravation with new trucks is that you cannot buy a simple farm truck anywhere today, they are all loaded with comfort features and options to out-compete the neighbour’s new truck and as a result are $50K +. One should be able to buy a bare bones F150 4WD with manual everything and a simple paint and trim package for half of what most are selling for these days. There is a reason they are selling so many trucks with all the custom trim packages, the profit is incredible. Be a cold day down under before I buy a new truck at these inflated prices, in the last couple of years even clapped out 10 yr old trucks are selling for crazy money. I will keep my ‘06 for a while yet.

I doubt there's much demand for el-strippo vehicles of any type these days, including trucks. Personally, I don't have much use for a lot of that stuff either (I'd even skip A/C if it was possible...rarely if ever use it). Do any still come with a bench seat? I hate consoles, especially the huge ones today's vehicles have. Even hard to find something with just the extended cab, don't really have a need for a back seat in a truck, rather have a larger bed but apparently that's not what's selling anymore.
I do like that modern trucks ride better and give better gas mileage than in years past.

Trucks aren't even marketed as work vehicles anymore. Look at the ads on tv...they all show trucks climbing over boulders, splashing thru puddles, etc., an application I'd say very few customers actually use them for. Why? Who knows, must work or they wouldn't do it.

Trying for a Tundra. Bigger truck and cheaper than the Tacoma. I don't have 5030 money. Cannot buy a Ford and then buy a new one every few years. Toyota has a better reliability history. Every brand has good and bad years and individual units that buck trends both directions, but I always play the better odds.

I dunno, I've never thought of toyota as a serious truck maker...yeah it's a market segment they need to be in, but their trucks are mediocre and they don't update them very often. As far as "reliability" goes, meh, just shows the power of marketing. I don't see a large number of old ones on the road.
Lots of way better choices IMHO.