Can anyone school me about trucks?

[Tuna]

Ok, it's extremely slow on here today so I figured no one would mind.

Does anyone here know anything about full size trucks? Specifically 3/4 tons? and the big 3 diesels? I was researching them a bit and felt very overwhelmed. The main problem I found was there's still the old rivalries from the previous generation (like if your dad had a dodge, you have a dodge, and ford/Chevy suck).

Oh yea, and Brent save the rant about how far behind the domestic diesels are VW doesn't make a truck!

[Smarty39]

Re: Can anyone school me about trucks?

What exactly are you looking to find out? Specific questions instead of generic ones like, "do you know anything about trucks?". Not trying to be a dick, just trying to help you out.

[Canadian Turbo]

Re: Can anyone school me about trucks?

Well I am not sure I can get behind this truck idea (I guess that is why I am awaiting the smallest car on the market to arrive ) I really think they are all good performers. I do not have much experience at all with trucks but I do have many clients that use them for business and most tend to stick with the brand of choice. This could be based upon old biases howere for someone who puts 40,000km a year in very rural settings I think that must say something for the truck. I would say whatever you like best and can find the best deal on would be the way to go

[Tuna]

Re: Can anyone school me about trucks?

What exactly are you looking to find out? Specific questions instead of generic ones like, "do you know anything about trucks?". Not trying to be a dick, just trying to help you out.

Well, specifically, 3/4 ton diesels and if theirs major issues with any of them. I've heard of some of the fords having tranny issues, etc. If you were to pretend i was a noob on this forum asking about "VW's" you probably would've caught my drift.

And Blair, I'd only be getting one if I moved from Calgary. It's a slow day so I figured why not.

Edit: I also have a friend who's looking to buy a full size after selling his TRD Tacoma.

[Smarty39]

Re: Can anyone school me about trucks?

Well, specifically, 3/4 ton diesels and if theirs major issues with any of them. I've heard of some of the fords having tranny issues, etc.

Alright then. I have a complete unbiased opinion on the big 3 brands because I (my family) has owned all 3 at some point in time on our farm. Dodge's diesels are the best and most reliable in my book. We owned one for more that 6 years and put 280,000km on it with only reagular wear and tear issues. Chevy's were also good, but we only owned one for about 2 years. The brakes were horrible because of all the towing we did, and had to be replaced twice. The one Ford we ever owned was a complete money pit. It seemed like everything that could go wrong with it...DID! And yes, the tranny had to be replaced too. Hope this helps a bit.

[Tuna]

Re: Can anyone school me about trucks?

Alright then. I have a complete unbiased opinion on the big 3 brands because I (my family) has owned all 3 at some point in time on our farm. Dodge's diesels are the best and most reliable in my book. We owned one for more that 6 years and put 280,000km on it with only reagular wear and tear issues. Chevy's were also good, but we only owned one for about 2 years. The brakes were horrible because of all the towing we did, and had to be replaced twice. The one Ford we ever owned was a complete money pit. It seemed like everything that could go wrong with it...DID! And yes, the tranny had to be replaced too. Hope this helps a bit.

It most certainly does, thanks. In hindsight it was probably a stupid question to post on a VW forum but I was having trouble finding info, and it's nice to get an opinion. My hometown is totally ford country so they all tell me how great they are but they are always repairing them. Honestly, apart from the look, I wouldn't consider a ford.

Thanks again.

[Mr. Burns]

Re: Can anyone school me about trucks?

If I was buying a 3/4ton i would look no further than a Dodge Ram 2500 w/ Cummins and a 6spd

[Tuna]

Re: Can anyone school me about trucks?

If I was buying a 3/4ton i would look no further than a Dodge Ram 2500 w/ Cummins and a 6spd

Cummins is a huge plus, but they kinda cheat in the quad cab department, they use mini doors in the back because the front ones are so huge. And they have huge gaping wheel wells that can't fit a bigger tire because you can't go much wider than stock or they hit the bed (so i'm told).

It would be between the Dodge and the GMC I think.

I'm just toying with it right now, it depends on a big long shot at this point for me. My friend on the other hand has already test driven the Ford, and they've given him a trade in value for his Tacoma but i'm trying to convince him not to get it.

[Kor]

Re: Can anyone school me about trucks?

If you get a truck you gotta get a Calvin and Hobbes cartoon on the rear window and if you're serious I think you paint a confederate flag on the roof of the cab. Oh, and also you need some kind of anti-liberal bumper sticker, like "Buy a Gun, Piss Off a Liberal".

I'd get one of those Ford Lightenings or something, or doesn't dodge put the Viper engine in one?

[Klobi-One-Kinobi]

Re: Can anyone school me about trucks?

Srt-10.

Ram with cummins would get my vote as well.

[GTIguy]

Re: Can anyone school me about trucks?

you cant beat the cummins diesel. the fords are garbage. bad front ends, tires, hubs...they suck period. the duramax isnt bad and tons of chevy stuff fits other chevs. cummins builds diesels. chev and ford dont. the ones they build (or built) were based on a converted gas motor turned diesel so if its the powertrain you're after, go dodge. the ford v8 gas is guttless, and chevys cant seem to stop their motors from leaking. the brakes on ford/chev seem to suck too. i think they are too small for the vehicle. dodge sucked in the 80's/90's but they've come a long way now. i say dodge, the cowboy cadillac.

[Stonewall]

Re: Can anyone school me about trucks?

Oh yea, and Brent save the rant about how far behind the domestic diesels are VW doesn't make a truck!

VW does make a diesel SUV though
I drove 5ton internations for many years as well as many ford/chev/dodge diesels. Really it depends on what years you are looking at. Things to research are theft rate (my dads new F350 doesn't have an imobilizer as tehy concider it a work truck stolen once already), strength of tranny (stepdad gets a new ram every couple years and the last one went through a tranny every year), also oil/tranny cooling for when you are hauling heavy loads. Most of the newer diesels make major HP/torque with just a simple chip, they smoke alot but are generally pretty good.
BTW WTF is what that shot at me? I have never ranted about diesel vehicles only the crappy diesel we get in NA (which is changing) and in no way does a diesel car compare to a diesel truck Trucks have their place and so do cars.

[Kor]

Re: Can anyone school me about trucks?

Doesn't Toyota qualify as a major truck brand yet?

[Tuna]

Re: Can anyone school me about trucks?

BTW WTF is what that shot at me? I have never ranted about diesel vehicles only the crappy diesel we get in NA (which is changing) and in no way does a diesel car compare to a diesel truck Trucks have their place and so do cars.

I think you ranted once back when someone on here was looking at a truck (not a hardcore rant), but really I was just joking around I wasn't being serious. Oh, and to your question about how old, it would be less than 3 years old.

And Kris, I don't want a "performance truck", like a lightning or the SRT-10 . What a huge waste of money. And Toyota does qualify as a major truck brand in my opinion, but imports don't have diesels yet, and toyota's been kind of taking a hit lately as they have way lower hp ratings over the competition (actually Nissan has been blowing away everyone in the 1/2 ton department). One of the main reasons my friend is getting rid of his tacoma is because it can't pull squat (and he wouldn't mind more room too)

[Tuna]

Re: Can anyone school me about trucks?

you cant beat the cummins diesel. the fords are garbage. bad front ends, tires, hubs...they suck period. the duramax isnt bad and tons of chevy stuff fits other chevs. cummins builds diesels. chev and ford dont. the ones they build (or built) were based on a converted gas motor turned diesel so if its the powertrain you're after, go dodge. the ford v8 gas is guttless, and chevys cant seem to stop their motors from leaking. the brakes on ford/chev seem to suck too. i think they are too small for the vehicle. dodge sucked in the 80's/90's but they've come a long way now. i say dodge, the cowboy cadillac.

Yea, I like the Cummins, always have, it's a big plus for sure. and to your comment about the V8 gas engines being gutless, I totally agree. I did a quick look on edmunds today and the F150 is still rated at 202hp while the Nissan (only been in the market a couple years) is rated at 305. And the big 3 wonder why they keep getting beat at their own game