Buying a new truck ? Times have changed.

[bmg88201]

I look at it this way. I have had a full time job for 50 years, I haven’t bought a new vehicle in 22 years. I want a new Tacoma and I’m going to buy One. The way I take car of my stuff, this might be my last truck. I told the salesman exactly what I want and which three colors I would accept. He asked me to give him 90 days and he would do his best. I can wait. The one I want runs about $44,000. I looked and GMC & Ford (wouldn’t own a Dodge) and most of those start out at around $54,000. It is what it is. I might as well get a new truck before the country goes completely broke and we are all on bit coins.

 

[Jstpssng]

I'm not going to buy a vehicle based on what someone else tells me when my own experience says the opposite.

You can't trust reviews in any publication that accepts "sample" vehicles provided by the manufacturer. Likewise, a magazine like MT is dependent on advertising, and they don't want to offend a company that's a big spender.
While CR doesn't accept ads, they seem quite biased towards some makes and equally biased against others. What I've also noticed is that their recommendations don't always jibe with their actual review. Maybe a turdra is a good enough truck for someone with a shirt-and-tie job who wants to look tuff & macho at the country club, but as I discovered they weren't apparently made to stand up to any real work.

You live in Texas where rust is not an issue. My experience with toyota vehicles has been dismal, not going to buy a vehicle on what somebody else says is good. As I said, I don't see very many old toytoa trucks on the road, that tells me something.
I'm glad you like yours, but the likelihood of me even considering another vehicle from that brand is somewhere between slim and none.

My employer buys 6-8 trucks every year, generally trading every 3 years. For a long time it was mostly GM products but they gradually started leaning toward Tundras. They keep track of everything and have a good idea what the per mile cost is. The comptroller has finally decided to buy only Toyotas. One big GM problem throughout time is the transmissions; even if they are covered under warranty it still can get expensive to lose one when you are 70 miles off the tar. They also have dropped the old 100K warranty down to 60...

 

[stumblinhorse]

Wouldn’t own a dodge, ouch? Here are mine, bought it new in June of 2000. 327k miles 6sp still has the original clutch. And for fun my other dodge built the same year as I was…. I guess I keep trucks for a while, I will be buried in the 01.

 

[Torvy]

I'm not going to buy a vehicle based on what someone else tells me when my own experience says the opposite.

I understand your sentiment. The motor trend article was not about their opinion or sample vehicles. It was literally about what percentage of those vehicles are still on the road. Just facts, not opinions. Like you, I tend to stay away from brands with which I have had a bad experience. That does not change the fact that sometimes, my opinion may prevent me from making the best decision. Personally, will never buy another Ford truck. I would not, however, tell others to do the same based on my small sample size.

CR definitely has a blind spot, but I have been reading it since the 60s. I don't think it has anything to do with brands. They are a very left of center organization and as such, they tend to put more weight on things like fuel economy and safety over towing capacity. The reliability ratings are just data, not opinions.

My experience with the Macho types is that they are 1000% more likely to drive a domestic nameplate. No offense to dentists, but I always refer to those drivers that way. Usually lots of income with an inferiority complex (in some cases) because mommy really wanted them to be an MD. They drive shiny new F150s or F250s with the most expensive features and the truck goes from their suburban gated house with no yard, to their parking ramp in the city...never goes off of pavement, much less off road. Toyota drivers tend to be more analytical than emotional. They are looking at the data despite the fact that Ford sells more trucks, Toyotas are statistically more likely to go 300k+ miles on the original engine.

If I were back up in the land of salt and snow, I may have a different opinion. Frankly, I would probably buy a new truck and turn it over every five years or so. That is expensive, but rust happens. One thing I liked about SD...they managed to be in snow country without using lots of salt.

 

[Hay Dude]

Masnufacturers are looking at the tesla business model. Very little on lot inventory and having the consumer build/order their vehicles online. Its a huge savings for the mfr. The dealer takes it on the chin. It in most cases, eliminates undesirable inventory sitting on lots for months and months only to be sold at a loss. Eliminates dealers paying floor plan money for stock, All but eliminates the price shopping. .. Also these dealers that were pushed into giant expenditures to build giant dealerships with acres and acres of parking... Now have nothing to park on them.. But still have the tax bills for that property. Expect to see your local Ford ,Chevy etc setting up small kiosks with 1-2 cars in local mall type places like Tesla does in the next 1-2 years... We ordered a Jeep Rubicon 392 in February from our local dealer..It showed up last week. First time in about 25 years I ordered and waited for a vehicle.

How dare you deny us the pictures of a 392 Rubicon!

 

[Hay Dude]

Wouldn’t own a dodge, ouch? Here are mine, bought it new in June of 2000. 327k miles 6sp still has the original clutch. And for fun my other dodge built the same year as I was…. I guess I keep trucks for a while, I will be buried in the 01. View attachment 757741

I really enjoy the Ford/Chevy/Future Chinese battery powered full size truck guys that ignore Ram.

More Rams for us to chose from.

Really nice picture stumblinhorse

 

[stumblinhorse]

How dare you deny us the pictures of a 392 Rubicon!

Didn’t know you wanted one!

 

[Tomtint]

How dare you deny us the pictures of a 392 Rubicon!

Ill try to post some if i can remember how. ..Its Red, One touch roof, ...Thing is a beast. Probably not the best daily driver but it sure is fun around town.