It’s not the 7 year car loan that’s done that. It’s the evolution of technology. Power doors and windows aren’t extras anymore because they’re 40 year old features. Kind of like how key ignitions stopped being extras. Now voice controlled GPS and automatic parking is an extra. 20 years from now, not so much. Really if you’re in the market for the cheap model go used, get the 2 or 3 year old version, you get more value for your buck, and you don’t have to explain to the salesman why in blazes you want a hand crank for the windows.
I has probably been stated multiple times in the thread ("It's the dimmer switch!")... but these once extra features are now standard because when in fails, as it was designed to last only as far as the standard warranty... (which dealerships will always fight you on any warranty claim anyways), it's a $700 $ervice item at the $twalership.
Every heated seat or exterior sideview mirror... hell even a stupid headlight issue on a RAM truck is a $700 service call.
I recently had to buy a newer vehicle as the transmission on my '92 VW Jetta diesel lost 5th gear. That car has 320,000 miles on it, still gets 40MPG... no computer bullshit, crank windows, mechanical odometer, no turbo, no cruise control...and anything that goes wrong you can fix it easily with basic metric hand tools.
I have kept the car to rehab it to get another 320k, but if Volkswagen retooled and offered this exact car, new for 2015, I would pay $40k for it.
5 months after buying the RAM it needs a 700 dollar power module for the headlights...because they designed something that should have never been changed from simple fuses and relays into effing computer cards.