I want a truck, what should I get?

[jlee]

Don't get me wrong, Honda makes some decent, boring cars that have fantastic reliability, I love the way their plants work, but the Rigeline is just horrible.

We have one at work...I didn't like it at first, and I would still never buy one. However, I have a really hard time calling it a bad vehicle. For what it is meant to do, it does just fine.

 

[DietDrThunder]

After lots of experience with rear wheel drive in pickups, I am thinking front wheel drive is better. Not enough weight in the back for proper traction, and running around in 4WD all the time should not be mandatory.

How about a rear wheel drive, rear engined, air cooled flat six pickup. It has pleanty of rear wheel traction, and it comes with a side ramp as well as a tail gate.

 

[jlee]

LOL I have never seen one of those before...what is it?

 

[IcePickFreak]

Lol, nice! The Corvair Trucks were cool just because they're so different. Corvair truck wheel-standers are a staple of drag racing events.

And interestingly when looking for a pic of one of the wheel-standers, I just came across this. LOL Note that it's a Ford, Econoline I think was their version, but that was just too weird not to pass along.

 

[JulesMaximus]

How about a rear wheel drive, rear engined, air cooled flat six pickup. It has pleanty of rear wheel traction, and it comes with a side ramp as well as a tail gate.

:thumbsup: That is probably the coolest looking pickup ever. I really like those for some reason.

 

[DietDrThunder]

:thumbsup: That is probably the coolest looking pickup ever. I really like those for some reason.

It is a Chevrolet Corvair Rampside pickup. They made them between 1961 and 1965. Ford and Dodge had their versions as well, but they were front engine rwd, unless of course they were drag racing like in the photo above.

 

[IcePickFreak]

It is a Corvair Rampside pickup. They made them between 1961 and 1965. Ford and Dodge had their versions as well, but they were front engine rwd, unless of course they were drag racing like in the photo above.

Lol that pic I posted is a bit of an oddity. Look again closely, it is front engine rwd.

 

[edro]

I will mainly be using it to haul small loads, that's why I mentioned the V6.
I think I want a full sized 8ft bed, for hauling things like lumber and drywall, but I know you can just lay the gate down in a 6ft bed.

I would definitely be the "Home Depot hauler" some of you mention.
I will not be hauling a boat or 2 tons of brick.

I'll probably just look for an older F150.
My wife drives a Honda CRV and I drive an old Accord.
I would love a Ridgeline, but I think the bed is too small and they are expensive.

Thank you for all of the responses.

 

[Throckmorton]

Why get an F150 unless you need the sheer size?

Nissan Frontier or Chevy S10!!

 

[hanoverphist]

All the Dodge trucks I've had have been great. I'd take a Dodge over any other American truck.

same here, and ive owned all 3 of the biggies here, as well as been forced to drive fords and chevys for work. i have a 2001 ram i got for under 10k that now has almost 184k miles on it. still runs well. ive put almost 100k on that truck in 4 years.

 

[shortylickens]

Why get an F150 unless you need the sheer size?

Nissan Frontier or Chevy S10!!

I have an S-10. Would not recommend.
Not sure if the Colorado is any better. I test drove one a long time ago and it didnt impress me too much.

Am currently looking at Dodge Dakotas. The 2009 and 2010 models are supposed to be very nice.

 

[Vette73]

If you are not hauling that much look at the Frontier (if you can find a good one cheap), GMC/Chevy Canyon/Colorado, or maybe even a Ranger 4.0L.


I haul way more then you seem to be saying you will and I have a 94 Mazda "Ranger" B4000. Rather have a Canyon/Colorado 5cyl but for 2k I am happy enough. 🙂

 

[DietDrThunder]

When I need to haul something, which is maybe 4 or 5 times a year, I go rent a trailer from U-haul, and pull it behind my SUV. $100 to $125 a year ($25 each rental) and I don't have to buy just a pickup.

 

[AMCRambler]

Chevy. Ford takes second place for me but only because since I bought a GM car I have new faith in them.

The Japanese trucks will cost more forcing you to buy an older model. You'll be able to buy a newer American truck for the same scratch. With Toyotas I think the Tacomas and Tundras were having frame rust problems as little as 5 years ago.

 

[Throckmorton]

I have an S-10. Would not recommend.
Not sure if the Colorado is any better. I test drove one a long time ago and it didnt impress me too much.

Am currently looking at Dodge Dakotas. The 2009 and 2010 models are supposed to be very nice.

I drove a rental Colorado and I was very impressed. I'd buy one if I was buying a newer truck. The one thing that sucked was the ground clearance...

 

[jlee]

I drove a rental Colorado and I was very impressed. I'd buy one if I was buying a newer truck. The one thing that sucked was the ground clearance...

I had one too and I didn't like it at all. Then again, I was coming from a lifted Tacoma on 33's...the Colorado felt too much like a car. 😛

 

[Throckmorton]

I had one too and I didn't like it at all. Then again, I was coming from a lifted Tacoma on 33's...the Colorado felt too much like a car. 😛

Well that's why I liked it, it has a really nice ride and a stiff frame. I was coming from a lifted Cherokee and I'd prefer a a lifted Colorado for the better ride.

 

[Pulsar]

Toyota or Ford. With a V6 I'm leaning far toward the Toyota.

Do not, under any circumstances, consider a Toyota Tundra. They are a giant heap of flaming crap. Do NOT buy one.

I'll be up front. I work at Ford. However, I'm not biased and regularly recommend vehicles from other manufacturers when Ford falls short. For instance - while the ridgeline is ugly (to me), it's functionality simply cannot be denied. As someone else said, you can appreciate some of the tradeoffs they made.

However, the Tundra is another bad truck job by Toyota. The issues are too numerous to go through - extremely weak and flexible frame, bed that bends when loads are put in it (to the point of the tailgate jamming shut).... Do. Not. Buy. Someone else mentioned rust - they're still having a major rust problem because of one of thier suppliers. That one isn't exactly their fault, but it doesn't really matter whose fault it is if your frame rusts out.

Their Tacoma on the other hand is a good vehicle. I think that currently it's better than Ford's Ranger offering.

 

[Pulsar]

Didn't he say his price limit was like 15K or something? He'd have to get a really used truck to get one for that cheap. Trucks retain their value pretty well unless you guys are saying the ridgeline wont.


I know it isn't rocket science, it's the science of driving a truck. 😀 Anyway there are newer used pickup trucks that get the same mileage as the Ridgeline without being a piece of shit, I'd much rather have those.

15k will get you a nice used 2006+ F150 with 70k+ miles, the 5.4 liter, supercab, 4WD.

Not sure what it will get you in other trucks.

 

[shortylickens]

I drove a rental Colorado and I was very impressed. I'd buy one if I was buying a newer truck. The one thing that sucked was the ground clearance...

And unlike the S-10, I dont believe they have a lifted model.

 

[jlee]

Do not, under any circumstances, consider a Toyota Tundra. They are a giant heap of flaming crap. Do NOT buy one.

I'll be up front. I work at Ford. However, I'm not biased and regularly recommend vehicles from other manufacturers when Ford falls short. For instance - while the ridgeline is ugly (to me), it's functionality simply cannot be denied. As someone else said, you can appreciate some of the tradeoffs they made.

However, the Tundra is another bad truck job by Toyota. The issues are too numerous to go through - extremely weak and flexible frame, bed that bends when loads are put in it (to the point of the tailgate jamming shut).... Do. Not. Buy. Someone else mentioned rust - they're still having a major rust problem because of one of thier suppliers. That one isn't exactly their fault, but it doesn't really matter whose fault it is if your frame rusts out.

Their Tacoma on the other hand is a good vehicle. I think that currently it's better than Ford's Ranger offering.

I like my Tundra....it's an '05, though.

 

[hanoverphist]

And unlike the S-10, I dont believe they have a lifted model.

wherever there is a custom shop, there will be lifted trucks.

http://www.google.com/products?hl=e...esult_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CDgQrQQwAA

^_^

 

[edro]

I ended up getting a 2003 F-150, V6, 8ft bed, standard cab.
It was too good of a deal to pass up.
I got it from a friend who owns a salvage yard and got it from a police auction.
It's a little banged up, but I got it for under $3000. 😀