Is it possible to build a truck and sell for 10K

[supton]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
No one would buy them, especially the ones lamenting their non-existence.
Just like countless threads about lack of simple, stripped down cars. People complaining about it won't even acknowledge the exixtance of cars like Toyota Yaris, Ford Fiesta, Nissan Versa, Chevy Spark, never mind actually buy one. But they sure like to complain a lot.


Don't forget, when someone does buy one, they get reminded that "but for a bit more" they could have had better.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: skyactiv
Scroll down. This is the cheapest new truck you can get.

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale...tures=onlyPrice


For fun, I changed it to 100 miles around my zip. Link.

Nice little price bump, regional thing I guess.

 

[edwardh1]

Originally Posted By: Jimzz
Originally Posted By: racin4ds
Thanks to the Unions and WAY overpaid workers at automobile factories, NO.

Average forklift operator at Ford Parts DC in Winchester VA where I lived was $58,000 a year!


Really, the Unions? So then explain why Nissan and Toyota don't sell trucks a lot less? They are made in the US without a union.

Instead of eating all the B.S. some faux and nut job sites exhibit; do some research and you will see how dumb it is to blame the "unions" and "liberals" for all your woes.


agree completely.
chief executive salaries would be a place to start, you know GM executives made millions in the 80s while their cars were junk.

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: Speak2Mountain
Just a simple truck, no 4x4, no electric windows, stick, no backseat.

I'd buy it


https://chinatruck.en.made-in-china.com/...k-up-Truck.html



That is one good looking truck.

 

[DGXR]

Originally Posted By: supton
Does it have to meet emissions and safety requirements (and thus be road legal)? If not, I could see it possible, well only if enough people were to buy it. But not particularly useful, I'm guessing.

I've seen articles showing how the price of an average car as more or less tracked inflation. I wonder if it'd be worth the time to track that for two more examples: the stripper full sized truck, and then the 4 door high end model. I suspect a plain-jane truck has tracked inflation, but the popularity of the crew cab has meant it can command a premium.


My thoughts exactly.

Note that you cannot buy a 3rd Gen Tacoma "standard cab." The smallest Tacoma you can get is the Access Cab model, but I don't think they call it that anymore. Indicates where truck trends are headed. I remember when trucks were used as trucks and cars, well... they were cars. Now, many segments/model lines have blurred together (CUV anyone?), and mid-size is the new compact! 'Murica!

 

[hatt]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
No one would buy them, especially the ones lamenting their non-existence.
Just like countless threads about lack of simple, stripped down cars. People complaining about it won't even acknowledge the exixtance of cars like Toyota Yaris, Ford Fiesta, Nissan Versa, Chevy Spark, never mind actually buy one. But they sure like to complain a lot.
Yep. I've seen many threads across the web with people complaining about trucks being too expensive. "I remember buying my first truck in 1978 for $xxx." Of course they always look at high end trucks and talk crazy when you point out a V6 XL is better equipped and more powerful than their old truck and is in the $20s.

 

[Dave9]

Not today, with emissions and airbags and ABS and now reverse camera mandates as well as further MPG improvements.

If that is what you want, your best bet is buying a low-rust southern state vehicle used, a few thousand below you budget, and DIY to bring it up to snuff.

If you insist that you want the modern conveniences then it follows that they're going to add to the cost, but some things, say a navigation system can be implemented a lot cheaper yourself.

Bonus: If you don't have a lot invested then you don't necessarily need comprehensive insurance, if the ultimate goal is a low cost ride.

Trucks have not changed all that much in recent decades. The same things best for hauling a load still hold true today. Deviate from that to make it handle and preform more like a car, and you either decrease its potential as a truck or spend a large amount of money and incur great repair expense later.

 

[DdDd]

Despite all the whining about society going downhill, the reality is life has gotten so much better than the "good old days" of misery.

Nobody wants a $10k truck. They want ABS, airbags, Bluetooth and power everything.

You can reminisce about how cheap life was, but it really wasn't. Adjust for inflation AND interest rates. Those $10k vehicles from the 90s (more like $13k) on a 10% car loan cost about the same as a $22k vehicle today @3%... With far more content!

Oh but I'm paying cash! Sorry nobody cares about you in the automotive segment. Practically nobody buys new cars like Dave Ramsey tells u to.

 

[Dave9]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
No one would buy them, especially the ones lamenting their non-existence.


Nonsense and doubly nonsense on the "especially" part. Many people own more than one vehicle and don't need their utility hauling vehicle to be anything more than that.

Quote:
Just like countless threads about lack of simple, stripped down cars. People complaining about it won't even acknowledge the exixtance of cars like Toyota Yaris, Ford Fiesta, Nissan Versa, Chevy Spark, never mind actually buy one. But they sure like to complain a lot.


You have it terribly backwards.

They don't like them because they're tiny sardine cans. They want something that costs proportionately more based only on the cost of more metal, which is only a few hundred dollars instead of thousands. It does not cost more than the price of the metal to make a vehicle a little larger *alone*. Okay, the wiring also needs to be 30% longer too, a few hundred for a larger displacement engine using same tech. Trivial.

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
No one would buy them, especially the ones lamenting their non-existence.
Just like countless threads about lack of simple, stripped down cars. People complaining about it won't even acknowledge the exixtance of cars like Toyota Yaris, Ford Fiesta, Nissan Versa, Chevy Spark, never mind actually buy one. But they sure like to complain a lot.

In my rural area, these cars do get bought, as you can still have a limited income and live in the country, but need a set of wheels to get around. There are also alot of older cars getting their last miles wrung out too, which is what these cheaper cars are competing with.
Most new car buyers do go for a bit of bling though and it seems frugality isn't a popular virtue anymore? Most of the frugal people I know have atleast one 6 figure income in the house, and they buy something like my Outback for $30k instead of the Volvo or german version of the AWD wagon.

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: Dave9
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
No one would buy them, especially the ones lamenting their non-existence.


Nonsense and doubly nonsense on the "especially" part. Many people own more than one vehicle and don't need their utility hauling vehicle to be anything more than that.

Quote:
Just like countless threads about lack of simple, stripped down cars. People complaining about it won't even acknowledge the exixtance of cars like Toyota Yaris, Ford Fiesta, Nissan Versa, Chevy Spark, never mind actually buy one. But they sure like to complain a lot.


You have it terribly backwards.

They don't like them because they're tiny sardine cans. They want something that costs proportionately more based only on the cost of more metal, which is only a few hundred dollars instead of thousands. It does not cost more than the price of the metal to make a vehicle a little larger *alone*. Okay, the wiring also needs to be 30% longer too, a few hundred for a larger displacement engine using same tech. Trivial.



You can call it nonsense, but sales numbers don't lie. Manual transmissions, stripped down, basic versions, crank windows, no AC etc. are sales duds.
People that specifically want these things are so frugal that they turn to the used market anyways.

 

[chrisri]

10k isn't enough, but 15 could work. We just bought these at 19k Euro but fairly loaded for commercial vehicle with cruise control, Bluetooth, central locking, etc. And with 160 HP Euro 6 engine. Good deal. Obviously, these aren't pick ups, but there's versions with flat bed.

https://www.njuskalo.hr/dostavna-vozila/...LsR_v-5C5WrZx9o

 

[PandaBear]

For US standard, probably not. For India, way more than sufficient.

 

[mrsilv04]

Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: skyactiv
Scroll down. This is the cheapest new truck you can get.

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale...tures=onlyPrice


For fun, I changed it to 100 miles around my zip. Link.

Nice little price bump, regional thing I guess.


The problem is, the prices for the lowest priced dealer in the first link include every discount on the planet, which many people won't qualify for.

Or, they specify something like an insane $995 delivery fee as well as another $395 documentation fee on top of that.

Bottom line... those prices in the first link aren't all based on reality.

 

[andyd]

Somewhere back in the 70s trucks gained cool. It had something to with lower emissions hurdles or something. Ive had several over the yrs . The Ranger and the earlier Toyotas and Nissans were right sized for me. A 1960 F100 with a 223 I 6 /3 on tree, or a Chevy same yr you could stand inside the engine bay. My brother bought a base model 2010 Tacoma, it had to be be built for him. Its a great little truck. but well over 10K $.

 

[itguy08]

Originally Posted By: Dave9

Quote:
Just like countless threads about lack of simple, stripped down cars. People complaining about it won't even acknowledge the exixtance of cars like Toyota Yaris, Ford Fiesta, Nissan Versa, Chevy Spark, never mind actually buy one. But they sure like to complain a lot.


You have it terribly backwards.

They don't like them because they're tiny sardine cans. They want something that costs proportionately more based only on the cost of more metal, which is only a few hundred dollars instead of thousands. It does not cost more than the price of the metal to make a vehicle a little larger *alone*. Okay, the wiring also needs to be 30% longer too, a few hundred for a larger displacement engine using same tech. Trivial.


For years and years the Big 3 made pickups with 3, 4, 5, and 6 speed sticks. You could buy them (in the larger versions) with gas and Diesel engines. Over the years they stopped making them due to lack of sales. If people bought them in sufficient quantities they would still make them.

In probably the last manual transmission holdout vehicles, the sports/muscle cars (Mustang, Camaro, Corvette), it's estimated that about 1/2 of the buyers choose the manual and the other 1/2 buy the automatic....

Heck, the regular cab, stripped truck is still available. It's a fleet queen that hardly anyone buys. Why? Cause it's very impractical if you need to move more than 3 people, have something of value you want to keep out of sight (even extended cabs have tinted back windows and a seat to hide stuff), etc.

 

[Silverado12]

Originally Posted By: racin4ds
Thanks to the Unions and WAY overpaid workers at automobile factories, NO.

Average forklift operator at Ford Parts DC in Winchester VA where I lived was $58,000 a year!

I can remember my old man back in 1993 going to buy his first ever brand new vehicle. A 1993 Nissan 2WD truck with NO options whatsoever, 4Cyl, 5 speed. He seen it advertised for $7K and when he got there to pick it up it had graphics on the doors and floor mats which brought the price up to almost $8K and he walked out and told them he didn't want it... needless to say they gave him the truck as it set for the advertised price.


Don't come here trying to stomp on unions not knowing what you're talking about. GM made an S-10 for a comparable price than Nissan and actually cheaper than Toyota. I actually see the old S-10s still on the road but very few imports. Labor accounts for about 20% of a product's cost. If workers aren't getting the money the VIPs at the top are and if that's the case they sell less product because low-paid workers can't afford it.

 

[fisher83]

Back in 2006 when I was selling new Chevy’s you could buy a regular cab 1/2 ton with the 4.3 V6, manual everything, no A/C for $13k after all the rebates and discounts. About $15k would move you up to an automatic transmission and A/C.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Today, an LS motor and engine get better mileage than any 60, 70 or 80's V8's.
And all they ask for is simple service for what, 100K miles?
And they will easily go 200K with proper care.
Way better steering, braking, comfort, etc.

How many trucks made it much past 60K without issue back in the day?
60's ignition required plugs and points at 12K intervals.
Heck, GM PowerGlide automatics rarely made it past 60K without rebuilds, especially behind big V8's hauling a load.

Today's vehicles have a ton of technology.
Build a $10K truck and you get a $10K truck.
My old 2001 Tundra with 190K needs nothing. I could take off for NY without raising the hood.
Never been in the shop.
We won't even talk about paint...

 

[otis24]

If by "truck" you mean a vehicle with a cargo bed, it is possible. I'm thinking of a car based unibody pickup like the VW Rabbit/Caddy. I can tell you that cheap cars like the Chevrolet Spark only have $100 markup. The Aveo had a $500 markup. There has to be enough demand and profit.