keep in mind that a Cab/chassis truck will be 'detuned' compared to a pickup bed truck. This is with Ram and might be on Fords also.
Some of the cab and chassis dually configurations also come with a narrow rear end, at least they used to, while the pickup duallies have the wide rear end. Perhaps a difference to keep in mind depending on one's application.
Ain no way I’m reaching over a seat to crank a passenger window and as far as manual shifting goes with todays Allisons & Aisins, well I’m done driving relics. The autos are faster, safer and get better traction in the snow and much better to plow with and off road while pulling a trailer.
I just got my 1999 F150 back on the road. Both power windows still work, but the auto locks don't work (both sides). Some of the bells and whistles just wear out. I find the power lock on the tailgate on my RAM is annoying.
None of my vehicles have navigation, but it is a nice feature in some cars I've driven. I like Google Maps, and it is addictive with hunting for addresses or driving out of town. Hmm, a backup cam or a hitch cam would be nice.
I do like features like the old push button radios. Very intuitive, and easy to use without taking the eyes off the road to make sure one is hitting the right button on a touch screen.
I've put a lot of miles on manual transmissions. I don't believe there is a real safety issue, and it does help keep one in tune with one's vehicle. Unfortunately most of my recent pickups have had automatics.
Last summer I started driving my RAM 1500 (towing) up the back hill on my property. I had to put it in 4x4 low, and get a bit of a run up the hill. I discovered that I was losing all power about halfway up the hill, ultimately losing traction, and either stopping on the hill, or putting myself into a dangerous backward slide. The problem was the pickup upshifted at the bottom of the hill, then couldn't downshift quickly enough when it needed power. I now lock it into 1/2 gears. That wouldn't have even been a thought with a manual. Nonetheless, the pickup making bad shifts, and putting me in a dangerous situation left a bad feeling with me.
All the electronic wizardry in the engines. On a good day they can help diagnose their faults (if only they'd tell you what is wrong rather than that stupid check engine light), and the vehicles have gotten to be extremely reliable. Newer vehicles are cleaner burning, and fuel efficiency has also been creeping up. Just think of the older pickups that got less than 10 MPG (empty?), and many people considered them well worn at 100,000 miles. Things have changed.
As far as snow and ice, I like my nephew's Honda Insight hybrid. A pair of paddle regen shifters on the steering wheel helps one bleed off speed without touching the brakes. Too bad it doesn't have AWD.
I've heard that some of the new diesel pickups come with Jake Brakes. That would be a very nice feature, and could help with control on hills, as well as slippery road surfaces.
