Topic: Full Size Users: A little help and your opinions

[spidey]

4.5 years ago I bought a truck, a 2005 Nissan Frontier.  To this day I still enjoy the truck, looks good, drives well, good milegage, etc.  Still extremely happy with it.

When I bought the truck originally I lived in the city.  Used it to haul the camping trailer, haul stuff (gravel, dirt, garbage), hunting etc.  Acutally used it as a truck but also as a daily driver, and to have a 4 x 4 when I needed it for whatever reason (winter storms and plugged streets were one ;-)

For the most part, does what I want it to do.  But since then we have moved to an acreage, we upgraded to a bit bigger camping trailer and haul water.

While the truck can handle this, its kind of handling it at the top end of the spectrum.  Hauling capacity is 6000 lbs, Im pulling a 5000 lb trailer.  While it can do it and the payload is fine (Ive tripled checked to make sure of this at weigh scales, my dealership, etc) Im definitly thinking with my driving for hills, etc, etc.  And for sure only go about 85-90 km on the highway.  Not that its a bad thing to pay attention when hauling a trailer, but Im forever being passed it seems.

Its also a short box, so cant haul big loads like lumber, etc, etc.  Plus I cant put my quad in the back either, something else I didnt have in the city

So just asking the full size truck users, what do you drive, pros, cons,etc.

Im toying with the idea of upgrading to a full size truck with the following

1. For sure a quad cab (which I have now) that seats 6.  If Im going to upgrade might as well be able to seat one more than I can now

2. Not a diesel, just not a fan.  Since Im not on the farm hauling cows and equipment or a fifth wheel, dont need it.

3.  Trying to keep it to the smaller full size model (as in Ford F150, Dodge or Chev 1500)  I dont have the need I think for the step above (F250 or 2500's)

Other than that, all options can be toyed with.  I see each model has their cool extras.  Also like to stick with Ford, Dodge or Chev.  I think the Nissan Titan has come to the end of its run.  And I havent really paid much attention to the Toyota Tundra.

I have been trying like hell to win a truck in contests, but no luck.  (which would be great, have 2 trucks, one for camping and hauling and the other as the daily driver and lets face it better on gas)

So lets here some info from some truck drivers.  And I dont want this to become a battle of "you dont need a truck, you can do this with a minivan, or a import fanboys argument either"

Thsi truck will be used as a truck and a family vehicle.  Will be hauling a trailer for camping, a water tank trailer, a quad in the back, and it will see off road when needed.  I have been doing research online on a lot of car review sites, but nothings better than realy world users opinions.

[rrocket]

A couple of my closest friends have trucks.  They tow their race car with it and the other a small enclosed trailer for his Harley, ATV. etc.  Both of them have a Ford F-150.  Both bought them used for good prices.  IIRC, both of them are around a 2005ish.  Quad cab 4x4s.  Never a problem with either.  Seems like an F-150 would suit your needs. 

[spidey]

A couple of my closest friends have trucks.  They tow their race car with it and the other a small enclosed trailer for his Harley, ATV. etc.  Both of them have a Ford F-150.  Both bought them used for good prices.  IIRC, both of them are around a 2005ish.  Quad cab 4x4s.  Never a problem with either.  Seems like an F-150 would suit your needs. 

I do like the looks of the Ford a bit more.  Chevys styling never really caughty my eye, although Im more about being good meachnially then looking good.

Im debating about a long box.  Ive seen some with the quad cab and they are very very long.  While handy, would be a pain I think for a daily driver.

Plus the short box on a full size would still be bigger than what I have now.

Thanks for the reply

[rrocket]

He has the shortbox and is able to have his ATV in the back with some box gate extender thing...sorry no idea what it's called.  His last truck was an F150 with a long box, and he steered clear of the long box this time.

[airbalancer]

Most extended cabs and 4 door truck boxes are less then 6 ft
I would stick with your Nissan until it will not do the job
Or do you just want a new truck

[spidey]

He has the shortbox and is able to have his ATV in the back with some box gate extender thing...sorry no idea what it's called.  His last truck was an F150 with a long box, and he steered clear of the long box this time.

Ive seen those tube extenders.  True that would give you at least another 2 feet of room with the gate down.  I wonder if he steered clear because of the issues Im thinking, pain to park and drive in the city

[mrthompson]

Would an extended cab with suicide doors work, given the 6 1/2 ft. box?

[rrocket]

He has the shortbox and is able to have his ATV in the back with some box gate extender thing...sorry no idea what it's called.  His last truck was an F150 with a long box, and he steered clear of the long box this time.

Ive seen those tube extenders.  True that would give you at least another 2 feet of room with the gate down.  I wonder if he steered clear because of the issues Im thinking, pain to park and drive in the city

Yea, sorry.  He said most of the time, he didn't need a full length box.  He never parked it in the city...we used to joke about parallel parking it! 

[spidey]

Would an extended cab with suicide doors work, given the 6 1/2 ft. box?

Be hard to go from a crew back to one like that.  Guess Im getting lazy and dont want to get out of my truck ;-)

[bridgecity]

I bought an '07 Tundra Double-Cab 4x4 recently.  Here's a couple threads on the subject:

http://www.canadiandriver.com/forum/index.php/topic,66020.0.html

http://www.canadiandriver.com/forum/index.php/topic,66612.0.html

[spidey]

I bought an '07 Tundra Double-Cab 4x4 recently.  Here's a couple threads on the subject:

http://www.canadiandriver.com/forum/index.php/topic,66020.0.html

http://www.canadiandriver.com/forum/index.php/topic,66612.0.html

Thanks for the info.  Do the Tundras come with 6 passenger optopm, i know there are so many configurations for trucks.  For me 6 passenger is a must, no sense upgrading if I can only seat the same amount of passengers

Where r u from, from your posts sounds like youve shopped at dealerships I have

[G0dspd]

If you're frequently hauling a 5000 lbs trailer, a full size truck (half-ton) will definitely make your life a little easier and you'll probably be able to hit the speed limit on the highway.   If you need a 8' box, you'll always regret getting a shorter model.  They do have extenders (each brand has a name for it) but I wouldn't want the tailgate down with stuff on it while I'm hauling a trailer.  I'm sure some truck owners make it work but I've always considered those extender thingies to be for very short trips.  Ford and GM don't offer an 8' box with their crew cabs and from what you've said, a 5.5' or 6.6' box should do the job.

You should definitely check out the extended cabs.  They're not as big as the crew cabs but some of them are surprisingly roomy.  The only problem is access ... you have to open the front door to get access to the back.

I would stay away from Dodge.  Their "new" Ram is ok but they still have a few issues to work out.  The GM twins would do the job but they're dinosaurs compared to the new F-150.  Ford and GM are "adjusting" their prices on their 2010 models (7-8000$ off).  The Tundra is close to the F-150 but I doubt they could beat Ford on the price ... maybe.

[spidey]

If you're frequently hauling a 5000 lbs trailer, a full size truck (half-ton) will definitely make your life a little easier and you'll probably be able to hit the speed limit on the highway.   If you need a 8' box, you'll always regret getting a shorter model.  They do have extenders (each brand has a name for it) but I wouldn't want the tailgate down with stuff on it while I'm hauling a trailer.  I'm sure some truck owners make it work but I've always considered those extender thingies to be for very short trips.  Ford and GM don't offer an 8' box with their crew cabs and from what you've said, a 5.5' or 6.6' box should do the job.

You should definitely check out the extended cabs.  They're not as big as the crew cabs but some of them are surprisingly roomy.  The only problem is access ... you have to open the front door to get access to the back.

I would stay away from Dodge.  Their "new" Ram is ok but they still have a few issues to work out.  The GM twins would do the job but they're dinosaurs compared to the new F-150.  Ford and GM are "adjusting" their prices on their 2010 models (7-8000$ off).  The Tundra is close to the F-150 but I doubt they could beat Ford on the price ... maybe.

Actually I wont need the 8 foot box frequently, just more of a nice-ity I guess.  But the cons out way the pros as a daily driver.  The extender would work for what I need, and I dont haul long stuff when camping anyway.

Couldny go extended after having a quad cab.  After having that conviences, would just be a step back for me.

Ill do som eseaching over the next while and see what I can find.  Not a rush, we handled the new trailer last year no poroblem, just coulnt do the speed limit (or if I did gas milage would be really crappy)
Thanks for the info

[PJungnitsch]

A few things:

Boxes
There's usually short (5 ft something), standard (6 ft something) and long (8 ft) box choices. With quad cabs I believe that Ford, Toyota, and Dodge can be ordered with a standard box, Chev's are shortbox only. Normally a quad cab comes with the shortbox. Short boxes can be a pain as a quad doesn't fit without the tailgate down, unless a stand is used to lift the front wheels. I drive an 07 Dodge with the shortbox, and have to hold the endgate half open with a rachet strap when hauling a quad.

Engines
The 'small' V8 seems to use just as much gas as the big one, at least the 4.7 Dodge's I have had. From what I understand the Ford and Chev's are similar. Toyota's new one is an exception AFAIK, they put some effort into it rather than just being an inexpensive engine for the fleet and cheapskate market. Power tends to increase dramatically on all makes as the years went on.

Extended cabs
Generally the extended cabs have gotten bigger with newer models. Sizing varies a bit by maker. Our Ford (small) extended cabs have the clamshell system, which is a pain in crowded parking or in the wind. Dodge and Toyota have double doors on all extended cabs (big and small) now, not sure about Chev. The 'big' extended cabs on the Ford (which does use double doors) and Toyota are enormous. The Dodge extended cab (small) on our 07 is actually quite a bit bigger than on the 08 Fords we run.

Reliability
Don't know if anyone holds a real reliability advantage. Fords have had trouble with spark plugs, either blowing out or sticking in, should be fixed past 09 or so. Of course with today's long spark plug change intervals a sticking plug may never be a problem. Cam phasers are a known issue in all years AFAIK. Our 08's have cabin heating/cooling systems with minds of their own, otherwise have been good but have low mileage so far. A friends 06 Chev started using a liter/800 km, known issue with some engines. Dodges seem to have problems with cheap power steering components, mine froze up and blew out it's breather system but otherwise was fine. No experience with Toyota. Used it depends a great deal on how the vehicle was treated, 4X4 systems especially can be expensive on anything if abused.

General
Our 08 Fords are much better on gravel than our 03 and 07 Dodge, which apparently can be fixed by just replacing the cheap shocks that Dodge specc'd. The new model 09 on Dodge OTOH has an excellent suspension for rough roads and appears to be significantly improved in all areas. For trailering make sure that tranny coolers and heavier radiator is included, optional on most makes.

[jamie1]

If you're frequently hauling a 5000 lbs trailer, a full size truck (half-ton) will definitely make your life a little easier and you'll probably be able to hit the speed limit on the highway.   If you need a 8' box, you'll always regret getting a shorter model.  They do have extenders (each brand has a name for it) but I wouldn't want the tailgate down with stuff on it while I'm hauling a trailer.  I'm sure some truck owners make it work but I've always considered those extender thingies to be for very short trips.  Ford and GM don't offer an 8' box with their crew cabs and from what you've said, a 5.5' or 6.6' box should do the job.

You should definitely check out the extended cabs.  They're not as big as the crew cabs but some of them are surprisingly roomy.  The only problem is access ... you have to open the front door to get access to the back.

I would stay away from Dodge.  Their "new" Ram is ok but they still have a few issues to work out.  The GM twins would do the job but they're dinosaurs compared to the new F-150.  Ford and GM are "adjusting" their prices on their 2010 models (7-8000$ off).  The Tundra is close to the F-150 but I doubt they could beat Ford on the price ... maybe.

Please tell us what "issues" the new Ram 1500 has to work out.

[G0dspd]

Please tell us what "issues" the new Ram 1500 has to work out.

The Ram is an honest truck and I wouldn't fault anyone for buying one, but an area that needs improvement though is the new coil-spring rear suspension ... it's too soft.  It's a good idea and it enhances the truck's handling but put some weight in the back (box or trailer) and the rear drops quickly (vs the competition).  There engine line-up could be more efficient but I guess Chrysler doesn't have the money for that right now.  It's a good looking truck and the interior is great in the fancier models (Laramie).

There are over 30 model variations for every brand so there's no "perfect" truck.  You buy what meets your needs.

[PJungnitsch]

...an area that needs improvement though is the new coil-spring rear suspension ... it's too soft.  It's a good idea and it enhances the truck's handling but put some weight in the back (box or trailer) and the rear drops quickly (vs the competition).

I was just out on Thursday, me with an 08 F150 and a co-worker with an 09 Ram. Quads seem to drop them exactly the same (ie, nothing noticeable). Anything truly heavy and my F150 drops pretty fast, I start checking around for a Superduty to borrow.

She has had no complaints towing her horsetrailer and indeed the Ram won the last towing test I've seen:

http://www.insideline.com/dodge/ram-pickup-1500/2009/2009-full-size-pickup-truck-comparison-test-and-video.html

[HeliDriver]

Please tell us what "issues" the new Ram 1500 has to work out.

The Ram is an honest truck and I wouldn't fault anyone for buying one, but an area that needs improvement though is the new coil-spring rear suspension ... it's too soft.  It's a good idea and it enhances the truck's handling but put some weight in the back (box or trailer) and the rear drops quickly (vs the competition).  There engine line-up could be more efficient but I guess Chrysler doesn't have the money for that right now.  It's a good looking truck and the interior is great in the fancier models (Laramie).

There are over 30 model variations for every brand so there's no "perfect" truck.  You buy what meets your needs.

One of our current work trucks is a 2010 Dodge Ram 1500 with the coil-spring rear end.

We've got three 45-gallon fuel drums in the bed (around 1,000 lbs) and I can't notice any excessive squat. I put a couple hundred kms on it yesterday, and it didn't feel overloaded at all. Coil springs or not, it seems perfectly fine for a half-ton, IMO.

Drives pretty good for a truck, too.

[airbalancer]

I think all the new trucks are pretty good, and you probably would not noticed any difference between them
I think what it comes down to is driver comforted

[G0dspd]

I was just out on Thursday, me with an 08 F150 and a co-worker with an 09 Ram. Quads seem to drop them exactly the same (ie, nothing noticeable). Anything truly heavy and my F150 drops pretty fast, I start checking around for a Superduty to borrow.

We've got three 45-gallon fuel drums in the bed (around 1,000 lbs) and I can't notice any excessive squat. I put a couple hundred kms on it yesterday, and it didn't feel overloaded at all. Coil springs or not, it seems perfectly fine for a half-ton, IMO.

The Ram I saw was a 2010 crew cab Laramie with those RamBoxes things. It had close to a 1000 lbs of cement bags in the box and it dropped quite a bit (not all in the back).  After we added the trailer (2-3000 lbs), it was really low.  I've worked with 2009-2010 F-150s and you can load those trucks quite a bit without any sagging.

I don't know the exact configuration or every options of those trucks but from what I've seen those new Ram like to go low.  Maybe it didn't have the same suspension package.  Don't know.