Sticker shock

In 1977 that would have been 1/2 my annual pay.

So I was driving 10-12 yo vehicles that cost under $1k each, because with a house and a 1yo son, I wasn't about to finance a vehicle

You must have been rich.

 

That's awesome I wish I could have paid cash too but I put $14k down. Then private sold my Jeep for a little bit more than I expected because used cars started To go up near the end off 2020. I put most of that on the loan only taking out for a tonneau cover.
I do try to not spend on stupid stuff the last few years and I squirrel away money too. I have more than enough now to pay off my loan and other than my house have no debts other than those. I think I'll just keep paying the loan to keep my credit score nice since the interest is super low. Keeping that money available might be good these days.

 

Wasn’t always a tight wad, used to spend money like no tomorrow…spent it on what who in the Hell knows. There were times when I was dead broke, had to count change for gas, or ride my bicycle to make it payday. Work on vehicles all weekend long into the night just so I could make it to work on Monday, man those days sucked!

Older I get the more I become like one of my grandfathers, good lord he was tight ass. Never bought anything new either. We used to have a construction company, all of the equipment and trucks were purchased used.

 

Spot on.

I'm not even that old and remember the basic jeep wranglers were stickered around $15,000 in the mid to late 1990s. try finding a jeep wrangler new for close to double that, you won't. Technology is increasing the cost of everything, along with the general cost of living, the overall value of the dollar then and now and paying a living wage.

 

I was referring to Land Cruisers, Range Rovers, and other SUV’s that are $80,000+ USD.

 

Clearwater bill, no not rich just easy payments. Grin. I made 1200.00 a month then as foreman of a big body shop. I ordered a LT1 350/350Hp chev. Engine and put that in the FJ40 with saganaw power steering with a Z 28 Camero pitman arm. 2 1/2 turns lock to lock . 33 inch B range A/T BFG with four adjustable E shocks per axle. It would pull the front tires off the ground when you banged 2 gear. Fast SOB. Had to add a custom tank behind the axle because it liked a lot of gas. I had more fun in JAP JEEP than any of the 12 other 4X4 i have owned. No frills or things you don’t need. We were simpler then and so were our rigs. It never broke or let me down and i ran ran the C—- out of it.

 

Would you pay 50K for a Tacoma with a straight 6, Manual transfer case, manual locking hubs, solid front axle and better differential gear ratio?

 

In 1986 I paid 5,500 for a base model Toyota 2wd pickup(still have) in 2009 bought my 4wd Double cab Tacoma for 28,000(still have)it felt like so much money, I’m already dreading the next new truck purchase

 

I would buy it if it had no EMC or electronic’s. I am to old to understand this stuff. Trial and error i get by with it. I like horse power so if a LS 3 would fit i would be interested.

 

Closest you’re going to get that is a Jeep Gladiator with with new Hurricane I6, cause Toyota will never build that for the States.

 

Car manufacturers and the government think we need every new feature on every car. I'd be happy with a Mahindra roxor with AC and a pioneer radio.

 

I had my fill of broken jeeps. And the weasel clause warranty. Never broke anything on a Toyota even with 400 hp Tacoma. Having a birthday party my Taco is one year old today. LOL.

 

Happy birthday! And many more.

 

400 horse Tacoma??? Inquiring minds want to know more…

 

2019 3.5 Magnuson supercharger with Borla exhaust . 370 hp with stock exhaust and around 400 with the Borla open exhaust. It was fast anyway and would climb and sand dune in Oregon.

 

Dang! I was guessing it was a SC.

 

The US target market is pretty slim. Toyota has to be loosing money on it, guess they make up for it by selling Corollas and Camrys.

 

If i drive through our small town of 10,000 i well see five or more Tacoma’s. They are everywhere.

 

That’s due to competition. The luxury suv segment is fierce in north Texas. Porsche, Mercedes and BMW dominate around here.

 

Yeah I don’t think the Land Cruiser is high on the status quo list for that buyer, add Range Rover to your list too, is pretty much what I see running around here in the affluent parts of Idaho.