Opinions on trucks

[JoeinTX]

GM and Chrysler will continue on..........with bankruptcy and gov't funds. It's been made clear that the Obama Admin will see them through in some form via legal and financial means. Ford is okay assuming the parts suppliers have no trouble.

In five years you'll still have (new)GM, Ford, and Chrysler (Fiat) around building vehicles within various corporate structures and you'll have Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai, and KIA competing with them vociferously in the process. The remains of the Big Three had better figure out their labor and production cost issues (by which I mean the GD UAW) or they willl fry.

In a not so weird way, for the common person, we're not so worried about seeing the Big 3 collapse so long as the UAW goes with them into the dust bin of history. Nothing wrong with a union, but, there is something entirely wrong with unions that price themselves out business........then use extortion to remain in existance.......and then cry to the public when their bloated and unsustainable contracts are no longer economically worthy.


I will still be able to buy a nice pickup in 2015.........whether it's built by non-Union labor south Texas or UAW drones in Detroit makes little or no difference to me when I run the numbers. Fair warning.........

 

[mjncad]

I checked out Ford's retractable side steps for the pickup box at the auto show this weekend and they were slick. Also, $200 - $300 for a tailgate man-step is a bargain to me.

As a couple of poster's have said, who cares what other "macho men" think of your man step, as long as you are happy with it.

Speaking of slipping off the truck; my old man used to gas up airplanes for United Airlines. When he started, the process was similar to gassing up a car or truck in that he had to climb up on the wings and stuff a nozzle into the gas tank. One winter day when the plane's wings were icy he slipped off the wing and broke his tailbone. Now modern airliners are gassed up with sealed quick connects from below and the operator never has to climb onto a wing. I doubt you'll find any ramp worker wanting to climb up on the wings of an airliner to refuel it, let alone feel unmanly for not having to.

 

[Cat_Driver]

...One thing's for sure, you'll rarely see a professional contractor using a man-step. He'd get laughed off the jobsite.

Whether it's a good idea or not, that's definately a homeowner/weekend warrior gadget.

Ya and you will be able to tell the "professionals" from the home owners, they will be the ones on crutches.

Come on now, you mean to tell us that all the Professionals are that stupid as not to use a safer way to do something.

No wonder OSHA is as busy as they are.

 

[LBrown59]

One thing's for sure, you'll rarely see a professional contractor using a man-step. He'd get laughed off the jobsite.

Whether it's a good idea or not, that's definately a homeowner/weekend warrior gadget.

Well There is just no sense in them being built that high requiring an escalator or an elevator to get in or out of them.
The big tall bulky clumsy looking things are just pure ugly in my opinion.

 

[Builder]

In virtually all cases people with negative comments about a "man step" don't have one (can't get one with their brand) and or are compensating with a "sour grapes" attitude. The first electric start automobiles brought on similar cries from the manual crank starter vehicle owners. It was BS then and it is BS now. If your ego prevents you from taking advantage of an improvement you are being juvenile NOT MANLY. If perceived loss of MACHO prevents a contractor from using a step in circumstances when it would be a plus then he needs to grow up and be a man not a juvenile that has to dress like the other boys at school and wear his hair like the other boys and...

My wife thinks it is the best feature we have ever had on a truck, BAR NONE. I don't need it as much as she does but there are times when it is handy, such as repetitive up and downs. There is NO requirement to folding it down. You can climb in any way you want. A Ford 4x4 stock height is such that with the tailgate down it is not super easy to climb in.

I have received exactly ZERO negative comments on mine. The BURLY LADS down to the feed store who load me out think it is really slick. I don't think you want to hint to Bubba that he isn't manly unless you hanker to be disassembled. Bubba could hunt griz with a switch.

Pat

Has nothing to do with "MACHO" or "MANLY", Pat.

It has to do with professionalism & common sense & organization to put items in your truck so they don't wind up in the middle of the bed in the first place.

I think the "MAN STEP" actually promotes taking a bad fall with your hands full on that little girl scout ladder more than keeping both feet on the ground, reaching in and grabbing something. Ladders are more dangerous than just about anything.

 

[Builder]

Ya and you will be able to tell the "professionals" from the home owners, they will be the ones on crutches.

Come on now, you mean to tell us that all the Professionals are that stupid as not to use a safer way to do something.

No wonder OSHA is as busy as they are.

Umm, I see more homeowners on crutches from falling off ladders while cleaning gutters or changing floodlight bulbs than professional mechanics. The "MAN STEP" is a ladder, isn't it?

My current customer fell off a stepladder while changing a lighbulb and broke his collarbone in 3 places.

If, for some reason, something is in the middle of my truck bed, I just lay up on the tailgate and pull it towards me. Big deal.

The "MAN STEP" just adds more costs to trucks that are already too expensive and one more thing to break in trucks that are too complex.

 

[Builder]

GM and Chrysler will continue on..........with bankruptcy and gov't funds. It's been made clear that the Obama Admin will see them through in some form via legal and financial means. Ford is okay assuming the parts suppliers have no trouble.

In five years you'll still have (new)GM, Ford, and Chrysler (Fiat) around building vehicles within various corporate structures and you'll have Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai, and KIA competing with them vociferously in the process. The remains of the Big Three had better figure out their labor and production cost issues (by which I mean the GD UAW) or they willl fry.

In a not so weird way, for the common person, we're not so worried about seeing the Big 3 collapse so long as the UAW goes with them into the dust bin of history. Nothing wrong with a union, but, there is something entirely wrong with unions that price themselves out business........then use extortion to remain in existance.......and then cry to the public when their bloated and unsustainable contracts are no longer economically worthy.


I will still be able to buy a nice pickup in 2015.........whether it's built by non-Union labor south Texas or UAW drones in Detroit makes little or no difference to me when I run the numbers. Fair warning.........

The unions are too stupid to know they're killing their own very existance. We used to have steel mills all over the place in PA. The union wages & cheaper foreign (non-union) competition drove them out of business. The union steelworkers were paid great wages & benefits, but being the gluttons they were, they wanted more than the steel companies could give.

The result is now the steel companies are gone, the factories are abandoned and the once high paid union steel workers are now working at Dunkin Donuts or doing landscaping for 1/2 as much money.

Who won in that scenario? Nobody

The UAW will do the same thing to GM, Ford & Chrysler - kill the golden goose. Then all the union workers can get jobs for 1/2 their current wage with little or no benefits.

 

[stimpee]

GM will be around as long or longer than any other automaker. The military needs them too much to let them go under.

Can you please explain how/why the military "needs" GM too much to let them go under?

 

[Dmace]

GM will be around as long or longer than any other automaker. The military needs them too much to let them go under.

Can you please explain how/why the military "needs" GM too much to let them go under?

Last I checked, GM was trying to sell Hummer anyways so I wouldn't go buying GM stock thinking the military is going to keep them running.

Official: GM considers selling Hummer brand

GM Could Sell Hummer to Chinese Company

General Motors hot to sell Hummer

 

[GreenWannabe]

Last I checked, GM was trying to sell Hummer anyways so I wouldn't go buying GM stock thinking the military is going to keep them running.

GM doesn't make the Humvee for the Army, AM General does. Their website is Welcome | AM General LLC - Mobility solutions for the 21st Century.