Why are trucks so expensive?

"Autophile412 - what's the world got in store?" (autophile412) 10/22/2014 at 09:39 • Filed to: None

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I recently got a new job and my earnings would benefit if I had my own truck. The company I work for as a sales rep has a repair business for capital equipment (much of which will fit in the bed of a pickup truck) and in many instances if you can pick this stuff up while you are on your regular sales call you will get more work because maintenance guys are always looking for the easy way out.

I have been on the lookout for a truck and I am always poking around Autotrader and the likes to find something suitable for my need.

Ideally I would need an F-150 (I am biased towards the blue oval) or a Nissan Titan. I don't like Dodge or Chevrolet (damn libertarian mind) and I am not a fan of the Tundra.

In my search I have trouble finding anything under $30k unless the truck is 5 years old or has 200,000 miles on the odometer (yes that was a slight exaggeration).

I would love to find something that is affordable enough that I can justifiably keep my 5er wagon, but at the prices I am finding I can't do it so now I am looking at older trucks in the sub 12k range.

In this range you will find a plethora of basket cases out there and it really is like rolling the dice. I need something that is reliable enough to put 2500 miles a month on without costing an arm and a leg to maintain and I need something large enough that I can haul a 2000 lb pump down the highway.

Does anyone here have any clue why trucks are so damned expensive?

Vimto > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 09:43

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1. There's plenty of demand for used pickups.

2. A 5 year old pickup still has plenty of life and reliability left in it, even with high mileage it isn't going to let you down.

3. They're expensive to begin with. There's a reason an F-150 with any sort of niceties costs twice as much as a Fusion - you're getting twice the vehicle, with much more capability and practicality.

Coty > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 09:43

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Where do you live?

Sweet Trav > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 09:44

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Because they last forever. To contractors, plumbers, and many other blue-collar unionized workers they are their livelihood. It's like a set of snap-on tools, yes they are expensive, but to someone who uses them every day they are well worth the cash.

Also, if you're looking for a truck to go 200,000+ I highly recommend you don't let your politics get in the way of the fact that the GM LS V8 is the best, most reliable engine put in any gasoline powered truck in the past 20 years.

Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? > Coty 10/22/2014 at 09:44

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Pittsburgh

OPPOsaurus WRX > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 09:45

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Isn;t a Titan just a re-skinned Dodge?

Coty > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 09:45

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You're probably a little too far away for me to help.

Nibby > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 09:45

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Because chrome is expensive.

Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? > OPPOsaurus WRX 10/22/2014 at 09:45

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Don't think so. I might be wrong.

JR1 > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 09:46

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Might I suggest a first generation Avalanche. Family just got one a week ago. 85k on the miles and it is very well appointed on the inside for an 04. Power seats, sun roof, leather, heated seats, the list goes on. I know you said no Chevy (I like Ford trucks more too) but it is hard to pass up for 8000 or you could go the Honda Ridgeline which is a Honda and therefore will never die

Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? > JR1 10/22/2014 at 09:46

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the bed on the ridgeline and the avalanche is not big enough. I need something with either a 6 or 8 foot bed. 8 foot bed would be ideal.

OPPOsaurus WRX > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 09:47

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http://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/…

BigBlock440 > OPPOsaurus WRX 10/22/2014 at 09:48

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No, that deal fell through with, I believe, the Fiat merger.

OPPOsaurus WRX > BigBlock440 10/22/2014 at 09:49

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were they at one point?

jvirgs drives a Subaru > Nibby 10/22/2014 at 09:49

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seriously. If they cut that shit out, it probably would save a couple grand. Not to mention it would help the appearance a bit.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 09:49

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Higher attrition rates than cars, I'd think. The ideal car for you would be a business coupe, but nobody's made those in any numbers since the early 50s, and nobody's made a proper ute since the 80s.

JR1 > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 09:50

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It can be 8ft:

And I am 95% sure the glass comes out too

Sweet Trav > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 09:52

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http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/4642571807…

Found your truck brah.

BigBlock440 > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 09:52

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Look at a component on a car, then look at that same component on a truck. That should be enough to see why they're more expensive.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 09:58

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Expensive? Really? In canada a Truck is the best bang for your buck you can get (other than the shitty gas mileage of course).

A brand new 2014 Ram 1500 SXT Quad Cab 4x4 Hemi is $27,500.00

A brand new 2014 Ram 1500 ST 4x2 Hemi is $19,999.00 (a 390hp hemi for under 20K!)

If you want more luxuries tho then they get expensive. SVT Raptor 65K! but for a simple truck if you can afford the gas it really is great value.

Sweet Trav > JR1 10/22/2014 at 09:58

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Yeah, but Unibody...

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 09:58

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What features are you looking for?

2 door, 4 door (full or half)?

4x4?

need some details in order to help you out, we can get you in an F150 for under 30k - i promise

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > OPPOsaurus WRX 10/22/2014 at 09:59

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nope not even close.

BigBlock440 > OPPOsaurus WRX 10/22/2014 at 10:03

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There were plans for the next gen Titan to be a rebadged Ram, but that never actually happened.

I can't find the article on it, but this one mentions it down in the truck section: http://jalopnik.com/5062950/gm-vs-…

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 10:04

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Do you want 4WD? I just dug around a bit in my area and found you can get the mileage below 100k if you are willing to go 4X2 for like an 05/06 F-150. Another trade-off you could make to get the price down would be a 4.6 liter V8 rather than the 5.4.

Milky > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 10:08

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First off, really? " I don't like Dodge or Chevrolet (damn libertarian mind)"

Second, why you lie breh?!

JR1 > Sweet Trav 10/22/2014 at 10:17

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What is wrong with the Unibody?

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 10:18

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I mean, i just found a RAPTOR at 30k

what are you looking for man

The Magic Rev Matching 4Runner > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 10:32

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I believe I have found a solution to your problem.

And yes, that is the exhaust!

Sweet Trav > JR1 10/22/2014 at 10:32

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I'm not sure it would have the durability over the years to be work truck. Not that the Av's arent good trucks, but not what I would want to load a couple of yards of gravel in the back of on a regular basis.

JR1 > Sweet Trav 10/22/2014 at 10:37

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Okay I can get behind and agree with that statement. If you need a work truck this is not the one. I think it is a wonderful compromise for my family though who used the bed to store bikes occasionally, wood for winter, hauling around beds for family, etc.

Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs 10/22/2014 at 10:41

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I live in Pittsburgh and drive 2500 miles a month into steel mills and out onto drilling sites. 4 x 4 is a must.

Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 10/22/2014 at 10:42

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link? if I can get a raptor at 30 k I would sell my wagon in a heart beat. is it a supercab or crew? crew cab would be ideal

Jeff Tripp > OPPOsaurus WRX 10/22/2014 at 10:42

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What would give you that idea?

Sweet Trav > JR1 10/22/2014 at 10:42

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Exactly, the Avalanche fills the gap between SUV and truck quite nicely.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 10:47

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and it only has two bent frame rails...

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 10:49

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http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/4644895459…

Seriously your price range gives you endless opportunity with used trucks.

What specifically do you want out of one? What's your mileage cap? 4x4? leather?

(this raptor is over 100k, so probably not the best option for you)

OPPOsaurus WRX > Jeff Tripp 10/22/2014 at 10:52

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i don't know. i thought it was something like what Mazda did with the rangers and explorers

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 10:59

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Potentially better options than the raptor i posted:

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/4680264887…

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/4718976003…

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/4665889130…

http://altoona.craigslist.org/cto/4725656739…

http://youngstown.craigslist.org/cto/4691736221…

Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 10/22/2014 at 10:59

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I saw that one and with that mileage I can only imagine the worms nest of repairs it'll need soon.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 11:00

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yep. I just posted back in a different reply a pile of them tho

BarryDanger > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 11:06

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Can you expense your miles? If so why not just get an F250, I see plenty of them on craigslist.

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/ctd/4721045681… Gas

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/ctd/4720113106… Diesel

BigBlock440 > Sweet Trav 10/22/2014 at 11:28

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I thought the Avalanche was BOF, just like the Suburban/Tahoe and Silverado?

Sweet Trav > BigBlock440 10/22/2014 at 11:31

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nope, Uni-body like the tahoe/suburban/yukon

BigBlock440 > Sweet Trav 10/22/2014 at 11:50

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Everything I'm reading says they have a frame. One example:

http://chevyavalanchefanclub.com/cafcna/index.p…

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 11:51

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Because people pay all the money for them brand new.

No really, it's not as if they are heavily engineered (compared to some of the other things out there), and it's not as if the volume is so low that the profit margin needs to be higher on a per unit basis to recoup development costs. And it's not as if the cycle time is measured in years as opposed to decades.

It's because people are willing to pay $50K for an F-150 new.

This allows Ford/GM/Chrysler to have silly large margins on them and, in essence, pay for all the stuff we actually want. Like Mustangs and Corvettes and Hellcats.

I'm having a damndest time finding a not-beat-to-death F-250/F-350 with a turbodiesel. I'm currently towing my open car trailer with a 1995 F-150 with 351 Windsor. It's not fast, but it gets the job done. But it's not anything resembling pleasant to drive with close to 6000lbs on the back.

Sweet Trav > BigBlock440 10/22/2014 at 11:56

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They have two sub-frames. just like the Tahoe, Yukon and 'sclade.

nermal > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 12:24

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I'd go for a new, lightly optioned F150. A quick Autotrader search in my area shows a plethora of extended cab 4x4 models advertised for < $30k. You're only going to get cloth seats, the 5.0 v8, and a minimal amount of toys for that matter, but it will still drive nice. Crew cabs seem to start at about $32k.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 12:50

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If we're going to get into politics, technically Ford did take bailout money. In the 12k range you are looking at a 5.4 maintenance nightmare F150. I'd strongly reconsider looking at a Chevy, simply for the simplicity and reliability. Engine reliability that is.

BigBlock440 > Sweet Trav 10/22/2014 at 12:58

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hmm, ok. I guess nobody calls them subframes, or the avalanche owners don't actually know what they're talking about. Especially the one asking if it was the same frame as the 2500/3500.

Sweet Trav > BigBlock440 10/22/2014 at 13:08

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It's designed to be a modular system. the 2500/3500 just has beefier bits that bolt in.

Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 10/22/2014 at 13:20

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My theory matches yours in the fact that currently our region has a ton of companies drilling and supplying the drillers and all of these companies are willing to walk into the dealership and say "how many 150's and 250's do you have?" "here's a check we will take ten of them"

Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 10/22/2014 at 13:24

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they did take the money because they were forced to take the money... they were the first to pay it back and stay solvent under the same ownership. I don't want to get into it on here simply because the internet is not conducive to such discussions.

I do agree that the 5.7 is a nightmare and that the LS is a great motor. If I could find a cummins turbo diesel at a great price I would not hesitate either. I have my biases but I am not moronic when it comes to making an educated decision. If I am looking in the post bailout era for a truck it is going to be foreign or Ford; most likely ford.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/22/2014 at 13:53

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Your probably not going to find a post bailout anything for 12k. If you can find a well maintained 2nd generation Ram 2500/3500 Cummins with just under 200k miles, without a 53 stamped block, you'd be set. If you can deal with a dually, 7.3 Powerstrokes with plenty of life left can be found in that range as well.

Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 10/22/2014 at 16:00

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My stepdad has a cherry 1998 Ram 2500 Cummins with no rust, a rebuilt tranny and a plow. It sits in the garage at their house 350 days a year. I have been bugging him to sell it to me and he will not budge.

wontacceptthis > Autophile412 - what's the world got in store? 10/26/2014 at 10:48

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http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/4730834499…

Bam. If the bed is physically wide, long, and deep enough, this will haul 2.000 lbs without much complaint.

20 mpg. And its 20 mpg on 87 octane.

Manual. Good? Yes. Good.

Reliable? Yes. Indeed.

If anything, just put an add-a-leaf on the rear and go to town.