Tom Suddard wrote: Oh, but it will have a Turbodiesel.
Oh... then carry on!
Tom Suddard wrote: Oh, but it will have a Turbodiesel.
Oh... then carry on!
As much as I like my 2008 Silverado, my wife has informed me that we will be getting an F150 next time. Her parking garage is full of crew cab trucks (this is Texas after all) and she's been shuttled back and forth to lunch and client stuff in everything made in the last 10 years. Bar none, hands down, F150 has the best back seats and in her opinion the best, most useable interior. Considering that her grandpa was a lifelong GM employee and we still get the GM discount, that's a pretty big endorsement.
Half ton trucks are comfortable and useful. They seat six (if you get the right seats) haul stuff and get nearly 20 miles per gallon. I know it's cool to like any vehicle that's an alternative to a truck around here unless you're pulling a 40 foot boat filled with horses every day, but they're really not that bad.
Wife and I both severely dislike the GMT900 trucks (07-up) They're too big, too bulky, the seating area is not as well thought out in the back etc.
Needless to say, we'll run this one into the ground.
mazdeuce wrote: As much as I like my 2008 Silverado, my wife has informed me that we will be getting an F150 next time. Her parking garage is full of crew cab trucks (this is Texas after all) and she's been shuttled back and forth to lunch and client stuff in everything made in the last 10 years. Bar none, hands down, F150 has the best back seats and in her opinion the best, most useable interior. Considering that her grandpa was a lifelong GM employee and we still get the GM discount, that's a pretty big endorsement. Half ton trucks are comfortable and useful. They seat six (if you get the right seats) haul stuff and get nearly 20 miles per gallon. I know it's cool to like any vehicle that's an alternative to a truck around here unless you're pulling a 40 foot boat filled with horses every day, but they're really not that bad.
My brother had an 89 Chevy that he loved. His current truck is a Tundra that he loves. Even back when he was a Toyota Salesman, he was saying his next truck is an F-150.
colaboy wrote: Just a word of caution on the Titan. They can develop a problem where the trans cooler can be contaminated by the radiator. Rad fluid mixes with trans fluid and trashes the transmission. My freinds 07 had always been dealer serviced, and they were "kind" enough to quote him $9K to repair everthing. This was about 8k miles past warrenty. I guess there is a computer in the transmission that will not allow you just to put another one in out of a different truck. I don't know exactly why, but it wasn't an opiton. I don't think it's a massive problem, but I know many of the smaller Nissan trucks suffered from it.
Never seen this on a Titan, but it was definitely a problem on the 4.0 (Frontier, Xterra, Pathfinder). Wouldn't surprise me if it could happen on the Titan, but it's not as common as it is on the smaller trucks.
Bobzilla wrote:sethmeister4 wrote: Titans are the only full size truck I would get if I needed one-that is if I didn't need something that required a huge truck and a diesel. I would skip the first couple years and go for an 07+. They are strong, fully boxed frame, powerful motor, but bad fuel economy. The interior is pretty nice, and big & comfortable. Expect to put catalytic convertors on it-if it were me I would just find some headers for it to avoid those dumb cats.So, it sucks gas, eats cats and the early ones eat rear diffs. Sounds like the perfect option for the OP.
Yeah, I guess that does make it sound pretty bad. Just don't get an early one and you should be ok. It's a shame that Nissan stopped using their own diffs and started using Danas-never had problems with the old trucks, only the newer ones. But I guess every vehicle has its problems.
In reply to mtn:
My family made that conversion from GM to Ford back in the early 70's. I always wondered why, until I was around both trucks from that era.
I still want to find my grandpa's old 40's chevy graintruck though.....I would put a rollback and a detroit in it asap.....
mazdeuce wrote: As much as I like my 2008 Silverado, my wife has informed me that we will be getting an F150 next time. Her parking garage is full of crew cab trucks (this is Texas after all) and she's been shuttled back and forth to lunch and client stuff in everything made in the last 10 years. Bar none, hands down, F150 has the best back seats and in her opinion the best, most useable interior. Half ton trucks are comfortable and useful. They seat six (if you get the right seats) haul stuff and get nearly 20 miles per gallon. I know it's cool to like any vehicle that's an alternative to a truck around here unless you're pulling a 40 foot boat filled with horses every day, but they're really not that bad.
Yup, that's what I said.
We use the truck more than the cars because it's so comfy, gets great gas mileage & we have the option to stop by Lowes, the gardening center, feed store, etc., etc. at any time.
Go look around, when you get in the back of a newer F150 you'll be amazed. I've seen posts of guys in other trucks who have no where near as nice a back seat and that tells me they've never been in the newer F150s. I looked at every make there was out there when I bought mine and backseat was my number one priority. I knew they'd all be good as trucks, but I wanted comfort & room to give me the ability to use it as a car also and take friends along.
I can't tell you how many of my friends have bought one and gotten rid of their cars after riding in it.
Ford got this one right. They did do one thing wrong with it, there is no good hidden compartment for sticking tie downs or tools any more. There is a small spot underneath one of the rear seats so you have to either have a bed cover or be careful about what your "just in case" stuff that I'm used to carrying.
carguy123 wrote: Ford got this one right. They did do one thing wrong with it, there is no good hidden compartment for sticking tie downs or tools any more. There is a small spot underneath one of the rear seats so you have to either have a bed cover or be careful about what your "just in case" stuff that I'm used to carrying.
If you get the bucket seats like I did, there's a huge center console. Personally, I use the map pockets in the rear doors for stuff like tie-downs, gloves, a small screwdriver set, etc. I have a good-size Action Packer that's full of heavier-duty tiedowns, jumper cables, a come-along and such. It usually lives under the tonneau cover in the bed, and has done since I got my first pickup (a Ranger) in 1994.
I flat-out love my truck. Up front it's an extremely comfortable and roomy luxury ride, out back is a bed I can throw whatever nasty crap I want to in, and it barely notices when I tow ~5000lb of open trailer and E30. It's pretty damn quick, too.
mazdeuce wrote: Go look around, when you get in the back of a newer F150 you'll be amazed. I've seen posts of guys in other trucks who have no where near as nice a back seat and that tells me they've never been in the newer F150s.
I thought we were talking less than 20k? :P I have a feeling this turned into "what truck is best" without thinking of his budget.
Pretty much all trucks prior to 2007 had what you would "call" terrible interiors (a la hideous ford interiors of the early 2000s). Too bad GM kept going the terrible interior path, while Ford fixed it in '08 and Dodge in '12.
If he had the budget for a brandy new crew cab ford, go for that.
I bought my brand new 2011 FX2 F150 for less than $20K. Not a lot less, but less.
The FX2 package isn't exactly what you'd call a base model.
Tom_Spangler wrote: I flat-out *love* my truck. Up front it's an extremely comfortable and roomy luxury ride, out back is a bed I can throw whatever nasty crap I want to in, and it barely notices when I tow ~5000lb of open trailer and E30. It's pretty damn quick, too.
That's the way we are. We both love it. But, when she drivs 75 miles a day, even at 24mpg it still costs twice as much as the Turd she drives getting just shy of 40 average. If gas was back to $2/gallon, we'd drive the truck EVERYWHERE.
D_Eclipse9916 wrote:mazdeuce wrote: Go look around, when you get in the back of a newer F150 you'll be amazed. I've seen posts of guys in other trucks who have no where near as nice a back seat and that tells me they've never been in the newer F150s.I thought we were talking less than 20k? :P I have a feeling this turned into "what truck is best" without thinking of his budget.
When I bought my current truck in 2011, I sold my fairly-loaded 07 F-150 Supercrew with 60k on it for $18k. I have to imagine that truck is down around $15k or less now.
The normal trailer/cargo load would be 2 adults 2 kids, luggage for whatever time frame, 350lb quad, 250 dirt bike, 200 quad, trailer, and then extras the wife must bring along.
Ok. Im not sure where you're getting 7k from unless you just want the ability to tow 7k just because, but that kind of stuff on a trailer might not weigh any more than 2500 lbs. You can tow 2500 lbs with literally almost anything thats bigger than a midsize sedan (i dont follow that rule but that's a different story). So if you wanted you COULD consider the mid-size stuff like the sport trac originally mentioned, but i would still skip right up to full sizes.
And among full sizes i would stick to the GMT 800 4dr half tons like bobzilla posted and just get the nicest one you can find. The reason i say that is because they are generally good vehicles and VERY diy friendly for normal repairs. Im a mechanic and i dont mind working on those things at all. Id rather replace every belt driven accessory at once on a 4.8L Sierra than replace just one idler pulley bearing on a 4.7L Tundra/Sequoia (mechanics will know the one i mean).
So speaking of how 'strong' old 'half ton' trucks are, i think you could probably add a gauge to measure panel gap between the bed and the frame to tell you when the vehicle is fully loaded. I think that truck is currently at max capacity based on how bent it is. 
We were in this situation a few years ago. My '94 Silverado had seen better days, and the pending arrival of a third child (at that time), meant that a regular cab wasn't going to cut it. We looked at the Chevys and Fords for a while, but I didn't find anything that really met our needs and wasn't pretty seriously rusted (we live in New England). In addition, they seemed to be overpriced for what you got. I looked at many extended cabs, as well, but decided the 4 doors were a must.
A couple of observations in our shopping:
Equipment levels on the Fords and Chevys were pretty high, I was able to buy my Dodge used with the ST package (no power door locks, no power windows, rubber floor mats, etc). It did come with the four things that were important to me (Hemi, 4WD, A/C, and antilock brakes up front - they were an option). In 2010, I paid $11k for ours with 135K. It seemed to be very well maintained (Napa Gold filter, Magnaflow exhaust, fluids all looked good), and it's been a good truck for us. I like the way it runs/drives/hauls, and it's been a useful family vehicle, as well.
Another wildcard is an Avalanche. They have the Suburban chassis (and smooth ride), but with some additional versatility.
I've heard a lot of issues with Nissan Titans and their rear differentials if they're used to tow.
In reply to 2.0dohc:
My Titan has been very trouble free, and it's an '04. There aren't many common problems, and pretty much everything has been fixed by '07. The rear diff issues were with the early trucks equipped with the locking rear diffs, mostly 4x4's. The cat issue is cracking that causes a minor exhaust ticking. I had mine replaced under the emissions warranty just before 80k. I've never heard of the coolant/ tranny fluid issue.
I have one of these. My 6'4" cousin was asleep back there yesterday with the seat reclined and his legs streched straight out in front of him.
Vigo wrote:It is actually a very poor repair on the bed that has it all sorts of misaligned. The other side has a body line with about a 3" mismatch. Bruce
In reply to Vigo:
Buwaahahahaha +1 sir, +1
F150 is a good option as well.
Vigo wrote: Ok. Im not sure where you're getting 7k from unless you just want the ability to tow 7k just because, but that kind of stuff on a trailer might not weigh any more than 2500 lbs.
I know what I pull now and what I will pull in the near future will not go over 2-3K but if I'm getting a truck I need to know that in the future I can if need be. IE if I get a truck there will be a car trailer in the future so I can drag home 'gems' off C-list
As far as rear room, I am not looking for 7' tall stretch out kind of room, more like enough room the rugrats are not constantly kicking my seat room.
With the chevy V8s are you guys really getting low 20's? Trucks seem to be an area where my knowledge is lacking.
In my father's 2004 GMC crew cab (4x4 5.3L 4 speed auto), flat highway cruising in cruise control at 65mph is about 12L/100kms (19.6USmpg).
He has 4.10's. With a tune, not 4.10's, and the 6 speed, I don't doubt it. Anyone that thinks they are getting more than 22usmpg on the highway at any speed is lying (or bad at math, or using imperial gallons).
i think at your closer to 10k price point you're stuck with a ford. there are far more crew cab fords than gm's. i won't even consider a ram just because their standard 4 door cab is a waste of space with no back seat room, and their mega cab is just silly huge.
i've been shopping the same exact thing lately, and i've come to the conclusion that if i want to stay GM at my price range i'm in an avalanche. which does not make me sad. i'm planning to pull a small enclosed trailer most every day anyway.
Our Ram has had good room for our 3 kids (6, 4.5, and 22 months). We have two large Graco carseats/boosters in the outboard seating positions and a rear-facing Brittax Marathon (just about the largest convertible car seat on the market) in the rear middle seating position. All the kids have good room back there. The four doors make getting the kids in/out far easier than some of the extended cab door options.
It's not as much room as some of the other crew cabs, but it's still far more room than was in my parent's '97 Chevy Extended cab, for example. I have a feeling it'll get tight once our oldest is 12 years old or so, but by that time we'll probably be looking for a newer truck again. So, if you're looking for younger children, especially, I wouldn't rule out the Dodge without trying one out.
I know the quad cab is the smallest of the 'big 3' half tons, but i still find rear seat room in the dodges to be totally adequate. It might not be that comfortable for a full size adult on a road trip but for smaller people or any shorter kind of trip i think it's just fine. I even thought the rear seat in the extended cab rams with the suicide doors pre-02 was acceptable for short trips.
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