It was 42 years ago today, seems so long ago, yet still a strong memory in my head, a milestone I reached in my humble beginnings into the home renovation industry building solariums and such.Yes, it was on this day, October ten, nineteen seventy eight when I had been only 4 years into my lifetime career when I worked my way to being able to purchase my first brand new truck!Yup, 10-10-78 I drove off the lot of Phillips Chev - Olds in Penticton BC driving my nice shiny new 78 Chev 3/4 Ton Camper Special.As I pulled out of the lot and turned left on to Westminster Ave and headed east towards home, I though I had lost my marbles, that I am a total idiot.Who in their right mind would pay $7714. For a new truck. All taxes, fees, dealer prep and all the rest of the junk in came to $8,109.70 out the door...... Bob, you are out of your mind! I kept saying to myself. Financed it on the never never plan I did. How will I ever pay for it? I was barely 24 years old.It was a great truck, I had it for 26 years and about 527,000K on the odometer when I retired it, still in decent shape.Hmmmmm......42 years later, my 2007 truck in sig is getting worn out. 408,800K on the clock and I am eyeing the shiny new trucks on the lot.92 grand $$$$$$$ for something similar with a few more bells and whistles. No, just no! That's what, about a dozen times the price I paid back then?Gosh how can they justify that?Wow! Just wow. Amazing how expensive pickups have become. All these fancy gizzmobops they have, someone has to pay for all that I guess..Guess I'll just keep fixing what I have. It was $1423.77 yesterday for a water pump and a U-joint. Expensive!Oh well, that's life! :)My story of the day.

I didn't buy my first brand new vehicle until I was 50 years old! Got the 13 F150 with 56 miles on it (I put on about 20 miles on it on my test drive).. (bought in early 2014)Anyway, paid $33,000 (plus all the tax and other stuff) for a $43,000 stickered truck....Got a 7 year loan for $395/month. Paid it off early last year and was able to apply the monthly payment for the new 2019 Rockwood TT! The Rockwood is only $277/month and will pay it off early too at some point as I'm banking the savings between the old truck payment and the new TT payment.. :) Putting a bit more away for retirement too, as I'm now 57.. :)Anyway, I can't see myself being able to buy a new truck anytime soon... 7 years and still going strong on the F150. Mitch

Another foolish person here Bob! Back in 77, a friend and I were shopping for new vehicles. He bought a new T-Bird for $7K plus. A single young man didn't need a car like that! Not to be outdone, I noticed a fancy new 77 Chevy Cheyenne sport truck, still sitting on the delivery transport truck. It was special ordered for new vehicle showing, had special paint, every option, but was 2wd. It came from factory with custom spoke wheels (even the spare), and had the 454 4bl. Being a short bed, it had no real truck use, just a young man's gas guzzlin hot rod. I paid sticker price of around $8,200, but traded in a less fancy truck, that was just one year old. I was fortunate to always pay cash difference, for the many new vehicles I bought, and traded every couple years. New trucks aren't that much more expensive, just the dollar value is so much less. I paid 9K for my last snowmobile trailer, to haul 3 sleds, that I paid 25K for. Now that is crazy! :)Jerry

Truck pricing IS crazy, because all of a sudden everybody seems to want one, and the manufacturers have capitalized on it.Plenty of people tooling around in them, not having a clue how to park them properly, and enjoying their nearly-$1000 monthly payments! (Hope their employment is very secure).And, how many of them will experience their heaviest load being 6 bags of groceries and a tricycle?? :CPlus, one of those big new behemoth trucks sitting in your driveway makes your house look smaller!!!

I have invested only $28,000 over my total ownership of pickups! $2,300 for a well used '98 Silverado $12,000 for a lightly used '04 F-150$13,700 for a new 2011 Silverado (only 48,000 miles).I feel very lucky, but I cannot afford another pickup in retirement!

We had to walk 11 miles to school, in 4 feet of snow, uphill both ways, with no shoes.

The price of new trucks is beyond comprehension!

RetiredRealtorR
Explorer
Oct 11, 2020
Truck pricing IS crazy, because all of a sudden everybody seems to want one, and the manufacturers have capitalized on it.

Plenty of people tooling around in them, not having a clue how to park them properly, and enjoying their nearly-$1000 monthly payments! (Hope their employment is very secure).

And, how many of them will experience their heaviest load being 6 bags of groceries and a tricycle?? :C

Plus, one of those big new behemoth trucks sitting in your driveway makes your house look smaller!!!
MFL
Nomad II
Oct 11, 2020
Another foolish person here Bob! Back in 77, a friend and I were shopping for new vehicles. He bought a new T-Bird for $7K plus. A single young man didn't need a car like that! Not to be outdone, I noticed a fancy new 77 Chevy Cheyenne sport truck, still sitting on the delivery transport truck. It was special ordered for new vehicle showing, had special paint, every option, but was 2wd. It came from factory with custom spoke wheels (even the spare), and had the 454 4bl. Being a short bed, it had no real truck use, just a young man's gas guzzlin hot rod. I paid sticker price of around $8,200, but traded in a less fancy truck, that was just one year old. I was fortunate to always pay cash difference, for the many new vehicles I bought, and traded every couple years. New trucks aren't that much more expensive, just the dollar value is so much less. I paid 9K for my last snowmobile trailer, to haul 3 sleds, that I paid 25K for. Now that is crazy! :)

Jerry
MitchF150
Explorer III
Oct 11, 2020
I didn't buy my first brand new vehicle until I was 50 years old! Got the 13 F150 with 56 miles on it (I put on about 20 miles on it on my test drive).. (bought in early 2014)

Anyway, paid $33,000 (plus all the tax and other stuff) for a $43,000 stickered truck....

Got a 7 year loan for $395/month. Paid it off early last year and was able to apply the monthly payment for the new 2019 Rockwood TT! The Rockwood is only $277/month and will pay it off early too at some point as I'm banking the savings between the old truck payment and the new TT payment.. :) Putting a bit more away for retirement too, as I'm now 57.. :)

Anyway, I can't see myself being able to buy a new truck anytime soon... 7 years and still going strong on the F150.

Mitch

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The price of new trucks is beyond comprehension!

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