Sticker shock....!!!

[oldpilgrim]

Think of it this way: a retiree with extra income to spend could run out and spend $70K on a well-optioned E-class Mercedes,

some retirees don't have "extra income to spend" and get just get by. For them $35k is a whole heck of a lot to spend on anything, let alone a 'base model' truck like mine and now it's hard to find much even in that price range.

I paid $12,500 for my house when I got out of the Army in 1971 and took out a 25 year mortgage to do that ! Now it's a normal thing to spend $30K+ every few years on a car, more for a truck, throw it away and do it again.

 

[ultrarunner]

Just did the roof of my home it cost nearly what the original owner paid for the entire place in 1957

Inflation is alive and well... see it just about across the board so it is not surprising to find it with automobiles.

On the other hand... nobody drives a pickup like I did to High School.

1970 1/2 ton with 3spd, no power steering or brakes and no air or factory radio... darn dependable and it did had a 350 motor...

The father of one of my friends bought a Ranger XLT new in 1970 with factory bucket seats, AM-FM, Air, Cruise Control, tool storage, dual tanks, 3 tone paint and it got attention all the time... and it was the first truck his wife was not embarrassed to be seen in.

 

[ultrarunner]

My brother owns a Durango and Chrysler 300...

He's not a car guy and always looking for a deal... both were bought when the Headlines said Chrysler was finished and the local dealers were all closing.

Got outstanding deals on both vehicles and they continue to provide excellent service.

 

[JDgreen227]

First new truck I ever owned was a '79 F150 Ranger with the 302, automatic, ps/pb, air, radio, rear step bumper, rear sliding window, and it cost me $6400 out the door with tax and plates. Best vehicle I ever owned for the money.

 

[satellite]

I agree that car and truck prices are out of control. Most people can't afford to buy a new vehicle. In 1976 I bought a new Camaro for $4600. In 1978 I added a Chevy LUV truck for $4800. IN 1981 I got rid of the LUV and bought a 1/2 ton Chevy pickup for $6800. Traded it in for a 1989 Chevy 1/2 ton pickup for $14,500.
I still have the 1989 pickup. It's the last new vehicle I'll ever own. I bought a 1995 Chevy 1/2 ton 4X4 pickup used on 2002. Still have it too. Last year I bought a 1981 El Camino in good shape to play with. No more new ones for me! $14,500 was my limit. I can keep fixing my trucks. Easy to work on and a lot easier to live with no payments!

 

[Mike7.62]

I recently went looking for a new Yukon XL/Suburban and was also shocked at the prices. $65,000 for a 1/2 ton version without the leather etc. I said thanks, but no thanks. They were pushing "incentives" that brought the price to about $5000 below sticker, but with tax, tag etc., brought it right back to the sticker, or close enough to spit. They were also pushing an 84 month loan. Crazy days in which we're living.

I went to Carmax and found a 2009 Yukon XL 4WD with 51,000 miles for $29,000, same trim level and in the color we wanted. Bought it and couldn't be happier. It is a great ride for long trips involving tools and guns, of which I do a fair amount, and much more comfortable than my F250 4x4. Mileage so far is 19 highway and 17 around the county, and with a 31 G tank, it has legs. I wish I'd bought one new back when they were reasonably priced, but better late than never.

 

[Ken45101]

I agree that car and truck prices are out of control. Most people can't afford to buy a new vehicle. In 1976 I bought a new Camaro for $4600. In 1978 I added a Chevy LUV truck for $4800. IN 1981 I got rid of the LUV and bought a 1/2 ton Chevy pickup for $6800. Traded it in for a 1989 Chevy 1/2 ton pickup for $14,500.

I don't think it is car and truck prices that are out of control, it's the government spending that is causing terrible inflation.

In 1968, I bought a new Dodge Dart for $2168 out the door. Gas was 32 cents a gallon. The car cost about 6500 gallons of gas. At the same time, my ex bought a new Camaro for $3500, or about 10,000 gallons of gasoline.

What does a new Camaro cost today? About the same 10,000 gallons of gas? What's a cheap basic car cost today, about 6500 gallons of gas ($26,000)?

(BTW, that Dart was very stripped down. All it had extra was an AM radio. Small engine, manual transmission, no a/c, no power windows or remote doors, etc. Can you even buy a comparable car today? Would anyone actually buy one if they were available?)

As was shown earlier in this thread (post #27), gas prices have remained steady in real dollars. What has happened in that the value of the dollar (and our savings) has been terrible eroded by inflation.

 

[nybirdman]

I was at the dealer's getting an oil change on my 2013 Silverado;there was a new Suburban on the lot and it's sticker was $65,000.There was also a couple loaded four door one half ton pickups for $50,000+.I really liked the interior change for 2014 on the pickups and my purchase a 2015 Silveradnly had the 2013 for a year and 5,000 miles.When I was working I traded/sold trucks about every year and a half.My 2013 stickered for $41,000 and I didn't pay anywhere near that.

 

[North West Farmer]

To give thread followers some comparisons, in 1964 I purchased a new VW Bug for $1895, in 1967 I purchased another new VW Bug for $2000, in 1974 I purchased fully loaded used 1972 three quarter ton Chev. pick up for $2000.

I still use the pick up on our farm. Approximately 15 years ago I completely restored the truck, overhauled the motor, new paint, rebuilt the running gear and everything was brought back to like new operational condition. The total cost of the rebuild was nearly $10,000. The truck still rides like a 1972 vehicle, not as good as the new Chev. trucks of today, but it still works very nicely, pulls most of our trailers, that do not exceed it's towing capacity. I don't recall what a new three quarter ton pick up cost 15 years ago, but I believe it was slightly more than $10,000.

My 1972 truck runs great and looks great, but I will admit I do wish I had a nice new pick up from time to time especially, after I have ridden with someone in a new rig that almost rides as nice our my Buick Town and Country car.

Being a retired fireman, now operating a small farm with our family, we are seldom able to financially justify the cost of purchasing new equipment. The bulk of our rolling stock is used and in some cases it is well used. Usually when we acquire something new to us we go completely through it so everything runs and operates very well, my repaint the item or portions of it and then she goes in service along with the numerous peaces of equipment that have been acquired over the years.

The only items acquired new are new technology that is able to provide a good rate of return on our investment, therefore justifiable and within our budget constraints.

Sticker shock is alive and well at our farm and at home as well. With input costs being as high as they are we are in there with everyone else doing everything we can to work around those high prices required to purchase new. It has definitely become more and more difficult to maintain our life style and stay in operation as a farm than it was in years past.

The few large farm operations in our area that do purchase a lot of new equipment operate their running stock long and hard so it is virtually worn out in a short number of years and they are in a position of needing to perform complete restorations or purchase new items. New equipment with the latest technology very likely pencils out financially and operationally in those circumstances.

North West Farmer,

Nick

 

[satellite]

If you're mechanically inclined and want the most bang for your buck try either keeping your older vehicles and rebuilding them or buy an older used one that has a good straight rust free body and rebuild the drivetrain. I have done that on both of my Chevy pickups. I bought my 1989 new and have taken excellent care of it. I bought my 1995 used and replaced the drivetrain after putting another 50,000 miles on it. Both are like new and cost a lot less than buying new ones.
I pay less on property taxes and insurance than with a new truck plus I have no payments. Also have better styling than the new ones.