Help Me Pick A Truck

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Help Me Pick A Truck

I'm with 'Triumph's opinion on this.
Buy a Consumers report and look at the comparison in those vehicles. You will find the Toyota products are well ahead of the others, particularly the Avalanche.
Although the Dodge will probably exceed the others in Tow Rating for the most part. However thats going to depend on how much your boat/tow weighs.
Check it out you will find it interesting stuff.
Good luck
BP

 

[xxxflhrci]

Re: Help Me Pick A Truck

For a 19 footer, a 6 cylinder Toyota Tacoma will easily do the job. The '05-up trucks are pretty stout trucks.

 

[SunTrackerPB21]

Re: Help Me Pick A Truck

Alright, here is my quandry ...
2005-2006 Nissan Titan 4x4....

Read Consumer Reports on the US made Titans..Says they re bad

 

[SunTrackerPB21]

Re: Help Me Pick A Truck

Read Consumer Reports on the US made Titans..Says they re bad

Here's the actual line from their website:

Nissan's reliability has improved somewhat. Last year (2006)the Quest, Armada, Titan, and especially the Infiniti QX56, all built at Nissan's Canton, Miss. factory, had the worst reliability in our survey.

 

[dorelse]

Re: Help Me Pick A Truck

I know I'm going to be asked for links, and I'm sorry, I don't have one.

I recently read an article on 'one' of the online sites, Car and Driver, or something. It said that for full size pickups, all the foreign manufacturers were having problems scaling up to play with the US manufacturers for full size pickups. I think the final wording was something like, when it comes to full size trucks, the Big 3 know how to build them right. Basically saying that 30-40 years experience of building full size trucks is paying off.

They were mainly talking about reliability, performance, etc. Now even I'll admit, those Toyota commercials make me want to run out and get one.

But, they have their share of problems...as all vehicles do.

My 1998 Dodge Ram 1500 QC 4x4 has proven to be very reliable mechanically. There's a lot of little stuff going on now, like a cracked spark plug wire, maintenance items, but it has 120,000 miles on it, and still shifts well. The biggest knock I've read against my transmission (46RE) is that it works very well if you keep it cool. I replaced my factory tranny pan with a Cast Aluminum 2 QT extra capacity transmission pan from Mag-Hytec. That also gave me an easy access point for a temp sensor, and the 2 extra Qts of tranny fluid.

The result was a 40 degree cooler running tranny, I think its been well worth the cost.

I think you've got a good list there, but I'd also recommend looking at Fords.

The funny thing is that I was actually thinking of moving 'down' to a Jeep Grand Cherokee as my truck doesn't allow my 11 y.o. 'growing like a weed' son enough room in back. My boat is light enough that I don't need a lot of towing capacity at 1650#.

 

[mhlbnghm]

Re: Help Me Pick A Truck

No secret that the truck market is really depressed. Recently bought an '08 Tundra LTD cheaper than I could have gotten a Tacoma. Has the 5.7 / 6spd tranny and as the old saying goes "don't worry about the horse just load the wagon!". IF I drive the posted limits I get about 21 on the road & 17.5 to 18.5 in town. Pulling the boat it returns around 14-15 (Triton SF188 w/150 Merc).
But regardless of what - I'd say NOW is the time!

Mike

 

[triumphrick]

Re: Help Me Pick A Truck

Here's the actual line from their website:

Nissan's reliability has improved somewhat. Last year (2006)the Quest, Armada, Titan, and especially the Infiniti QX56, all built at Nissan's Canton, Miss. factory, had the worst reliability in our survey.

And this could be the reason why Nissan is going to contract having the Titan made by Chrysler in a plant in Mexico in 2011. The Titans had problems and just didn't sell. And just in case you are not aware, Nissan is now owned by the French auto giant Renault, and has been for several years. Some of their newer designs, by Renault, have not done well. It's all in the engineering, however and not where a car or truck is built. Right now the Asians seem to have some of the better engineered vehicles as much as I, a Vietnam Vet hate to admit to.

 

[ne7800]

Re: Help Me Pick A Truck

not trying to steal just quick question.. NE you said it was 94-96 correct? so that means a 97 would be fine?

that is what i have heard and experianced i had a 1996 dodge ram and replaced the tranny a 107,000 miles, i now have a 1999 dodge ram with 140,000 miles and the only thing i have done is fluid and filter changes and replaced one silonoid i have a friend who plows commercialy 350+ driveways he has 3 dodge rams two deisels and one hemi he has had both chevys and fords and he says hands down the dodges are the best for reliability

 

[bamafutbal]

Re: Help Me Pick A Truck

2005 dodge 2500 quad cab laramie turbo 6 diesel, getting 20.3 mixed driving, pulling my 20'6" blue water filled up with gear, get 17.0 from gainesville to crystal river and gainesville to vilano bridge st augustine

 

[Pony]

Re: Help Me Pick A Truck

If you haven't, I would drive a Ford, the ride will blow everything else away with the possible excepetion of the Toyota.

I personally don't care much for the ride in the Ford's. Thats just from my expirience though.......everyone is different.

 

[Pony]

Re: Help Me Pick A Truck

i have a friend who plows commercialy 350+ driveways he has 3 dodge rams two deisels and one hemi he has had both chevys and fords and he says hands down the dodges are the best for reliability

I have had the EXACT opposite expirience. I know a few people who own plowing companies and have three or four friends that plow during the winter. All of them say hands down they will not use anything but GM.

 

[cmcpherson]

Re: Help Me Pick A Truck

I personally don't care much for the ride in the Ford's. Thats just from my expirience though.......everyone is different.

First time I have ever heard this, you must have better kidneys than the rest of us. The only thing I have never heard any argue about is ride, Ford always wins hands down.

 

[bigD1031]

Re: Help Me Pick A Truck

For a 19 footer, a 6 cylinder Toyota Tacoma will easily do the job. The '05-up trucks are pretty stout trucks.

Not where I live.......the road between here and any one of the three lakes I go to are full of really big and steep hills, a 6 would have a really hard time, my 4.7 v8 does it but some of the hills I am lucky to stay at 55.

 

[ne7800]

Re: Help Me Pick A Truck

bottom line is you ask 5 people what the best truck is you'll most likly get 5 diffrent answers only thing to do is test drive test drive test drive see if they will let you try them with your boat or maybe they have a trailer there that is of simmiler weight that you can pull to try it out but like i said the only opinion that matters is your own

 

[199675hpforce]

NIssan

NIssan

40 percent off a new nissan titan no branier in crew cab. glennnissan.com few others blowing them out. 18k should get you a new one check out slickdeals.net search nissan

 

[109jb]

Re: Help Me Pick A Truck

I personally prefer GMC/Chevy's when talking trucks. Read on for my personal reasoning. I currently have a 2003 GMC Crew cab short box 2500HD Duramax diesel. As far as ride, it depends on more than just brand. 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton. 1 ton. short wheelbase, long wheelbase, tires, everything. I've ridden in Fords that ride worse than any GM truck I've owned, and I've ridden in some that ride great. My father has a 1998 Dodge diesel and he is on his second transmission at less than 80,000 miles. However, he uses the truck inly for hauling and 8,000 to 10,000 pound trailer loads are pretty common. I use my GMC for everything except driving to work. I don't do near the amount of hauling that my father does. I do however have occasional need to haul things like skid steers, tractors, cars, etc. I also haul a 4 place enclosed snowmobile trailer in the winter. That's why the diesel. Nothing hauls a big load better. As for my boat, it's way overkill for my 16 foot sea ray. The only downside to the diesel is the current price of fuel, but that is offset by the fuel economy of the diesel. I can get 22-23 mph highway unloaded. With the boat, I get 18 or so highway. I had a Dodge Dakota V6 that didn't get 18 ever.

 

[ne7800]

Re: Help Me Pick A Truck

My father has a 1998 Dodge diesel and he is on his second transmission at less than 80,000 miles. However, he uses the truck inly for hauling and 8,000 to 10,000 pound trailer loads are pretty common.

the biggest problem with the dodge trans (this comes from the transmision guy at the local dodge dealer) is people towing with the truck in overdrive

 

[xxxflhrci]

Re: Help Me Pick A Truck

Not where I live.......the road between here and any one of the three lakes I go to are full of really big and steep hills, a 6 would have a really hard time, my 4.7 v8 does it but some of the hills I am lucky to stay at 55.

The right Tacoma will handle 6500lbs. The '05-up Tacoma six puts out at much hp as the older Jeep's 4.7 V8. I was camping in the mountains of Va last week, matter of fact on the highest mountain. I camped next to a guy pulling a 26ft Hi-Lo camper with is 2005 Tacoma. He said he had no troubles on the mountains....My brother had a 2005, also. He pulled his 20 ft boat all over the place with it and said it hardly strained the truck.

 

[109jb]

Re: Help Me Pick A Truck

the biggest problem with the dodge trans (this comes from the transmision guy at the local dodge dealer) is people towing with the truck in overdrive

But my father doesn't tow in overdrive. As I said though most of his driving in that truck is towing 8 to 10,000 pounds. Probably 90 percent of that trucks usage has been for towing, which is why he bought it. Don't get me wrong, my dad loves his Dodge, however, he has said that if the Duramax was available when he bought his truck he would have bought it if for no other reason than it having the allison transmission (6 speeds of bulletproof, and all 6 good for towing). Depends on what you need though.

 

[hard-3]

Re: Help Me Pick A Truck

if i didn't see my 24 ft cobalt in the mirrors i'd never know it was behind my 02 f250 'stroke. pulls like the thing wasn't even there. gets decent mileage if i drive it right , but never seem to be able to do that, always late getting started for some reason(WIFE) !! no major problems has 7.3 motor. some of the later 6.0 motors had some troubles. but mine runs just fine. pulls tandem axle trailer with my tractor just fine also. weighs around 8000#
i know that there are lots of newer duramax's and cummins out there that have a lot more torgue and power, but mine is paid for and still drives and rides better than my 04 Grand cherokee every day of the week.