The Answer Is Not Always Miata

[jlee]

What's a nice, smooth, paved road?

You've been out of NH too long.

0-60, go! :awe:

 

[NAC]

I find that the majority of people with big trucks / SUVs drive slower over speed bumps and potholes than I do with my Mazda. PLEASE don't be one of those people.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Nothing against that truck. It's awesome for the right person/circumstances. This guy is a city dweller and is going to use it to fetch groceries...

 

[JCH13]

0-60, go! :awe:

CHARGE!

 

[jlee]

CHARGE!

:awe:

 

[Kadarin]

Nothing against that truck. It's awesome for the right person/circumstances. This guy is a city dweller and is going to use it to fetch groceries...

I'm going to use it to fetch beer. Lots of tasty beer.

 

[JCH13]

I'm going to use it to fetch beer. Lots of tasty beer.

 

[Leyawiin]

Thanks! I might put different rims on it at some point, but no plans to lift it.

I'd go for that (although the stock ones are just fine). Again, really pretty truck (is it OK to call that pretty?).

 

[mmntech]

Truck fail. It's clean.

 

[heymrdj]

I don't get the point of "nice" pickup trucks. You're supposed to throw shit into them and beat them up. If (big if) I ever get a truck, it'll be a beater, as that actually makes sense.

Not everyone thinks so. The ED company I worked for a few years ago had cameras in the trucks to keep employees in line. They hauled dirt, gravel, scrap, everything with those trucks, but they were in damn nice shape. Because any purposeful beating on the trucks resulted in your immediate termination. You'd be surprised with liners (which were redone every year as they were scratched) and caution, a work truck doesn't have to look like a piece of crap. You know, if you're not hitting them in the sides with pipes and shovels because you're a lazy POS employee that can't turn the truck so you're scooping into the back. Did they get scratches? Of course, nature of the job. But the trucks still looked great and no more dents or scratches than your grocery getter that lived it's life in a parking garage.

See, no missing pieces: http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp28/wiz1500/Truck build/100_6569.jpg

 

[mmntech]

I don't get the point of "nice" pickup trucks. You're supposed to throw shit into them and beat them up. If (big if) I ever get a truck, it'll be a beater, as that actually makes sense.

There's two kinds of pickup trucks: The Workman's truck, and the Boss's truck.

The Workman's truck is muddy, thoroughly beaten and dented, and reeks of Du Maurier cigarettes. There's usually tools or random junk in the bed at all times, and a rotting banana behind the seat. No exceptions. This is your base model Silverado or RAM, and their bigger diesel powered brothers like the F350 and RAM 3500.

Then there's the Boss's truck, when is only shows up on the job site once a week to inspect the troops. It's clean, comfortable, fully decked out, and basically treated as a crossover SUV for men lacking in certain areas. It's never seen a hard day's work in its life. The most it's ever had to haul is the wife's groceries, or the kid's hockey bag. This is your F150 and Laramie RAM.

I grew up around the former. Those trucks hauled trailers and industrial air compressors, wood for forms, steel rebar, heavy construction tools like jackhammers, generators. They were all the low end RAM 1500s. Those things were basically run into the ground, then resold to another construction company. Half of them had concrete stuck to the sides. My dad didn't care because his "boss's" SUV was in just as rough a shape. Used to haul traffic barrels in that thing. I don't think the man has taken care of a single vehicle he's own. His current Audi A6 is obscenely dirty inside.

 

[Raduque]

There's two kinds of pickup trucks: The Workman's truck, and the Boss's truck.

The Workman's truck is muddy, thoroughly beaten and dented, and reeks of Du Maurier cigarettes. There's usually tools or random junk in the bed at all times, and a rotting banana behind the seat. No exceptions. This is your base model Silverado or RAM, and their bigger diesel powered brothers like the F350 and RAM 3500.

Then there's the Boss's truck, when is only shows up on the job site once a week to inspect the troops. It's clean, comfortable, fully decked out, and basically treated as a crossover SUV for men lacking in certain areas. It's never seen a hard day's work in its life. The most it's ever had to haul is the wife's groceries, or the kid's hockey bag. This is your F150 and Laramie RAM.

I've been living in Midland for nearly a year, and seeing all these company trucks that are the exact opposite of what you describe has me thinking that everybody on the jobsite must be a Boss. While they are almost always very dirty, the only scratches, dents, etc are in the bed where the tools go. The outside body and inside are always clean, straight with bright shiny paint (when clean) and look well taken care of.

I'm guessing companies are tired of having to constantly be buying new trucks because the workers abuse them, so they have started policies of punishing guys who don't take care of them.

Edit: My truck probably falls under your false "Boss's truck" category, though I tow trailers and haul junk in the bed when I need to. Other than the dent in the tailgate top (backed into a loading dock) and the dent above the tail light, the only real damage is scratches and dents in the bed and failing paint on the hood.

 

[Kadarin]

Update: Got the Roush Stage 2 kit installed, supercharger and exhaust.

Where it was a bit sluggish before, it's now pretty crazy.

 

[heymrdj]

This badly needs a video.