A little bit OT

[Kevin B]

Folks, Over the last couple of years I've come to regard my Toyota Tacoma as my most essential tool. I've hauled dozens of sheets of plywood, hundreds of

2x4s, and probably close to 700 board feet of hardwood. Unfortunately, the Nor'easter here in MA this last Friday had me skidding of the road into a ditch, wrecking my Tacoma. No other cars involved and I was only going about 35 mph at the time. If the shoulder had been level with the road my truck might have escaped unharmed. Anyway, the good news, as many of you have already figured out, is that I get to buy a new pickup. HOTDAMN! So this time I'm going for a full size pickup and I'm thinking of an new F-150. Anybody have any opinions on the F-150, or any other full size pickup for that matter? Suggestions?

Regards,

K.

[Andy]

Ford??? You've had a Toyota and you're considering a FORD?!? Sheesh. In my opinion, that's like wrecking a nice Powermatic table saw, and then seizing the opportunity to get the nice new cabinet saw from Harbor Freight. Just because it's shiny and new and looks good on paper won't make it a better saw. Stick with what works. Toyotas are just as "American" as anything else now. Andy (Remember - opinions are like butts - everyone has one, and most of them stink...)

[Roger Shoaf]

My opinion is buy used. Several reasons for this are it is cheaper. If you can get by without the new car smell, and are flexible about options and colors, you get a whole lot more bang for the buck.

If you buy a new one you got a serious depreciation in the first few years, and that is paid for with borrowed money, even if you borrow from yourself, the money you spend is not available to buy tools or continue to grow for your investments.

BTW dodge makes a nice diesel lots of power and great fuel economy. Cummins engine is better then the Toyota, Ford or Chevy.

[Rick Samuel]

Regards,

K.

[Peter Huebner]

No opinions on cars or pickups. I have, however an opinion on decks. The deck, extending through the tailboard, needs to be wider than 4'; preferably 4'2" or 4'4". Makes transporting sheets soooooo much easier.

I guess your 'full sized pickups' would probably meet that ...

-P.

[Lew Hodgett]

THe engine in the Dodge comes from a joint venture in Rocky Mount.

It is a whole different animal than a Cummins from Columbus.

Lew

[Lew Hodgett]

You need to get your fluids checked, you are at least a quart low.

I have dealt with the American automotive industry almost all of my adult life.

As a result, drove American made vehicles and suffered what was the expected maintenance and repair problems.

Bought a Tacoma in 1999, now has 115,000 miles on it.

Changed the oil and filters every 3,000 miles, got a tune up at 90,000, bought maybe 6 tires, nothing else.

My understanding that is very common performance for Toyota products.

With that kind of a track record, about the only decision you need to make is what color Toyota do you want?

Lew

[Lobby Dosser]

Isn't the Toyota Tundra full sized?

[Roger Shoaf]

Perhaps, but the power plant has a good track record.

[Leon]

I do know that I watched a new F150 going down the street a couple of months back and the quarter panel flexed in and out rapidly with each and every slight bump in the road. A few weeks later a new F150 and an S10 pickup were both in a head on crash at an intersection. The speed limit is 35 mph. The S10 hardly looked damaged, the F150 had the right side if its front suspension torn out. The front wheel was gone. Most tests put the F150 in almost to completely dead last when compared to Chev, GMC, Toyota, and Nissan. Some times the Dodge Ram is in dead last position. The F150 typically gets the worst gas mileage and has the worst performance. All that said, I think the F150 is probably the best looking new model truck.

Food for thought.

[PH Thorsted]

I agree with buy used. The depreciation on a new vehicle is so great it is a crime. You lose several thousand dollars as soon as you drive it off the lot. A diesel makes a lot of sense with todays fuel costs. You will not believe the fuel economy you get with diesel compared with gas, if you haven't had one before. I also agree with the Dodge Diesel. Everyone that I have known or talked to that has had a Cummins diesel has raved about it and loved it.

P.T.

100% Uncensored , 100% Anonymous, 5$/month Only!

[Leon]

K.

That used to make sense if you can pay cash. Typically, financed used vehicles have interest rates that are 50% higher than those of new vehicles. In the last 3 to 4 years it has been a new car buyers market in Houston.

[Ross Hebeisen]

you folks can talk down the Ford all you want. but i've been driving them since 1979 bought my first new one, bought another new in 86 and 90 , put in excess of 200,000 on each one of them with no major troubles. bought my last one used with 140,000 on it 1994 model purchased in 2003 paid $3000. and still driving it today, now has

224,000 miles on it and running fine, starting to show a little rust at the rocker panels. all these trucks have been 4x4 and well used as such as i've been a logger and log buyer here in the northland, so my trucks have seen alot of off road use not just highway miles. buy american trucks and sell logs to the Japs. keeps the trade deficit down. ross

[Robatoy]

Yes. My nephew is a service avisor at one of the biggie Toyota dealerships in Kansas and races a Tundra..with a factory approved supercharger. He gets better mileage than an off-the-shelf F 150 Ford with waaaay more power available at his wish. That truck is some tough. Looks great too.

I am in the market for a couple of Dodge Sprinters, in a couple of years we'll find them used. When reasonably maintained they're a

500.000 km van. (All Mercedes parts) In fact, you can buy, for around $ 250.00 US a grille and some hubcap plugs which are Mercedes and fit perfectly. The Sprinter IS a MB. 5 cyl turbo diesel.

[Swingman]

Yeah, buddy! My next truck, when the current Dodge RAM loses favor, will be a used 2 or 3 year old Toyota Tundra, if I can find one ... I can guarantee that.

The Dodge has been OK, but it won't pass up a gas station.

[Andy]

Probably true, unless you can get a "new car loan" on a recent-model used car - I managed that on my last vehicle, a 3-yr old Pontiac Vibe (made by Toyota, btw). When I bought it, the bank said their "new car" rates would apply to 2003 and newer models - perfect. New car loan rate for a reasonably-priced used car, all from my local credit union - can't beat that! Might be worth looking into, anyway. Andy

[Puckdropper]

"Rick Samuel" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

*snip and trim*

Ford and Chevy are still selling power. AFAIK, they have nothing to compare to Toyota's offerings of gas mileage and design. IMO, the Prius's competition is the Yarus. Ok, so you can't get plywood in either...

Another interesting thing I noticed was that all the minivans on fueleconomy.gov were rated for just about the same 20 mpg.

Puckdropper

[Puckdropper]

Don Fearn wrote in news: [e-mail]:

*snip*

It seems to me that Toyota salesmen are some of the best. They've been happy to talk with me, and have taken the time to answer questions and just be conversational. There's been no "Oh, you're not buying today, I'm [you're] wasting your [my] time then."

Puckdropper

[J T]

Sun, Mar 18, 2007, 7:01pm From: [e-mail] (Kevin=A0B) Anybody have any opinions on the F-150, or any other full size pickup for that matter? Suggestions?

Yep. '49 to '56 Ford pickup, 500 Cadillac engine for preference, or a 460 Ford engine. Learn to drive winter roads.

JOAT Custom philosophizing done. No job too small; must be indoor work, with no heavy lifting.

[Don Fearn]

"Kevin B" opin'd thus:

Toyota Tundra.

No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

The second-generation Tundra is a FULL-sized pickup and every bit as American-built as Ford.

Come to Rochester MN and I'll introduce you to Arlyn Ness of Rochester Toyota, one of the best salesmen on the Toyota sales force. A new vehicle salesman that I *like* -- a FIRST for me . . . .

-Don