I bought my first brand spanking new pickup in 1974, which was a 1974 Chevrolet Cheyenne, 2 wheel drive, 350 ci engine, with an auto fairly basic and I paid $5,200.and something out the door. 2015 I bought a Ford super cab XL with a power window mirrors a basic screen above the am fm cd radio , a/c, 2,7 engine and electric locking differential in 2 wd and it was $35,000.00 something out the door the 2015 is a far superior pickup in every way and considering the devaluing dollar I would say it is a steal compared to the 1974. double the power easy and almost triple the mpgs. P/U are a much better value that any of the cars I have been in or owned for what you are getting.
What happened to truck prices?
- Thread starter OilReport99
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I spent my youth on a farm. We had a pick up. On Friday we'd clean the hay straw and cow manure off it so it looked presentable when we went to town on Saturday night. Pickups were work vehicles. They were primary transportation if you didn't have a car.
My first (and only) PU bought new in 1990, a Joe Isuzu pick up. I forget what they really called them. It was rugged, reliable and rode like a Wells Fargo stage coach. When I no longer needed it I sold it.
I can't grok pick ups anymore.
My first (and only) PU bought new in 1990, a Joe Isuzu pick up. I forget what they really called them. It was rugged, reliable and rode like a Wells Fargo stage coach. When I no longer needed it I sold it.
I can't grok pick ups anymore.
It is what it is.A year ago or so, I was considering trading my Ram 1500 for a 2500 CTD. I decided not to, but in the process, I saw a few 2019 Bighorn 4x4 around 46-48K. Today I went through the same routine and they're all - the 2020 - in the 65-68K price range......is the vaccine so expensive, or do I need to smack that Swedish girl?
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
Granted I've only had my used 2019 Ram 1500 classic SLT CC, 4x4 for 6 months, according to KBB, my trade-in value is within $1K of what I paid for it from a dealer. That same used truck is $5-6K more now than what I paid. The price climb hasn't peaked yet.
They cost a lot when loaded up, that’s for sure. and they seem pretty clever about how they do trims. On the top 4 for me was tan interior.... but tan took me up two trims and 12k. No way. so I got a grey truck with grey/black cloth interior, extended cab with 4wd and larger gas tank for 42k list and they knocked it down 6k for hanging around a few hours. 36k still seems, to me, like a lot of money, but it’s certainly no more than any suv or upper tier sedan. It probably helped me that it wasn’t a crew cab. Interestingly enough, they gave me a great trade on my high mileage 2wd tundra, so if you stay “in market” from truck to truck, maybe the scale of the economy helps out.
man but if it had been much higher, I just don’t know. I guess we would have continued hanging in there with the old Toyota, though it really wasn’t well-sized for how we used it.
man but if it had been much higher, I just don’t know. I guess we would have continued hanging in there with the old Toyota, though it really wasn’t well-sized for how we used it.
The production shutdown eliminated the glut of trucks on lots. Fewer trucks and uncertainty of getting as many as you can sell leads to the discounts going on a major diet. If you cant get 10-15k off a new truck you bid up the used market more and more. Eventually, i think 6 months, there will be a saturation of trucks in the markets again. The discounts will come back and prices will crash about 10% or more. It would be a good time to sell a used truck you can live without if your wanting a new one next year. I would sell mine but i would end up spending way too much on a Ram TRX or maybe that hybrid F150 ecoboost that comes out to like 70k. The old truck is just fine.
The Chevy 2021 Suburban High Country starts at $72,000. I think I’ll keep my 2008 Burb.
Yup. I went shopping for a Chevy TrailBloss 4x4 a few months ago.. They were all around mid 50s.. I decided to keep my 2009 Sierra for a few more years.
JHZR2
Staff member
I was very tempted by this tonight:
What’s crazier to me is how many 20yo+ CTD trucks are for sale for over $20k!
What’s crazier to me is how many 20yo+ CTD trucks are for sale for over $20k!
Yes, prices are through the roof for sure. It's not just trucks it's boats, campers, houses and guns. Buying a new truck is getting expensive and the dealerships are adding their own lift kits, large tires and custom wheels, truck bed enhancements, custom floor mats and stereos. All you have to do is pick out how many years you want the loan for. 
Prices are so high because trucks have turned into "do-everything" luxury SUVs that can also haul stuff while trying to get 35 mpg. That kind of technology and development is expensive.
I love old trucks, and I love driving them. But drive an old Chevy, Ford, Dodge, whatever, for more than 3 hours and you will hate it. They were made for work, not comfortable cruising. Modern trucks are made for both, and the prices reflect that.
I love old trucks, and I love driving them. But drive an old Chevy, Ford, Dodge, whatever, for more than 3 hours and you will hate it. They were made for work, not comfortable cruising. Modern trucks are made for both, and the prices reflect that.
The terrible answer is because people are paying the high price, and as stated, trucks are the new luxury vehicles of today. The American market has moved from RWD big 4dr V8 cars to big RWD/4WD trucks... This is where the big three make most of their money I believe as well, and people keep buying them. It is crazy how much a basic truck costs now.
ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2025
Truck prices are stupid right now. I paid 36500 for my 2017 Chevy LT 4x4 3500 HD gasser in the summer of 19 with 29,000 miles on it.
Similar truck are now selling for over 40,000. Carvana offered me 37200 for it with 35,000 miles on it now. It is out of control.
I make about 150,000 a year, wife makes 65,000 ish. We save a lot, but, and none of my business, I don't know how people afford 50 to 80,000 dollar cars. Maybe I am a cheapskate. I know the average price of a new car is 34,600ish. I had one heck of a hard time swallowing the price of my current truck, but don't feel so bad now.
Similar truck are now selling for over 40,000. Carvana offered me 37200 for it with 35,000 miles on it now. It is out of control.
I make about 150,000 a year, wife makes 65,000 ish. We save a lot, but, and none of my business, I don't know how people afford 50 to 80,000 dollar cars. Maybe I am a cheapskate. I know the average price of a new car is 34,600ish. I had one heck of a hard time swallowing the price of my current truck, but don't feel so bad now.
The dealerships will figure out how to set up the monthly payments so that anyone can roll around in luxury. I would say very few people look at the "bottom line cost" of a vehicle when buying nowadays, with financing being so generous and lax.
Everyone wins except for the "Mr. Sensible" inside all of us.
- Dealership salesman gets a bigger commission check
- Dealership owner rakes in more profit
- Service department has more things to potentially be paid to fix, since fancy cars have more things that can break
- The owner drives away in a car they probably can't "afford to own", despite having been able to purchase it off the lot (if you understand what I mean)
- The insurance company charges higher premiums for coverage
- The state gets more tax revenue when it's time to pick up the plates
ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2025
Makes sense I guess. I think my last truck will be the nicest one I can buy in a Diesel as the wife and I plan on RVing 6 months out of the years, but who knows, this truck at most sees 3000 to 5000 miles a year.
Yup, the above is all true. When I handled insurance claims for totaled vehicles we would handle claims with a lien a bit differently (payout involved the bank, etc), and lots of people were underwater on vehicles, it was very eye opening for me, since at that point in time I was pretty poor and driving "fixer uppers" I could pay cash for. I think now we live in a credit society, where it seems to matter less. People are used to paying "X" amount per month to afford their lifestyle. Very few look at the total cost of a purchase (like $60,000 for a truck) but rather how much of their monthly income it would require. The scary part is when something unpredictable (like a pandemic) occurs and suddenly the income doesn't match the X amount required to live each month.
With that said, I don't care what other people do, their finances are their business as long as they don't expect people like me to help them when they default on their loans.
Buyers want the big trucks, full sized double cabs with big tires, 4WD and all of the options that are available on the market today. Heated seats-check, heated steering wheel-check, A/C seats-check, lane assist-check, etc, etc, etc.
They want them, and they will pay for them with a 7 or 8 year loan at asking prices. Both the manufacturer and the dealers understand all of this, stock those kind of trucks and sell them to very willing buyers.
They want them, and they will pay for them with a 7 or 8 year loan at asking prices. Both the manufacturer and the dealers understand all of this, stock those kind of trucks and sell them to very willing buyers.
ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2025
The main reason I got the 4 door long bed is for towing. It doesn't have a lot those options, but it tows well which as you can see, when you have 35 feet of trailer hanging out back there it is important.
Yeah, that too! Whichever one makes you grab your chest all of a sudden too!
they are not the same.
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