Buying a new truck ? Times have changed.

[Dftodd]

Remove the bulb, simple answer.

Black electrical tape over it works just as good and easier to install

I did that for the red light on the rearveuw mirror of my old truck signifying that there was an issue with the onstar

 

[Torvy]

Meh. CR seems very biased towards certain makes, toyota being one of them, you have to read between the lines to get the real scoop. Had an '08 turdra for a company truck at my last job...I was the "new guy", so I got the truck no one else wanted. Biggest PoC that's ever darkened my driveway, seems like something was always broken on it. In fact, when I retired the company didn't even want it back! The day I turned in my keys, company tools, etc, the HR guy handed me a signed-over copy of the title.
I don't see a lot of old ones on the road.

This is exactly why data matters. Your opinion is rooted in one anecdotal example. Like I said, all makes have outliers. Playing the odds, the Tundra is much more reliable than the competition.

You don't like CR....how about Motortrend?

Longest Lasting Trucks On The Road

Want to see 200,000 miles? These pickups are more than likely to get you there.

www.motortrend.com

 

[BoylermanCT]

I'm surprised they let you order one. Every time that I've gone through the process it end with "Enter zip code so we can find one at your local dealer." It then comes up with "Similar Trucks" which may or may not be similar.

I'd visit the dealer. I was able to order the exact truck I wanted, and I paid several thousand under MSRP. I've been buying cars from this dealer for many years. Other dealers were $1000 or more over MSRP to order the exact same truck.

 

[oosik]

Back in Jan 2019 I went to the local Chrysler dealer to check out new Jeeps. There on the showroom floor - my dream vehicle. A brand new Ram 2500 Power Wagon. It had everything except the kitchen sink. Asked the salesman - can I order one with different color and less of all the electronics stuff.

Yes - I could. Nobody but nobody could tell me when such an animal might arrive.

I bit the bullet and bought it right off the showroom floor.

It does not get fantastic mileage - it's bigger than an aircraft carrier - I love it - it's my toy.

AND yes - it was VERY expensive. Chances are - it will be the last vehicle I ever buy.

 

[Hay Dude]

Back in Jan 2019 I went to the local Chrysler dealer to check out new Jeeps. There on the showroom floor - my dream vehicle. A brand new Ram 2500 Power Wagon. It had everything except the kitchen sink. Asked the salesman - can I order one with different color and less of all the electronics stuff.

Yes - I could. Nobody but nobody could tell me when such an animal might arrive.

I bit the bullet and bought it right off the showroom floor.

It does not get fantastic mileage - it's bigger than an aircraft carrier - I love it - it's my toy.

AND yes - it was VERY expensive. Chances are - it will be the last vehicle I ever buy.

My son wants one….but with a Cummins.
Nada.

 

[Tomtint]

This is exactly why data matters. Your opinion is rooted in one anecdotal example. Like I said, all makes have outliers. Playing the odds, the Tundra is much more reliable than the competition.

You don't like CR....how about Motortrend?

Longest Lasting Trucks On The Road

Want to see 200,000 miles? These pickups are more than likely to get you there.

www.motortrend.com

I don't keep vehicles long. 2-3 years is typical. Typically get out of them before they are out of factory warranty. I do have a 99 F150 that i bought for 2K..and I'm now into it for something like 16K.. It had 130K on it when i bought it..If i can get it to 250k...Im going to consider it a wash. Im at 185K now.

 

[Oaktree]

This is exactly why data matters. Your opinion is rooted in one anecdotal example. Like I said, all makes have outliers. Playing the odds, the Tundra is much more reliable than the competition.

You don't like CR....how about Motortrend?

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.

 

[Oaktree]

I don't keep vehicles long. 2-3 years is typical. Typically get out of them before they are out of factory warranty.

Just the opposite here. I'll generally buy something 7-8 years old, and drive it into the ground. To me seems a big waste of money buying new every few years...not just vehicle cost but insurance, registration, etc. are all much higher on a new vehicle vs an older one.

The downside to buying used of course is you have to make do with what's available when you're looking, but to me it's a small price to pay.

 

[oosik]

My son wants one….but with a Cummins.
Nada.

The sales people are still talking about the Cummins diesel in the Power Wagon. Maybe in 2023.

A rare photo of my Taco Wagon. Must have been right after I washed it. Blue surely does show mud and dust.

 

[Tomtint]

Just the opposite here. I'll generally buy something 7-8 years old, and drive it into the ground. To me seems a big waste of money buying new every few years...not just vehicle cost but insurance, registration, etc. are all much higher on a new vehicle vs an older one.

The downside to buying used of course is you have to make do with what's available when you're looking, but to me it's a small price to pay.

I look at is as the cost of doing business.We trade them and typically get a decent return on them. If a vehicle costs me 5-700 a month to drive without repair bills.. Im good.

 

[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.