I've always bought middle of the road trucks. XLT F150s, SLT Rams, LT&SLE GMs. Never had leather, nicer stereo, etc. Stopped at power windows/locks/carpet/AC/ etc. maybe a few higher end individual options, but never the entire higher trim levels.
However I also stayed away from the "sport" models of each brand, for one reason; I drive a LOT of highway miles. The chrome grilles and bumpers stand up to rock chips and are easier to clean bug splats off of. I do usually like the color matched look better and if my work commute wasn't what it is, I'm sure I would have had some.
This time around, I decided I wanted a truck to "pamper" myself a bit more, with fancier electronics, leather, built in nav and leather, etc. A friend at a local Ram dealer worked out a deal for me on my Laramie that would have been tough to refuse. The price on the truck was really not much better than anyone off the street could have haggled for, but he also went above top trade-in value on my trade, cut the extended bumper to bumper warranty price in half, threw in a few other goodies, so I went for it. I think the chrome is sparse enough that it stays tasteful. The grille may be a bit much but I'll look into options to tone it down later. I also removed the blocky "RAM 1500" emblems off the doors, which took away some of the chrome effect.
It's my first "old man" truck, but I love it! I guess my age is showing (41)
