Why are Full size trucks so damn expensive

[rydfree]

You can buy a base truck pretty reasonable if you factor in inflation that is nicer than anything just 20 years ago. People want all the gadgets and tech though. It's like fast food workers wanting "A living wage" and yet they are buying the latest $1200 smart phones , HD TVs , Playstations , satellite and internet , Netflix etc every month . Maybe they just need to slow down on their wants a bit.

Sponsored

 

[McLeadslinger]

Agreed. I had a fully loaded 502A 2016 Lariat f-150 3.5 EB super crew 4WD… I got a great deal but I didn’t want to use it as a truck since it was so nice. I bought my Ranger with the intention of modding it for off road and it sees exactly that. Having luxuries in an “off road” truck to me is the manufacturer just pandering to those who will never off road but wanna look cool. To each their own but leather, massaging seats, cooled seats, moon roofs etc etc etc are a joke unless you are honestly buying a truck to be a pavement princess.

I agree, just look at the things people on this forum want on their rangers heated steering wheel, cooled seats, sun roofs of all things and many more nickel and dime trinkets. That's on top of what they can already get. A lot of them will probably never see off road, tow anything or haul anything more than groceries.

 

[McLeadslinger]

Inflation is increasing faster than incomes. That’s the real problem in America. Debt to income ratio has skyrocketed due to financially irresponsible people and wages being stagnant.

You can buy a base truck pretty reasonable if you factor in inflation that is nicer than anything just 20 years ago. People want all the gadgets and tech though. It's like fast food workers wanting "A living wage" and yet they are buying the latest $1200 smart phones , HD TVs , Playstations , satellite and internet , Netflix etc every month . Maybe they just need to slow down on their wants a bit.

 

[Dahveed]

I would love to scoop up a 2018 F-150 on a lease expiration.... But everyone is buying them out because of the bonkers used market.

Planning on buying out my Ranger when my lease ends in Nov '23. Unless they have a PHEV Ranger out by then.

 

[JesseS]

but trucks are just not popular here. There is a reason Ford sells a shit ton of them. I consider myself very fortunate for where I am with my job, my family etc... but I will tell you I am poor compared to a lot of people in CA.

If I can't pay cash for it I don't buy it, I hate paying interest on anything, my last 2 vehicles, wife's Prius and the Ranger, were cash. Only exception was the house, took me 7 years to pay it off doing massive overtime.

 

[jflogerzi]

If I can't pay cash for it I don't buy it, I hate paying interest on anything, my last 2 vehicles, wife's Prius and the Ranger, were cash. Only exception was the house, took me 7 years to pay it off doing massive overtime.

I get that mentality. I share the same mind-set minus my house and car(s) I always get excellent rates (and even 0.0 APR on cars) and try to pay off early, but with the market the way it is rather have that money earn me some extra cash while I can.

 

[Pinepig]

If I can't pay cash for it I don't buy it, I hate paying interest on anything, my last 2 vehicles, wife's Prius and the Ranger, were cash. Only exception was the house, took me 7 years to pay it off doing massive overtime.

It all depends, if you would have taken that cash for the Prius and Ranger and thrown it in a S&P 500 Mutual fund at the beginning of the year you would have made 20% on that money while paying less than %2 on a car loan assuming you have good credit.

If you CAN pay cash you are actually better off letting your money work for you and letting the bank make %2 or less on theirs.

 

[SteveRanger]

With as much as I wanted a F-150 I wasn’t prepared to spend 60k on one (XLT crew cab Fx4 with the 5.0). Not trying to “keep up with the Jones”
Ranger is the perfect middle ground for me, and I went with this model because I’m worried the new redesign will just make the Ranger more expensive with inflation.

 

[Desert_5G]

Because no one wants to buy a basic truck anymore. If it doen't have at least a 8" screen, back up camera, heated seats & steering wheel, all the safety systems, lock rear diff, off-road modes, big tires and tons of HP no one will buy it. Not t mention union workers think they should be getting paid at least $25 an hours to bolt on wheels. Roll back 10 years ago labor rates aren't what they are today. Trucks will only get more expensive, bigger, require more materials and more man hours to build.

 

[AzScorpion]

You can buy a base truck pretty reasonable if you factor in inflation that is nicer than anything just 20 years ago. People want all the gadgets and tech though.

It's like fast food workers wanting "A living wage" and yet they are buying the latest $1200 smart phones , HD TVs , Playstations , satellite and internet , Netflix etc every month .

Yet these are usually the same ones who cry they'll never be able to retire and will work until they drop.

Maybe they just need to slow down on their wants a bit.

This times 100!

 

[JesseS]

It all depends, if you would have taken that cash for the Prius and Ranger and thrown it in a S&P 500 Mutual fund at the beginning of the year you would have made 20% on that money while paying less than %2 on a car loan assuming you have good credit.

If you CAN pay cash you are actually better off letting your money work for you and letting the bank make %2 or less on theirs.

Both the wife and I just hate paying interest, I am retired twice + SS, wife is retired + SS, I made a grip on the last real estate bubble, and invested it all, so actually we are set, and I don't want the hassle of dealing with finance companies, although our credit is well over 800.

 

[Yinzcity]

The big problem for me is options are locked into trim packages. Here in the icy north, heated seats are a godsend. I'd be fine with an XL regular cab if they'd just give me heated seats and keyless entry/start. I couldn't care less about fancy nav screens or led interior mood lighting.

I don't forsee it getting any better. Will be buying my ranger when the lease is up next year. If current prices hold, it'll be worth a good 6-8k more than the buyout value.

 

[Marpater]

I've been around for a second or two and I get a kick out of reading these self proclamations, I can't believe that...., people are crazy for doing this........, a truck is made to do this........, what a pile of balongna, I pay cash for everything........, I don't like dealing with finance companies... why not with 0% financing?
I have to ask all those berating those for purchasing a luxury truck, what kind of house do you live in, is it more than you need? do you have an 80" screen with surround sound? do your really need that? We live in a society of excess, you bash those for wanting a vehicle the meets thier wants, who are we to guess what there needs are?
Can't wait to hear the responses?

 

[jflogerzi]

I've been around for a second or two and I get a kick out of reading these self proclamations, I can't believe that...., people are crazy for doing this........, a truck is made to do this........, what a pile of balongna, I pay cash for everything........, I don't like dealing with finance companies... why not with 0% financing?
I have to ask all those berating those for purchasing a luxury truck, what kind of house do you live in, is it more than you need? do you have an 80" screen with surround sound? do your really need that? We live in a society of excess, you bash those for wanting a vehicle the meets thier wants, who are we to guess what there needs are?
Can't wait to hear the responses?

This is a pretty bad rabbit hole. Just noticing how trucks are worse then most luxury cars. My ranger purchase was my first into the truck world. Might be wise for mods to lock. But I will say it's all perspective what excess and what's not.

 

[Langwilliams]

I dream of a no-dealer future where there are no trim levels, you just pick a model, piecemeal customize it, and get it delivered from the factory.

I started driving in 1981. Cars from the 70's an 80's were stripped down an you had to buy options or get a higher status vehicle like get the mercury version of the ford or the lincoln.

Options added crazy amounts to the price of the car. It made the build process so much more complex they found it better to "group" options an that led to trim levels. The build an supply process were far more efficient. I was a T bird fan in the late 80s an when they grouped or made a trim level with the options I wanted it was way cheaper than the base car then adding all the stuff I wanted. If you think an option is expensive from the factory try finding a car you want but it's missing AC an you ask the dealership "how much to add AC".

Now even the lowest level cars/trucks have power windows an AC. I've had cars with vinyl seats, hand crank windows an no AC, no power steering or brakes. Talk about a joy in July. I'm fine with my XLT but I could have lived with an XL because they came with the AC an power windows/locks I'm accustomed to. I wouldn't miss the big screen but do like the privacy glass an fog lights.

Sponsored