Just can't get a good basic truck, like the old days!

[ultrarunner]

Your perhaps right but batteries are not cheep by any means... I still love the concept of individual options something compagnies have steered off within the last decade or so. Its fine to have them as bundles (even that is not so much of a thing anymore) as a discount but give the individual options.

Japan kind of pioneered the 3 trim levels in part because of the long lead time.

Europe was on of the last holdouts where every option down to cigarette lighter had an option code..

 

[jjeff]

I’ve always used thick rubber liner and under the liner the metal and paint remain pristine…

In my cheap foolishness and weariness of leaving my truck out in the California sun for extended periods of time, yrs ago I covered it with a plastic tarp one time. Came back 6 months later truck paint had nothing but swirl marks, scratches,and in a few spots paint was worn down to primer.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Does nj use road salt? I think that's the biggest rust cause.

I do not know if NJ uses salt on the roads these days but they did back in the mid 70's. I hauled plenty of salt from Retsof and Ithica, NY to NJ. Also, deep mined salt from Louisiana was brought into Port Newark to serve the metro area.

 

[jyoutz]

In my cheap foolishness and weariness of leaving my truck out in the California sun for extended periods of time, yrs ago I covered it with a plastic tarp one time. Came back 6 months later truck paint had nothing but swirl marks, scratches,and in a few spots paint was worn down to primer.

Sounds like the wind caused the tarp to flap and wear on the paint.

 

[RB5]

I'd probably never buy a 4x4 show truck, however.

Wasn't a 4x4, but I had a Cordova Brown 77 Chevy Big 10 (heavy half) with 60's and chrome spoke wheels.

 

[jjeff]

I’ve always used thick rubber liner and under the liner the metal and paint remain pristine…

That's what I thought except moisture got trapped under the thick rubber bedliners mat. Plastic tops on bed rails just rubbed away the rubber mounting adhesive then the paint, when I finally noticed what was happening the rust was so severe it already perforated in the box and top of bedsides. If I would have checked and addressed the issue probably wouldn't have a rusted thru bed and tops of bed sides.

 

[Oaktree]

I don't remember if a sliding rear window was an option in the 78 Chev.

Can't speak for Chevy's but my old '78 F-100 had one.

 

[WinterDeere]

Can't speak for Chevy's but my old '78 F-100 had one.

My last two trucks have had electric sliding windows, and about once per year I think, "it'd be nice to open that and get some thru-breeze." Then I'm reminded why rear windows are the dumbest idea ever, as my truck fills with leaves in the fall or tree seed pods in the spring, each time I open the damn thing.

The shape of a pickup truck basically ensures there's a vortex of wind back there that essentially pushes all debris collected in the bed straight into the cab, if you open that window above 25 mph.

 

[Flogger]

My daily driver is an F-250 of 2000 vintage. 20 years ago I would have listed it as piss elegant. Now about the only difference between it and a bare bones work truck is carpet. At 300k it’s still a great pickup.

 

[4570Man]

My daily driver is an F-250 of 2000 vintage. 20 years ago I would have listed it as piss elegant. Now about the only difference between it and a bare bones work truck is carpet. At 300k it’s still a great pickup.

I’ve had 2 fords that were actually bare bones. Like they deleted the door pocket level trim. I wouldn’t consider the 2004 lariat I had as a bare bones truck.