What do GM, Ford, Ram do to improve their 2500/3500 models

[Viperpoker]

What do you think about the current line ups? What would you like to see them change or do different in the future? Have at it.

[ExxWhy]

twodownzero wrote:
The sticker was something like $42k. The new trucks have stuff that wasn't available 14 years ago, but they cost over twice what I paid and they sticker at +40%. There has been no meaningful inflation for ten years. New trucks are overpriced.

According to this inflation calculator that 42K truck would sticker at 54K today. 28% is a bit more than "not meaningful". Of course there is some meaningful creep in the truck prices too.

[twodownzero]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
" Both were in the mid $30,000 range. I just don't see how anyone could spend $70,000 for a truck."

How about a little truth in lending!

What year were the 30k trucks? Were they FULLY loaded top of the line?

I paid $65,755 for my 15 LongHorn DRW fully loaded. Rebates came off that, can't remember somewhere around 4k.

I am sure I can get the same truck for 70k or less net.

I paid $35k for my truck in 2005. It is a Ram 3500 Laramie with every option except sunroof, navigation, dual zone climate control, and the electric shift transfer case. The sticker was something like $42k. The new trucks have stuff that wasn't available 14 years ago, but they cost over twice what I paid and they sticker at +40%. There has been no meaningful inflation for ten years. New trucks are overpriced.

[Sportsmen]

ib516 wrote:
I'd like a more powerful gasser from RAM. I'd like less junk that can break. 15 cameras GM?!?!? Who the heck needs that? I'm going to skip all that junk on my next new truck. I want AC, cruise, power windows and locks, and a tilt/adjustable steering wheel. I don't need 15 cameras, leather seats, a tablet to run the infotainment system, power folding mirrors, or a power up + down tailgate.

I want a reliable, powerful engine, and a reliable, durable transmission, and front end parts that don't fail every 50,000 miles. I want less gizmos and who-haws that add to the cost of the truck, and break as soon as the warranty is up.

I just traded up to a 2016 F250 (gas) XLT trim. Everything I need but without all the extra flash that I do not want on a truck. Next step up, Lariat, too much money for stuff I don't want or need....

[ib516]

Bionic Man wrote:
Most of the posters here seem awful.......crabby.

Personally, the increased amenities are what will make me decide to buy my next truck. Sure, I would like more power (500/1000+ has a nice ring to it), but I also want more features. Adaptive cruise control. Crash mitigation. Multiple cameras. Lane assist. And whatever comes next.

I really wonder if those that are asking for less equipment have ever really spent time with these features. Sure makes driving nice (and safer).

And the manufactures are going to continue to innovate. Some of it is mandated by the government for safety. And some to differentiate from the competition.

And I know that a lot of people who are wanting a bare bones truck are also those that never buy new. Or hold onto a truck for 10 + years. Not exactly the manufactures target market.

Different folks, different strokes. It's all good. 🙂

[Bionic_Man]

Most of the posters here seem awful.......crabby.

Personally, the increased amenities are what will make me decide to buy my next truck. Sure, I would like more power (500/1000+ has a nice ring to it), but I also want more features. Adaptive cruise control. Crash mitigation. Multiple cameras. Lane assist. And whatever comes next.

I really wonder if those that are asking for less equipment have ever really spent time with these features. Sure makes driving nice (and safer).

And the manufactures are going to continue to innovate. Some of it is mandated by the government for safety. And some to differentiate from the competition.

And I know that a lot of people who are wanting a bare bones truck are also those that never buy new. Or hold onto a truck for 10 + years. Not exactly the manufactures target market.

[ib516]

I'd like a more powerful gasser from RAM. I'd like less junk that can break. 15 cameras GM?!?!? Who the heck needs that? I'm going to skip all that junk on my next new truck. I want AC, cruise, power windows and locks, and a tilt/adjustable steering wheel. I don't need 15 cameras, leather seats, a tablet to run the infotainment system, power folding mirrors, or a power up + down tailgate.

I want a reliable, powerful engine, and a reliable, durable transmission, and front end parts that don't fail every 50,000 miles. I want less gizmos and who-haws that add to the cost of the truck, and break as soon as the warranty is up.

[BobsYourUncle]

I bought a new 3/4 ton Chev Camper Special long box Oct 10, 1978.

350 - 4 stick, nothing fancy. No AC, No power anything, not even the slug under the hood. Just steering and brakes.

All taxes in, dealer prep etc, I drove it off the lot for $8109.70.

I remember the day I drove it off the lot, thought I had lost my mind for paying that much for a truck. Couldn't believe I was that stupid to pay that much....

I paid 500 bucks for the used 67 GMC I was replacing.

I paid over 60K for the one I have now. Same thought, I need to have my head examined for paying that much. 380,000K on it now, starting to break stuff. Could use a new one.

Major engine breakdown last summer, I priced out a new one basically the same but with a few more options. 83 Grand. This time I retained my senses. No, just simply.... NO!

Cost me about 10K all together to fix it. It's paid for, owes me nothing.

[mich800]

KD4UPL wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
" Both were in the mid $30,000 range. I just don't see how anyone could spend $70,000 for a truck."

How about a little truth in lending!

What year were the 30k trucks? Were they FULLY loaded top of the line?

I paid $65,755 for my 15 LongHorn DRW fully loaded. Rebates came off that, can't remember somewhere around 4k.

I am sure I can get the same truck for 70k or less net.

No they weren't fully loaded, that's the point. One was a 2005, the other a 2007. A company I worked for bought a brand new 2015 Chevy 4 door 4wd long bed for about $38,000The The options you can put on a truck pretty much double the price. You could buy a second truck for the cost of the options.
Also, many of these things are no longer optional. You can no longer get:
manual transmission, manual hubs, manual windows, manual door locks.
You are required, in many cases to have: traction control, tire pressure monitoring,
Chevy no longer offers a regular cab 2wd, you have to get a crew cab to have 2wd. Even the base WT model comes with a color touch screen and a back-up camera.
When you're just buying a truck to have your employees drive around and pump out port-a-johns or carry cinder blocks or whatever having these things on the truck is silly. When you're buying a truck to spend most of it's life on the same 100 acre farm hauling hay and cow poop you don't need nor want this stuff. For a farm truck a long trip is going 15 miles into town to pick up some sacks of feed.
I once walked onto a Chevy dealer's lot looking for a new work truck. They are a very large dealer in our agricultural county. They probably had 50 trucks on the lot. Not one of them was an 8' bed, not one. They said they could order me one.
If the fancy expensive options were truly options then fine but they are increasingly forced up those who don't need them. This hurts the bottom line of people who need trucks to make a living.

You can still get the mid $30 work truck. So I don't know what your point is. If you want a base truck either order it or have the dealer find it. Don't blame the dealer for not stocking vehicles a very limited sales for the walk in customer. This is what the fleet sales department is for.

[ppine]

If people want to spend $70k for a truck, go ahead.
I would not do that in a million years.

[Viperpoker]

One thing to keep in mind is that some of these items people are citing as options are not really options. All of the emissions are required by Uncle Sam, as are back up cameras, air bags, seat belts, traction/stability control, etc.

I do find the back up cameras useful. Driving a crew cab long bed dually, and I have a very large area behind the truck that I can’t see. If a small car pulls up very close to me at a red light, he can almost disappear from my view.

[KD4UPL]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
" Both were in the mid $30,000 range. I just don't see how anyone could spend $70,000 for a truck."

How about a little truth in lending!

What year were the 30k trucks? Were they FULLY loaded top of the line?

I paid $65,755 for my 15 LongHorn DRW fully loaded. Rebates came off that, can't remember somewhere around 4k.

I am sure I can get the same truck for 70k or less net.

No they weren't fully loaded, that's the point. One was a 2005, the other a 2007. A company I worked for bought a brand new 2015 Chevy 4 door 4wd long bed for about $38,000The The options you can put on a truck pretty much double the price. You could buy a second truck for the cost of the options.
Also, many of these things are no longer optional. You can no longer get:
manual transmission, manual hubs, manual windows, manual door locks.
You are required, in many cases to have: traction control, tire pressure monitoring,
Chevy no longer offers a regular cab 2wd, you have to get a crew cab to have 2wd. Even the base WT model comes with a color touch screen and a back-up camera.
When you're just buying a truck to have your employees drive around and pump out port-a-johns or carry cinder blocks or whatever having these things on the truck is silly. When you're buying a truck to spend most of it's life on the same 100 acre farm hauling hay and cow poop you don't need nor want this stuff. For a farm truck a long trip is going 15 miles into town to pick up some sacks of feed.
I once walked onto a Chevy dealer's lot looking for a new work truck. They are a very large dealer in our agricultural county. They probably had 50 trucks on the lot. Not one of them was an 8' bed, not one. They said they could order me one.
If the fancy expensive options were truly options then fine but they are increasingly forced up those who don't need them. This hurts the bottom line of people who need trucks to make a living.

[jaycocamprs]

GordonThree wrote:
I've never seen a custom order truck offering incentives anywhere close to what's offered on dealer stock. Especially with mega dealers now that operate dozens of locations.

So I would argue that yes, technically you can order a strip down truck and pay nearly full price for it, or you can buy something with bells and whistles and negotiate down the price.

Even around here the snow plow work trucks have a lot of options, but there's tactics to get a better price on them.

Well when I bought my 18 it was what you describe as "a strip down truck". And it is, but it has what I want and need or the job which I bought it to do. And I bought it for less than the one sitting on the lot.

[Viperpoker]

Ralph Cramden wrote:

1320Fastback wrote:
Lower price, lower body and bed, less amenities, less gizmos, less plastics, less electronics.

This meets every requirement LOL

That is good!!

[Ralph_Cramden]

1320Fastback wrote:
Lower price, lower body and bed, less amenities, less gizmos, less plastics, less electronics.

This meets every requirement LOL