What Happened to the Affordable Pickup Truck?

#451
#451
kentucky sucks said:
Been there and done that. New tank, lines, pump and filter and cleaned and rebuilt the carb and I'm still not happy. It stutters a bit when you step on it. It's got a 289 with a big cam and a tremec T-5. 3.80 rear end. It will haul the mail.
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Change the center squirter to 2 sizes bigger and that will likely fix the stutter.
 
#452
#452
I bought a 98 Z71, standard cab, short bed 12 years ago for $5000. In very good condition, AC works and has a few options but it runs great with around 17 MPG. I have no desire to spend $40K+ for a new truck as this one does what I need a truck to do. Has the 350 with 3.73 gears so power is never a problem. Was offered $7000 a while back, not interested as would have to spend tons more for another.
 
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#455
#455
Speaking of affordable pickups. It still baffles me that Ford and Chevy (not all but most) have dropped cars. Not everyone can afford a $30K+ SUV or $45K+ truck.

I get that cars sales are/were declining, but there will always be a market for cheaper, more affordable cars
 
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#456
#456
alaVOL said:
Keeping my ole 2002 Ram going..... Sticker shock will keep her under my seat for some time.
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I’m at the age where I’ve got more disposable money yet I still don’t see the value in paying $50+K for a truck unless it’s something heavy duty for a specific hauling need. ATM I drive a 2004 4Runner and have hit a point where it will need some maintenance $’s soon. Time for timing belt, transfer case recently started leaking, PS is leaking, and needs rotors replaced. The dilemma is if I drove it to the dealership the cost of repairs probably exceeds the market value of the car. The appeal of shopping for a used replacement on Craigslist or FB is zero. I have the ability & tools to perform the repairs even though I’m struggling right now to find the motivation but I guess I will anyway. I can now see how someone else in my situation who can’t DIY would take the leap and buy new.
 
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#457
#457
YankeeVol said:
Speaking of affordable pickups. It still baffles me that Ford and Chevy (not all but most) have dropped cars. Not everyone can afford a $30K+ SUV or $45K+ truck.

I get that cars sales are/were declining, but there will always be a market for cheaper, more affordable cars
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There is a very long history here, maybe nobody cares; they can't make a car at a profit. Simple as that. No jibber jabber required. This was a known problem 40 years ago and there was a lot of internal concern about it. in fact there's a book about it in my library, "Rude Awakening" that was written in 1989. it's not a great book, but it does take you back effectively. GM made very large efforts to address it, but not really successful. I won't bore you with any more. I realize people don't really take that much interest in car stuff. Here's a memo from 1988 if anybody wants to have at least one piece of information directly from the executive team in that era. Again, no jibber jabber required. This guy was on tap to be CEO (tragically it was the half-wit Roger Smith instead) and this is what he wrote. It's long, and this is not cars vs. trucks, but at the bottom of page 3 he gets into it a little bit. They tried some "clean slate scorched earth" efforts but they didn't have any plan to let whatever they learned change the overall company. I also have a book on the Chrysler-Mercedes merger that occured just as Chrysler was making a ton of money on trucks. Now you can see that Chrysler can't really replace its cars, which are all on one platform. It's just not profitable enough.
 

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#459
#459
K-town Vol Fan said:
If I'm dropping nearly 70k on a truck (which I would never do) im not gonna buy something I think is ugly.
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Now I see... so not about function or utility as much as it is how it looks and how The Jones will feel when they see you in it.

WestTennesseeVol said:
You know why. I mean, you don’t know WHY they buy it, but unfortunately in today’s society, an expensive vehicle is a status symbol. I always used to laugh at the expensive cars we used to see in our apartment complex in Maryville. Somehow they can afford a $50k Jeep but not a mortgage.
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Also, this comment was made on a $20k truck, not a $70k truck.
 
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#461
#461
Trucks are good. Little trucks are good. Little trucks at a low price are good. No argument is really possible. If I don't want one, then I don't buy one. Simple.

It's not really all that "truck-like" but that's not really up to me. I really do think they'd sell a ton of them if they could make them.
 
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#462
#462
Rasputin_Vol said:
Now I see... so not about function or utility as much as it is how it looks and how The Jones will feel when they see you in it.
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I didn't interpret his comments that way at all. I agree with him 100%. If I'm spending money, and it doesn't even have to be significant money like 70k, I'm going get something that I like.

I see the grill as no different than the paint color. Their appearance is cosmetic. A grill and paint have a function but the grill could look different and the paint be a different color and nothing would change about the truck's performance. I wouldn't buy a truck if I thought something about the grill was ugly the same as I wouldn't buy a truck that was painted neon green.

If I'm going to buy a new vehicle I will like what I bought.
 
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#463
#463
TheDeeble said:
I didn't interpret his comments that way at all. I agree with him 100%. If I'm spending money, and it doesn't even have to be significant money like 70k, I'm going get something that I like.

I see the grill as no different than the paint color. Their appearance is cosmetic. A grill and paint have a function but the grill could look different and the paint be a different color and nothing would change about the truck's performance. I wouldn't buy a truck if I thought something about the grill was ugly the same as I wouldn't buy a truck that was painted neon green.

If I'm going to buy a new vehicle I will like what I bought.
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Meh, I guess if it was me, I can change a grill far easier than I can the paint color after I buy it. And likely, in the case of spending on the high end of $70k, most people will be doing after market add ons and mods anyways.
 
#464
#464
Rasputin_Vol said:
Meh, I guess if it was me, I can change a grill far easier than I can the paint color after I buy it. And likely, in the case of spending on the high end of $70k, most people will be doing after market add ons and mods anyways.
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The thought of buying a new vehicle only to start modding stuff doesn't even enter my mind.
 
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#465
#465
Rasputin_Vol said:
Is that really a reason to not buy a Tundra? Esthetics are that important when you buy a truck?
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Yes. Same reason would not by a GM 2500 HD right now. A nose that big should only be on a semi. And the Tundra should look like a truck. Seems like the Toyota designer of late may be the same guy that put the Raider front end on a Dakota. They are borderline on ruining the front end of the Tacoma. Not fond of it, but could deal with it.
 
#466
#466
I drive a 1st gen 96 Dakota with less than 210K. That's around 8K per year average. It's in excellent condition. Paid $2400 for it 3 years ago. AS much as I'd like a newer F250 6.2 or 7.3 gasser, not gonna happen. I did spend my money on a 2017 Pilot for my wife last year with low mileage and under 28 G's at the time. That was a good spend.
 
#467
#467
walkenvol said:
I’m at the age where I’ve got more disposable money yet I still don’t see the value in paying $50+K for a truck unless it’s something heavy duty for a specific hauling need. ATM I drive a 2004 4Runner and have hit a point where it will need some maintenance $’s soon. Time for timing belt, transfer case recently started leaking, PS is leaking, and needs rotors replaced. The dilemma is if I drove it to the dealership the cost of repairs probably exceeds the market value of the car. The appeal of shopping for a used replacement on Craigslist or FB is zero. I have the ability & tools to perform the repairs even though I’m struggling right now to find the motivation but I guess I will anyway. I can now see how someone else in my situation who can’t DIY would take the leap and buy new.
Click to expand...

A few years ago I faced the same dilemma with my 2001 Silverado Z71 pickup. Paint was looking real bad, etc, etc. Choice was another truck or spend some on it. It has a lot of features I like as it was pretty well loaded when I got it.

So...had it painted, put a new heavier duty transmission in (no problems...to avoid any future problems), had the driver's seat recovered, pretty much everything gone through with a fine-tooth comb.

I put $9-$10K into it. Probably more than it was worth. Still got the truck I like, it's paid for, looks and runs great and don't have $50K tied up in a hunk of metal I only drive 5K or less a year. If I was driving over 10K/year, might have made a different decision.
 
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#468
#468
what gets me, and is an economic anomaly I don't understand, is the HD Diesel trucks these young kids drive that are tricked out and need an elevator to get in. Can neither be used as a truck, as you can't reach the bed, nor for towing. Where does the money come from. To even get the truck affordable to begin with would be offset by the $$ they likely had to sink in the diesel engine itself. Most newer powerstroke owners ditch them not too long before the known failures are coming. I'm sure Cummins has similar fates if they haven't already been corrected.
 
#469
#469
GVF said:
what gets me, and is an economic anomaly I don't understand, is the HD Diesel trucks these young kids drive that are tricked out and need an elevator to get in. Can neither be used as a truck, as you can't reach the bed, nor for towing. Where does the money come from. To even get the truck affordable to begin with would be offset by the $$ they likely had to sink in the diesel engine itself. Most newer powerstroke owners ditch them not too long before the known failures are coming. I'm sure Cummins has similar fates if they haven't already been corrected.
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The money comes from mom and dad or a loan they’ll never be able to pay back.
 
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#472
#472
Nothing really, just found it funny you said they'd never be able to pay it back. They will or they'd lose the truck lol.
 
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