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I bought my dakota r/t new in 2002.
It has just turned 58000 miles.
It has been used to haul just about everything from drywall, plywood, planks, to furniture.
The ride is incredibly smooth because I don't have those stupid high profile tires on it..
Those tires give a very rough ride.
I have low profile wide tires, so it rides smooth like a sedan.
My pickup isn't nearly as fast as my corvette,but with it's 5.9 V8, it hauls ass.
It is quite nimble for a pickup.
Handling and steering are very positive.
Today it still looks as good as it did when I bought it.
I have no plans of selling it.
Had many offers over the years, but that just isn't a option I care to even think about.
Bob.
This is America, pretty much land of the free; let the people enjoy what they work for and want., Why should you have any issues and say as to anyone’s preferences? You don’t have a purpose for a truck, don’t one, get what you want that suits you. There are several reasons one may need a truck unrelated to a business; it may be a tall individual that necessitates leg room, or a person of the large sizes that would need wide space etc. many, many more unknown reasons; therefore, let the people satisfy themselves, they don’t care what you think.
with the bolded statement, you have just shown that you have absolutely NO clue of which you speak, and as such have lost ALL credibility. go away and learn something about trucks specifially and motor vehicles in general, and then come back and try to speak intelligently.
Not a fan of air bags then? The alternative is a permanent illegal modification of taking beyond bumper height requirements.
When I had my Subaru wagon I used it for *all* of those things. As far as moving went, there were only ever two peices of furniture we couldn't get in that thing. Plus 30+ mpg, AWD, and a nice driver. PLus I could sleep in it on road trips
I have a Forester and an F-250. What the Forester can't do, the F-250 gets.
Quote:
Originally Posted by oldtrader
.........Also they are dangerous. Run one of them into a pickup, and see who walks away without a scratch. In the winter, I always carry a long tow strap when traveling in 2 lane highway areas. Out where there is no cell phone service to call for help when you slide off the road. I have pulled many a small car and mid size car back in the road rather than let people sit there and die.
.........
Being around wildfire country, I've let my friends and Vet know about my capabilities and limits. I have some land that could be used for emergency pasture but I don't have any experience in herding horses or cattle. I have a truck that can move horse trailers but don't the experience or knowledge about towing such things (yet). I can lend a helping hand if someone, reached through my friends or Vet, needs it but they need to bring knowledge and experience to the party.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mandalorian
Here's the thing: Have you driven one of today's luxo-trucks, a King Limited Ranch LT Laramie or whatever? They're SERIOUSLY nice. They're spacious, powerful, capable, easy to get in and out of and give a commanding view of the road.........
Sort of how they sold me the crew cab in that if I needed to bug out, I toss the cats in their pet taxis into the crew cab.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Setchel
I honestly don't get it either, but it's definitely an ego aspect. First off, they call them "trucks," not pickups, to make themselves feel like they've got a big rig under them.
But the arguments come apart for owning them.
You can haul stuff. Alright, and I can head over to U-Haul and grab a van or pickup for a few hours and do the same thing with a single small bill for it instead of paying more for something I won't use constantly. So many modern pickups are too high to practically haul stuff anyway and like OP says, they handle terribly.
...........
Around here, to friends, it goes by F-250 or 250; to me, it goes by its codename. It's not a tractor in the tractor trailer combo, but as a diesel F-250, it certainly has a lot more capacity than many other things on the road.
Part of hauling stuff may be in how fast one can get there. There was a guy on CL once who had 3/4's of a pallet of bricks left over from a project that he was trying to get rid of. I couldn't get it because I couldn't find enough friends in time (don't recall if I had the -250 then or not, probably didn't).
As it is, right now, I'm just barely touching the -250's capacity. Have used it support dive ops, say with equipment for up to 30 divers, local and on camping trips. Have used it to haul huge plywood. Certainly used it in the move from the apartments.
One of the things in relation to the truck that I need to learn about is the government surplus buying system. For example, a few years ago, there was an auction on a BUNCH of Humvee trailers up at Fort Hood http://ccsurplus.com/sites/ccsurplus...lers%20002.JPG
(I wonder if that guy bought in on that sale)
At the time, all I could do was research to how they might be used and as one person pointed out, that was the kind of infrastructure that if you had 2 or 3 of them, you loaded one up, dropped it off at home, picked up another and went back for more.
A and B. A: One ought to have the experience to be able to move such stuff and that can take practice. One is a lot more ahead of the power curve if they have the infrastructure to learn in a steady pattern how to use it. B: What's your time worth for how much does it add to the equation to have someone drop you off at the U-Haul to pick up the truck, do the work day, get the truck back when you are tired. It may be worth it if there is a once a year need....but perhaps not at other times.
Once the ranch is established and probably when I have worked out means for one little me to rapidly load and unload the F-250, it will probably be used more to its capacity.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oberleutnant
Because it is a large vehicle where you sit up higher making you feel bigger, stronger and more intimidating to others.
No pregnant roller skates were crushed in the making of this post.
Last edited by TamaraSavannah; 02-09-2016 at 01:09 AM..
I don't understand the affinity of males in the US for pick up trucks. They are great if you live in rural areas, need to tow, or are in a construction type business, but it seems like a significant number of middle-class suburban American men have this dream of owning one, which I don't get. They're not all that fuel efficient, the ride isnt nearly as comfortable as a sedan or SUV, and they aren't fun to drive.
I've driven my father's F350 a few times which he uses to tow a 5th wheel travel trailer, and I just feel like I'm driving a boat. Feel totally disconnected from the road and have to be more careful maneuvering in parking lots.
My roommate is getting a 2017 Honda Ridgeline -- We live in the suburbs, he works 15 miles away, also in the suburbs, and the largest thing he's put in his CUV is his bike. I just totally don't get it.
Sports cars, I get. They're fast and fun to drive, even if not practical. But trucks? I can't see any advantage for a normal suburbanite to owning one outside of the random isolated time you need to pick up that oversized Ikea dresser or something.
I don't get it either. I have a truck for use when I have to haul something for some home maintenance projects. It is not my daily driver. I look forward to the day that I don't need it so I can get rid of it. I would never have a truck as my only transportation.
Not a fan of air bags then? The alternative is a permanent illegal modification of taking beyond bumper height requirements.
How? Lifting a trucks suspension does not make it illegal. I can go up up a good bit and still be well within the law. Modern trucks have huge bumpers. My 79 bronco was within MD's 28" bumper height with lift and 39 1/2" tires and those year trucks had skinny bumpers on the front and rear. A good suspension system can improve the ride and handling of a truck as well. If you don't want to alter the suspension but still accomodate larger tires, a body lift can be installed. On a modern vehicle, with the bumper part of the lines of the truck it should be moved up as well but older trucks (80's on back) with the older style bumpers don't look bad with the bumpers left in stock position. Learn a little about the subject before knocking it!
As far as your telescopic suspension or whatever you want to call it. How in the heck is it going to work? If one needs the extra height for off road driving that height will be gained by having the frame lifted but also the axles/differential. The only way to raise the axles/diff is with larger tires. In order to accomodate larger tires the suspension will need to be altered (or the body spaced farther from the frame) so they will have the clearance. So, how is the suspension going to be lowered for street use and still accomodate the larger tires? At best the truck won't be able to turn, at worst the truck's fenders and quarters will be crumpled as the body sets down on top of the tires. Jeeesh!
One last thing I do with my trucks is install a small crane. harbor freight sells them reasonable ,$100.
This allows me to load and un load stuff I shouldn't be handling by hand and far safer .
It's far cheaper than the damage done to my back , not having that fine little piece of equipment.
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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Re trucks and safety... based on official fatalities rates they are on average somewhat safer but not as much as young might think. They are a lot safer than cheap very small cars, although Mini Cooper and Smart 4 2 actually are very good. Subaru is the safest thing out there.
What do you actually like about them though? They're not cheap, they don't handle that well, they aren't fuel efficient, they aren't agile, etc etc etc. Outside of towing and frequent hauling of things that wouldn't fit in an CUV/SUV, I don't get the love for suburban Americans.
They are big and comfortable on the inside.
They ride very comfortably, at least the 1/2 ton trucks do. This isn't true of 3/4 and 1 ton trucks; they don't ride nice till they have a load.
You don't have to sit down into them.
You don't have to worry about getting the inside of your car dirty with what you haul.
Last edited by JONOV; 02-09-2016 at 08:23 AM..
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