Who makes a work truck with creature comforts?

[dragoneggs]

It's been two months now and I can get thru the day w/out any pain killers. I still get stiff, aching joints when I sit too long. Stand & walk around - the pain is gone.

I never became addicted to the codine or morophine pain killers. However - the heated/massaging seats in the Taco Wagon - that's a different story.

Good to hear, oosik! I have had to use painkillers for my back on a few occasions and I can definitely see how they are addictive. A good doctor that is monitoring your prescriptions is a good thing.

 

[oosik]

I don't think I would ever be addicted to the narcotics. However - I can sure see how somebody could become addicted to the lack of pain. 30 of the Hydrocodone tabs at a time. Almost came to the point where I got "frequent flyer miles" at the local Medical Clinic.

Back in the year - 2005 - I bought a brand new F-150, 4WD. I wanted an F-450 with an after market stake side hydraulic tilt bed. Would you believe - the only F-450's in the PNW were the upper two grades of Ford trucks. I just couldn't see carpeting and leather in a work truck. Beside - the $$$$ were way up there also.

I "got by" with the F-150 and now the Taco Wagon is my new toy.

 

[strantor]

Well I ended up trading in my tired Yukon on a brand new truck yesterday. Things started falling off the Yukon and what didn't fall off stopped working. Within a couple of months the engine started ticking, it was shaking badly at highway speed, wouldn't keep an alignment, burned up the front diff and transfer case and couple sets of tires, and then the transmission started slipping and that was the last straw.

I decided to get a slightly used truck. Well the new "chip shortage" chapter of the 2020's apocalypse has dried up most of the new vehicle production and driven up the cost of used vehicles. The slightly used trucks I was looking at last year are now only about $5k less than their brand new counterparts. So I looked at brand new. There wasn't a whole lot to choose from. The GM and Ford dealerships had zero 3/4 ton trucks. The CDJR dealer only had two 2500 Rams on the lot. You could set up a drift course where all the new trucks are supposed to be. Well no big deal, both the 2500's they had were what I probably would have bought anyway, the least desirable and cheapest ones: Gas Hemi Tradesmans. My choice was grey or white, I chose grey.

With the "upgrade" I lost remote start, leather, heated seats, power memory seat & mirror adjustment, and obviously 3rd row seating. I did however gain the Ram "bullwinkle" tow mirror look, the "drone view" overhead camera, 100 more HP, some interesting towing aides, an 8" tablet in the dash, and obviously a bed. This only seats one less than yukon with the flip-up bench seat in the front, and the seats are comfy. That's was a big deal. I like comfy seats. And now I have 16k tow rating. I'm happy with it, but not sure I'll feel the same way after I've made a few $700 monthly payments. And I want remote start. I miss that. I think I'm going to stop by the dealership on the way home today and inquire about getting remote start retrofitted.

Does anyone here have a bed cover they recommend? I had one before on my GMC Sierra that was a rolling aluminum job like a garage door. The kids could jump around on it and it kept the water out. I could get up in the bed without hitting my head on some big awkward lid. I liked that, but I don't remember who made it and I am hesitant to take a chance on something that expensive.

 

[crashz]

Nice new truck strantor!

I don't care which brand, the new tucks are all nice. Except for the astronomical payments.

I just purchased an Extang soft cover for my truck. Fits with the tool box and fits well. About $300, so its not much of a commitment if you don't like it.

 

[deserteagle71]

I put an Extang Encore tri-fold cover on the bed of my new truck when I bought it 5 years ago. I preferred it to the roll-up ones because it doesn't take up bed space. It has held up well, keeps out water and prying eyes, and is strong enough that I can walk around on it without causing a problem. Takes only a minute to remove it if I'm going to be hauling the Yamaha in the back! https://www.amazon.com/Extang-Folding-Tonneau-62780-Lincoln/dp/B0077A87ZQ

 

[coobie]

Well I ended up trading in my tired Yukon on a brand new truck yesterday. Things started falling off the Yukon and what didn't fall off stopped working. Within a couple of months the engine started ticking, it was shaking badly at highway speed, wouldn't keep an alignment, burned up the front diff and transfer case and couple sets of tires, and then the transmission started slipping and that was the last straw.

I decided to get a slightly used truck. Well the new "chip shortage" chapter of the 2020's apocalypse has dried up most of the new vehicle production and driven up the cost of used vehicles. The slightly used trucks I was looking at last year are now only about $5k less than their brand new counterparts. So I looked at brand new. There wasn't a whole lot to choose from. The GM and Ford dealerships had zero 3/4 ton trucks. The CDJR dealer only had two 2500 Rams on the lot. You could set up a drift course where all the new trucks are supposed to be. Well no big deal, both the 2500's they had were what I probably would have bought anyway, the least desirable and cheapest ones: Gas Hemi Tradesmans. My choice was grey or white, I chose grey.

With the "upgrade" I lost remote start, leather, heated seats, power memory seat & mirror adjustment, and obviously 3rd row seating. I did however gain the Ram "bullwinkle" tow mirror look, the "drone view" overhead camera, 100 more HP, some interesting towing aides, an 8" tablet in the dash, and obviously a bed. This only seats one less than yukon with the flip-up bench seat in the front, and the seats are comfy. That's was a big deal. I like comfy seats. And now I have 16k tow rating. I'm happy with it, but not sure I'll feel the same way after I've made a few $700 monthly payments. And I want remote start. I miss that. I think I'm going to stop by the dealership on the way home today and inquire about getting remote start retrofitted.

Does anyone here have a bed cover they recommend? I had one before on my GMC Sierra that was a rolling aluminum job like a garage door. The kids could jump around on it and it kept the water out. I could get up in the bed without hitting my head on some big awkward lid. I liked that, but I don't remember who made it and I am hesitant to take a chance on something that expensive.

Nice rig..My 2016 Ram 2500 was flawless.

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[strantor]

I put an Extang Encore tri-fold cover on the bed of my new truck when I bought it 5 years ago. I preferred it to the roll-up ones because it doesn't take up bed space. It has held up well, keeps out water and prying eyes, and is strong enough that I can walk around on it without causing a problem. Takes only a minute to remove it I'm going to be hauling the Yamaha in the back! https://www.amazon.com/Extang-Folding-Tonneau-62780-Lincoln/dp/B0077A87ZQ

Would it keep out prying hands with prying tools? One thing I do sometimes is drive across the country with a vehicle full of expensive tools, sleeping in hotels. I'm very particular about where I stay and where they put me. Unless there's some kind of event that has all the hotels booked to max capacity I'll insist on a ground floor room where I can park right outside the window of my room, preferably under a light and/or camera. I'm very paranoid about it. Even with my stuff locked up in the yukon I wasn't able to rest easy. I accidentally locked my keys in the bed of the truck when I had that rolling aluminum cover and it took considerable effort to get into it. The kind of thing that would leave a would-be thief exposed and waving a huge "up to no good" flag for a dangerously long time if he had an inkling to get in there. Of course where there's a will, there's always a way, nothing is thief proof, but that cover was about as close as it gets and I don't want to leave my goods in a place that's accessed in a matter of seconds with a flathead screwdriver.

 

[deserteagle71]

Would it keep out prying hands with prying tools?

I doubt it.

When I was researching tonneau covers there was a video out that illustrated just how easy it was to get into any of them, regardless of the design or manufacturer. Thieves don't care if they damage the cover or your truck bed when they're breaking in. I'm sure that if I had a long pry bar and a hammer I could pop the latches off my cover. The covers are mainly to keep honest people honest (out of sight, out of mind).

 

[two_bit_score]

5/6/2021 NOTE: This is an old-ish thread and I resurrected it in post # 163.

I've been back and forth about buying a new truck for a couple of years and I think I might be approaching a point where it could be construed as "financially responsible" for me to finally pull the trigger. What I want is something I can get dirty without guilt or punishment; namely, something with vinyl flooring. But I don't want to give up the leather heated seats that I have in my 10 y/o yukon (whose carpets are thoroughly destroyed I might add), and I dont see why I should have to. And I don't see why I should I should have to suffer an am/fm radio with a 10-digit LCD either, while the one sitting next to it has a 10" tablet embedded in the dash. Why is it when you "down-grade" to mud/grease-ready flooring, you also downgrade to crank windows? Is there some secret passphrase I need to utter within earshot of "the manager" in order to unlock the option of a truck equally suited for work and comfort?

I'm looking for a 3/4 ton truck, preferably a diesel.

Find someone with the fleet department at a large dealer. They can get you what you want.

 

[aczlan]

A couple of coworkers have the bakflip covers on their trucks and are very happy with them.
No external latches, you open the tailgate, reach in and pop it open.
From what I can see you could open it with a pry bar, but that's going to be the case with pretty much any cover.

Aaron Z