Buying a new truck ? Times have changed.

[Oaktree]

Be aware large inventory stocks are a thing of the past. Inventories cost money!

I wonder how long this will last. All it will take is one manufacturer to start increasing dealer inventories and the rest will jump on the bandwagon pretty fast. No one wants to lose a sale to a competitor because the competitor has a desirable vehicle in stock and they don't.
Maybe not the extreme inventories of years past, but I can't believe most car buyers are going to be content to have to order a vehicle and wait months to receive it.

 

[Egon]

I wonder how long this will last. All it will take is one manufacturer to start increasing dealer inventories and the rest will jump on the bandwagon pretty fast. No one wants to lose a sale to a competitor because the competitor has a desirable vehicle in stock and they don't.
Maybe not the extreme inventories of years past, but I can't believe most car buyers are going to be content to have to order a vehicle and wait months to receive it.

This would not be a case of delayed construction due to parts but Companies deciding on what and how many would sell and stockpiling a limited number at a central location. This stock would be replaced as deleted. It would keep a lot less inventory on the shelves.

 

[Torvy]

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.

That's why I ignore the marketing and the spoutings of individuals, I look at data. Consumer Reports collects that data and the Tundra outpaces all similar trucks in terms of reliability by a large margin.

Since I don't give a hoot about flashy updates or styling, Tundra works for me. Ford and Ram make good trucks if you only want them for the first few years. Both of them have individual vehicles that last, but on average they have more major issues than Toyota or Honda. The Honda is not good enough for off-road for me or I would look at them, too.

 

[ultrarunner]

Japanese pickups had a lot to overcome when introduced...

Starting being from Japan, cheaply made, etc...

What turned the tide was reliability and low cost of ownership.

Remember when in the 60's coach bought a Datsun pickup and it was very much the topic of conversation starting with WWII vets and Detroit for me...

The irony came later when Ford Courier was built by Mazda and Chevrolet Isuzu... and later GM and Toyota joint venture...

 

[Alien]

I bought a new Ford Ranger XLT 4x4 dual cab High Lift in July last year. I was lucky. It came into the dealer the day I saw it and the bloke that ordered it had changed his mind. It was the color I wanted too. They offered it to me for Au $61,000. I said if you make it $58,000 we have a deal. They settled on $58,500.
(US $40,426) and I drove it home 2 days later as they needed to prep it. Love the truck.
We pay much higher prices than you guys but today I can still get my full money back on the truck. I have 15,000 klm on it now and just had the first service.

Just for interest sakes, we do not have any rust problems here at all. UNLESS they have been driven on beaches.

 

[Hay Dude]

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.

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.

Toyota also owns Hino. They make some pretty serious commercial trucks.
Toyota also owns Aisin. They are well known for truck transmissions and driveline components.

I’d put Toyota equal to Ford on class 6 & 7 trucks. On full size pickups, Toyota still isn’t there.

 

[WVH1977]

Just bought this a month ago. 2003 F150, 4.2L, 8ft bed, 2wd, manual, roll-up windows, manual door locks, and 49,000 miles. A good friend told me if they ever sold it they would let me know. Paid cash for it. Never thought that would happen but they did. Perfect go getter truck and back and forth to work. Love the 8ft bed. Never thought I would like a basic truck but I am really happy with this. I got rid of a 2016 f150, 4 door, eco boost 2.7, 4x4 with payment for this. I never thought I would say this but the newer Fords to me feel plastic and cheap. I really did not like the 2016 and I have always been a Ford man.

I also had a 2019 f250, 4 door, 4wd, dealership bought back. Now I have a 2002 f250, v10, 4x4, Lariat with 35,000 miles. I went from searching for newer to older with low miles. I really like this truck and it should bring years of service.

 

[check]

Not buying a new truck for quite a while. Have a 2016 F150 XLT 4 x 4 with quite a few goodies. Will probably drive it into the ground.

 

[BoylermanCT]

I prefer to order my vehicles from the factory. That way I get the color I want, engine I want, options I want, and nothing I don't want. We just replaced my wife's SUV with a Chevy Silverado 1500. Ordered it on January 5, arrived April 30. Exactly as we wanted it. In the past I would settle for a vehicle that was on the lot that came closest to my wish list. Now I get everything on my wish list.

 

[Jstpssng]

I prefer to order my vehicles from the factory. That way I get the color I want, engine I want, options I want, and nothing I don't want. We just replaced my wife's SUV with a Chevy Silverado 1500. Ordered it on January 5, arrived April 30. Exactly as we wanted it. In the past I would settle for a vehicle that was on the lot that came closest to my wish list. Now I get everything on my wish list.

I'm surprised they let you order one. Every time that I've gone through the process it end with "Enter zip code so we can find one at your local dealer." It then comes up with "Similar Trucks" which may or may not be similar.

 

[Tomtint]

Masnufacturers are looking at the tesla business model. Very little on lot inventory and having the consumer build/order their vehicles online. Its a huge savings for the mfr. The dealer takes it on the chin. It in most cases, eliminates undesirable inventory sitting on lots for months and months only to be sold at a loss. Eliminates dealers paying floor plan money for stock, All but eliminates the price shopping. .. Also these dealers that were pushed into giant expenditures to build giant dealerships with acres and acres of parking... Now have nothing to park on them.. But still have the tax bills for that property. Expect to see your local Ford ,Chevy etc setting up small kiosks with 1-2 cars in local mall type places like Tesla does in the next 1-2 years... We ordered a Jeep Rubicon 392 in February from our local dealer..It showed up last week. First time in about 25 years I ordered and waited for a vehicle.

 

[bdhsfz6]

If everyone ordered a car / truck directly from the manufacturer with only the options they want, there wouldn't be a "chip" shortage.

Too many are wasted on features buyers don't want but must take because the ones they do want are part of an option package.

 

[Jstpssng]

If everyone ordered a car / truck directly from the manufacturer with only the options they want, there wouldn't be a "chip" shortage.

Too many are wasted on features buyers don't want but must take because the ones they do want are part of an option package.

Unfortunately it doesn't work that way. Ford in particular will "bundle" one popular feature such as cruise with several other features which you may or may not want. I was diddling with the Maverick when they first came out, one thing I really wanted was a rear sliding window. It was only around $350, but to get it you had to pay an extra $1600 or so for a lot of garbage such as lane change sensing which I would then have to shut off every time that I got into it.

 

[Oaktree]

That's why I ignore the marketing and the spoutings of individuals, I look at data. Consumer Reports collects that data and the Tundra outpaces all similar trucks in terms of reliability by a large margin.

Since I don't give a hoot about flashy updates or styling, Tundra works for me. Ford and Ram make good trucks if you only want them for the first few years.

Meh. CR seems very biased towards certain makes, toyota being one of them, you have to read between the lines to get the real scoop. Had an '08 turdra for a company truck at my last job...I was the "new guy", so I got the truck no one else wanted. Biggest PoC that's ever darkened my driveway, seems like something was always broken on it. In fact, when I retired the company didn't even want it back! The day I turned in my keys, company tools, etc, the HR guy handed me a signed-over copy of the title.
I don't see a lot of old ones on the road.

Masnufacturers are looking at the tesla business model. Very little on lot inventory and having the consumer build/order their vehicles online. Its a huge savings for the mfr. The dealer takes it on the chin. It in most cases, eliminates undesirable inventory sitting on lots for months and months only to be sold at a loss. Eliminates dealers paying floor plan money for stock, All but eliminates the price shopping. ..

That's fine for a small, specialty-car company like Tesla but I can't see that business model working long-term for much of anyone else. I'd even venture a guess, that sooner or later it's going to limit Tesla's growth opportunities. Most people don't want to wait months for a special-order vehicle to arrive.

Unfortunately it doesn't work that way. Ford in particular will "bundle" one popular feature such as cruise with several other features which you may or may not want. I was diddling with the Maverick when they first came out, one thing I really wanted was a rear sliding window. It was only around $350, but to get it you had to pay an extra $1600 or so for a lot of garbage such as lane change sensing which I would then have to shut off every time that I got into it.

Yeah. To me the whole "pick a pre-determined options package" idea flies in the face of special ordering. Yes, it makes it cheaper for the manufacturer but as you say in order to get that one feature you want, you need to get a whole bunch of crap you don't.

All this is a bit moot for me since I don't buy new anyway.

 

[Jstpssng]

Do any still come with a bench seat? I hate consoles, especially the huge ones today's vehicles have.

I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who feels that way. I do like the floor shifter in my Colorado, as in winter I use the transmission and 4WD for braking a lot. But there's a lot of wasted space in the cab because of all of the crap they think that you need.

 

[5030]

I consider any depreciating purchase to be a poor investment no matter what it is and especially bad when you get to pay the finance company as well. Far as I'm concerned, now is not the time for such frivolities.

 

[stumblinhorse]

I have found I have to travel nationwide to find what I want. That is what the internet is for, besides forums….Depending on where you live will dictate what is on lots around you. The biggest city near me is Denver, I stopped buying vehicle in that area 10-15 years ago. They can and do get top dollar for everything and order the option loaded vehicles. I just bought a new equipment trailer a Diamond C Gooseneck 18k super single 22’ dove with ramps. That trailer around Denver is just under $20k, paid $13k but had to go pick it up. Family went to bed and I got in the truck and drove all night, pulled into the trailer dealer when they opened the next day and pulled it home by the time to go to bed that night. Most people won’t do that. So they need something and they over pay…. Bought my last vehicle out of Abilene, 500 mile trip. But was $20k less than what I could get local…. It is what it is…

 

[Jchonline]

I’m waiting on a call today from the dealer. The salesman told me they have 16 Tacomas coming in and will know today what is coming. The trucks aren’t here yet but on the way. He told me they are allocated a certain amount per month and don’t get to pick and choose what they are getting in. Today a pastor I know (also a retired mechanic) is coming to get my 1991 Isuzu pickup with 306000 miles on it. I’m donating it to him (starter is out and I’m tired of keeping it running), he fixes cars and gives them to a local womens shelter and drug rehab center. I’ll be selling my 2002 Yukon shortly, it’s mint condition and will ask $8000 for it. I’m worried I’ll have chest pain when writing a check for a new truck, lol.

That dealer is full of crap. USA is Supply/Demand. If car sales dry up again (and they will) Dealers will do whatever it takes to sell cars.

Personally I will never buy another truck smaller than a F250. Love it.

 

[Tomtint]

Meh. CR seems very biased towards certain makes, toyota being one of them, you have to read between the lines to get the real scoop. Had an '08 turdra for a company truck at my last job...I was the "new guy", so I got the truck no one else wanted. Biggest PoC that's ever darkened my driveway, seems like something was always broken on it. In fact, when I retired the company didn't even want it back! The day I turned in my keys, company tools, etc, the HR guy handed me a signed-over copy of the title.
I don't see a lot of old ones on the road.

That's fine for a small, specialty-car company like Tesla but I can't see that business model working long-term for much of anyone else. I'd even venture a guess, that sooner or later it's going to limit Tesla's growth opportunities. Most people don't want to wait months for a special-order vehicle to arrive.

Yeah. To me the whole "pick a pre-determined options package" idea flies in the face of special ordering. Yes, it makes it cheaper for the manufacturer but as you say in order to get that one feature you want, you need to get a whole bunch of crap you don't.

All this is a bit moot for me since I don't buy new anyway.

Manufactures don't care what you "want" ..They care about what will make them the most money. If you have to wait for a vehicle..so be it. If you are not patient enough...Your choice is to settle for what you can find and pay the price the seller wants, Or buy used.
There is a big culture change going on right now in the US...The days and ways of old are going to be just a memory. You can thank those in power now for this.

 

[hayden]

I am currently shopping for a new Tacoma. Haven’t purchased a new car in 20 years. Geez, times have changed. No trucks to look at on the lot. You can’t sit in one and kick the tires, only look at pictures of them on-line. I talked to a salesman and told him what I wanted. He told they have an allocation of Tacomas coming in and if one of them fits my needs he’ll call me. I asked him if things will go back to the way it used to be and said absolutely not. Dealers don’t have to have millions of inventory on the lot anymore, don’t have to wash the dirt and pollen off 50 new cars on the lot, don’t have to worry about having too many cars on the lot not being sold. He told me “those days are gone forever”. The model I want costs more then my first house !!!! I’m worried I won’t be able to figure out how to use all the gadgets on a new truck too.

As soon at the lot is full of inventory again the same salesman will be telling you about how they have the largest inventory, sell the most, and have the best selection, so you should definitely buy from him.