free radical

Canada

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BobsYourUncle wrote: 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 blame unions,
they are the reason for increasing prices and inflation.
And low paid workers can never afford to keep up,
Will this ever change
Heres an interesting idea from former finance minister o Greece
Yanis Varoufakis
What comes after capitalism
https://youtu.be/oMRowgD0ZZs
Universal Basic Income
https://youtu.be/O8B4U7o9kvg
You will love this one
Chinese imperialism Lol
https://youtu.be/03l3Ra4bL_A
* This post was
edited 10/17/20 10:20pm by free radical *
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RetiredRealtorRick

St. Augustine Beach, FL

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Joined: 04/17/2020

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Holy smokes! This alone: "...not considering forest fires and earthquakes..." would send me packing.
Those 'forest fires' don't seem to be the garden variety by any means, and earthquakes? Unlike hurricanes, you don't see those guys coming!
You've got plenty of good reasons to stay, however, but the mass exodus from the state that we have all been reading about says something about the overall desirability of it. I know you can buy homes there pretty cheap, right??
. . . never confuse education with intelligence
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BenK

SF BayArea

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Joined: 04/18/2002

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Home is home and we all have our preferences and I do not diss anyone's choices...like vehicles, clothes, food, drink, GF's n wives, etc
Just be happy with your choices and if not so...then change it...
I'll not purchase new again at 72 and find better uses for the premium of new
Then the potential of all these used with too many bells and whistles (for me) are all potential failure points
-Ben Picture of my rig
1996 GMC SLT Suburban 3/4 ton K3500/7.4L/4:1/+150Kmiles orig owner...
1980 Chevy Silverado C10/long bed/"BUILT" 5.7L/3:73/1 ton helper springs/+329Kmiles, bought it from dad...
1998 Mazda B2500 (1/2 ton) pickup, 2nd owner...
Praise Dyno Brake equiped and all have "nose bleed" braking!
Previous trucks/offroaders: 40's Jeep restored in mid 60's / 69 DuneBuggy (approx +1K lb: VW pan/200hpCorvair: eng, cam, dual carb'w velocity stacks'n 18" runners, 4spd transaxle) made myself from ground up / 1970 Toyota FJ40 / 1973 K5 Blazer (2dr Tahoe, 1 ton axles front/rear, +255K miles when sold it)...
Sold the boat (looking for another): Trophy with twin 150's...
51 cylinders in household, what's yours?...
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Groover

Pulaski, TN

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Joined: 10/17/2007

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BenK wrote: Home is home and we all have our preferences and I do not diss anyone's choices...like vehicles, clothes, food, drink, GF's n wives, etc
Just be happy with your choices and if not so...then change it...
I'll not purchase new again at 72 and find better uses for the premium of new
Then the potential of all these used with too many bells and whistles (for me) are all potential failure points
Some of these bells and whistles can be lifesavers and definitely make a trip more pleasant. A backup alarm in my wife's car would have paid for itself several times over. Automatic headlights with auto high/low beam, auto wipers, auto braking to avoid accidents are all pretty reliable and can yield benefits way beyond their cost, at least to me. Of course, this depends a lot on personal values.
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Groover

Pulaski, TN

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A1ARealtorRick wrote:
You've got plenty of good reasons to stay, however, but the mass exodus from the state that we have all been reading about says something about the overall desirability of it. I know you can buy homes there pretty cheap, right?? ![awink [emoticon]](https://forums.goodsamclub.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/awink.gif)
This coming from a realtor on the coast? I guess that it is all relative but I just saw an add down the beach from you a bit in Mexico Beach for a 0.1720 acre lot on the canal. $64,900! No structures! That is $377,325 per acre! I would sell 20 whole acres for that price where I live. That is why I don't live on a coast.
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ppine

Northern Nevada

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American consumers are an odd lot. Ford still makes the mustang and few if any other cars. They sell trucks, ..... to everyone.
Think about that for a minute. A truck has a rigid heavy frame, beefed up drivetrain, big differentials, often 4wd, expensive tires, strong suspension, etc. All that costs money.
Then truck dealers figured out the profit in trucks is in selling packages of equipment with high mark ups. Trucks continue to become more car like, fancy electronics, GPS, high end stereo, backup camera, leather. The kind of stuff only fancy luxury cars used to have.
No wonder they cost a lot. They have to be tough and long lasting, and now consumers demand that they be outfitted like a car.
Trucks until the 1970s had vinyl flooring and upholstery, crank windows, and an AM radio. They were simple and cheap. Now they are complicated and expensive. But they last a long time.
I can understand the high cost of new trucks. What I have trouble with is the cost of a decent used truck. I recently saw a 2002 Ford 7.3 going for $35k. Not everyone can afford a new truck so the used market is in some hyper mode and out of control. Some day a truck manufacturer is going to figure this out and start offering some basic trucks for $30,000 and they will sell like hot cakes.
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Grit dog

Black Diamond, WA

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Joined: 05/06/2013

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BenK wrote: Home is home and we all have our preferences and I do not diss anyone's choices...like vehicles, clothes, food, drink, GF's n wives, etc
Just be happy with your choices and if not so...then change it...
I'll not purchase new again at 72 and find better uses for the premium of new
Then the potential of all these used with too many bells and whistles (for me) are all potential failure points
Unless you don’t have the means, you’re saving the $ for your kids’ inheritance or you’re just a curmedgeon, there is no “harm” in them “new fangled” features.
I like a good running GMT 400 truck like yours and would drive one all day long....
I’m not a gotta have the latest and greatest, although 2 of the 6 rigs in the driveway are under 5 years old. But to act like many of the new features are not useful or comfortable or are some huge liability, is wrong, and someone with your keen automotive knowledge knows that.
So if the real reason is you’re just not “into” new vehicles it’s fine. But just say that.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29
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rhagfo

Portland, OR

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Joined: 07/06/2012

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Groover wrote: BenK wrote: Home is home and we all have our preferences and I do not diss anyone's choices...like vehicles, clothes, food, drink, GF's n wives, etc
Just be happy with your choices and if not so...then change it...
I'll not purchase new again at 72 and find better uses for the premium of new
Then the potential of all these used with too many bells and whistles (for me) are all potential failure points
Some of these bells and whistles can be lifesavers and definitely make a trip more pleasant. A backup alarm in my wife's car would have paid for itself several times over. Automatic headlights with auto high/low beam, auto wipers, auto braking to avoid accidents are all pretty reliable and can yield benefits way beyond their cost, at least to me. Of course, this depends a lot on personal values.
Some you get too use to! My weak point is the auto wipers, when I drive DD. 2004 need to remember to turn them on, but also OFF!
Russ & Paula the Beagle Belle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 Aisin DRW 4X4 Long bed.
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS, 32' GVWR 12,360#
"Visit and Enjoy Oregon State Parks"
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blt2ski

Kirkland, Wa

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Joined: 03/15/2001

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Groover wrote: A1ARealtorRick wrote:
You've got plenty of good reasons to stay, however, but the mass exodus from the state that we have all been reading about says something about the overall desirability of it. I know you can buy homes there pretty cheap, right?? ![awink [emoticon]](https://forums.goodsamclub.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/awink.gif)
This coming from a realtor on the coast? I guess that it is all relative but I just saw an add down the beach from you a bit in Mexico Beach for a 0.1720 acre lot on the canal. $64,900! No structures! That is $377,325 per acre! I would sell 20 whole acres for that price where I live. That is why I don't live on a coast.
All relative.....Family home sold for 2.2 mil a few years back. ITS a blinken tear down! Wife is listing a home in Hunts Pointe near us, again, 1.8 mil, could be remodeled, but reality, it too is a tear down! Both homes on a 1/4 to 1/3 acre....... not sure what that price is per acre, but a BUNCH!
Marty
92 Navistar dump truck, 7.3L 7 sp, 4.33 gears with a Detroit no spin
2014 Chevy 1500 Dual cab 4x4
92 Red-e-haul 12K equipment trailer
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RetiredRealtorRick

St. Augustine Beach, FL

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Joined: 04/17/2020

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Groover wrote: A1ARealtorRick wrote:
You've got plenty of good reasons to stay, however, but the mass exodus from the state that we have all been reading about says something about the overall desirability of it. I know you can buy homes there pretty cheap, right?? ![awink [emoticon]](https://forums.goodsamclub.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/awink.gif)
This coming from a realtor on the coast? I guess that it is all relative but I just saw an add down the beach from you a bit in Mexico Beach for a 0.1720 acre lot on the canal. $64,900! No structures! That is $377,325 per acre! I would sell 20 whole acres for that price where I live. That is why I don't live on a coast.
Yup, people can ASK whatever they want to, but what will it really SELL for, if at all? The stories I could tell you!!
Around here, much like about anywhere, acreage that's not on the coast is very reasonably priced.
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