Fancy Trucks

HGM · Dec 1, 2005

Crazy huh???

I deal with $30-60,000 trucks on a regular basis. I would love to have a new truck myself. The issue is not just affording one, but justifying another mortgage payment(or close to it). They are nice to drive, have plenty of niceties(heated and cooled seats, DVD players, fine leather seats, etc.). If you can afford a new one, go for it and enjoy it. I envy you.

For now, I'll just have to enjoy driving other peoples trucks. My '94 F-150, '95 Aerostar, and '00 Ranger with combined mileage over 450,000miles, wont be going anywere anytime soon.

I think about it every now and then. I payed $24,000 for my fully loaded 4x4 Supercab F-150, brand new in January '94. It would be challenging for me to get a base model regular cab for that price now. Thats only 11yrs ago.. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

ScottAR · Dec 2, 2005

I'd say your both spot on....

Dad bought his '68 ford new for $3600.
Big block Camper special WITH A/C!

Allegedly, Ford made the dealer take the A/C truck to display on the lot against the dealer's wishes as most farmers around here didn't have A/C in their houses much less their trucks...

Makes a good story anyway...

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

jimainiac · Dec 2, 2005

Along with the popularity of the bells and whistles, it's amazing how common extended cabs and 4doors are now. Conventional cabs are becoming a rarity! I must say, I enjoy the extra room in our quad cab Dodge. I can't get the seat to go back all the way in our conventional cab Chevy, with all the sh.., I mean, stuff that I have behind the seat. And I'll cast my vote for the middle-range models, not stripped down, but no leather. Power windows and locks and mirrors are labor saving devices!

Farmwithjunk · Dec 2, 2005

Different people have different needs. This doesn't explain ALL the choices regarding truck options, but it covers mine.

I spend a LOT of time on the road. A great deal of the time, I have a trailer behind the truck. My wife and I, along with the grandchildren from time to time, desire to travel in comfort.

So explains why I drive a truck with power seats, great sound system, carpet, leather seats, trailer towing packages, heated mirrors, 4 doors, 4WD, ect.....

It's also been my finding that WHEN TAKEN CARE OF PROPERLY,(read; KEEP CLEAN and WELL MAINTAINED) these options will add to the re-sale value of the truck when I go to trade/sell it a few years down the road. Some folks want a NEW truck with all the bells and whistles, while others want a USED truck with all those same bells and whistles.

I can't rationalize why a person would buy a tractor with cupholders, cigarette lighter, cruise control, ect.... None of those items appeal to me. That doesn't make them frivolous, useless , or ridiculous to the next guy. Maybe he likes those things. Maybe they make his time on the tractor more comfortable and enjoyable. And it's HIS money.

I'm a basic, grass roots sort of person with some things. But when the option of being comfortable on a long trip presents itself, I'm first in line for those leather seats.

There's a reason why they make chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream. Everyone can have what they like.

riptides · Dec 2, 2005

( The issue is not just affording one, but justifying another mortgage payment(or close to it). )

Hah... Have you seen the price of some mortgages yet?

We could take this discussion there next.... why do people buy 4000+ square foot homes with blah, blah blah.....

Personally I have a Chevy S-10 that has survived numerous encounters with FELS, trees, black ice, women and the biggest enemy it has is ME.

-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

tpost · Dec 2, 2005

( people don't just use their trucks for work anymore )

Some people don't. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

HGM · Dec 2, 2005

( ( The issue is not just affording one, but justifying another mortgage payment(or close to it). )

Hah... Have you seen the price of some mortgages yet?

We could take this discussion there next.... why do people buy 4000+ square foot homes with blah, blah blah.....

Personally I have a Chevy S-10 that has survived numerous encounters with FELS, trees, black ice, women and the biggest enemy it has is ME.

-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif ) 

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gifI know what you mean......You should see the curent price of my old townhouse in South Fla. over a $200,000 increase in 10yrs..... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Depends on where you live, thats one of the reasons I moved to Georgia. I can still get a house for less than $1000 per month. If you are one that falls into the interest only traps, you could get a really nice home, untill you realize that someday it needs to be payed for /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Mike_C · Dec 2, 2005

Unfortunately, I cannot buy the model I want. I wanted a basic truck with rubber floor, no headliner, seats that will last, etc, but I also wanted power windows so I don't have to reach across a long seat while driving 60 MPH. Nope, can't have it. If you want power windows, you gotta buy the super deluxe model. I wanted the electronic compass to know what direction I'm going -- oh, you want that, then you MUST buy the deluxe lighting package. I ordered my truck new from the factory, but I still could not get just the options I wanted. It's a ripoff.

Michigan_Mike · Dec 2, 2005

I agree, it's image.
Most of the fancy trucks I see, are seldom used as a truck.
A lot of people have them because that's the vehicle "everyone" has.

HGM · Dec 2, 2005

The sad thing is that I see alot of brand new(1-2yr old)$60k trucks(King Ranch, Harley Davidson,ect..) that are owned by construction companies that totaly trash them. They have 2" of dirt, mud, concrete, etc in the floor boards. Broken windows and dented bodies..... You wouldnt believe it. Because its a company truck, they can write it off... They dont care.......

deerefan · Dec 2, 2005

That is aggravating...I hate to see a nice vehicle not taken care of. That is why I love the rubber floors. Get it muddy, wash it out. A little armor all goes a long way to making it look better.

Volfandt · Dec 2, 2005

My all time favorite truck was an 84 F150 XL 4x4. It had a 302 2bbl and the options were auto PS & PB and rubber floormats. It had that long bench seat that 4 men could fit on in a pinch and I added a rear slinding window for A/C /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I didn't care to take it anywhere and it would just about go anywhere it wanted.
Since it only got around 10mpg I eventually traded it for an 87 Ranger 4x4 and I traded that one for a brandnew 1998 F150 4x4 Off Road XLT with power everything.
That ole 85 F150 still rates as my fav....

HGM · Dec 2, 2005

Surely everyone will have their own opinion, but you can keep the carburator /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.... It's funny how so many forks would like to have a simple truck with power windows. If they only made one.......... Nice '98 by the way, they did prety good...

DUMBDOG · Dec 2, 2005

Two months ago, bought one of the two last 05's on the lot, a Silverado, with the rebates, etc, the price was under 25K, with the GM card rebate and a 88 Jag, which I did not know what else was going to go wrong next, the boot was under 20k. The insurance is less on the new pu than on the Jag.

Did we need a pickup with sat radio, electric locks and windows and extended cab? No, we did not, but with the just the wife and I and a couple of trips to Florida each year, we like the big vehicle out on the road just in case. It is also more cofortable and a lot better visibility. The additional value retention over a car will more than pay for the difference in gas.

Volfandt · Dec 2, 2005

Thanks, it's got around 116K on it now and it's still going strong. Gotta admit, I do like all those creature comforts tho.

Those old carbs worked pretty good once you had the "proceedure" down pat. For my ole 84 I'd stomp the excellerator 3 times to get enough gas squirted in and also to set the choke, it would start right on up every time /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Course now adays you don't have to learn a vehicles nuances, that fancy fuel injection and all those sensors takes care of it for ya /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Volfandt

Bird · Dec 2, 2005

( I'd stomp the excellerator 3 times )

The automatic choke on the old '81 F250 I had worked fine when I bought the truck, but sometimes it sat for a month without being used. Then the automatic choke quit working and I had to pump the gas pedal to start it. I probably did that for a couple of months before I got around to checking to see what it might take to fix it. When I removed the air cleaner, I found a very large mud dauber nest on the linkage; removed that and the automatic choke worked fine again. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif And while I was at it, I found and removed two mud dauber nests from the inside of the air filter housing. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

HGM · Dec 2, 2005

Yea,
I came into it with fuel injection. It is much easier for me to tune and repair a modern EFI than mess with a carb. I just never really had any luck with them..With routine maint, you shouldnt even have to raise the hood... Prety cool, I think... Problem is I spend alot of time under other peoples hoods...
Greg

Unclebuck257 · Dec 5, 2005

I got in on this thread late, but here's my 2 cents worth. First, I agree with the guys with older or lesser equiped pickups, IF you're only going to use it around the place or for nothing but physical work type work. I've never been able to do that though, unless it was back when I had an expensive car to use in my business too. When I got down to only having one vehicle, I figured I'd combine and have the best of both worlds. A 4 wheel drive pickup, loaded to the max, with leather, crewcab, auto this and auto that. My trucks have even had the woodgrain dashes now for the last three.

You see, not only do I use it around my place hauling whatever, but I also use it to go call on and entertain clients for lunch and dinner too. Right now, I'm driving an 05 F-150 crewcab, King Ranch, 4X4, with every option available on an 05. (moonroof, heated seats etc) I've got the bed spayed with LineX , colormatched to the Arizona Beigh bottom color, and had the bug shield sprayed with the color coordinated LineX too so it matched. I've had a number of clients remark how beautiful that KR interior is, and how good looking the truck is generally inside with the console auto stick shifter, woodgrain etc. Some even compared it to a Mercedes. Oh, and when working my truck, I put it through some rough stuff too.

Again, if I could get away with something less fancy, I honestly probably wouldn't now that I've gotten used to the fancy trucks, but the fancy sure can serve a business/financial purpose too, if you have a need for it.

getut · Dec 5, 2005

Only one thing bothers me about the fancy trucks. So many people are buying into the fanciness that you CAN'T buy certain features anymore without getting the full tricked out rig.

I want air conditioning. On a full size truck I also want power windows. On a small truck it is nothing to reach across and roll down the passenger window. On a full size, power windows and door locks are nice because they are so wide and reaching across is a pain.

Other than that everything is fluff to me but I am forced to buy it because I want two premium features.

I want a straight front axle and don't care about independent front suspension. I don't want to sacrifice even a month of longevity for the better ride that IFS gives. I don't want sun rooves or leather or automatic transmission (unless it is an Allison). I don't want airbags or antilock brakes (I'd take them if free, but they aren't so I don't want them). I want as absolutely few electronic items on it as possible... especially in the engine compartment.

I can't get any of those things any more though. Everything is packaged. Its also bad that my local Ford and Chevy dealers stock only the popular items. They each have 25 identical trucks on the lot with the only difference being the color.

A little bit of chrome sets off a nice truck, but many trucks are WAAAAAY over glittered and get to the point of being gawdy looking. Might as well put those hubcaps that keep spinning when you stop on them.

Jagmandave · Dec 6, 2005

You could order a "base" truck and just add the options you wanted, couldn't you? As for the air bags and other safety items, you're gonna get those not because the automakers insist but because your government insists, you're complaining to the wrong group......... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif