Pick WinterDeere's next truck

[eco88]

Diesel all the way. You'll never look back. And, no they arent slow as you claim. Maybe back in the 80s they might have been. Unless you drag race, you wont notice a speed difference.

Look around you, city owned maintenance pickups, or tow trucks, or any other industry that uses and abuses them every single day... what do you see? Nothing but GMs up north anyways. Very resilient and nice looking vehicles

 

[Topzide]

As far as going used, you can get an ozone generator for well under $100 t9 get rid of any smells. Find the car or truck of your choice and if it smells a bit, get the ozone unit and let it run usually overnight will cure the interior smell. Just something to think about.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

The 'image matters when customers are nervous about dropping big money on a new or unfamiliar vendor.' can be "sticky".
Sometimes the vendor approves out of pity seeing all the rust. Then again if it's too nice (?).
I had two contractors here: years ago a plumber in a 3 piece suit, Rolex & new $$$ truck. The other recently in a $100K++ Ram to estimate some fence. He made sure I noticed his Breitling Navigator and Cartier Pen as he wrote up the estimate.
You want a nice truck...just not too nice.
Dad was top salesman every year he said because he was bald enough to look distinguished but had hemorrhoids enough for a look of concern. He also wore a Timex.

 

[CubCadetGuy]

Yet another truck has rusted out on me, this time 11 years. Bed walls are bulging due to delamination behind spray-on liner, and eye bolts are just falling out. But outer body still looks presentable... maybe it won't totally kill me on trade-in. Truck has 52k miles.

I've been a "Ram guy" the last 20 years, for one reason: Ram offered manual transmission with a V8 and extended cab, while no other brand did. Now that's gone away, so I have less reason to stay with Ram, although I will admit they've been the most reliable trucks I've ever owned... rust aside. I've also grown to like the feel and controls of them, in fact we have three Dodge's in the garage right now.

The requirements:

1. Must be 4wd. My primary use of this vehicle is "bad weather days", when I don't want to drive my sports car or sedan in snow and salt. I also take it off-road several times per year, mostly when pulling a trailer.
2. Must have integrated trailer brake system, and will favor highest tow rating. I use this truck for pulling a 7k# trailer loaded with logs or tractor over hilly terrain and offroad.
3. Would favor lower roof height, as I also take this vehicle into old parking garages in Philly, where roof clearance is a constant issue. This is the sole reason I've been buying 1/2 ton trucks, despite 3/4 ton being more suitable for my trailer's ~1000# tongue weight.
4. I will always choose highest horsepower and highest rear gear ratio available. This is another area where Ram seems to outperform everyone else.
5. Yes, I would consider an EV, if it actually looks and feels like a real pickup truck. When I see numbers like 1000 hp posted, I don't understand how you can't be interested in driving that. I am a founding member of the HA = "Horsepower Anonymous" support group. But I ain't paying $100k for a pickup truck, so that may be off the table, anyway.
6. Not interested in diesel. Slow, and unnecessarily expensive, when I never get more than 70k miles out of a truck before it's rusted thru.

I don't have a specific budget. But I don't like throwing away money on anything, so it's going to be a matter of seeing where the market is, and then choosing "good value" for my dollar.

If there's any truck of any series or brand available with a manual transmission, I'm probably buying that. If there's one thing I hate more than any other mechanical device on earth, it is the automatic transmission. But it needs to be 4wd extended cab, and capable of pulling my trailer at highway speed, so not a wimpy v6 configuration.

Thoughts? Recommendations?

In the current economy, the tendency of young people to buy more than they can afford is going to generate a lot of newer used vehicles for sale at excellent prices. Now the bad thing about that is that young people also have a tendency to buy two or three times the vehicle they actually need, but even so, getting a good one with low miles and without having to pay that first year's depreciation should be fairly easy. Definitely check the craigslist ads in your area.

As far as brands, people tend to buy out of habits more than rationally. Toyota tends to be the top quality producer with Ford running a close second. GM is in the middle. Dodge or Ram quality is not nearly as bad as it was when Chrysler was an independent company. That said, one of the main reasons that Daimler gave up on them and sold it to Fiat (renamed Stellantis to keep the French happy) is because of the extreme challenges they discovered in trying to clean up the American industrial management culture, which has a lot of poor attitude problems that shows up in production quality, and those issues were significantly worse at Chrysler than at GM and Ford. That said, modern digital controls on production equipment has resulted in dramatically better quality in manufacturing (not engineering) on for all vehicles regardless of manufacturers. If you look at the J. D. Powers data form the last few years and compare it to some data from 30 years ago, the worst vehicles today are doing about as well as the best ones back then. Complaints during the first few years of ownership tend to be fairly trivial stuff with things like instrument usability and the audio systems getting most of the negative reviews.

Chrysler's legacy is mixed. They have always been good at design innovation - much better than most. But, then they were weak on execution. I would bet heavily that this is the reason for your rust issue on your current vehicle. Regardless of what you decided, since rust has been an issue for you, investing in an aftermarket undercoating that includes getting inside the panels would be a very good idea. I hope this has been helpful.

 

[JRH02]

A question like this and 10 pages from Friday to Monday morning. Who'd've thunk it?

So I'll chime in now:
- Stay consistent with the platform you'd used in the past. That should cover dealer and mechanic relationships too.
- All that's left is options. Since you have other rigs and only drive this when you need a pickup just get a 1 ton and be done with it. You will not have under purchased for any work you have to do. Need 1.5 yards of rock? Necht, no big deal. But a PTO hydro dump box would be cool.
- Especially for a work duty rig I purchase for longevity. I'm NOT going to be trading up in a few years. So get the basic frills that trip my trigger but nothing further. I CAN'T TAKE A LIST OF WANTS AND DON'T WANTS TO A DEALERSHIP. THEY ALWAYS COME BACK WITH STUFF TO RUN THE PRICE UP. I BUY FROM A MFGR 'BUILD YOUR OWN' WITH WHAT I WANT AND TAKE IT TO THE DEALER AND SAY 'ORDER THIS' AND ONLY THIS. THEY HATE THAT. (Ford dealers HAVE to honor the factory price, I don't know about others.) I DON'T WANT TO PLAY THE 'SEARCH THE NETWORK' GAME. So order it - 60 or 90 days? So what? Don't accept something with more than a few miles on the odometer.

Enjoy your new rig. I got my 2021 F350 gas 6.2 with a 10 speed in fall 2020 ordered from the factory. It's probably the last new pickup I will buy. Heck, the sales folk didn't even know that the smaller V8 with the 10 speed was available. It isn't in the F250. I had to get the 350 for the option and it was small $ for the suspension and axle upgrades and it was money well spent. I don't need raw power because I have traction and gears.

We don't have cars here so there is no luxury. I have manual roll up windows and manual door locks. An AM/FM. That's about it but I did get the factory trailer pkg with the brake and camera. The dealer screwed me out of the cruise but still charged for it. This is a fleet type rig. You will have to order something like it. But there is still plenty of stuff for rodents to chew.

Lastly, can you withstand the emotional game at the dealer? Then you go through it again when you take possession with cell apps and connections. Nope. I'll go start my pickup and warm it. I don't need a button.

 

[sunandsand]

Paralysis by analysis . . . (I've done that too.)

If your running gear (frame, transmission, engine) are in good shape, there's a business here in town that does body and cab swaps all day long. I don't know where they get their "stock", but I've seen pickup trucks in all stages of calamity there, being parted out and then reassembled, good engine from this one, good cab from that one, good bed from another one, good frame from a fourth one, resulting in a decent looking, decent running truck.

That HAS to cost less than a $75K new truck . . .

Cops thought he was running a chop shop, demanded proof, his paperwork was 100% legit, no charges filed.

A few miles south of me, there are probably 40 or 50 pickup newish truck beds stacked in an empty lot. They look to be in decent shape, but since I'm not overly interested in them, I never looked closely to see what brand they are.

Point is that there are alternatives to a brand new truck with a fat payment book attached.

Image. Sometimes important, sometimes not so much so. Use with care. The fence contractor with the new $100K truck and the (fake?) Rolex is trying way too hard. Fake it till you make it, or all hat, no cattle.

One of the wealthiest people I've ever met has a sod and landscaping business. He has several old, raggedy diesel flatbed trucks (to deliver the pallets of sod) and they look like they've been through the war - used as target practice by both sides.

That's his "public" face. He also happens to have a big hangar at a local and very busy major airport and that hangar has not one, but two LearJets in it and a Mustang - P51, not Ford.

Best Regards,
Mike/Florida

 

[WinterDeere]

Don't count out v6s.

It's not that I count them out, I know some are very capable. But putting aside any known "problem" engines, I will always choose the largest displacement or highest-output available, for every vehicle I own. I'm the guy you heard yelling at his dealer salesperson, "why the hell isn't the 6.4L I put in my Dodge Charger available for my pickup truck?!?"

I have a 2018 3.5l v6 ecoboost F-150 with hp and lower rpm torque curve than most 350 v8s.

A buddy has that exact configuration, and I know he loves it. But around town, he'll admit my 5.7L Hemi is quicker. That difference isn't enough to choose a bad truck over a good truck, but it is enough to be the deciding factor between two good trucks.

If you can get past the dealer issue, GM products are worth a look. Nothing but GM products since 1993.

My bad dealership experience started with a very bad GM truck. I can't remember exact order of events, or probably even half of everything that failed, but I'll try to give a quick summary:

• Front left 4wd solenoid failed at 4 years.
• Exhaust hangers rusted out at 5 years, required complete new exhaust, front to back
• Front right 4wd solenoid failed at 6 years. Dealer repair, failed to tighten all steering linkage taper pin castle nuts upon reassembly, and I caught it only because truck started "wandering" across the highway due to slop, on way home. Scariest automotive "non-event" of my life, I'd have surely died if I hadn't pulled over when I did, as the steering link between two front wheels fell off as soon as I stopped.
• Clutch failed at 6 years, dealer didn't replace pilot bearing, but must have damaged it trying to.
• Front diff started leaking at driveshaft input, dealer replaced seal with wrong size. All fluid leaked out and coated underside of truck, I caught it when truck started smoking from gear oil on exhaust. Seal ID must have been 1/2 inch larger than driveshaft input hub... the gear oil must've been pouring out on the mechanic's head as he tried to fill it.
• Clutch failed second time at 7 years. You guessed it... bad pilot bearing.
• Brake lines rusted thru and failed at 9 years... and then again at 11 years... two different areas
• Plastic hydraulic line between master and slave clutch cylinders cracked, most expensive piece of plastic ever made.
• Both slave and master cylinders on clutch failed inside first 10 years, don't remember exactly when, or what order
• Check engine light came on, and truck started running rough. Took to dealer 1, they charged me something like $1500, and problem came back within 24 hours. Took 3 more times to dealer 1, before giving up and switching to dealer 2, who charged me another $1700 and never fixed the problem. Repeated with dealer 3, same result. Eventually took to a local (non-dealer / non-GM) garage, who spent a day or three debugging, before finding and fixing the problem. I can't remember total cost, but it was in neighborhood of $5k between four shops, which would inflate to about $10k today.

So let me ask you... after that experience, would you ever buy another GM? I'm sure they've improved, but I'm just not sure I could ever enjoy or be comfortable driving one of their products, ever again.

Diesel all the way. You'll never look back.

Why? I know they have huge advantages in some applications, but can you explain how I'd actually benefit from the higher cost, given the usage profile I've laid out?

And, no they arent slow as you claim.

Let's pretend that's true. It's not, but let's pretend. Now... all things equal, why would I want to pay $10k more for a diesel, on a truck that will probably never see more than 50k miles in its lifetime, and does maybe 100 miles per year hauling a 7k# trailer?

You sound like the kind of guy who thinks everyone needs a dump truck, to move a sandbox.

Maybe back in the 80s they might have been. Unless you drag race, you wont notice a speed difference.

I do drag race... or I did, for most of my life.

Look around you, city owned maintenance pickups, or tow trucks, or any other industry that uses and abuses them every single day... what do you see? Nothing but GMs up north anyways. Very resilient and nice looking vehicles

Agreed with you, on all of this. But I'm not running a city maintenance operation, I'm buying a truck to drive to the airport when it snows, haul 1500# racing boat trailers on weekend, and pull my 7k# firewood trailer a half dozen times per year to a local farm where I harvest wood.

Paralysis by analysis . . . (I've done that too.)

That's not me! Although I'll usually acknowledge the need to replace a vehicle many months before I get around to actually doing anything about it, the actual research and buy more often than not takes place in a single weekend. I can't even remember the last time I made more than a single dealership visit, in the process of buying a vehicle.

If your running gear (frame, transmission, engine) are in good shape, there's a business here in town that does body and cab swaps all day long.

That's pretty cool, and something I might have entertained at a different point in my life. But these days, the time I'd sink into that is honestly worth more than the price between rebuild vs. new truck, or used vs. new truck. I'm not salaried, so every hour taken away from work is a potentially-billable hour.

Point is that there are alternatives to a brand new truck with a fat payment book attached.

No worries, there. I may hate spending money, the result of having grown up cash-poor, but have done well enough the last 20 years to be able to just pay cash for all vehicles. Money isn't a factor in this new truck decision, other than getting good value, and not spending it on something I don't need or want.

 

[renegade99]

Maybe an unpopular opinion, but have you priced out fixing yours? I mean, you said it yourself- a new one is going to do the exact same thing.

A vehicle is a constantly depreciating asset.

I’d take it to a small independent body shop, get a quote on patching the bedsides, and checking the rockers and frame over.

just get a replacement box from out west, no rust.

 

[AntiqueIron]

It's not that I count them out, I know some are very capable. But putting aside any known "problem" engines, I will always choose the largest displacement or highest-output available, for every vehicle I own. I'm the guy you heard yelling at his dealer salesperson, "why the hell isn't the 6.4L I put in my Dodge Charger available for my pickup truck?!?"


A buddy has that exact configuration, and I know he loves it. But around town, he'll admit my 5.7L Hemi is quicker. That difference isn't enough to choose a bad truck over a good truck, but it is enough to be the deciding factor between two good trucks.


My bad dealership experience started with a very bad GM truck. I can't remember exact order of events, or probably even half of everything that failed, but I'll try to give a quick summary:

• Front left 4wd solenoid failed at 4 years.
• Exhaust hangers rusted out at 5 years, required complete new exhaust, front to back
• Front right 4wd solenoid failed at 6 years. Dealer repair, failed to tighten all steering linkage taper pin castle nuts upon reassembly, and I caught it only because truck started "wandering" across the highway due to slop, on way home. Scariest automotive "non-event" of my life, I'd have surely died if I hadn't pulled over when I did, as the steering link between two front wheels fell off as soon as I stopped.
• Clutch failed at 6 years, dealer didn't replace pilot bearing, but must have damaged it trying to.
• Front diff started leaking at driveshaft input, dealer replaced seal with wrong size. All fluid leaked out and coated underside of truck, I caught it when truck started smoking from gear oil on exhaust. Seal ID must have been 1/2 inch larger than driveshaft input hub... the gear oil must've been pouring out on the mechanic's head as he tried to fill it.
• Clutch failed second time at 7 years. You guessed it... bad pilot bearing.
• Brake lines rusted thru and failed at 9 years... and then again at 11 years... two different areas
• Plastic hydraulic line between master and slave clutch cylinders cracked, most expensive piece of plastic ever made.
• Both slave and master cylinders on clutch failed inside first 10 years, don't remember exactly when, or what order
• Check engine light came on, and truck started running rough. Took to dealer 1, they charged me something like $1500, and problem came back within 24 hours. Took 3 more times to dealer 1, before giving up and switching to dealer 2, who charged me another $1700 and never fixed the problem. Repeated with dealer 3, same result. Eventually took to a local (non-dealer / non-GM) garage, who spent a day or three debugging, before finding and fixing the problem. I can't remember total cost, but it was in neighborhood of $5k between four shops, which would inflate to about $10k today.

So let me ask you... after that experience, would you ever buy another GM? I'm sure they've improved, but I'm just not sure I could ever enjoy or be comfortable driving one of their products, ever again.


Why? I know they have huge advantages in some applications, but can you explain how I'd actually benefit from the higher cost, given the usage profile I've laid out?


Let's pretend that's true. It's not, but let's pretend. Now... all things equal, why would I want to pay $10k more for a diesel, on a truck that will probably never see more than 50k miles in its lifetime, and does maybe 100 miles per year hauling a 7k# trailer?

You sound like the kind of guy who thinks everyone needs a dump truck, to move a sandbox.


I do drag race... or I did, for most of my life.


Agreed with you, on all of this. But I'm not running a city maintenance operation, I'm buying a truck to drive to the airport when it snows, haul 1500# racing boat trailers on weekend, and pull my 7k# firewood trailer a half dozen times per year to a local farm where I harvest wood.


That's not me! Although I'll usually acknowledge the need to replace a vehicle many months before I get around to actually doing anything about it, the actual research and buy more often than not takes place in a single weekend. I can't even remember the last time I made more than a single dealership visit, in the process of buying a vehicle.


That's pretty cool, and something I might have entertained at a different point in my life. But these days, the time I'd sink into that is honestly worth more than the price between rebuild vs. new truck, or used vs. new truck. I'm not salaried, so every hour taken away from work is a potentially-billable hour.


No worries, there. I may hate spending money, the result of having grown up cash-poor, but have done well enough the last 20 years to be able to just pay cash for all vehicles. Money isn't a factor in this new truck decision, other than getting good value, and not spending it on something I don't need or want.

That is some downright shoddy repair work if I ever saw it.

Some dealers just want warm bodies in this day and age.

 

[AntiqueIron]

just get a replacement box from out west, no rust.

Least in my area, a rust free bed is a $3,000 proposition.

 

[robpm]

I’ve looked and and considered those folding and locking hard tonneau covers on each of my last two trucks, but having big cabs that stored all I ever needed, never bothered with the expense and hassle. Open bed has always worked fine for me, even if it is a pain cleaning it out of iced-over snow and getting it dry when I need the bed for moving boxes in winter.

I’ve also thought of switching from pickup to a big SUV, since I use a trailer these days, for so much of the stuff for which I used to need a pickup truck bed. But does anyone even make a 3/4 ton full size SUV, anymore? Another Dodge Durango would NOT cut that mustard.

You could look at the Ford Expedition or I think that Chevy still has the Suburban. The Expedition is like an F150 and can tow probably the 7k that you are towing. You can get the Coyote or the 3.5EB in it and you can even get it with a Tremor package for off road work.

 

[sunandsand]

WinterDeere, you're in an enviable position - find what you want and write a check, bang, done, end of problem.

The hold-up seems to be finding exactly what fits your requirements. You've defined them pretty well, so now it seems to be a question of availability.

I understand there are "car finders" who canvass dealerships for specific makes/models/specifications/colors, etc. Wonder if one of them could find what you want? Let THEIR fingers do the walking!

Best Regards,
Mike/Florida

 

[not2old]

Ford did have issues with the ten speeds. Clunky and an above average total failure. My understanding is they improved them a few years ago and they are more reliable.

I looked into the 10 speeds before I bought my F350 in 2024. It appeared to be only the F150's and other lighter duty stuff that was involved. Can never be sure.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

How about vintage restored ... ?

A suburban, it doesn't say what engine, but has four doors, and manual behind the V8, and should fit in a parking garage ... Definitely something different to pull up to a clients place in ...

Lots of others too ... Check current listings https://www.worldwidevintageautos.com/vehicles/20550/1977-chevrolet-suburban-4x4

 

[WinterDeere]

WinterDeere, you're in an enviable position - find what you want and write a check, bang, done, end of problem.

The hold-up seems to be finding exactly what fits your requirements. You've defined them pretty well, so now it seems to be a question of availability.

You nailed it, except the hold-up is more me finding time to actually get to the respective dealerships to see these options. Trying to quickly get a sense of them from brand websites alone, is head-spinning, and you can really go down some unproductive rabbit-holes watching customer-posted videos on youtube, etc.

I went into this pretty set on just buying another Dodge, the only real question being whether to get another 1500 or deal with the height frustrations of a 2500. But a few here have convinced me I should at least check out the Fords, before plunking down a check on another Dodge.

Sorry @Hay Dude... "Ram".

 

[Hay Dude]

You nailed it, except the hold-up is more me finding time to actually get to the respective dealerships to see these options. Trying to quickly get a sense of them from brand websites alone, is head-spinning, and you can really go down some unproductive rabbit-holes watching customer-posted videos on youtube, etc.

I went into this pretty set on just buying another Dodge, the only real question being whether to get another 1500 or deal with the height frustrations of a 2500. But a few here have convinced me I should at least check out the Fords, before plunking down a check on another Dodge.

Sorry @Hay Dude... "Ram".

No apologies necessary.
I am actually not brand loyal. I don’t care what brand you buy, whatever makes you happy.
If I was buying a light duty truck, Ford would be at the top of my list.

My point was you can get a 2026 Ram 2500 4x4, Cummins @ 400/1075, crew cab, with a nice options package and a 10yr/100k warranty for under 74K. Thats a great deal and a lot more truck than an aluminum F-150 with a gas 4 banger

I’m not the only one trying to give you info on what might be money better spent, but your parking garage limitations in Philly ends 3/4 tons. Never seen one in a parking garage.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

A work truck is what I'd get (me personally).
I looked at Edmunds, Road & Track, Car & Driver...etc. and reliability toss up between Ford & Chrysler it seems.
Here Ford dealers have V8 F150, F250 under $50K.
I spoke with a guy I know Saturday who ran a Chevy dealership for many years, retired because Chevy closed all small dealerships.
We bought lots of new cars/trucks years ago from them...best prices.

 

[WM75Guy]

It's not that I count them out, I know some are very capable. But putting aside any known "problem" engines, I will always choose the largest displacement or highest-output available, for every vehicle I own. I'm the guy you heard yelling at his dealer salesperson, "why the hell isn't the 6.4L I put in my Dodge Charger available for my pickup truck?!?"


A buddy has that exact configuration, and I know he loves it. But around town, he'll admit my 5.7L Hemi is quicker. That difference isn't enough to choose a bad truck over a good truck, but it is enough to be the deciding factor between two good trucks.


My bad dealership experience started with a very bad GM truck. I can't remember exact order of events, or probably even half of everything that failed, but I'll try to give a quick summary:

• Front left 4wd solenoid failed at 4 years.
• Exhaust hangers rusted out at 5 years, required complete new exhaust, front to back
• Front right 4wd solenoid failed at 6 years. Dealer repair, failed to tighten all steering linkage taper pin castle nuts upon reassembly, and I caught it only because truck started "wandering" across the highway due to slop, on way home. Scariest automotive "non-event" of my life, I'd have surely died if I hadn't pulled over when I did, as the steering link between two front wheels fell off as soon as I stopped.
• Clutch failed at 6 years, dealer didn't replace pilot bearing, but must have damaged it trying to.
• Front diff started leaking at driveshaft input, dealer replaced seal with wrong size. All fluid leaked out and coated underside of truck, I caught it when truck started smoking from gear oil on exhaust. Seal ID must have been 1/2 inch larger than driveshaft input hub... the gear oil must've been pouring out on the mechanic's head as he tried to fill it.
• Clutch failed second time at 7 years. You guessed it... bad pilot bearing.
• Brake lines rusted thru and failed at 9 years... and then again at 11 years... two different areas
• Plastic hydraulic line between master and slave clutch cylinders cracked, most expensive piece of plastic ever made.
• Both slave and master cylinders on clutch failed inside first 10 years, don't remember exactly when, or what order
• Check engine light came on, and truck started running rough. Took to dealer 1, they charged me something like $1500, and problem came back within 24 hours. Took 3 more times to dealer 1, before giving up and switching to dealer 2, who charged me another $1700 and never fixed the problem. Repeated with dealer 3, same result. Eventually took to a local (non-dealer / non-GM) garage, who spent a day or three debugging, before finding and fixing the problem. I can't remember total cost, but it was in neighborhood of $5k between four shops, which would inflate to about $10k today.

So let me ask you... after that experience, would you ever buy another GM? I'm sure they've improved, but I'm just not sure I could ever enjoy or be comfortable driving one of their products, ever again.


Why? I know they have huge advantages in some applications, but can you explain how I'd actually benefit from the higher cost, given the usage profile I've laid out?


Let's pretend that's true. It's not, but let's pretend. Now... all things equal, why would I want to pay $10k more for a diesel, on a truck that will probably never see more than 50k miles in its lifetime, and does maybe 100 miles per year hauling a 7k# trailer?

You sound like the kind of guy who thinks everyone needs a dump truck, to move a sandbox.


I do drag race... or I did, for most of my life.


Agreed with you, on all of this. But I'm not running a city maintenance operation, I'm buying a truck to drive to the airport when it snows, haul 1500# racing boat trailers on weekend, and pull my 7k# firewood trailer a half dozen times per year to a local farm where I harvest wood.


That's not me! Although I'll usually acknowledge the need to replace a vehicle many months before I get around to actually doing anything about it, the actual research and buy more often than not takes place in a single weekend. I can't even remember the last time I made more than a single dealership visit, in the process of buying a vehicle.


That's pretty cool, and something I might have entertained at a different point in my life. But these days, the time I'd sink into that is honestly worth more than the price between rebuild vs. new truck, or used vs. new truck. I'm not salaried, so every hour taken away from work is a potentially-billable hour.


No worries, there. I may hate spending money, the result of having grown up cash-poor, but have done well enough the last 20 years to be able to just pay cash for all vehicles. Money isn't a factor in this new truck decision, other than getting good value, and not spending it on something I don't need or want.

Sorry for your bad experience. The quality has come up quite a bit. Also, in the 1500 trucks in some trim levels the 3.0L Duramax diesel is around $2,000 less than the 6.2L gasser. We have one of each and they both have a lot of power.

 

[not2old]

You want a nice truck...just not too nice.
Dad was top salesman every year he said because he was bald enough to look distinguished but had hemorrhoids enough for a look of concern. He also wore a Timex.

My biggest customer was also a personal friend who I could banter with. I've forgotten the brand, but he wore a $30,000.00 watch. We'd go for lunch and as I was paying the bill I'd ask him the time. He'd bite every time and tell me what his watch said. I'd show him my $80.00 Timex and say yes, mine too.

 

[rneal55555]

Maybe an unpopular opinion, but have you priced out fixing yours? I mean, you said it yourself- a new one is going to do the exact same thing.

A vehicle is a constantly depreciating asset.

I’d take it to a small independent body shop, get a quote on patching the bedsides, and checking the rockers and frame over.

I was thinking the same thing, I've seen quite a few places with southern or take off beds at not a bad price. I have a 2017 Ram 1500 and so far at least rust is not an issue. We have a few automatic car washes around that have an undercar sprayer in them. one close to me has a monthly membership plan, I pay about $25 and can go once a day if I want, I try to get in weekly and after every salt event.

I'm not currently looking but when the time comes I'll take a hard look at an F150 with the V-8 and who knows what I'll end up with.