I am shocked no one has mentioned the equipment that is now standard that used to be optional. PS, PB, cruise, PW, PL, A/C, carpet, styled wheels, all of that used to be options. The "stripper" of today was the "loaded" version of yesterday. All of that has driven the cost up.

I kinda started this thread, in regards to "old iron" . . .thinking how you could find something for $5k and it would be ok to drive as is, and then with a little bit of $$ and work, it would be "nice' . . . . seems like all you would find for $5k today, is a total project starting from scratch . . .

Prices have gone up with diminishing supply. They'll fall again with diminishing demand as those of us from that era die off.

A 5k car in January 69 was a Cadillac. Today it should be 43,100. That’s using the government bs inflation rate, so really it should be less than that. Little bit of tech can be factored in, so the new car is “worth” more in some sense, just not what they cost today. Since 1980 companies have increased their profit margin by 65% average on all products. I saw that just a few years ago. Personally I blame all the consolidation that has been allowed for that, it harms consumers, but we dispensed with antitrust regs long ago.

Very true.

I agree .. very true! my 92 is pretty stripped , roll up windows, no carpeting , does have a/c ... my 21 1500 has electronic stuff I still haven't figured out !.. I really like the back up camera though .. makes hooking up the trailer so easy !

Stripped. lol My 51 Plymouth is stripped. Manual brakes, manual steering, manual transmission, roll up windows, no radio, no AC (does have the OPTIONAL heater), no outside mirrors, no seat belts, no airbags.

Let's not forget no radial tires, no gas shocks, no halogen head lights, no rear window defroster, no windshield defroster, no multi-speed or intermittent wipers, no collapsible steering column, no safety glass, no 4-wheel discs, no tinted glass, no emergency 4-way flashers, no side door reinforcement bars, and no 12v battery or do you?

Lots of frippery it doesn't have.

Only issue I have is that I am not sure what the smartest thing in the car is, me or my smartphone, lol.

True. And to make matters worse, there's no such thing as a stripper unless you get some bare bones subcompact.

Why not a nice basic midsize car? Anybody tried to buy a basic work truck lately?

I'm not into all the power accessories and ac. So I'm out of the new car market because nothing appeals to me anymore.

Dealers don't stock bare bones vehicles so if you want one you generally have to order it. Business still buy batches of all white pickups with vinyl floors and roll up windows, but Joe Public typically wants their new pickup to be loaded up with all the trash. If you want a new stripped down model it's best to find the fleet salesman first and see what they can locate. Regular sales guy is going to talk you into the ones with the most gizmos if they can.

I'm not even sure you can order a basic no option car at all. Trucks and vans it's still possible.

That's how I bought my 2010 V6 Silverado. Shortbed, regular cab, 4x4 with roll up windows and manual locks. Yes it had a radio, lol. No choice but it was the base model.

I don't think you can get anything without AC these days, some regulation the feds have about window defogging times, IIRC.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-V/part-571/subpart-B/section-571.103

I have not bought a new vehicle since 2014, doubt I will again.

🤔 HMM, We resumed diplomatic relations with an Asian country in 1972 and resumed trade with them in 1979. I'm sure all those cost savings were passed onto the American consumers

Chicken or egg? Does the public buy the loaded versions because they want them or because they're all that's available?

How many people know fleet buyers?

In the early 2000s you could still get budget priced small cars and larger with roll up windows- and no frills= low price. But the people who SHOULD have been buying these low cost versions are the ones that complained about entry level cars having no bells and whistles. Poor people wanted all the nice stuff even though they couldn't afford it. Financers oblige by extending the loan to get the monthly payment down with little to no $$ down required. Soon bare bones common sense vehicles sat stagnant on the lots while the much higher priced optioned out versions were the ones being sold. Consumers need protection from themselves. A new car loan should be to people of worthy credit and a down payment should be mandatory. Loans should not exceed 5 years as well. The car market is a mess right now and its a mess for the consumer. Used car dealers are complaining that all the auctions have are repos and these repos are all neglected intentionally abused JUNK. People having no business buying a new car bought one- knowing once the Covid money ran out they would let it be repossessed. When the repo driver comes for that car (FYI -Shortage of repo drivers in the US) that vehicle is JUNK. All this makes the new and used car market un affordable.

I don't think that type of rugged utilitarianism exists in a sufficient numbers to justify keeping stripper cars on the lot anymore. Maybe with the Jeep crowd?

I wonder what a large fleet buyer like Duke Power or TVA can order deleted in a large “stripper” pickup truck order?

Wonder what Fastenal knows about
“stripped down initial cost”
versus
“added value capture % when selling off used.”

The rental companies seem to think highly optioned vehicles create a better $ return on investment.