In Defense of the $70,000 F-150

"RyanFrew" (ryanfrew) 10/10/2016 at 14:03 • Filed to: Flamesuit

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The hate is strong for the F-150 Limited that was !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ! Here some examples of the general reception and comments:

Edit: These all show as embedded comments in the editor. Thanks, Kinja

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Everyone above is wrong. Ford is not going to price themselves out of the market. If you don’t know how money works and are interested in impressing others, the F-150 Limited is a terrible choice. And it’s not absurd.

In honor of last night’s debate, let’s start by ignoring facts and starting with my anecdote that I’m unapologetically using as confirmation bias:

A friend of mine, named Dave, is a very successful surgeon. For decades, he has been very conservative with his car purchases, but decided it was time for something nicer this year. I talked to him about the E-Class, 550i, CTS, etc., and nothing was really grabbing his attention; he’s too good with money, and the depreciation on those cars is ugly. He was also concerned that some of the options I mentioned were too flashy for his taste (Looking at you, Ghibli). However, he stuck by his demand for a vehicle that was new, quick, and that featured a great deal of luxury and comfort.

Spring rolled around and it was time to tow the boats down to his lake house. At the time, Dave had a glorious GMT800 Suburban. It was a 2500 with the 8.1 engine, Quadrasteer, and a bunch of towing customizations done by some shop down in Texas. At ~15 years old after living a hard life, the Suburban was wearing out quickly, which was kind of a headache for Dave - it was getting time for a new tow vehicle as well.

Now, imagine, for someone like him, if a vehicle existed that featured the vast majority of creature comforts found in an A6, could easily tow a wakeboarding boat, was likely to be more reliable than a 550i, and it only cost as much as the sedans he was looking at. Sounds pretty reasonable. And I do realize that trucks are likely to start depreciating quickly again when gas goes back up, but at least it’s not an immediate guarantee, like everything else.

Enter, the F-150 Limited. The price was highly negotiable, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he paid in cash.

So, Dave got to sell his extra vehicle (the Suburban), which brought down his annual maintenance costs, the impact of the new car’s purchase on his wallet, and now gets the satisfaction of towing with something that gets decent fuel efficiency. He loves it. Meanwhile, I suspect that most people can tell it’s a nice ride, but it doesn’t shout the way that BMW or Jaguar would, amongst a sea of other pickup trucks on the road. In fact, his is white, so I’d argue that it’s even more understated than the one pictured.

A few other, less anecdotal points to consider:

If you wouldn’t be taken aback by a $70,000 Escalade, why is this any different? Only difference I can see is that the F-150 seats 3 less people, but features way more versatility.

It does 0-60 in 5.8s. That’s just as fast a new BMW 330. Except a 330 won’t tow 10,000lbs.

It gets about 20 MPG combined. That’s BETTER than the 550i XDrive. And the 550i can’t run over a damn thing.

Another question, how much should Ford charge for a vehicle that offers the following standard features, along with a ton of sweet towing options:

Adaptive Cruise Control

Collision Warning

Blind Spot Detection

Brake Assist

Lane-Keep

Heated Front and Rear Seats/Mirrors/Steering Wheel

Ventilated Seats

Automatic High Beams

Rain Sensing Wipers

This is a great truck for a fair price.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 14:11

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I’ve been making this point for a while: the Great American Four Door Family Car is still around, and better than ever - it’s just a truck now. That is literally the whole reason behind having four doors - it can be shamelessly the same size is a ‘74 Town Car inside and out and do all the towing you need... while having the same level of creature comforts, etc. etc. When you cross-shop against an S-class, let alone an E-class, the interior space factor really counts for a lot.

Nibby > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 14:11

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I like how you can get a new truck from Ford/Chevy/GMC/Ram and spec it as a base work truck or loaded with luxury. Gives people a lot of choice.

Party-vi > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 14:12

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I don’t think anything that costs $70,000 should have silver-painted plastic interior bits, or hard plastic anywhere in the cabin.

RyanFrew > Nibby 10/10/2016 at 14:13

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Amen. It’s a double-edged sword, though. People are so used to the base F-150, that the premise of paying $50-$70k for one offends people.

PS9 > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 14:14

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It’s absurd to the folks who will never pony up the cash to buy. The ones who do are the only lot that matter, and so long as they do it (actually, even if they didn’t) no one in that bubble - Ford, the customers, truck buyers at large, etc., - cares at all for what the commentariat on one auto website has to say about it.

Why should Ford Charge $70k for a truck? Why shouldn’t they? If Merc can get away with that for a 4 cylinder FWD sedan that is behind all of it’s competition, then I don’t see why Ford can’t do the same. Quit whining and buy some Ford stock.

Berang > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 10/10/2016 at 14:14

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Well of course. If companies could convince people to buy trucks instead of cars they get high profit margins, and get to scoot around laws that make our roads safer and our planet not dead. So that’s what they did.

Berang > Party-vi 10/10/2016 at 14:16

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Quality is not measured by material. It is measured in big. Big = good. Big = money.

carcrasher88 > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 14:16

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I also personally like these luxury trucks. I’m sure most don’t buy them for the ‘high roller’ image, rather to get the capability of a truck, but with the comforts of a luxury car.

Best of both worlds in a nutshell.

Many of these high end trucks I see on the road are usually hauling something.

At least 7/10 trucks I see towing campers during the summer are mid-range or higher trim.

I’ve heard people say the reason why dealers don’t sell many cheaper trucks is because they refuse to stock them, when the truth is that most modern truck buyers don’t want a cheap truck.

These days, a cheap truck will usually sit on a lot at least three times longer than a higher end Limited/Laramie/High Country/Denali, and most of the cheap trucks you see on the road these days?

Mainly businesses...contractors, plumbers, roofers, surveyors, etc., and they’re mostly custom ordered through the dealer (which would likely get them further commercial discounts as well), so almost as soon as the truck hits the dealer, it’s gone almost as fast.

Sovereign, Purveyor of Coupes > Party-vi 10/10/2016 at 14:17

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Exposed fasteners! The horror!

Milky > Party-vi 10/10/2016 at 14:18

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I hate it when people say trucks or Chevy Impalas have “Luxury car features”. Clearly that’s just what vehicles come with now.

RyanFrew > Party-vi 10/10/2016 at 14:19

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Fair enough. Counterpoints:

Anyone who actually uses this thing for some tough work, as my friend does, will appreciate hard plastic in places that are vulnerable or need to be inexpensively replaceable.

Despite the hard plastics, this is a genuinely nice place to be

I can go option a $100k+ Boxster with no shortage of hard plastics if I skip the the leather interior option.

The Landcruiser is $80k. Hard plastic everywhere:

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 14:21

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Automatic high beams? Rain sensing wipers? How lazy is the average car buyer?

RyanFrew > PS9 10/10/2016 at 14:21

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Lol. I own Ford stock.

lone_liberal > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 14:22

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This would definitely not be for me, to be honest no truck would be for me, but I do know somebody who would go for it. Dick used to own both a highly successful commercial construction firm and a property management company that owns several large strip malls. He has since sold the construction part of the business but is still at heart a construction guy. His net worth is someplace around $50mil but he drives trucks, in fact he has driven a Hummer H1 for most of the time I’ve known him but the vast limitations of that vehicle have finally worn thin on him. He would purchase that $70k Ford, but of course he would do it through his company and at a highly discounted rate.

bhtooefr > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 10/10/2016 at 14:22

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Most of that stuff is standard on, like, $25-30k cars nowadays anyway.

And, absurdly lazy.

Nibby > Party-vi 10/10/2016 at 14:23

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Not really the new ones but in the early-mid 2000s a lot of Mercedes had cheap plastic in their interiors.

qbeezy > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 14:26

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Personally, I’m not a high end truck man. I just need a no frills hauler/tower(?) For the boat and some odds and ends. For 70k I’d rather get a coupe. But I see it. If there wasn’t a market for this stuff it wouldn’t sell. Granted the majority I see are only hauling humans like Tahoes and escalades, but it is your money spend it on what you want.

Milky > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 10/10/2016 at 14:26

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K.

RyanFrew > qbeezy 10/10/2016 at 14:27

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Yeah, the majority of this group would prefer a second car that is more fun in the twisties, myself included. I’m simply saying there’s a big demographic that this makes loads of sense for. A lot of people want to package as much car into one vehicle as possible.

gmctavish needs more space > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 14:28

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The only problem I have with it is the rubber band tires.

RyanFrew > gmctavish needs more space 10/10/2016 at 14:31

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Reasonable. Although it would take all of about 30 seconds to convince a dealer to swap them for something more practical.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Berang 10/10/2016 at 14:31

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If they literally can’t offer a Big Huge Car and that’s what their customers want, I cannot fault them for thinking outside the box. Putting the burden on them to convince customers to go small FWD unibody instead when they’re already offering a host of great options along those lines (Focus ST, anyone?) seems a bit churlish.

Party-vi > Nibby 10/10/2016 at 14:31

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My E46 has the most hideous silver-plastic trim.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Milky 10/10/2016 at 14:33

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Nicer everything, admitted, but if somebody’s just cross-shopping the feature list and the space where luxury’s concerned, there’s an argument to be made for the MURICA option.

Gerry197 > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 14:34

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What people? You mean the majority of truck buyers that pay in the $45,000 range for something in between?

This goes for F150, Silverados, Rams, Etc. Anything remotely nicely equipped is already over $40,000 msrp, and that’s with fabric seats.

Considering that trucks are the biggest sellers in the US for the last few decades, I don’t think it’s that many of the truck buying public that is offended by these prices.

PS9 > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 14:34

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All of my commodities are edible. Starbucks, Wawa, and some heavy investments in Publix.

I’m certain their value will increase someday. Problem is, I keep eating all of my assets soon after acquisition, leaving me with negative returns. I do get to make a deposit at browns every few days though, so it’s not all bad.

Berang > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 10/10/2016 at 14:35

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They could offer a big huge car, they just don’t want to spend the money developing one. They already have a big huge truck, so just tart that up instead. Easy money.

wiffleballtony > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 14:36

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In my neck of the woods people buy these instead of German sedans.

Party-vi > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 14:36

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Your friend the surgeon? Using his new F150 for hard work? Does he pull teeth in the back seat, or fill out insurance forms on the center console? To get me to part with my money, I would not want the cheap entry-level interior bits left in my $70,000 truck.

There are lots of cars with cheap shitty plastic interiors. I would not be spending that much money on them if I had it.

Party-vi > Milky 10/10/2016 at 14:39

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I agree. I don’t think luxury necessarily means electronic frippery.

RyanFrew > Party-vi 10/10/2016 at 14:40

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Just weekend stuff. Towing boats, does his own work on his houses (remodeled one), and so one. It’s as much of “hard work” as anyone else who wants a pickup does, without being a contractor. Nice that it’s easy to clean up when not everything is expensive leather.

RyanFrew > Gerry197 10/10/2016 at 14:41

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Nope. I agree. Referring to non-truck buyers, mostly. See: FP Comments lol

RyanFrew > PS9 10/10/2016 at 14:43

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Haha, I’ve done similar. Years ago, I invested in GoPro. I quickly made a nice return and sold my shares. Then I bought an actual GoPro.

I also bought Chipotle when the E. Coli news broke, because I didn’t know anyone who would stop going to Chipotle over it, including myself

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Berang 10/10/2016 at 14:48

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So, they should develop a whole new platform that has to meet an EPA sticker mileage of 25 next year and 30 six years from now, instead of looking down the barrel of 19 and 20 in six, while somehow selling enough to eat the development costs and maintaining towing numbers? The sticker on this would somehow avoid being in excess of what they’re selling the F-150 for? This may come as a surprise, but it’s really, really fucking hard to make a vehicle with over twice the 55 sq. foot footprint and have to hit the same numbers.

Their options here are, go smaller (and lose customers), go more unsafe (and lose customers), cheap out even more drastically (and lose customers), lose power dramatically over the next few years (and lose customers), raise prices substantially (and lose customers), somehow manage to do without all these things while adjusting customer expectations (a miracle occurs!), or just tart up the F-150.

You phrase it as “don’t want to spend the money”, I phrase it as “realistically can’t , not within the bounds of sanity”. “Big huge car” is simply not in the cards, “Big huge truck” IS.

Noah - Now with more boost. > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 14:55

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Good points, I think you hit the nail on the head. It’s not like these luxo pickups are bad automobiles. They’re just so different from the way most enthusiasts would spend 50-70k: either on a classic car, or a new performance car. Combine that idea with jealousy (because most Jalops, myself included, could never afford an expensive pickup in the first place) and BAM instant hate.

Gerry197 > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 14:57

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My reading comprehension is bad when looking through my phone, my bad :)

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > Berang 10/10/2016 at 14:58

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That’s exactly what happened. 20 years ago the majority of the full size car lines were canceled as SUVs rose. Today, the world is awash in SUVs & trucks because they can’t make cars that people want anymore.

I always used to point out that my Caprice was practically a light truck without a bed and somewhat better fuel economy due to aerodynamics.

Humorously, the station wagon is back, but it’s a short “crossover SUV” with styling that helps them skirt the laws.

Tekamul > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 14:59

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My issue with big buck trucks is utilization.

If you really need a pickup truck, what you’re doing with it (towing, hauling, off road) is going to depreciate it quick, because bumps and bruises happen. Cheap trucks make sense.

If you only kind of need a pickup truck (tow a couple times a year, haul once a week, minimal soft roading), you’re spending 90% of your time living with a vehicle that makes a lot of compromises at that price point. Nice cars and trailers/rentals make sense.

Luxury trucks are a weird compromise that reflects the excesses the owner has to make poor money choices.

RyanFrew > Tekamul 10/10/2016 at 15:07

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You’re right. You should probably hate on any new performance car, too, right? I mean, if you want to use a Z06 for what it’s made for, the track will wear it out and depreciate it quick. So everyone just get a C5.....

Cheap everything makes sense.

Tekamul > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 15:14

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Difference is, in expensive sports cars, rarity depreciate slower.

In trucks, pure work horses depreciate slower.

Textured Soy Protein > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 15:56

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The hole in your argument is all those gizmos are becoming so mainstream that those in and of themselves don’t justify a crazy price. My wife’s $27k Subaru Impreza has adaptive cruise, collision warning, brake assist, lane departure warning that is annoying and we leave turned off, heated seats & mirrors, etc. Not everything on your list but it’s $27k.

(I actually don’t care that a pickup costs $70k. Truck prices have been going higher and higher. They’re very often bought by the types of folks who own businesses, or “businesses,” and write them off as expenses.)

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 16:37

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Oddly enough, I am also friends with a surgeon, and he also bought a new truck for basically the same reasons (Chevy, tho). Plus as a slightly larger guy, both in height and weight, a truck is way easier to get in and out of than a 5 series.

And can carry a TV.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > Tekamul 10/10/2016 at 16:39

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I disagree. Luxury trucks tend to depreciate at the same rate as non-luxury over a 5+ year timeline. And what compromises? Other than handling (which doesn’t matter when 85% of what you drive is highway), there is no difference between driving and parking an F150 vs. 5 or 7 series sized sedan.

RyanFrew > Tekamul 10/10/2016 at 17:24

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Plainly false. Trucks are depreciating so slowly that some banks will actually adjust their rates for a truck.

Most sports cars in this price range ($50-$70k) depreciate like rocks are not rare at all. See: Chevy Corvette

RyanFrew > Textured Soy Protein 10/10/2016 at 17:27

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True. Even Honda Civics have blind spot monitoring now. Since we’re talking about a much more capable vehicle with a starting basement price of $27,000, though, we have to adjust a little bit. The inside of an F-150 Limited does not feel like the inside of a $27,000 Subie, as much as I love them. Good point about the write-offs; very true.

shop-teacher > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 18:24

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It all went fuzzy for me at 2500 Suburban with quadrasteer. Holy mother of wants!

Anyways. There are lots of both the buyer you’re talking about and the buyer they were talking about. I just get so fed up of hearing every truck should be a regular cab 8' bed strippo special. Those guys would make great communist planners.

S65 > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 18:26

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Makes me wonder how well a Ute would sell in the US if similarly equipped 

RyanFrew > shop-teacher 10/10/2016 at 18:36

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It was easily the coolest suburban I’ve ever seen. Subtle factory fender flares, tow lights...looked kind of like this, but in a better color:

Besides towing and doing general work with it, he took his 4 kids and wife on a 2-month camping trim out west with it. Can’t imagine how much gas he used. Makes me proud lol

x87172 > Textured Soy Protein 10/10/2016 at 18:43

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Yes, spot-on on the write-off bit. These trucks seem to have been built perfectly for business owners with 0-10 employees.

Gripevo1 > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 18:44

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Honestly, i dont have any problem with Ford making a $70k pickup truck. Its not like they only sell the F150 in a fully loaded platinum trim. You can buy a $30k F150 work truck if all you need is a big bed and reliable transportation.

Using the matrix that many of the people bitching it about it used, who buys 2 million dollar supercars? Who buys $400k Rolls Royce’s?

The answer is- if there wasnt a market for these things, they would bother building them.

shop-teacher > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 19:11

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Freakin’ sweet!

PWRandSPD > Tekamul 10/10/2016 at 19:19

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Depreciation is going to happen, but depends on the extent. By all means, my truck is probably a “Cowboy Cadillac” and I have no problem with it. It is a farm truck, daily driver, and does all the hard work a barebones truck would do, difference is I am comfortable doing it. I have a Ram 3500 Dually Crew Cab with the Cummins. I have the Laramie package and just about every option checked off. Truck stickered at about $68k. Certainly not in the cheap category, but I plan on owning it for a long time. It tows weekly, if not multiple times per week. Hauls materials, building and farm related. Did I make a poor money choice, not in my opinion. I have to live with this thing everyday. If it was putting a work crew or something into it that did not care about the vehicle, they would get limited in what I would put into it, but being my truck, I am going to be comfortable. I had my last one for 17 years before it ended up in an accident.

Birddog > shop-teacher 10/10/2016 at 20:58

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My favorite is “Trucks should only be for work”..

Trucks like that haven’t existed since the 1930s. Chevy Apache anyone? That started the trend of making Trucks more like Cars. By the mid 1970s almost any truck could be optioned out almost as well as an Impala or Caprice. By the mid 80s they could reach Buick territory.

jkm7680 > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 20:59

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Texas buys $70,000 trucks.

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 21:15

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I actually know a pediatric plastic surgeon who has an Ecoboost F150 to tow his horse trailers. That’s who big dollar trucks are for. People who need to move their big dollar toys.

Berang > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 21:20

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A performance car makes fewer compromises though. It is still car, just one which performs better.

shop-teacher > Birddog 10/10/2016 at 21:24

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Exactly. The conversation always goes something like this:

“You don’t need a truck, a hatchback will do!”

“Oh yeah. You don’t need an M3, a Camry will do.”

LongbowMkII > shop-teacher 10/10/2016 at 21:27

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It sounds like someone is in need of re-education.

Berang > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 10/10/2016 at 21:28

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I find it all sorts of weird. People get sold on having what in many ways is objectively a worse vehicle, by lifestyle targeted marketing. If you buy this this truck or SUV you’ll be towing boats, going hiking, hauling mulch, every weekend! Try that with your quieter, faster, more comfortable full size car.

And then of course people realize they don’t actually like boating, hiking, or have a need to haul mulch every weekend. But what are they going to buy now? The big cars are gone. And they’re probably not going to come back unless regulations on trucks tighten up to the point where it makes no difference to automakers.

LongbowMkII > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 21:29

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You can get a ten year old top trim half ton for $15,000. I’m honestly baffled by this ‘immune to depreciaion’ thing you’ve got going on.

LongbowMkII > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 21:37

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Your argument is based upon it being a good idea to get rid of a 3/4ton Suburban. Interesting.

Have you seen a platinum/high country/Laramie on the road? Not exactly subtle.

Birddog > shop-teacher 10/10/2016 at 21:45

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Exactly!

A Miata and a trailer.. I got that once. I almost had a stroke. Literally. I started shaking like Lewis Black.

shop-teacher > Birddog 10/10/2016 at 21:47

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Ha!

I saw him live years ago. What a great show!

Birddog > shop-teacher 10/10/2016 at 21:52

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Love most of his stuff. Almost a modern day Sam Kinnison.

RyanFrew > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 10/10/2016 at 22:23

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Exactly. I don’t know why that upsets some people.

RyanFrew > Berang 10/10/2016 at 22:24

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How in the world does a performance car make less compromises than an F-150? It’s arguably the most versatile vehicle for sale on the entire market.

RyanFrew > LongbowMkII 10/10/2016 at 22:28

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I wouldn’t say that’s the whole argument, but I will say that this was not a subtle suburban by any stretch of the imagination, either. He actually had some concern, from a towing perspective, about going to 1/2 ton from 3/4, but the biggest thing he tows is a ~24' Malibu, which ways a MAX of 7,000 pounds. So the F-150 won’t have any trouble with it.

shop-teacher > Birddog 10/10/2016 at 22:29

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I think he’s better than Kinnison.

Birddog > shop-teacher 10/10/2016 at 22:34

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Both products of their respective times.

Kinnisons history as a Preacher is intriguing.

Berang > RyanFrew 10/10/2016 at 22:58

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1: It’s a car.

So it doesn’t need compromise things like handling, maneuverability, driver visibility, etc.

d15b > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 10/10/2016 at 22:59

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Ride height!

shop-teacher > Birddog 10/10/2016 at 23:10

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Yeah, he was a really interesting dude. A loooot of darkness there too.

CRider > Party-vi 10/11/2016 at 00:45

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IIRC on the Platinum F-150s the silver bits are actually metal.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > RyanFrew 10/11/2016 at 01:05

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Four-foot bed. LOLz...

RyanFrew > Berang 10/11/2016 at 01:28

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I can’t possibly be understanding you. The Corvette was my example, so let’s stick with that...

You think a Corvette has better driver visibility than an F150? Have you been inside either vehicle? How about ground clearance? Seating capacity? Drivability in bad weather? Insurance prices? Carrying cargo?

To suggest that an F150 is a bigger compromise than a performance car is downright laughable. Are you trolling? 

Berang > RyanFrew 10/11/2016 at 02:20

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You also wrote “any” performance car, and the corvette is a very particular one.

Though a corvette will for sure have better visibility than an F150, if we’re talking in practical terms, such as how well one can see where the car is while parking, rather than pointless things like if you can see over a civic when stuck at a red light.

Stapleface > RyanFrew 10/11/2016 at 07:05

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The argument for/against a 70k pickup is one that I can see both sides of.

My father is in the market for a new truck right now. And he’s most likely going to end up with an F150 Limited. He currently has a 2011 F150 XLT, and wanted to step up a trim level for his next truck. In the 110k he has on the truck, he’s never towed with it. To my knowledge he’s never even hauled a full bed load of stuff. But, he loves the truck, and driving a truck in general. It’s just essentially a car with a really big trunk to him.

I can totally see the allure of the 70k truck. Having been in one, it is a REALLY nice place to be. Plus, trucks (particularly the F150) have a lot of room on the inside. If you’re a portly fellow, you will fit fine with plenty of room to spare. Not sure you could say that of most cars in the same price segment.

The flip side of this is that I think people in general buy more vehicle than they need. I wonder how many trucks out there are like what my father drives? A truck that isn’t used to it’s full capabilities. I just don’t understand why some people would buy a vehicle such as a truck if they don’t need to use it as such. But, ultimately, people buy what they want, and what makes them happy. If dropping 70k on a truck is what makes you happy, then who am I to say it’s a the wrong choice for you?

For me, I’ll just stick with the vehicle that I think is the correct size for my needs (Civic). Would I like to have a larger vehicle? Sure, I guess. I just don’t see the purpose of that. I’d rather save my money and put it to use somewhere else.

Party-vi > CRider 10/11/2016 at 08:01

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oooo fancy. Even a thin metal veneer or overlay would be nicer than terrible spray painted plastic.

adamftw > RyanFrew 10/11/2016 at 09:19

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Exactly. My buddy can sell his 03 Cummins for the same price or more than he bought it for a few years ago.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > RyanFrew 10/11/2016 at 09:27

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Bro, you realize he could have done all of that with an old Roadmaster, right?

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > shop-teacher 10/11/2016 at 09:28

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But you can’t even get that strippo special anymore. Not with a transmission I’d trust anyway.  

LongbowMkII > RyanFrew 10/11/2016 at 09:46

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A suburban isn’t subtle, but it doesn’t have “I HAVE MORE MONEY THAN YOU” badges on half the body panels either.

shop-teacher > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 10/11/2016 at 09:55

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I prefer an auto in my full size truck myself.

RyanFrew > LongbowMkII 10/11/2016 at 10:06

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A *regular* Suburban doesn’t. This particular Suburban wasn’t gaudy, but anyone who knows what an F150 Limited is, would spot the Suburban first; it had quite a few tasteful aftermarket extras. Even seeing a 2500 Suburban in the first place is pretty rare.

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > RyanFrew 10/11/2016 at 11:55

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My boss has one. At first I thought it was way too much car than anyone would need, but he’s a simple guy and likes to keep things uncomplicated. For his life it makes sense – he has 3 teen aged sons, all nearing 6 feet or are taller, has a small pasture and farm with animals, and drives maybe 20 miles a day to commute to his regular job. It’s supremely comfortable, quiet, and ridiculously fast.

Instead of having multiple cars for each piece of his life – commuter, kid hauler, work truck for the farm – he just has one vehicle he needs to pay attention to. Also a hell of a lot less flashy than all the other upper management luxury cars parked in the lot while being equally if not more comfortable and luxurious on the inside.

bob and john > RyanFrew 10/11/2016 at 12:25

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On the fuel econ thing: does anyone actually still buy 550 x drives?

RyanFrew > LongbowMkII 10/11/2016 at 12:39

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I certainly wouldn’t say immune to depreciation, but the depreciation rates are slower. Here’s an article by Cars.com to support it. Here is The Street stating, “ SUVs and Pickup trucks depreciate more slowly than passenger cars ”. Here is Auto News actually saying that trucks are starting to depreciate quicker , but still maintain higher residuals than cars do.

LongbowMkII > RyanFrew 10/11/2016 at 13:02

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I know diesels and lower trims have excellent residuals. Then again I’m constantly disappointed by the 1st gen Colorado/canyon still being pricy.

RyanFrew > LongbowMkII 10/11/2016 at 13:04

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Yeah, the higher trim models will experience more depreciation that diesels or base models, but will not depreciate as quickly as $70,000 sedans, like, say, an A7. Given that my scenario was not a comparison to dedicated “work trucks”, I didn’t pay too much attention to that part of the comparison.

loki03xlh > RyanFrew 10/11/2016 at 15:33

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There is nothing wrong with $70000 trucks. I look forward to buying a $65000 2017 Sierra Denali in ten years for under $20000.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > RyanFrew 10/11/2016 at 16:56

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These things are great for industrial executives who frequent work sites or the tow-a-holic who needs to haul boats twice a month.

One could argue it’s be-leathered and be-panelled, but it’s still an F150 interior with the same blocky shapes, squishy flat seats made for NFL players and an industrial IP and centre stack. For on-road use, a $50k Audi or Benz would destroy that in sensual indulgence.

Want to go lower-key? Try spending $30k on a Toyota Avalon, and the rest on a brand new kitchen.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 10/11/2016 at 17:02

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That’s the thing with ‘Murica, the plebians spend on feature count and square feet with little regard to aesthetics.

RyanFrew > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 10/11/2016 at 17:14

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Haha, I can’t argue with that.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever 10/11/2016 at 17:28

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...and that’s not wrong any more than a hyper-focus on materials or design of elements. Different strokes and all that.

J_P_Cars10s > x87172 10/11/2016 at 17:31

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I have worked with/for several of these guys. Can confirm.

thebigbossyboss > RyanFrew 10/11/2016 at 22:35

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I know a bunch of guys who bought trucks similar to this. They can afford a $1200 dollar payment. But those guys needed real work trucks when they got em and they didn’t come from a monied background...they made the 90K a year after they got the truck.

Most never default, but they had big ass 6-7 year loans and spent all their time underwater because they regularly have to drive to the Northwest Territories, Fort Mac, or places like Emo Ontario from BC. When you drive from Vancouver BC to Wabamun Alberta four times a month it begins to add up.

Then you owe shit tons of money on a truck with over 300,000 kms in just 3 or 4 years. They drive them so much that they might not even last the length of the loan. When you put on 80-90K miles a year it adds up.

RyanFrew > thebigbossyboss 10/11/2016 at 22:56

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Yeah, those guys plainly can’t afford a $70,000 truck haha. I work with a guy who lives in Windsor who actually buys pretty nice trucks, too. Apparently, he sells them to a guy who sells trucks in the States, and then doesn’t take any hit, because of residual values and the favorable exchange rate. Every year he tells me that he got “another free truck” and got rid of the “old” one.

Actionpod > RyanFrew 10/11/2016 at 23:10

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The answer to your question is: I am taken aback by a $70,000 Escalade. They are a really, really bad joke. I think only the Infiniti QX80 is more stupid, and that isn’t saying much.

Moving on, I fix these monstrosities all day long. (Overpriced trucks, being the subject.) The most common thing? A completely unused bed and a shiny unused hitch. Unloaded, bouncing around, driving like absolute shit. Which means somebody paid way too much for something they didn’t need and don’t use. Luckily, it probably helped with their negative body image. It costs more than the gym, but it’s easier than working out.

All of that aside, it sounds as if your friend actually needs a truck. Good for him! I’d be willing to believe that the profit margin for these “luxo-trucks” is higher than just about anything else on the market, though. I’m not sure the price is value driven, as you seem to imply.

What matters at the end of the day is that he’s happy with his purchase, not that we think the value lines up.