mmarshall

That's what (most) people want....particularly in the U.S. where so many people, much less manually activating their own doors/windows/mirrors, don't even keep their own eyes on the road much of the time, while at the same time fooling around with all of the OTHER things that they want at the same time....cell phones, Bluetooth, IPods, NAV screens, MP3, coffee cups, etc.......

My0gr81

I had one, my first car ever, 1974 2 doors, 4 speed 1.2l engine. Nothing but AM radio, not even passenger side mirror. Bought it used, drove it even when the floor pans were so rusted that you could see pavement.

Aron9000

That's how I feel, driving that truck on a long trip is a rather tedious exercise. Not to mention it rides like a truck, if the road is rough, you bounce around a bit. The short wheelbase, regular cab, short box thing doesn't help the ride quality, but I swear my 1993 Toyota truck rode better. Yes you felt the big bumps a bit more as a sharp impact in the 93, but it glided over the smaller bumps/imperfections/undulations better. The newer truck feels like the shocks are worn out(which I really think they are), you bounce around a bit more on wavy/irregular road surfaces, where as that old truck rode a bit smoother until you hit a major divot in the road.

As far as strippers, other than the trucks, I really don't believe in them. Had 3 Cadillacs, 2 of them had every single factory option, 2 Camaros with leather, V8, Z28 package, heck even my 1st car, a 1991 Regal, had the nice optional 3.8 V6, power windows, locks, and luxurious maroon/red velour interior. If you are going to own a car, buy one that is a bit nicer, even if its used. Trucks, with the way they hold their value, you get what you can take IMO if you are buying used, unless you are well off and can spend the $$$$ on a nice, optioned, new truck.

Maybe I'm old school, but I tend to think of trucks as utilitarian workhorses, it just disgusts me how trucks are priced as a luxury item now days and seen as a status symbol for the urban cowboy.

geko29

My first truck (1995 Ford Ranger) was not quite a stripper, as it had a couple of options:

V6
AC
Cruise
sliding rear window
power mirrors (believe they were standard)
sport seats with extending thigh bolsters

But that was about it. Was a great truck overall, with a sticker somewhere in the $15k range. Ironically, one of the reasons I got rid of it was because of one of the options it DID have that I didn't want--an automatic transmission. So I replaced it with a fully-loaded (every option except engine block heater, towing mirrors and upgraded audio system) V8 Dakota with a 5-speed.

Nextourer

Ahh ok. That makes more sense (or all hand crank). The two power windows in the front is weird.

It is weird. But apparently it was the norm in Europe through the 2000s as a way to keep costs down.

oldcajun

My first car was pretty much a "stripper". It was a 1955 Chevy 210 two door sedan bought used when it was 3 years old and it only had 12,000 miles. The only "options" were turn signals and a heater. Transmission was "3 on the tree" and it had no power steering or brakes. Engine oil filters were optional on the 6 cyl. and this car did not have one. My biggest complaint as an 18 yr. old was that it had no radio. I drove it all through college with no breakdowns. It did, however, need an oil change every 1000 miles and the bias ply tires only lasted about 10,000.

Ah, the good old days weren't always that good.
Steve

Aron9000

That's crazy that it didn't have an oil filter AT ALL. I know on old cars like that they didn't use a spin on oil filter like today, it was sort of a seperate metal canister that you took the lid off, took out the filter element, then put in a new filter element, kind of like changing your air filter today.

Oh and 210 was the mid-trim option for Chevys, it had more chrome on it than the basic 150, probably fancier hubcaps and different seat and interior trim. Still kind of crazy how basic cars were back then, even for something "mid-range" didn't have an oil filter of all things. Guaranteed it had a cigarette lighter and ash tray though