Big announcement from GM !!!!!!

[workinallthetime]

$35K will get you a new BMW, if that's your definition of decent. $25K will get you a 5 year old diesel 4x4 1 ton, at least in my neck of the woods.

How about a brand new Toyota Camry LE, MSRP ~ $20K, and a 2001 F350 dually V10 on sale near me for $11K. Think you are going to find anything that's anywhere near as comfy to drive as that car and pulls anything like that truck for $31K or even $41K?

Insurance will be a little more (two rigs instead of one) but not twice as much. The added insurance cost will be more than offset by the gas savings. Repair costs will be much less, as your putting most of your miles on the Toyota Camry. And when you decide to get a new car, your truck should still be going strong because you haven't put many miles on it.

i see now why we are not eye to eye on this subject. i drive a $46,000 (sticker) 1/2 ton and my wife drives a $55,000 (sticker) denali. I also would not consider ever supporting the jap car market and ford well i wont go there. I understand what your saying but a kodiac c4500 would pull the guts out of that ford 1 ton for about 35k brand new.
HIGHBEAM i am on the same page as you, no way im driving a can of coke down the road around here, I have seen what happens when they chalenge a 1 ton

 

[Toiyabe]

I find it kinda strange that folks here think so differently about tractors and trucks.

For example if someone asks for advice on this site about what tractor to buy if they have a lot of little jobs and a few big jobs, most folks will recommend getting a new CUT sized for the small jobs, and hire/rent/buy used for the big jobs.

For vehicles however, most people seem to want a one-size-fits-all solution.

 

[Highbeam]

"For vehicles however, most people seem to want a one-size-fits-all solution."

Apples and oranges.

I can hire a farmer to come over and disc my field for 30$ per hour. I can probably hire a guy to come over and hook my trailer to his truck and tow my tractor to my remote property for 100$ per hour. While I am at the remote property brushhogging the hired truck driver is making 100$ per hour sitting there in his pickup. Or when I am camping in a travel trailer that hired driver is making some good money sitting in his truck at the campground. While I am cutting an splitting firewood, the guy is sitting there billing me.

The truck is a necessary tool and there is almost no penalty for having too much tool. If you wanted a vehicle that was ideal for each job then you would have several vehicles, insurances, payments, etc.

 

[Builder]

"For vehicles however, most people seem to want a one-size-fits-all solution."

Apples and oranges.

I can hire a farmer to come over and disc my field for 30$ per hour. I can probably hire a guy to come over and hook my trailer to his truck and tow my tractor to my remote property for 100$ per hour. While I am at the remote property brushhogging the hired truck driver is making 100$ per hour sitting there in his pickup. Or when I am camping in a travel trailer that hired driver is making some good money sitting in his truck at the campground. While I am cutting an splitting firewood, the guy is sitting there billing me.

The truck is a necessary tool and there is almost no penalty for having too much tool. If you wanted a vehicle that was ideal for each job then you would have several vehicles, insurances, payments, etc.

Except that the upfront cost for bigger tools means less money in the bank. A big penalty if you ask me.

 

[Toiyabe]

Not to mention the much higher operating cost for the too-big tool.

 

[workinallthetime]

a small tractor can do almost all of the same work as a big tractor just takes more time
a small truck can not do the same work as a big truck safely.

a guy with a bx23 can do the same work as a guy with an l39 for the most part
a guy with an ranger cant pull or haul as much as the guy with the 1 ton.

sure there are exceptions to this but for the most part its facts.

i puill a b3030 tlb around with a car hauler trailer and a 1/2 ton rated at 10,500 lbs. i get the comfort and fuel economy of a 1/2 ton with the ability to tow bigger loads than other past half tons. Do i need a 3/4 ton or one ton yes, can my business pay for one, not yet. So i get by towing within my limits and enjoy driving the rest of the time.

 

[Jarrett]

Why not get a car for 95% of the time when you need a car and a used 1 ton gasser for the 5% of the time you need a truck? It'll be cheaper, and you'll have the right tool for each job.

Unless you put a lot of miles on the truck, the diesel's fuel savings won't pay back its initial cost. And there's no point in putting those miles on a truck when a car will do the job.

I don't know about everyone else here, but I need a truck way more than 5% of the time. Maybe I need a 3/4 or 1-ton for only 5% of the time, but for about 85-90% of the time I need a truck. I don't need my truck for work. I just drive it to work. But what if I'm at work one day and realize I need to grab a sheet of plywood, a couple 2x4's and 3 sacks of concrete mix from the lumber yard or HD/Lowe's to work on a little project that evening. If I was in a daily driver car, I wouldn't be able to stop after work and get it. I'm kind of spontaneous and decide to do stuff like that alot. That's why I like to have a truck that can be a daily driver, get great fuel mileage, can carry light cargo/loads very frequently and can carry pretty heavy loads occasionally. I'd take a 1/2 ton deisel in a heartbeat (wait, make it a Ford )

 

[Jaybr]

I'm with you guys. I drive my truck daily to and from customer offices, but I'm constantly carrying medium loads in the bed. Just yesterday I stopped on the way home and picked up 400 lbs of lime and 400 lbs of dog food, can't do that in a car.

I've never needed more tow capacity than the 9200 lbs of my 1/2 ton, and don't tow all that often. I like the nice ride, comfort, and features in my 1/2 ton and have no need for a bigger truck right now.

I only use my old 95 1500 diesel for my hunting rig, mileage is good but it won't tow like my Titan.

 

[Builder]

a small tractor can do almost all of the same work as a big tractor just takes more time
a small truck can not do the same work as a big truck safely.

a guy with a bx23 can do the same work as a guy with an l39 for the most part
a guy with an ranger cant pull or haul as much as the guy with the 1 ton.

sure there are exceptions to this but for the most part its facts.

i puill a b3030 tlb around with a car hauler trailer and a 1/2 ton rated at 10,500 lbs. i get the comfort and fuel economy of a 1/2 ton with the ability to tow bigger loads than other past half tons. Do i need a 3/4 ton or one ton yes, can my business pay for one, not yet. So i get by towing within my limits and enjoy driving the rest of the time.

With the exception of dig depth and maybe the ability to backhoe out heavy boulders or stumps, you're right. The backhoe is the kicker, but your FEL can do the same work, albeit slower. You might not be able to load as high of a dumptruck, either.

 

[Toiyabe]

To each his own.

I spent a little over $3000 on fuel last year. If I drove a 1/2 ton truck instead of my little Ranger, I could have easily spent $4500. There's lots of things I'd rather do with $1500 than give it to Hugo Chavez. I'd be driving a Civic or Corrolla if I thought they would take the 16 miles of dirt road driving I do every day.

I have a 1 ton van (~15 mpg empty) that I use for towing. Driving that in to town instead of my Ranger (~26 mpg) costs about $6.77 extra at current fuel prices. Makes a big difference when mulitplied out by 5 days/week * 52 weeks/year.

If Chevy can make a diesel 1/2 ton that gets at least 25 mpg and costs less than a brand new 4 cylinder Ranger plus a 10 year old 1 ton (say $25k total), then I'll buy it. Otherwise I'll stick with the two vehicle option.