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Old 04-11-2018, 05:48 PM
 
17,379 posts, read 14,911,744 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JBAinTexas View Post
I just want a basic pickup truck like they had in the 1970s, easy to maintain, with no bells and whistles except A/C and heat (if you count that as "bells and whistles).

I'm fine with the manual windows with the crank handles. I'd rather have it over the power windows anyway because sometimes the motor for the power windows dies and you have to spend about $200 to replace each.

Nowadays they have vehicles with computers built into them, and way too many parts.

Best vehicle I ever owned was a 1978 Ford Thunderbird. I regret selling it.
I'm with you. The three new vehicles I've owned.. 97 S-10, '05 Colorado and '18 Colorado

The S-10.. I got what I wanted. No power locks, no cruise, no power windows. Cost around $13k if I recall.

The '05 Colorado.. Had cruise.. But still had manual windows and locks. The thing that ticked me off about it.. Still a regular cab, which I wanted as well.. But they didn't allow you to unlock the passenger door from the outside. No keyhole. And no power locks. I think I paid around $17k for it.



The '18.. Screwed. Extended cab, Power windows, power locks, the whole MyChevrolet thing.. Got away without OnStar and all the lane departure warning stuff.. But.. That sucker cost $27k.
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Old 04-11-2018, 06:08 PM
 
11,548 posts, read 52,913,295 times
Reputation: 16318
even in the 1970's, the "basic" simple car you describe was becoming scarcer all the time as most people wanted to buy the gizmos and upgrades/options.

easier for the manufacturers to inventory/supply what most people want to buy and vote with their dollars.

way back when ... "R&H" (radios and heaters) were an "option". They quickly became standard "options" on most cars, then became standard equipment. Power steering was an option on low line models, too ... rapidly becoming the standard of the industry. A/C was an "option" except on upline models, and the aftermarket install industry flourished (it was a big business at Sears and other retailers). In due course, the manufacturers, eager to capture those dollars spent by the motoring public on their cars made A/C more commonly a "standard" option, then pretty much the normal equipment.

And so it goes with most of the other equipment on the cars. More "stuff" means higher price tags which means more net profit.

PS: I bought my first new BMW in '72 for $3,500. Didn't even have a radio, and everything was manual on it. A wonderful car for it's day, and a nostalgia trip to drive it now ... very infrequently. The memories are better than the reality for an everyday driving experience where I appreciate the A/C, cruise control, central locking, intermittent wipers, electric windows, heated seats, stereo C/D player, AWD, and improved fuel economy/performance of my modern cars. I well remember my skiing trips in the Colorado mountains where you couldn't see out the back window of the 2002 due to frost until the back window area cleared from the heat circulating in the car for 15-20 minutes of driving with the rear windows cracked open just a wee bit to promote the circulation. The ventilation airflow in these cars was crude by any measure, and even the successor 3-series BMW's weren't all that much better.

I had several other rarities ... a 1964 Ford Custom 2-door w/289 V8, manual windows/door locks, no A/C ... and manual steering. It was a pig to park or drive at any low speeds with only Armstrong power steering available. I replaced it with a '71 MB 220D that also was manual everything but did have A/C ... the car was a handful to drive at low speeds or to park. Made me appreciate the '82 300Dturbo that replaced it that had all the "luxury" options as standard in that car.

When I go back to my '72 AlfaRomeo spyder, I am reminded how crude that car was with all it's manual features. Unless I take it out on a particularly nice modest temp day of driving, it's about the last choice of my vehicles I'll drive anymore. Probably haven't put 1,000 miles on it in 5 years now.

Last edited by sunsprit; 04-11-2018 at 06:19 PM..
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Old 04-11-2018, 06:18 PM
 
Location: Cebu, Philippines
5,869 posts, read 4,161,891 times
Reputation: 10940
In rouind numbers, an American car is $10,000 "worth" of safety and environmental compliance, with a Mahendra dropped onto the chassis. Electronic bells, whistles and audio system added for sales pitch.
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Old 04-11-2018, 06:32 PM
 
892 posts, read 1,487,962 times
Reputation: 1869
They ARE available. I have several 2018 Ford Superduties sitting on my lot right this minute with cloth seats, basic AM/FM/CD radios, manual windows, manual locks, vinyl flooring, etc. Though I should clarify that when I say "on my lot", I mean my employer's lot, and my employer is a utility company. Companies like ours with a very large number of company owned vehicles often order vehicles in a different way that the average Joe would.

However, what you'll also find, very often, is that the truly base model vehicle will actually cost you MORE than one with the commonly ordered options as you'll have to special order that base model vehicle as opposed to taking something already sitting on the dealer's lot with dealer incentives attached. You're also talking about a vehicle that while many people will lament the disappearance of, _very_ few people will actually buy one, so the dealer isn't going to order them only to have them sit on the lot for months or even years.
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Old 04-11-2018, 08:31 PM
 
11,548 posts, read 52,913,295 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by urbex View Post
They ARE available. I have several 2018 Ford Superduties sitting on my lot right this minute with cloth seats, basic AM/FM/CD radios, manual windows, manual locks, vinyl flooring, etc. Though I should clarify that when I say "on my lot", I mean my employer's lot, and my employer is a utility company. Companies like ours with a very large number of company owned vehicles often order vehicles in a different way that the average Joe would.
That's "fleet purchasing" power at work and the fleet sales rep has a lot more flexibility when bidding on a large fleet sale purchase order/equipment.

A utility company with hundreds of service vehicles and company fleet cars is a whole different buyer than somebody walking in and wanting a vehicle. It's another world entirely when fleet sales departments are bidding against each other to a buyer's RFB's compared to a single vehicle buyer playing a dealership or two off against each other. Especially when the RFB is published on national BID listings where multiple dealers and even the vehicle manufacturer may enter the bid process. Some fleet buyers are handling large enough quantities that the manufacturer may qualify them as a "national sales account" manufacturer direct sale.
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Old 04-11-2018, 08:38 PM
 
Location: NNJ
15,023 posts, read 9,983,177 times
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Maybe work with a company to buy one of the fleet vehicles from them....

I've been curious about purchasing a retired police vehicle.. probably along the same lines.
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Old 04-11-2018, 09:41 PM
 
Location: Riverside Ca
22,146 posts, read 33,209,527 times
Reputation: 35433
Quote:
Originally Posted by JBAinTexas View Post
I just want a basic pickup truck like they had in the 1970s, easy to maintain, with no bells and whistles except A/C and heat (if you count that as "bells and whistles).

I'm fine with the manual windows with the crank handles. I'd rather have it over the power windows anyway because sometimes the motor for the power windows dies and you have to spend about $200 to replace each.

Nowadays they have vehicles with computers built into them, and way too many parts.

Best vehicle I ever owned was a 1978 Ford Thunderbird. I regret selling it.

They still make them. It’s called a base model. Too bad they start at about 30k for a full size with a dinky v6 and go up from there. Just a while back I saw a F350 LX standard cab no power with vinyl bench seat (the only options were 4x4 and diesel which added 15,000 to the 40k base price) for 55,000. I kid you not the MSRP was 55,000 dollars
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Old 04-11-2018, 09:47 PM
 
4,152 posts, read 4,390,868 times
Reputation: 10031
I recall discussing this topic a few years back on this forum and I get what the OP is talking about. I think there is a niche market for some manufacturer to build what I'd call a base model utility that is "mule" like in not having a lot of the electronic "living room/ entertainment center" gadgetry except for those components that are safety and longevity performance based and go back to a simple modular add on integrative feature for the electronic / communication pc related type featured components.


When looking for my last vehicle a few years ago, I think the pickups and the Jeeps were the only vehicles I saw that even let you have a 'stripped' down base like version. I bought my current small utility for its good ergonomics high safety features and economy (last year w CD player). I don't intend to tinker with it so much for hands on maintenance as I don't want the over featured cluster that clutters the driving experience with screens I never look at / refer to etc....
I don't need Bluetooth and all the communication gadgets, I'd rather have something that is durable, safe, economical, and utilitarian. The problem as already mentioned is the manufacturers in trying to appeal to the diverse market of demographics seem to shun defining a car by its simplicity (they don't think it will sell enough units). but I think a creative ad campaign that educates and appeals to those who want simplicity in the driver vehicle experience would be attracted to this type of basic transportation.


In regards to the fleet buying idea, I did (decades ago) check out old police cruisers on auction and found they were seemingly always too beat on to be worth the money. I think a good option might be the light utes/trucks that service company fleets get and let dedicated driver (worker that can keep service vehicle at home) use only for work. When you think about it under right conditions its much like having an old certified used vehicle with full history and it probably (depending on company) has the basest level or even purposely de-featured build out.
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Old 04-11-2018, 10:13 PM
 
Location: Riverside Ca
22,146 posts, read 33,209,527 times
Reputation: 35433
Quote:
Originally Posted by ciceropolo View Post
I recall discussing this topic a few years back on this forum and I get what the OP is talking about. I think there is a niche market for some manufacturer to build what I'd call a base model utility that is "mule" like in not having a lot of the electronic "living room/ entertainment center" gadgetry except for those components that are safety and longevity performance based and go back to a simple modular add on integrative feature for the electronic / communication pc related type featured components.


When looking for my last vehicle a few years ago, I think the pickups and the Jeeps were the only vehicles I saw that even let you have a 'stripped' down base like version. I bought my current small utility for its good ergonomics high safety features and economy (last year w CD player). I don't intend to tinker with it so much for hands on maintenance as I don't want the over featured cluster that clutters the driving experience with screens I never look at / refer to etc....
I don't need Bluetooth and all the communication gadgets, I'd rather have something that is durable, safe, economical, and utilitarian. The problem as already mentioned is the manufacturers in trying to appeal to the diverse market of demographics seem to shun defining a car by its simplicity (they don't think it will sell enough units). but I think a creative ad campaign that educates and appeals to those who want simplicity in the driver vehicle experience would be attracted to this type of basic transportation.


In regards to the fleet buying idea, I did (decades ago) check out old police cruisers on auction and found they were seemingly always too beat on to be worth the money. I think a good option might be the light utes/trucks that service company fleets get and let dedicated driver (worker that can keep service vehicle at home) use only for work. When you think about it under right conditions its much like having an old certified used vehicle with full history and it probably (depending on company) has the basest level or even purposely de-featured build out.

I don’t think it matters. You still need all the auto braking, rear camera side rear front warning along with self tensioning seat belts, seat airbag curtain airbag wheel airbag etc.
there simply aren’t many cheap entry level trucks.
You want that go buy a used one and have it refurbished.it will still be cheaper than buying a new truck
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Old 04-11-2018, 10:56 PM
 
Location: NE Mississippi
25,331 posts, read 16,968,932 times
Reputation: 36898
Quote:
Originally Posted by Electrician4you View Post
I don’t think it matters. You still need all the auto braking, rear camera side rear front warning along with self tensioning seat belts, seat airbag curtain airbag wheel airbag etc.
there simply aren’t many cheap entry level trucks.
You want that go buy a used one and have it refurbished.it will still be cheaper than buying a new truck
I think you're right.

Most people have to buy something fairly new because they have to use credit to buy it. That's a shame, but it's how the system works.

I bought my truck new in 1990.
Still got it. You and I have talked about it in another thread:
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