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Absolutely nothing stopping anyone from ordering a base XL.
I have added what I want over the last 16 months, some to do yet. Still haven't reached the sticker price. Well the recent upgrade in the sound system works will fix that. KM
Absolutely nothing stopping anyone from ordering a base XL.
I have added what I want over the last 16 months, some to do yet. Still haven't reached the sticker price. Well the recent upgrade in the sound system works will fix that. KM
That is a nice setup and has what a truck needs from the factory. That truck probably moves along nicely! Around the time of purchase I considered the XL but could not find one with the power group, cloth seats, carpet (not required) and tinted windows. So the entry 3.5L XLT SuperCab 4wd was the perfect truck. Honestly would not have it any other way. But again we all have different preferences.
There are still such trucks available,and at reasonable prices that are no more expensive than trucks cost 20-30 years ago. WITH INFLATION FACTORED IN The median income today is over $60,000/year. It was in the $25,000/year range in the 1990's so the same truck should cost 2 1/2 X as much. FWIW, I paid $10,500 for a very basic regular cab 4X4 with the 4.9 I6 engine and a 4 speed manual in 1985. Other than 4X4 the only option was AC. Even had rubber floor mats. I feel quite confident that I could find a better equipped new regular cab 4X4 truck for around $30,000 today. I can get a pretty well equipped Supercab 4X4 with a V8 and automatic transmission today in the low $40,000 range.
A $700 truck payment today would have been about $365 in 1990. A truck that sells new today for $44,000 would have sold for $23,000 in 1990. You also have to remember that the prime interest rate on a loan in 1990 was about 10%. Today you can borrow money at 2% or less with good credit.
The fact is that today we have to work fewer hours to afford comparable goods than at almost any time in history. Trucks included.
Thank you! Everyone seems to forget inflation when talking about how things "used to be cheaper". Most of the time it wasn't factoring inflation.
There are still such trucks available,and at reasonable prices that are no more expensive than trucks cost 20-30 years ago. WITH INFLATION FACTORED IN The median income today is over $60,000/year. It was in the $25,000/year range in the 1990's so the same truck should cost 2 1/2 X as much. FWIW, I paid $10,500 for a very basic regular cab 4X4 with the 4.9 I6 engine and a 4 speed manual in 1985. Other than 4X4 the only option was AC. Even had rubber floor mats. I feel quite confident that I could find a better equipped new regular cab 4X4 truck for around $30,000 today. I can get a pretty well equipped Supercab 4X4 with a V8 and automatic transmission today in the low $40,000 range.
A $700 truck payment today would have been about $365 in 1990. A truck that sells new today for $44,000 would have sold for $23,000 in 1990. You also have to remember that the prime interest rate on a loan in 1990 was about 10%. Today you can borrow money at 2% or less with good credit.
The fact is that today we have to work fewer hours to afford comparable goods than at almost any time in history. Trucks included.
Median income in 1990 in the US was 54,621. In 2017, it was 61,372. While what you said sounds logical, it does not actually meet reality. Unfortunately, the reality of the situation is that wages have stagnated and more people are living in higher amounts of debt than any time in our nation's history. Most people cannot afford to drive the higher trims trucks, but the dealer's job is to sell and they'll make it happen by approving loans with higher interest rates.
There are still such trucks available,and at reasonable prices that are no more expensive than trucks cost 20-30 years ago. WITH INFLATION FACTORED IN The median income today is over $60,000/year. It was in the $25,000/year range in the 1990's so the same truck should cost 2 1/2 X as much. FWIW, I paid $10,500 for a very basic regular cab 4X4 with the 4.9 I6 engine and a 4 speed manual in 1985. Other than 4X4 the only option was AC. Even had rubber floor mats. I feel quite confident that I could find a better equipped new regular cab 4X4 truck for around $30,000 today. I can get a pretty well equipped Supercab 4X4 with a V8 and automatic transmission today in the low $40,000 range.
A $700 truck payment today would have been about $365 in 1990. A truck that sells new today for $44,000 would have sold for $23,000 in 1990. You also have to remember that the prime interest rate on a loan in 1990 was about 10%. Today you can borrow money at 2% or less with good credit.
The fact is that today we have to work fewer hours to afford comparable goods than at almost any time in history. Trucks included.
Where is that the median income? I would have needed to work 2 1/2 to 3 years to accumulate that much money-- if I would not have paid any bills or eat.
I bought an XL, standard cab, 8' bed because I wanted a practical truck. Had to order it because they don't stock that kind of truck. Also wanted 4x4 and cruise control. Cruise was only available packaged with electric doors and windows, etc. Ended up around $40k about double what the '07 GMC cost me new.
I for one will NEVER be happy with base model anything. I love my navigation, remote starter, all that stuff. But that is why ford offers a model from the XL up to the Limited
Where is that the median income? I would have needed to work 2 1/2 to 3 years to accumulate that much money-- if I would not have paid any bills or eat.
Man these guys on here all have good jobs or retirements and money to burn. lol
Like most consumer goods, its supply and demand. I would guess that Ford or any truck manufacturer sells more loaded models than lower trims (at least from what I see around here). They will continue to add features (up to you if you find them "practical " or not) and price until they stop selling them. Saying you can buy a cheaper truck to have financial freedom is a good idea, but to many people that freedom means they can have a nicer vehicle and have no problem paying for it. I for one have seen people here buy 80-100k dollar vehicles and they rent some apartment somewhere. Not what I am doing, but to each their own. Same to the people that buy a bare bones truck and max out their retirement contributions or have a nicer home, you do you.
Inflation and debt is very high right now in North America, and wages are not keeping up in my opinion. But I don't think the math is quite as linear as taking a percentage from 1990 and apply it to a truck price today, there's a lot more factors than that.
A large loaded crew cab truck is just another sign how lost in consumerism we are. It fits in perfectly with all the other things Americans can't always afford, but purchase anyway and then complain that they can't save any money. Large cable TV packages, 70" TV's, new iPhones and expensive data plans, a closet full of clothes that are never worn, houses twice the size of a generation ago (but with smaller families), and the list goes on.
Sure, my grandparents, part of the "greatest generation" had simple jobs that paid well. But they also had small homes, one family vehicle, and very few "luxury items". The little disposable income they had went in the bank instead of to Walmart and Amazon. I remember back in the 80's as a kid thinking it was CRAZY that one of my grandpas still had a manual drill! But he didn't see the need like we do for power drills (and now cordless drills). He was a mechanic at a factory, yet his home tool box that he used to fix literally everything was small enough to carry from room to room. My toolbox is 6' tall, with another 4' tall box sitting next to it, both filled to the brim. He also push mowed his 1+ acre yard, now it seems we all need zero turn mowers for our 1/8 acre lots.
I'm very fortunate to have a good job and a wife that runs a successful business from home. I admit I could get by without a truck, especially one as nice as mine. But I can afford it, and I also choose to buy something that's 2-3 years old and drive it until it hits 200,000 miles so I get my money's worth out of it. It does kill me when I see guys making far less than me bringing home new Platinum's and Raptors. And they use them to tow their new Polaris RZR's around, or even worse, Harley's. Sometimes over beers I'll switch the conversation to retirement, and I always get the same answer: "I'll worry about saving for retirement when I'm in my 40's or 50's". Well I've got news for them, they'll also be working up through their 70's or 80's. then.
02-07-2019, 09:34 PM
