Opinions on trucks

[riptides]

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.

I don't know how you use trucks, But my 250 loads rather well at all the feed stores and co-ops in my area. Nice and even with the loading areas. I imagine some of the newer class vehicles would do that calling just the same.

 

[Builder]

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.

I never said they did!

Will someone please show me where I said GM makes the Humvee for the military?

I think you guys are a paranoid little bunch sometimes.

GM IS a supplier to the military for several vehicles-not necessarily as a total vehicle, but for certain parts of vehicles. Since we are talking about the Humvee, GM does supply transmission and some other GM made parts.

 

[Builder]

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

It's just my opinion. GM makes a lot of parts for military vehicles. I think it would be stupid for anyone to hope GM goes away forever.

 

[jimmyj]

There sure are a lot of strong opinions out there. I think Chrysler will go bust and be broken up very soon but I think they'll save GM in some form. (Just my feeling, I don't have a big scientific argument to back me up). I also think they have to "gut" the efficiency as stated earlier. Way too many models, way too many trim levels.

I have been a Dodge ram guy for a while, but this last one has been a dud. At 200,000 km (150,000 miles or so) I have had the following repairs to what was a brand new truck:

- both valve cover gaskets failed
- both front wheel bearings failed
- air conditioning failed
- tranny fluid leak
- water pump failed
- u joint failed

This seems pretty bad to me. I do regular maintenance and always use highest quality lubricants and so on. I don't abuse the vehicle, honestly. The truck is a great worker, but geez louise. Next time, not going to be a Dodge I don't think.

 

[canoetrpr]

I'm putting words into Builder's mouth here but I *think* his general point was that local manufacturing capacity for things like automobiles IS required from a defense point of view. Such manufacturing capacity can easily be re-deployed at a time of war into building tanks and other necessary machinery in the case of the inevitable.

I too believe that GM will survive in some form or another. It might well be a controlled bankruptcy and like Builder I too believe that each country needs to maintain a certain level of manufacturing capacity for defensive purposes.

Whether or not that requires GM or can be satisfied with Ford and other import manufacturers whose plants are located in North America - is another question altogether.

I'm not wishing GM away either. I hope that them and Chrysler can restructure successfully to re-build enterprises that are viable in the long term and can provide decent employment for thousands.

 

[WH401]

There sure are a lot of strong opinions out there. I think Chrysler will go bust and be broken up very soon but I think they'll save GM in some form. (Just my feeling, I don't have a big scientific argument to back me up). I also think they have to "gut" the efficiency as stated earlier. Way too many models, way too many trim levels.

I have been a Dodge ram guy for a while, but this last one has been a dud. At 200,000 km (150,000 miles or so) I have had the following repairs to what was a brand new truck:

- both valve cover gaskets failed
- both front wheel bearings failed
- air conditioning failed
- tranny fluid leak
- water pump failed
- u joint failed

This seems pretty bad to me. I do regular maintenance and always use highest quality lubricants and so on. I don't abuse the vehicle, honestly. The truck is a great worker, but geez louise. Next time, not going to be a Dodge I don't think.

What model?, gas or diesel?

 

[Diamondpilot]

What model?, gas or diesel?

Has to be gas, since he said both valve covers. Cummins only has one.

Now to me these failures do not seem that bad since it has 150,000 miles. Who knows how hard he as worked it during that time. I had a 2500 4x4 Hemi and had similar problems and a lot more including 2 tranny rebuilds, a power steering pump, and countless nickle and dime items like fans, eclectic motors, switches, ect but it was all before 55,000 miles so that seemed like a lemon dud to me.

Chris

 

[Builder]

I'm putting words into Builder's mouth here but I *think* his general point was that local manufacturing capacity for things like automobiles IS required from a defense point of view. Such manufacturing capacity can easily be re-deployed at a time of war into building tanks and other necessary machinery in the case of the inevitable.

I too believe that GM will survive in some form or another. It might well be a controlled bankruptcy and like Builder I too believe that each country needs to maintain a certain level of manufacturing capacity for defensive purposes.

Whether or not that requires GM or can be satisfied with Ford and other import manufacturers whose plants are located in North America - is another question altogether.

I'm not wishing GM away either. I hope that them and Chrysler can restructure successfully to re-build enterprises that are viable in the long term and can provide decent employment for thousands.

That's pretty much my point. If we all keep buying NISSANS, we may find ourselves with NO domestic autos to buy and a military looking to Europe or Asia for military vehicles.

Besides, IF GM or Chrysler did go under, Ford would have less competition and Ford's quality would be even worse than it is now.

Competition is GOOD.

 

[jimmyj]

Hey guys

2wd gas 1500. But I should have said it is a V6. I think that was a mistake. I use it for 'farm chores' mostly now and only put maybe 10k miles a year on it. Before that it was a daily driver 50 miles each way to work.

There is no question that I work it regularly, but it's not a plow truck, I rarely tow and usually the loads are no well under 1000 lbs. I have tried to take care of it but I am still disappointed. Upon recollection, I remember my Sierra had lousy tie rods.

It is a 2003, all of the failures seemed to start about 2 years ago after the mileage was stacked up. I run a lot of really rough dirt roads too, that is pretty hard on it I guess. Maybe that's normal but it seems like a lot of stuff to me.

Hey Diamondpilot, if it was 55k, I would be a lot more fussed. The truck is paid for for a few years now so a repair a year does not kill me. I still think I'll look at other brands next time though where before I was dyed in the wool for Dodge only.

Jim

 

[WH401]

Hey guys

2wd gas 1500. But I should have said it is a V6. I think that was a mistake. I use it for 'farm chores' mostly now and only put maybe 10k miles a year on it. Before that it was a daily driver 50 miles each way to work.

There is no question that I work it regularly, but it's not a plow truck, I rarely tow and usually the loads are no well under 1000 lbs. I have tried to take care of it but I am still disappointed. Upon recollection, I remember my Sierra had lousy tie rods.

It is a 2003, all of the failures seemed to start about 2 years ago after the mileage was stacked up. I run a lot of really rough dirt roads too, that is pretty hard on it I guess. Maybe that's normal but it seems like a lot of stuff to me.

Hey Diamondpilot, if it was 55k, I would be a lot more fussed. The truck is paid for for a few years now so a repair a year does not kill me. I still think I'll look at other brands next time though where before I was dyed in the wool for Dodge only.

Jim

For 150k I'd say you did pretty good, anything with that kind of mileage is going to have stuff start to fall off of it at that age. How many miles had those wheel bearings been on there for? Were they the original u joints?, How about the water pump?