I am spoiled. I don't want a bare bones vehicle anymore, but I've had a few.

Once had a 68 Dodge pickup. It had belonged to the forest service. Bought it from a dealership for $50, on halves with my FIL. Tax and title were more than the truck. Had to tow it home. The only option it had was the insane axle gearing. Probably 4.56:1. Top speed was maybe 65 mph with the slant six engine. Couldn't wear it out, but it surely could wear me out. Our local technical college took it as a project and rebuilt the engine. I supplied parts and paid a $100 shop fee. Probably still running somewhere. Told my wife that if it ever died, I planned to remove the driver's side door and let the dog sleep in it. Many mornings when I would leave home for work, my dog would run to the truck. She hoped we were going deer hunting. I would let her in the cab and roll a window down so she could jump out after her nap(s).

Nope

My last Tundra was used as a work truck. It was the lowest trim package (SR). It still had carpet, cloth seats, power windows and locks, AC, cruise control...

My Chevy and GMC cargo vans are work trucks, they are about as bare bones as you can get anymore, vinyl seats, rubber mats, ect. The Chevy doesn't even have cruise control. LOL

Bare bones today is no heated seats and steering wheels. LOL

I don't know what I'll do when the 2000 dies, I think if I can find one with an ash tray, shouldn't have too many chips in it. The new ones are out of my range$$$ I saw a Toyota on Utube reminded me of my 53 Jeep!

When I bought my 2018 Toyota they had a work truck option for the Tacoma a package the lowered the price the back seat area was bare bones with way fewer options. That was in the base models of course check the build a truck Toyota site and check if that still a delete option

Think I would feel spoiled to buy a new bare bones truck at this point.

Can a truck be ordered with a bench seat, vinyl upholstery, and no carpet? How about w/o AC and power windows?

My work truck has all those things. Except the no A/C and power windows.


Would probably cost you more to have the A/C removed.

Last bare bones I bought new was a 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 work truck....Vinyl floor, vinyl bucket seats and no electronic safety crap.

Seriously doubt you could get one like that now.

Work trucks come from someplace do some homework you might be surprised what you find.

Yeah, need to start checking that out....Miss the V8 bad.

My wife had a quote to change the spark plugs on her Toyota Highlander, $800.

Wish I still had my old 64. And 66 chevy pickups...

I recently bought a used, 2016 bare bones Nissan. The windows are hand crank. It does have basic cruise, and AC...but honestly my 1995 Toyota had a lot more bells and whistles than this one does. So, they somewhat still exist, or did 9 years ago anyways.

I think when most people say they want a "bare bones" truck... what they mean is that they want a "cheap" truck. They lament about the cost of power windows, power steering, heated seats, back-up cams.... all of which probably don't really up the price ALL that much.... companies just add in those relatively cheap features so customers don't feel like they're being raped by the price the companies are forced to charge due to American labor costs... and especially union labor costs, if that applies.

Point being... sure they could make these cars in America, but due to labor costs, the differences in price would be minimal. If you're buying a brand new $60k truck... would you opt to pay $60K for one with crank windows, cold seats, no backup mirror, etc., or $65K for one with basic bells and whistles?

I miss wing windows; no need for AC when you had them. Just push them all the way open as air scoops; worked really well, especially if you were wearing shorts.