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Much of this thread validates why I would never ask a question on here of, "Should I buy a _______________?".
OP, if you want a truck then buy a truck. I have two.
Do I haul a lot of things? No, although one or the other is loaded full of decoys and whatnot during goose season.
Is a truck convenient to have? Yes. It's nice to be able to get 20 bags of mulch in one trip (or actually get the bed loaded with it loose) rather than make 3 or 4 or 5 trips because the trunk only holds 6 bags.
Or the same with gravel.
Or building materials.
It's there and you don't have to hassle with logistics, just get in and go.
Oh, my trucks are both F150s, an '03 Extended Cab and a '14 Super Crew. Both bought new.
2. You are now the "guy with the truck" to all your nearby friends and relatives. depending on how popular you are, this could be every other weekend in the summer. Take note of the previous poster who said his son buying a truck was the best investment his son ever made... to move his dad's stuff around and go on vacation with his parents... without irony.
3. It "drives like a truck"
Upsides:
1. The 2 times a year you need to move something big, you are ready.
2. You are now the "guy with the truck" to all your nearby friends and relatives. depending on how popular you are, this could be every other weekend in the summer.
What if all your friends and practically every one you know and are aquanted with has a truck as well. Thinking about it I can only think of a couple of people I know who are the "guy with the car".
If you buy a truck, buy a new one. Forget a used one, you just don't know the life it had over the years, even a low mileage one. You'd be surprised just how nice you can polish up a turd and have someone say "my, how nice that steak looks".
If nothing else avoid a Dodge/Ram if you're in an area with bad winters and heavy road chemical use. And this from a Mopar nut. The only way I'd say consider one is if the plan is to trade it in every couple of years. I'm being serious here. You don't see it on the window sticker but they come with a mandatory early rust out problem that kicks in almost to the second the warranty runs out.
If you want a small truck, go with a Tacoma. If you want a full-size truck, buy American.
If you don't think you'll use it much, buy and older used truck and don't carry collision insurance. But I wouldn't do without and then have the hassle of going and renting a truck like some people on here are advocating. You might save a couple of bucks, but is the headache worth it? I have a small Chevy S10 now, and anytime I want to haul something, I just throw it in the back and go. If I had to go borrow or rent a truck all the time, I'd never get anything done.
2. You are now the "guy with the truck" to all your nearby friends and relatives. depending on how popular you are, this could be every other weekend in the summer.
Here's the solution to that:
"No."
or if you don't have the guts to say "No":
"Alternator/head gasket/belt went out on it, and I gotta get it fixed."
I have a couple of older (really old) pickups = a 1965 GMC half-ton I inherited from my Dad, and a 1975 Ford F-350 I bought awhile back for $2250. I do have to work on them from time to time, and the Ford did have an "issue" that surfaced after I bought it - a temperature sensitive ignition pickup coil that would make it hard to start or not start in warm weather after a hot soak - BFD, I replaced the sensor after correct diagnosis and now it's as reliable as a new Ford truck if not better.
I do have room to store multiple rigs though.
A truck like these makes a good "spare" vehicle if your "main" car is off the road in the shop.
If nothing else avoid a Dodge/Ram if you're in an area with bad winters and heavy road chemical use. And this from a Mopar nut. The only way I'd say consider one is if the plan is to trade it in every couple of years. I'm being serious here. You don't see it on the window sticker but they come with a mandatory early rust out problem that kicks in almost to the second the warranty runs out.
I guess my 07 didn't come with that early rust addition as I have spent plenty of days driving on the beaches here on Assateque Island and since I work on boats my truck is constantly parked at the marinas getting coated in wind blown salt spray and it doesn't have a speck of rust on it. What snow we get in the winters I search out and drive in just not giving a care, checking out the snow covered fields and scenery. Though I try to rinse it often I do get lazy and I'm dang sure not using water when it is below the mid 40's so the winter time it gets neglected.
Trust me on this one...it is there and when it blooms it grows like kudzu. No amount of bodywork will stop it.
In that case it's on every vehicle ever made. A good fresh water blasting every now and then does wonders!
Actually when it comes to rust, the newer vehicles, 2000's on, (all brands including Dodge) last a lot longer then those made earlier before rusting out. The metal is considerably thinner but it is treated so much better. I remember in the 70's and 80's seeing vehicles from all manufacturers looking so much older and having rust when only a few years old. Now days there are plenty of vehicles made in the early 2000's that still look new when cleaned up. Going back to 1995 and doing a direct comparison it was quite rare to see a pristine condition truck from the early 80's but now there are plenty from the early 2000's. IMO, much better quality now.
Last edited by marlinfshr; 05-28-2015 at 09:14 PM..
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