35 replies to this topic

[davinski]

Ok, still recovering from my truck mishaps. But, with encouragement from friends, I've decided to start looking for a new truck. Like a lot
of other FWC users, I have a Hawk. Don't think this will change, but my brother keeps saying I should go for a Grandby and get more space. tempting. Long bed? Just maybe.

Anyhow, for now I will assume short bed. Probably an extended cab truck, as I don't have need for the crew cab. 4x4 and probably a 3/4 ton as I am tired of hitting the payload limit of my older truck.....

I went looking at the major big truck makers yesterday. Wow. Expensive and big. Nice nice nice. Lots of money, so probably need to make a very good decision between now and probably spring. Unless I want to try to get an 09. Seems a lot of those are gone already!

Toyota makes a mighty nice truck. My friends with Tacomas and Tundras swear by them. They seem to have much better reliability ratings. I like that. BUT no 3/4 ton truck. Man, if they made one I am sure they could corner the market. So, sorry Toyota, I don't think this will cut it.

Since I have a dodge, I think the only reason to go with dodge is if I want the Cummins diesel. Nice, and a lot of folks really like them. But, can't see myself paying the premium for diesel. I don't think I will drive it that much.

Ford? oddly, I don't know too many with big ford pickups. My family seemed to like the chevy trucks. I drove a few. Nice, but not sure I would be ready to go ford.

Chevy/GMC. Boy, I really like the new chevys with those nice doors. A good friend has an 08 with a Northstar on it. Very very capable. My brother has an older chevy and loves his northstar on it.

I have read countless accounts of what truck is better and such. But what I want to know is which is better for us FWC and ATC users? OK, youall, let me hear what you have to say before I make any final decisions.

Thanks

Dave in Seattle

[CJ8Rockcrawler]

I'm biased... obviously... but I think the Dodge is the best choice, if you're going Diesel. Are you set on new? A couple year old Dodge 2500 with the 5.9 Cummins would be a good choice. You'll get better mileage with about the same power vs. the new Diesels. Depending how much exploring you do off the beaten path, the Chevy/GMC tends to sit much lower and that could be a problem for you in stock form. The Dodge and Ford sit much higher from the factory. I'm intrigued by the redesign of the Dodge HD trucks that are just hitting the market now too. VERY nice upgrades in the interior vs. the previous generation.

[Mark W. Ingalls]

Dave, the reason I decided on gasoline over diesel came down to my driving habits. I was pretty sure the truck would sit in the driveway for days doing nothing and then I would get in and drive it to the boondocks. I decided that this was not good for a turbo charger.

If you browse MSN Auto's reliability ratings, you'll see that Dodge and Ford's big trucks stand equal to Toyotas in quality. I don't know about Chevy, because I wanted a solid front axle.

Now that clean air has finally caught up to the diesel engine, their fuel efficiency is about the same as the gasoline versions.

I got a nice used truck with 46k miles on it for less than half the original sticker price. This is probably because the price of big trucks crashed when fuel prices spiked a year ago. Nowadays, you may find that the incentives on new '09s make them the best deal.

If I can do anything to help your search, like perhaps helping you find a clean Texas truck, please send along a PM.

[davinski]

Guys, there are so many choices.

Right now I am thinking new just because i will get many years of use and can make changes early. Didn't do that last time and got less enjoyment out of it. Pretty sure this
truck will be used for a long time and will probably run it into the ground over about 15 years or so. Maybe longer.

One question i was asking myself when looking at the brochures and stuff, what really is the difference between a 3/4 ton and 1 ton truck? seems not a lot. might it be worth the little extra to get the extra payload capacity? You never know what I'll carry/tow in the future. I never intended to put a camper on my 1/2 ton when I first bought it and now the hawk is the best thing I ever got.

Also, I think gas will be the way to go for me. availability is the key and to do diesel, I'd have to make sure it had a really nice size tank...probably after market and that is more cash. Besides, driving patterns will be lots of sitting in the street, then nice long trips on the weekends or vacations. Not ready for retirement and long distance travel yet. Of course, if I were to retire today, I'd probably get a diesel, a big big tank, and get the hell out of town!

dave

[craig333]

The fuel issue isn't really a problem. I just need to remember where I'm going and plan accordingly. I don't leave town to go to markleeville with half a tank. Did that once and had to drive into Carson city. But now I think about it and never have issues anymore. I haven't regretted getting a diesel but you sure do pay a big premium up front. I also consider that someday I may wish to pull a large trailer and I'll be ready when I do.

If i had it do over again I'd go with the long bed and the grandby, but its not something that bothers me enough that I'll change at this point. The short bed and the hawk get the job done just fine.

[griz]

Dodge, gas. 1/2 or 3/4 ton. Most of the time (90%) the 1/2 does it all. Sometimes I wish I had the 3/4 but NOT that often. $ here are 1/2 29,000 and a 3/4 37,000. Quad cab 4x4. short box.

If u change campers, I would be interested in talking to ya. Maybe u should get a 1 ton longbed with a grandby after all. ha ha..................

cheers

[RonSchon]

I know that in the last 8 years I've been buying exclusively used trucks. This new F-150 Diesel, if it comes to fruition, will have me buying a new truck before I actually need one.

I like the torque and efficiency of a diesel, but not so much the 45k price tag. If I can buy a brand new truck with a solid diesel engine for under 30k, I'll probably buy a new one in 2010 or 2011. Having previously owned a CTD, I'd like to get back to diesel - but it has to be right. If it's not, I'll run another 100k on my 3/4 ton gasser.

[the fisherman]

Seems to me that you're getting a lot of good info. here except for one problem, the feed back you're getting is based on how OTHER people use their trucks, how YOU use your truck is all that matters when you make the final decision. Griz says 1/2 Dodge is all you need 90% of the time, well I think he means it's all he needs, because the way I use a truck the front wheels of that Dodge won't be touching the ground most of the time. Gas or deisel, again, how are YOU going to use the truck, if towing is in your future, the answer is obvious. 1 ton vs. 3/4, the only difference is the spring pack under the rear axel, 1 ton if your towing a fifth wheel, or have plans for one of those 12ft. mongo Lance campers, but you're hanging around here so I guess one of those isn't in your future, unloaded a 1 ton truck is going to give you a miserable ride. I think if people gave some thought about how they were really going to use a truck we wouldn't be spending so much time on the airbag and helper spring topic, neither of which is a very good fix for the actual problem. Ford, Chevy, Dodge: Not to cloud the issue but I'm not buying anything from somebody who already owes me billions, and besides the Chevy. has the weakest front end in the business, and is real costly to fix, not to mention no ground clearence...Don't really now anything about Dodges at all, I've never had one, but I suspect most were bought not because they were Dodges, but because they were Cummins powdered, to me that's half a reason to buy a Dodge or I guess now a Fiat, I don't hear anybody ravin' about the interior, or how great or long lasting the transmissions are. My old man was a Ford dealer all my life, and once when I was younger, much younger I talked him into getting me a new 1972 Chevy 4+4, he did it, but it broke his heart to see me in that truck, when I went to visit him I had to park a least a block away from his house. I've never forgotten how he felt about it, and every time I think about my dad I think about that truck, which by the way was a real P.O.S.

[ScottBailey]

I have read countless accounts of what truck is better and such. But what I want to know is which is better for us FWC and ATC users? OK, youall, let me hear what you have to say before I make any final decisions.

Well, really it's easy. FWC/ATC are American made and owned. So, in this department, think Ford.

Really, I think the big 3 are all the same... Except you get a solid axle, not IFS, and some ground clearance if you go Ford or Dodge. That is enough for me to rule out GM completely.

As far as diesel vs gas? Man, I *LIKE* how effortlessly the diesel takes me up the grades. I like how diesel can sit in the tank for a couple months without risk on my camping truck. I don't like how much diesel engines weigh or cost.

As far as I'm concerned, a v8 F250 extended cab long bed seems pretty optimal...

[pods8]

I don't hear anybody ravin' about the interior,

Actually I think the interior on my dodge is nice.