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HELP 4-door full size truck owners - READ ONLY

18 messages,  Last post on Jul 03, 2003 at 9:50 AM

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Messages Page 2 of 2

#9 of 18 We went from a Chevy ex cab (no door) by janz

Jun 24, 2003 (7:33 am)

to a 2500HD Chevy 4-door crew cab. We wanted the 4 door access for our two-now teenage sons and other friends, etc. We use it to drive the family around, then haul bikes and tow our 20' trailer on the weekends. It rides like is a dream on the highway with plenty of room for all 4 of us.
 
However, it's a gas guzzler (hubby chose not to get diesel), though offset by the fact that he drives 1 mile to work each way. Most of my driving is in town and I hate driving it because it is way too big and difficult to park. Just too much truck for me everyday. I need something more maneueverable.

#10 of 18 Re: We went from a Chevy ex cab (no door) by hfpieratt

Jun 24, 2003 (10:29 am)

Were you happier with the extended cab? That's what I'm leaning towards now. I figure it might be fine until kids get too big, like yours.

#11 of 18 Not sure what you mean by happier , by janz

Jun 24, 2003 (11:33 am)

we are happier with our 4-door, but YES, we were very happy with the extended cab full-size Chevy truck as our regular family vehicle. Now that they have the modified addl. door, access should be much easier. In our experience, I can't think of any negatives as far as it's usability and it meeting our needs. As family, we took it everywhere. We only got rid of it because it was just time to replace it and we needed more leg room and power for towing.

#12 of 18 May I ask how tall you are? by hfpieratt

Jun 24, 2003 (4:22 pm)

Are you short? My fiancee is 4' 10".
 
Did getting into the truck ever aggravate you?
 
The Dodge Ram has height adjustable pedals, does this sound like the mother of all options to you?
The Dodge Ram also has a assist bar on the pillar to help climbing in whereas the Chevy don't, how important would you rate this feature?

#13 of 18 Good questions! by janz

Jun 24, 2003 (5:42 pm)

I'm 5'7" and my husband is 6'2". Climbing in always was always a step-up, but certainly will be a much bigger step-up for someone that small in stature.
 
Those add ons would probably be considered non-important fluff to most truck drivers, but probably very helpful to a shorter driver. I wouldn't consider an assist bar(or lack thereof) a deal breaker. IMHO, comfort, control, and clear vision would be MUCH bigger concerns.
 
I highly suggest a test drive on the trucks you are interested in. I say this because years ago my college roomates and I took my familes full-size Dodge station wagon on a trip from Washington to S. Cal. My good friend who was probably 5'1" on a good day, simply could not handle the size of a car that large. I'm not short and I never liked driving either truck on a regular basis. Just too big!
 
If she's uncomfortable with the full size, you can scale back to a smaller size 4-door, Dakota, Nissan and the like.

#14 of 18 Battle of the Crew Cabs - 1500HD v F-150 SCrew v Ram Quad by mr_mbuna

Jul 01, 2003 (6:48 am)

We're currently in the market for an affordable pickup and will be purchasing by the end of the week. Price is the primary concern. Due to the lack of availability of 4x2 1500HD's, we're currently leaning towards the F-150 SuperCrew.
 
We'll be using the pickup as a daily driver as well as a weekend hauler for a 6300 pound boat and trailer. Twice per year the truck will serve as the vehicle for a 600-mile road trip towing a 1500 pound trailer and a family of four down the East Coast from Maryland to South Carolina.
 
I've been helping my dad pick out the right truck and its been a struggle to convince him to see the light on a 5.4L V8 over a 4.6L V8 though I think I've been successful in that regard. However, 4WD isn't going to happen as he sees it as an unneccessary expense.
 
We're looking to find a truck for $25,000 or less after rebates and everything. What can we expect to pay for these trucks? Is Edmunds.com TMV pricing accurate, or is paying Invoice minus rebates reasonable, or do these trucks go for Less Than Invoice minus rebates?
 
Please share views on the Ford v Chevy v Dodge **for our application and finances** as well as recommendations on worthwhile options and engine choices, etc.
 
Thanks!
Ben

#15 of 18 by ryanbab

Jul 02, 2003 (2:56 pm)

check this out. THey are supposed to be put in production in December but maybe they will be out earlier. They will be an 04 model.
 

#16 of 18 by mr_mbuna

Jul 02, 2003 (10:27 pm)

That's nice but we sort of do have a use for the large engine in the 1500HD and the large towing capacity and are looking to buy today.
 
Ben

#17 of 18 Dakota by lennx

Jul 03, 2003 (5:52 am)

This is no quite a full size truck but not a small truck either. You can get a V8 in it.
 
When I test drove it I thought the engine was way too noisy but maybe I had a bad one.

#18 of 18 Ben by mullins87

Jul 03, 2003 (9:50 am)

To tow a 6,300lb boat, or any trailer that size, you really need more than a 1/2ton. Now, lot's of people are going to jump on me for saying this. Seems like the Tundra is rated for something like 7,000lbs, the F-150 7,200 is rated for 7,200lbs, and probably the GM and Dodge something in the same range. If towing right at the limit and riding on the bumpstops is acceptable to you, then go for it. Go with a real fullsize truck. I do know you can get an F-250 CrewCab outfitted the way you want it for not much more than the 1/2 ton.
 
As far as the engine goes, don't even consider the 4.6. It's a good engine, but just not enough engine to handle that much load. The 5.4 with a 4.10 ratio should get decent mileage while providing you with enough muscle to get the boat up and ramp and any hills on your way.
 
Do you have brakes on the boat trailer? If not, then the 1/2 ton is COMPLETELY out of the question. If it does, I'd bet they are surge brakes which will not allow you to use a weight distributing hitch. The WD hitch interferes with the operation of the surge brakes. In any event, a trailer of that weight should have brakes on it. However, if it doesn't, the heavier 3/4 ton truck should be able to handle it.
 
On a side note related to braking, don't let the manufactures claims of their 60 mph stopping distances mislead you into thinking they can stop a load better. Smaller, 1/2 ton trucks have thinner, lighter rotors than the heavier 3/4 ton trucks. The smaller, lighter rotors are able to come up to operating temp. faster than the heavier rotors on a 3/4 ton, thereby making for quicker stops. The flipside is that the smaller, lighter rotors will overheat before a heavier load is stopped and therefore could put you or the motorists around you in serious trouble.

Messages Page 2 of 2

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