GM trucks have slipped

[bdog]

I have owned 2017 or newer pickups of all three brands. I concur that GM is definitely not on the same level. It is sad as there was a time when they were ahead. Normally when I buy a truck which is very often as we have multiple trucks we use for lwork I look at all three brands before making a decision. Until something major changes I am not even going to look at GM.

I am not a proponent of any brand as I often own trucks of multiple brands but currenty owning Ram and ford I can say the Ram for sure wins the technology and creature comforts race. We have had no issues with the Ram yet but haven稚 really had it long enough to tell. The fords just work and work and work some more.

 

[flyerdan]

When they first started hawking those ads for that poxy whiz-bang tailgate, I thought there's a fragile bit of kit exposed to damage hazards that will cost more to fix than I paid for my pickup.

 

[bdog]

When they first started hawking those ads for that poxy whiz-bang tailgate, I thought there's a fragile bit of kit exposed to damage hazards that will cost more to fix than I paid for my pickup.

Normally I like gadgets. I like the step on the fords. It is really useful for someone with bad knees like me. That GM tailgate looks like a disaster.

 

[ruffdog]

I like the GM bumper corner steps as you can use them when a trailer is hooked up.

 

[Copperhead]

Illinois is 10.9
Ohio is 11.6
Minnesota 11.8
Wisconsin is 11.5

Like I referred to, registration may show those kind of numbers but from a viewing perspective the numbers don't match up on the road. And therein lies the rub. While the average age of vehicles in a particular state may be 10,11, 12 or whatever years, more than half actually on the road on a daily basis is younger than that average. In any given state, there are a lot of cars that still are registered that are rarely if ever driven. So I am not sure that cars that have been replaced in many households by a newer vehicle and sitting around not being driven, even though they have current licensing and registration, are really making a good case about the average age of vehicles in a particular state. Especially in a presentation that infers the average age of vehicles on the road are 10, 11, 12 or whatever years old.

For instance, in many states after 10 years a vehicle annual tags and registration is nominal as far as cost. Some folks will hold onto a car after 10 years just because it can be a cheap backup. My wife's 2006 Cadillac CTS she just sold this last summer, the tags were down to $50 annual and insurance was very cheap. But that car sat in our barn not being used for a while before we sold it. So while it contributed to the idea of the "average" age being something like 11 or 12 years, it was not a daily driver.

 

[4570Man]

There’s a lot of 90s and early 2000s vehicles still in service in my area. When a lot of the “new” vehicles are 4-5 years old it would take a lot of then to bring the average up. Rust isn’t much concern in my area so vehicles are driving until they’re completely junk or wreaked.

 

[oosik]

I still remember the ONLY pickup my father ever had. A 1948 - one ton - Chevrolet. It was purchased by the government and was for government use only. It was a real bruiser and it did not have a heater. My dad finally had a short load of gravel put in the bed. That helped the ride - somewhat.

 

[MossRoad]

Like I referred to, registration may show those kind of numbers but from a viewing perspective the numbers don't match up on the road. And therein lies the rub. While the average age of vehicles in a particular state may be 10,11, 12 or whatever years, more than half actually on the road on a daily basis is younger than that average. In any given state, there are a lot of cars that still are registered that are rarely if ever driven. So I am not sure that cars that have been replaced in many households by a newer vehicle and sitting around not being driven, even though they have current licensing and registration, are really making a good case about the average age of vehicles in a particular state. Especially in a presentation that infers the average age of vehicles on the road are 10, 11, 12 or whatever years old.

For instance, in many states after 10 years a vehicle annual tags and registration is nominal as far as cost. Some folks will hold onto a car after 10 years just because it can be a cheap backup. My wife's 2006 Cadillac CTS she just sold this last summer, the tags were down to $50 annual and insurance was very cheap. But that car sat in our barn not being used for a while before we sold it. So while it contributed to the idea of the "average" age being something like 11 or 12 years, it was not a daily driver.

While those are very good points, I can take you down streets in South Bend, Indiana where you'd be hard pressed to find any car less than 10 years old. Drive through the south side of Chicago or east Chicago and what you'll see is older cars. It's their daily driver.

Again, I think you're seeing fewer rusted out beaters, but you'd be hard pressed to identify cars by year accurately at quick glance.

 

[ovrszd]

Again, I think you're seeing fewer rusted out beaters, but you'd be hard pressed to identify cars by year accurately at quick glance.

I would for sure.

 

[MossRoad]

I would for sure.

Impalas, Malibus, Crown Vics, Mustangs, Mercury Marquis, Corollas, Civics, Camrys, Accords, let alone all the pickup models.... please. :laughing:

 

[5030]

Normally I like gadgets. I like the step on the fords. It is really useful for someone with bad knees like me. That GM tailgate looks like a disaster.

Bends easily as well. Basically paper mache. Ford isn't much better nor is FCA. All about building than as light as possible.

 

[ultrarunner]

I'm thinking my average is more than 40+ years but this includes my 114 year old car and plenty from the teens and twenties. Lots of perfect metal going to scrap due to failed emmissions which test 1976 and newer

 

[5030]

I'm thinking my average is more than 40+ years but this includes my 114 year old car and plenty from the teens and twenties. Lots of perfect metal going to scrap due to failed emmissions which test 1976 and newer

Glad that is a non issue here. If it was, I'd be recycling a bunch of iron. I remember way back when punching catalytic converters with a pipe to bust the substrate and then starting the motor and flooring it to blow the junk out the tail pipe.

In reality, a bunch of perfect metal went to scrap with Obama's cash for clunkers too. Another failed gummit program.

 

[two_bit_score]

The average age of a car on the road in Maine is 11.2 years. That means half of the cars you see in Maine are older that 11.2 years. So if you see 1000 cars in a day, 500 of them were over 11.2 years old. You said you don't hardly see any cars over 10 years old, yet half of them that you see are well over 10 years old. You just don't notice it, probably for a few reasons.... 1. they all look the same due to safety constructions and aerodynamics. 2. they rust much less due to better corrosion inhibitors. 3. where they do rust is usually covered with plastic, like bumpers, rear quarters, rocker panels, etc...

An “average” doesn’t necessarily mean half are above and half are below a certain number. That would be the “median” number.
“The median is the middle point of a number set, in which half the numbers are above the median and half are below.”


.

 

[KennyG]

An “average” doesn’t necessarily mean half are above and half are below a certain number. That would be the “median” number.
“The median is the middle point of a number set, in which half the numbers are above the median and half are below.”


.

And when it's in a news report you have no idea what it really is since most reporters don't know the difference between average, median and mean.

 

[Cat_Driver]

I hated Ford vehicles and didn't know why, so I purchased everything but a Ford. Then I purchased a low milage Ford gas work truck with a contractor body and lumber rack. I had several other vehicles for my business from various manufactures including a Mercedes Sprinter deliver truck.

The GMC dually with a Duramax overheated from day on but service manager said " that's normal for a diesel". The Sprinter I had to buy twice - once buying the vehicle then again in spending almost as much in repairs.

As the years went on I realized the good ole Ford work truck just kept running never in the shop once. I treated the Ford poorly never paid any attention to it, only serviced it when I felt like it using whatever oil was around the shop. Don't recall that I ever changed the air filter never changed the fuel filter.

I picked up a 2019 For Lariet diesel crew cab, that rides and drives like a luxury vehicle and I sure get looks when I took 40 loads to trash, brush, debris to the dump with my 16' Dump trailer. Had it almost a year now and not a single problem whereas the Sprinter was towed to the dealer several times in the first year of ownership.

Again the Sprinter was a Mercedes, know as the best of the best and it was the worst vehicle I have ever owned. I mean even the oor hinges failed on the Sprinter, the roof leaked, the belt pulley failed, the Ac failed, tranny leaked, fuel injectors failed, gear shifter failed, sliding side door failed, turbo failed, EGR valve failed, and more that I've forgotten.

I dumped the GMC dually because of the overheating.

 

[ovrszd]

Sadly, in human nature, we tend to properly service the best vehicle the worst.

 

[5030]

You never want to get in an accident with a Sprinter. The entire body and chassis is welded together. You get in a wreck it costs a huge amount to get them fixed.

 

[Cat_Driver]

You never want to get in an accident with a Sprinter. The entire body and chassis is welded together. You get in a wreck it costs a huge amount to get them fixed.

Funny story about that. During a wind storm a fiberglas tonneau Cover blew off of the truck next to me and left a 24" dent right behind the drivers door. My insurance came out to give me an estimate because the driver left the scene. I had $1,000 deductable and my insurance coincidentally said I had $900.00 in damage so buh bye we can't help you.

They found the guy because I took a photo of him driving away and his insurance came out they gave an estimate of $3,500.00, and paid me within a week.

Needles to say I dumped my insurance the next day.

I never did get it fixed just kept the $3,500.00 to set aside for any upcoming repairs on that hunk of junk.

 

[Jstpssng]

I like the GM bumper corner steps as you can use them when a trailer is hooked up.

Those are nice even without a trailer. I also have a headache rack with of 1 1/2" square tubing going the length of the bed, which is great for a 3 point handhold when climbing in and out of the bed.

The average age of a car on the road in Maine is 11.2 years. That means half of the cars you see in Maine are older that 11.2 years. So if you see 1000 cars in a day, 500 of them were over 11.2 years old. You said you don't hardly see any cars over 10 years old, yet half of them that you see are well over 10 years old. You just don't notice it, probably for a few reasons.... 1. they all look the same due to safety constructions and aerodynamics. 2. they rust much less due to better corrosion inhibitors. 3. where they do rust is usually covered with plastic, like bumpers, rear quarters, rocker panels, etc...

Now it's the frames or unibodies which fail.