Didn't know buying a truck was so hard

[Jstpssng]

Lot of helpful ideas here.
Two of my closest friends both own relatively new Ridgelines. Neither tows more than a one ton trailer.
Both love the fact the truck is so comfortable. Remember when Ford tried to do this concept with an Explorer
and a tiny pickup bed? That sure didn't do well, versus Honda who has done all the market research and is giving the truck owner
who does not haul heavy loads a legitimate alternative. Plus it's a Honda so you know it's well made.

Always used to be test of a "real" pickup was you could lay a 4x8 sheet of plywood down flat in it.

I've owned two new Rams in the last 8 years, a diesel dually and a loaded 1500 hemi with air bag suspension all around.
Both were great trucks and the hemi with that air bag suspension was like driving a big SUV.
Now I'm looking at a tow truck for an rv and since I want a large fifth wheel trailer, I'm sure not thinking about
a Ridgeline. Different tool for different purpose.

For me it's wondering whether I want a maxxed out F150 hybrid that allegedly will tow 14K, or a typical F250 diesel that will tow the moon.
On a 14k rv, clearly I need the bigger truck.

Dealing with car dealers is so hit and miss. I bought a new Subaru Outback from a dealer in Greenville NC that made the purchase and maintenance of that car
both easy and pleasant. I think this is one of the reasons Subaru is so successful. They seem to have more intelligent, and dare I say it, honest..., folks working there.
And yes they discounted. Not much...not like a brand new 70 grand truck.

My biggest problem is buying an expensive new truck and getting anything less than 10 grand off right up front.
Otherwise your cost of ownership/cost per mile is jacked up paying for excessive dealer profit.

With a CFP background I have a good head for money. And I don't buy anything extra when I get in front of the
F&I guy. I told the Audi dealership last time I was a no no no guy. They looked at me funny and I said that's what I tell
the F&I guy whose sole purpose is to double the dealership profit by selling you registered window glass...
Unless you have 0 percent financing to offer me, not much else you have I want.

car guru? I'll look that up. Knowledge is power, I like to go in with printouts...

It sounds like you're gearing back up to go cross country. Does that mean that we can look forward to reading about your progress again?

 

[two_bit_score]

Absolutely and only because "they can." You are paying for pensions, litigation, workers health care programs, federal regs and "diversity training".
The last car show I did was in 2006.

There was a crew cab Ram (then called Dodge Rams) with an 8' bed with a sticker of $44,000. I said to myself: "they'll never sell these at these prices".

Yeah, and I have no doubt that when that F250 goes to Mannheim it will do good to bring $12k. Probably more like $10k. This week they are not running a price on it just saying “call”.

 

[daugen]

It sounds like you're gearing back up to go cross country. Does that mean that we can look forward to reading about your progress again?

I sure hope so, thanks for asking. Was a heck of a year, stroke plus cancer, seem to have licked them both, though I sure miss my farm and tractors.
I'm hoping I can do Florida this winter and next year take off for California like I always wanted to. Need to find a companion to make trip with me, finding that getting old and being alone
in an rv isn't as much fun.

Does anyone besides RAM offer auto leveling rear air bags on a 2500? I got so spoiled by the auto leveling and soft ride of 1500

 

[Frankenkubota]

Re: Didn稚 know buying a truck was so hard

Growing up the unsung hero was the family wagon... remember well going to the lumber yard and loading 20 sheets of 4x8 plywood or drywall and then closing the gate...

Long pipe and timber lashed to the roof rack for the 15 minutes on surface streets home...

Neighbor needed a long pipe and lashed it under his car secured to the front and rear bumpers...

Family wagons did a lot of the heavy lifting for everyday Americans...

Went with mom to the gravel yard in an old 3/4 pickup circa 1960 to pick up gravel... the yard manager said lady... don't you have a man to do this for you... Mom being a farm girl got a little insulted... said her man was back at the job site and needed another load NOW... he said OK... give her what she wants!

There was a time when a truck was not a truck without a bed to haul 4x8 goods...

My dodge mini van hauls 4 x 8 material inside, with the seats folded down, hatch closed, high and dry, flat floor. 16 ft trim on top, no problem.

i Picked up about 10 sheets of osb the other day. It was raining. It's always raining. The manly men with the pick ups were all getting their sheet rock wet.

I left my osb in the van over nite, so it would stay dry. It's got a trailer hitch so i can pick up 90% of what i need with that.

Last year i kept track of the rain from about April, basically every other day. This year i'm keeping track from 1-1-21.

So far, call it 40 days in the new year, 28 have rained. Septic guy here again yesterday, too wet.

 

[Blue Mule]

2020 Ram 1500 Crew Cab 4x4 North Edition with the Gen 3 EcoDiesel engine here. 20-22 MPG in mixed city/highway is what I've seen over the last 12 months which is about 6-8 MPG better than the several V8 powered trucks I had before it. 480 lb/ft @ 1,600 RPM means I can tow my 24' enclosed trailer with my tractor inside and cruise in 7th gear on the interstate. The 5'7" box means it'll barely squeeze into my residential garage and I don't have to scrape ice and snow off it in the mornings. The interior is nicer than any car I've been in with storage EVERYWHERE. My favorite part is the heated steering wheel and seats. So nice on a frigid morning!

Sticker was $56,300. Dealer was selling for $39,900. To me you can't beat it with a stick. It'll do everything a 3/4 ton truck will do, everything a car will do, and sips fuel while doing it.

 

[Hay Dude]

Re: Didn稚 know buying a truck was so hard

My dodge mini van hauls 4 x 8 material inside, with the seats folded down, hatch closed, high and dry, flat floor. 16 ft trim on top, no problem.

i Picked up about 10 sheets of osb the other day. It was raining. It's always raining. The manly men with the pick ups were all getting their sheet rock wet.

I left my osb in the van over nite, so it would stay dry. It's got a trailer hitch so i can pick up 90% of what i need with that.

Last year i kept track of the rain from about April, basically every other day. This year i'm keeping track from 1-1-21.

So far, call it 40 days in the new year, 28 have rained. Septic guy here again yesterday, too wet.

The manly men were pretty stupid, too.
Hauling drywall in the rain qualifies for the Darwin Award.

 

[Hay Dude]

2020 Ram 1500 Crew Cab 4x4 North Edition with the Gen 3 EcoDiesel engine here. 20-22 MPG in mixed city/highway is what I've seen over the last 12 months which is about 6-8 MPG better than the several V8 powered trucks I had before it. 480 lb/ft @ 1,600 RPM means I can tow my 24' enclosed trailer with my tractor inside and cruise in 7th gear on the interstate. The 5'7" box means it'll barely squeeze into my residential garage and I don't have to scrape ice and snow off it in the mornings. The interior is nicer than any car I've been in with storage EVERYWHERE. My favorite part is the heated steering wheel and seats. So nice on a frigid morning!

Sticker was $56,300. Dealer was selling for $39,900. To me you can't beat it with a stick. It'll do everything a 3/4 ton truck will do, everything a car will do, and sips fuel while doing it.

I wish I could talk my wife into a crew cab short bed for a family truck

 

[daugen]

I wish I could talk my wife into a crew cab short bed for a family truck

for most of us with families, that is the perfect all weather people and stuff hauler.
For work you get the big bed, for home/Walmart/Home Depot the 6 foot bed is usually fine.
If you have to you can always rent a trailer.
My 1500 Ram was that configuration, huge amount of room inside.
I've owned Suburbans so I can compare to that.

 

[Cat385B]

Does anyone besides RAM offer auto leveling rear air bags on a 2500? I got so spoiled by the auto leveling and soft ride of 1500

Ram is the only one to offer it as a factory option.

 

[ultrarunner]

With short bed leaving the gate down made room for 4x8 sheet goods.

I had a 3 point harness from hitch receiver to each gate latch for those jackrabbit starts.