New Truck???? I laid out some serious coin for a 2019 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport DCLB last July. Check out this awesome commercial.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZjkXJvEOoA
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New Truck???? I laid out some serious coin for a 2019 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport DCLB last July. Check out this awesome commercial.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZjkXJvEOoA
Yes it is. Here is a pic.
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Sad story time....
In 2017, I thought I needed a truck so I searched for and found my perfect Tacoma- a bright silver 2004 (first gen so it wasn't too large) with 86K miles, v6, manual tranny/windows/seats/transfer case... Found it on a lot in Mobile AL, so I flew down there from IAD and drove it home. Had it a year and realized I never really used it and it didn't get very good mileage, so I put it back up on AutoTrader. It was a second car anyway. Found a buyer and got a PPI...found the Frame rusted through and buyer backed out..Then Honda replaced the frame for free and I had the timing chain done while it was in the dealership. It had 90k miles exactly, and now it was basically a brand new truck. Still didn't need it, so back on the market. A dude flew to DC from DENVER to buy it..that should've clued me in to how much people loved these trucks, hell I flew to Alabama for the damned thing. Anyway, dude buys it and drives it home.
3 years later I'm a homeowner and I do need a truck. Breaks my heart to think I had the perfect one. When I look on the market, all I see are overpriced gigantic family trucksters and people are holding on to their good old simple trucks with no frills... damn it.
I am in the market for a new or used (less than 3 years old) truck. At least a 4x4 extended cab with a V8 and standard bed.
Do you own a "new" truck?
If so, show it off and tell us what you love about it.
I'm in Michigan. Generally they don't allow Toyota trucks here. Seriously. There are signs in the parking lots.
Buy American- GM, Ford, Chrysler. I had a Silverado, until my son took it into Detroit, and it got stolen.
Gonna buy a GMC Sierra next time- maybe after I retire.
Hey I can vouch for James48843 comment about not allowing Toyota trucks in Michigan. I was in that part of the country in 2018 and noticed for every 10 trucks I saw, 8 were Chevys, 1 Dodge and 1 Ford. Toyotas were definitely few and far between. Here in Maryland, Ford is king with the big truck crowd and Toyota with the mid size truck crowd. Different strokes for different folks I guess. :nuts:
As of now, I am leaning toward a new GMC Sierra. I guess that's because it's what I've been driving since 2008. But, my very first truck was a brand spank'n new 1992 Ford Ranger XLT. Drove it for about 6 years. After that (in 1998) I drove a 1992 Ford Explorer, Eddie Bauer. Then I bought the 2001 GMC Sierra in 2008.
But, before all of that I drove a 1973 Chevy Bel Air. (teen years).. then a Pontiac T-1000 (beginning of Air Force career) before I bought the 1992 Ford Ranger.:D
BTW, this was a good memory exercise for me. That's why I listed them all. :biggthumpup:
I have an 08 Tundra that I love. A tale of caution for you so if you do go with a Toyota you know of the issue. Again, I love my Tundra but wish Toyota would redo this design...
Only issue it has had is that the secondary air injector went out. Toyot places the intake portion where water can splash up and get in there. Over time things get gummed up or rust out and the SAIS quits working as it should. If you get a 4lo light flashing really fast along with the check engine light, traction control light and something else all flashing then you may have that problem. Replacement of the thing is insanely expensive (a couple of thousand is what I got quoted from the dealer and two other shops) but I found a bypass kit online for around $175 and put it on myself. Before I made that choice I asked the mechanics I spoke with if it would fix it forever....the dealer said "Sure!" and the other mechanics said "Nope, they see them come back in on a regular basis". Now my catalytic converter takes a few minutes longer to warm up on cold mornings but the truck runs great and I actually get about a mile per gallon more than I did. I live in a no emission test state but even if I did I probably would have done this and just driven the truck till nice and hot before taking it for inspection.
Only recall has been the frame rust that is common with Toyotas from that time frame and Toyota blasted and coated it for free.
Ahh memories. My first truck was a 1968 Ford. It had a 390 motor, 4 barrel carb and a 3 speed on the column and yes I owned it early in my Air Force career. I guess my fondest memory of that truck was when my wife drove it. Typically we would stop at a light and inevitably someone would pull up next to her, gun their engine and challenge her to a drag race. Of course she obliged them because she loved beating anyone foolish enough to challenge her. Funny thing is she never lost a race. Yeah, lots of good memories in that first truck. :rolleyes:
Trucks? Truck stories? Oh boy.
First truck I could drive on the road was a 77 F-150 4x4 with a 400ci 2bbl. Cute little short bed. When I went to look at it the first thing I did was pop the hood to check the oil. The salesman immediately started it up so I could hear the “pipes” preventing me from checking the oil. Could have taken off finger or two off in the fan. Pipes indeed, headers and short thrush mufflers was all it had. Warnings 1 and 2. It had a roll bar (useless, bolted to the bed only) and a push bar. Lights missing but switches still in dash. Previously registered in Alaska. Warning 3 and/or 4. But it was beautiful. Dealer “allowed” me $1200 for my 10 year old Maverick. Relatively early in my AF career but should have run away. 7-8 years in and recently divorced. Stationed at Ft Huachuca. Gotta have a 4x4. This thing turned out to be a money pit. As soon as I started taking it off road found it needed a transfer case chain and eventually a new engine. But it was pretty. I had no $ for it. Eventually got out of that by buying a new car. Dealer gave me $1200 bucks for it.
Spent the next 6 years at remote overseas AF sites where I didn’t need to worry about a vehicle.
Bought a 91 GMC Sonoma new. Decided to give the Escort I was driving to my daughter as a graduation present. Drove that for many years and many miles. Good truck but somewhere between 100 and 200k miles it started smoking on cold start up. Typical GM valve seal thing. I might get around to fixing it someday but how much money do I want to put in to a 10 year old pickup. It also had GM paint rash but every time I looked in to it I was too late or it didn’t qualify for the program.
Some time in 2001 my spouse (yeah I got married again silly me) came back from getting her Grand Cherokee serviced and told me we needed to go look at a new truck. She didn’t tell me she had all ready promised to buy it. So of course, I didn’t take all the stuff out of the Sonoma. It was a Dodge Dakota 4x4 crew cab. Plenty of room for the dog too. We can go off road. It will be fun. Great, I can show her some of the places I go for work daily. Well, not so much. On gravel roads she was nervous and any time I thought I needed to put it in 4w she got really anxious and when I got to the part where I needed 4w lo she stated no one would ever drive that road. Hmmm. I had been up there that week on the job. End of family adventures. Went out a few times with the dog but she just wanted to get out and try to socialize with creatures that would eat her. A few adventures with swift running irrigation ditches too. The end of seeing AZ off road. In 2016 after not having used 4w for several years I got tired of the 14mpg on my commute. The dog had died. So I traded it for the cheapest small 4d sedan I could find. About 116k miles.
A couple of coworkers had Toyota Tacoma’s and seemed to like them. A friend had a Tundra V-8 first generation that he used to tow a trailer up and down mountains. Seemed to be a good vehicle.
Now you know much much much more than you wanted to about my trucks. Best of luck with your purchases.
PO
A couple of years ago I passed down a 05 Tundra V8 to my kid. He is still driving it with over 200k miles on it and it is running great. I'm a truck guy and have driven one my whole life. That Toyota was the best truck I have ever own. Since it was an 05 it required to have the timing belt changed every 90K miles but the cost was worth it because I never had any other issues with it besides the normal replacement stuff ie. tires, brakes etc. I'm driving a 2014 Ford F150 V6 Ecoboost now because I wanted the extra hauling power. Now that I look back on it I should have stayed gotten another Toyota or GMC.
I bought the Ford used with under 75K miles on it but have had issues with it ever since and the gas mileage sucks. I have own 2 Fords and this one will be my last. The first one, an Eddie Bauer I had to get rid of after a couple years due to orders. It was new so I didn't have any issues with it which helped sway my decision to try Ford again. My next truck before I retire will be either a Toyota or a GMC since I hadn't tried a GMC yet. I think you will like the new truck
Hmmm...I'm seeing some common threads here ! Truck ownership history, Toyotas, and the USAF !!! :D
I'm in !!!
My first truck ? A Ford F-100, 6th generation...as near as I can tell !!! My first truck "buy", when I was a brand new USAF butter bar at Edwards AFB in CA, circa 1978 ! Maybe a 1974 ? Bought from the old CMSGT, who also sold us our first horse !!! He was retiring...:rolleyes: Bought a Jackson horse trailer, and another Appaloosa horse...hauled those horses down to Griffith Park, in LA, and up to Tehachapi with that old truck !!!...good times !!!
Alas...separated in late 1980, at the end of my AF ROTC obligation, and AF career ! "She got the goldmine....I got the shaft !!!" Gave her the horses, trailer, and truck...I traveled back, across country, in a Dodge (Mitsubishi) Colt, with 2 big dogs, and a nasty cat (and her litter box !) !!! :eek:
Because I LOVED that Dodge (Mitsubishi) Colt, I bought a Plymouth (Mitsubishi) Arrow compact pickup...that was a GREAT compact truck !!!
Remarried, moved to Maryland in 1984, and eventually bought a 1991 Ford Ranger...loved THAT truck, too !!! Drove it to death !!!
Bought a brand new 2004 Tundra when the Ford finally died...that was before the Tundra was a big honkin' truck...it was called a "7/8 size", at that time ! I think the new Tacomas are probably the size of that Tundra now !!!
SR5 access cab (suicide doors !), 4WD, 4.7 V-8 engine...It was my "daily driver", from Bel Air into Baltimore City and back, to work !!!
So I STILL own that Tundra !!! LOVE my truck ! A.R.E. color matched cap ; Bed Rug bed liner ; but it's showing its age...heater cable broke ; door panel upholstery came loose ; replaced the head unit with a new fancy one from Crutchfield (bluetooth, etc) ; trying to decide if we want to fix it, or go "new"...don't drive it much anymore, but damn !!! A GREAT truck !!!!
Stoplight...
Now on my radar: 2019-2020 RAM 1500 Laramie, 4x4, 5.7L Hemi V8, Crew Cab.
Anybody own a recent model year? Pros/Cons?
Okay...that 2004 Tundra just hit 136K miles...still running great, but started making some funny "grinding" noises when cold...maybe an axle ? Power steering pump ? Don't know !!! Nothing else fixed, either...I just don't drive it in winter, even in FL ! :D
So I started out looking at new Tacomas...the new Tundras are just too big for my needs and tastes.
However, a new Honda Ridgeline caught my eye ! We owned an Accord back in the late 80's, and loved that car !!! Didn't care for the early year's Ridgeline body style, but the new ones look more like a "traditional" truck. I really like the look...and it supposedly rides like a car, because it's a unibody frame, rather than "frame-on-rail" like other trucks. Not hauling dogs or horses anymore, but I just like having a truck, for those rare occasions when you need a bed...even if the "truck purists" make fun of it !!! You sure don't see many of them on the road...at least, around here...
Sooo...any Ridgeline owners out there, who want to share their experience/comments/opinions on the Ridgeline ? Any comments appreciated, before I sink almost $40K in a new vehicle !!! :eek:
Stoplight...
259,000 miles on my 2007 Ridgeline and still going strong. New tires every 80,000 miles, and 2 timing belts installed by my son every 100,000 miles. A couple batteries and regular oil changes/air filters also, but all in all, very few maiintenance dollars.
This is my first truck. 2017 Ram Rebel special edition package with Mojave Sand paint job. Only 1500 made in this color. Wish I was still living in Southern California, I'd love to take her out into the desert. This was a photo on the dealer's lot. Bought it for much less than new and it only had 8,500 miles on it.
Attachment 47208
This is the truck that's on my radar. The 2021 RAM TRX with the hellcat engine. :smile:
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A buddy in my office just got a new Ford Ranger and it looks fantastic and he loves it. Another bud just bought the Jeep truck and he likes it. There are too many great chioces for trucks out there right now, so it's a difficult decision. I'd go with whatever has the best warranty, IMHO. I am driving a Jeep right now (that I bought new) because I'd always wanted one, but the kicker was that in 2009 they offered a free lifetime warranty. I intend to hold them to it, God willing.
I did a lot of research before I pulled the trigger to buy my truck and found that the competition in this market segment is fierce and that it comes down to personal preferences and needs (towing and hauling capacity, handling, etc.). Trucks in general are one of the most popular vehicles on the road today. I'm not sure it's even possible to get a bad truck.
My first truck was a small two wheel drive Toyota. My second truck was a two wheel drive Isuzu space cab. My daughters thought it was pretty cool because the liked sitting on the drop down seat.
That's AWESOME, Pamkk...Thanks for the feedback ! :D
We had a surprise "close encounter" with Hurricane Sally, here in NW Florida, but our house sustained no damage ! Lost several privacy fence panels, but our power and internet came back on (relatively) quickly...about 12 hours without power. The portable generator and the little gas I had on hand kept us going !!! Still a lot of people without power, and gas is hard to find. All that put my truck hunting on the back burner for a while...:worried:
Sooo...I've read some disturbing reports about the Ridgeline's declining QA/QC over the years, but a lot of positive reviews, too. Sounds like they hold their value well...
I guess the mid-size truck segment is HUGELY popular right now...Ford Rangers, Toyota Tacomas, etc...so dealers aren't sweating about selling them...I've had to reach out to dealers 350 miles from me to find one that is the color and has the equipment we want ! I don't like pitting "dealer vs dealer", but that's kinda where I'm at...
Right now, I have an offer on the table, from a dealer in GA :
Ridgeline RTL AWD (NOT the FWD or -E model ; too many bells and whistles for me !!!)
MSRP $39,940
Dealer offer : $35,744
Throwing in some bogus inflated accessories and various other taxes and fees, the Out-The-Door price offer is $39,800...no trade-in of my 2004 Tundra...had another GA dealer "beat" that by $100...chump change !!! :rolleyes: Waiting on a 3rd GA dealer's "best and final" offer...
Based on KBB and other on-line sources, I think this is a "fair price", and about the best I can expect to get at this time...
An interesting aside : The Alabama dealers, who are closer to me, tell me AL does NOT have a "reciprocal sales tax" agreement with FL, unlike GA !!! That means I pay AL sales tax, AND FL sales tax, when I get FL tag and title !!! :eek: 'Bama dealers can't compete...
Still looking for other Ridgeline owner's input...before I shell out $40K for a new mid-size truck !!! :worried:
Stoplight...
This was fun to watch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMXXL5fZTEY
Wow! I like it! :D:D:D
Stoplight,
Good to hear that you didn't suffer any significant damage.
A little off target, but in 2012 the wife and I were on a cruise and docked in Ft. Lauderdale a day and a half ahead of hurricane Sandy. We live in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio and we lost power for three days because of hurricane Sandy. That was one heck of a storm.
You talk about pitting dealer against dealer. In 2003 we were looking for a new full size conversion van to replace the current van we bought in 1993. We just couldn't find anything reasonable up here on the north coast. Well the wife happened to be down visiting her sister in Tampa and saw a couple of ads in the local paper so her and her sister went to look. The wife found one she liked and sent me all the paperwork. It looked like a pretty good deal so I called the dealership and asked if the could hold it for me so I could come down and see it. So when the wife got back I flew down to Tampa, liked what I saw and bought it. Then drove it home. I beat your 350 miles. :banana:
You might want to look at the Ridgeline Owners Club website. I found out about a Manufacturer to Dealer refund that I made the dealer pass on to me. I also went to the on-line salesperson at 3 different dealers and played them against each other. Price went from $29500 down to 23,500!!! S Model 2007. Just when 2008 models were coming out in September 07.
Dang Coolhand, that sure is a purdy truck. Mojave Sand huh? In Toyota world that color is called "quicksand", which is what my Tacoma is. Of course Mama always said "don't you buy no ugly truck", and we always listen to Mama! :D:D:D
Interestingly enough, that truck was on a Toyota Dealership lot. I was looking at new and used Tacoma's online when that truck popped up. I thought about it for 2 days before I called to make sure it was still available and went down and bought it. I've noticed that the paint is very similar to the Tacoma's quicksand paint. I see many of those trucks where I live. Tacoma was at the top of my list for mid-size trucks, but RAM was at the top of my list for full size.
Didn't wanna hold out for a Nikola Badger? :laugh:
You made me look that one up. Hadn't heard of it before, but I also see that there are other electric trucks in this space.
I dunno, there's something about a "hemi" that appeals to me. Maybe the symphonic sound of eight supercharged pistons roaring? :D
Yeah, I'm old school. I grew up with the muscle car generation.
Surprised to get a new offer from a FL dealer today ! Out-the-door price of $39,450 !!! Down another $250...
Are the dealers starting to look at quotas, and end-of-month/end-of-quarter numbers ??? Hmmmm...time to move slow-moving product ? Let's see !!!
OTOH, how long can I string them along ??? :D
Stoplight...
Well, we pulled the trigger on the 1st dealer's offer...wouldn't budge any more on the price, but they were 2 hours closer to me !
Got up early on 2 Oct ; made the 270 mile drive up to Newnan, GA ; sat around in the dealership for 2.5 hours :banghead: (woman I had been dealing with was not available...sick baby at home !) ; but drove the new Honda Ridgeline 270 miles home, with the Wife following in her RAV4.
A LONG day, but I'm loving my new 2020 Ridgeline !!!
Attachment 47463
Stoplight...
Nice!!! I want one.Attachment 47464
Hey nice looking truck stoplight. I looked at one of those last year prior to purchasing my Tacoma. I loved the functionality of the tailgate, but just couldn't get past the 3500 pound towing capacity. My wife owns a Honda Odyssey and it has a towing capacity of 3500 lbs, so it seemed like I wasn't gaining anything. The Tacoma's towing capacity was 5600 lbs and better fit my needs as we are both avid campers. (prior to Covid)
Anyway, congratulations and enjoy the new truck. :banana:
Stoplight,
Enjoy your new ride.
Thanks, Ravens Fan !
The tailgate drop-down or side-swing option is really cool !!! It has a short bed, but using the side-opening swing, I can get to stuff in the bed without having to reach over the dropped tailgate...:smile:
Attachment 47468
...and it has a lockable "trunk" in the bed !!! I was quite surprised at how big it is...expected something smaller...:worried: The "kiddie spare" is located in there, too, but on a slide-out "tray", so it doesn't take away much room...
Attachment 47467
The FWD versions are rated at 3500 lbs towing capacity, but if you step up to the AWD version (which I did), that increases to 5000 lbs. I might sometimes haul a trailer with a couple of kayaks, or maybe a U-haul with some plywood, or a sofa or such, but I'll never need the 5000 lbs...everybody's needs are different !!!
I thought about a Tacoma, 'cause I DO love my old Tundra...but this 2020 Honda unibody-construction truck rides better, and quieter, than the Wife's 2011 Toyota RAV4...it's a "keeper" !!!
BTW...AT&T gave me the DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket service for "free", since I've already sent them so much money...:rolleyes: We're enjoying tuning into the Ravens games every weekend, and watching how Lamar is doing !!! :D
Stoplight...