"I suppose that if you can tolerate an automatic transmission (I can't and never will)."
I too was an anti-dentite and only bought manual tranny cars until a few years ago. Newish 5-6 speed autos equal the mileage of a carefully rowed manual and older robust 3-4 speeds seem indestructible I've got a rock crawler recreational Jeep with an auto and it's worlds easier to drive in the tough stuff. Note that there is not a single manual tranny competitor in the W.E.ROCK rock crawling competitions these days.
I always say something was lost in translation/ marketing when Toyota decided to started writing "T(U)RD" all over those rigs.....
Yeah, we get some odd-named ones down here too, like the Toyota Probox:
It has a slightly upmarket sibling, the Toyota Succeed, then up some more to the Toyota Fielder.
Ironically they're ok for urban survey needs.
?ÿ
I recently went through this myself. The price of new trucks cured me pretty quick. In 2016 when I went solo, my 2015 personal truck became my work truck. It now has 97k on the clock. I sold all of my running Classic trucks and Suburbans in 2016 also. I opted to buy myself a ??new? personal vehicle and keep driving the 2015 since it is already rigged and does the job fine. ?ÿI bought a 1992 full size 4x4 Blazer for personal use and can survey out of it if I have to if the work truck goes down for some reason.
It's a shame GM does not make the 4 Wheel Drive ASTRO van anymore.
Back in the 80's, Toyota considered a joint venture with Chevrolet. They wanted to call it Toylet. ????
One of my main gripes is does anybody look at payload when they buy a vehicle.?ÿ We have V6 quad cab Dodge Rams that are 4x4 and very lightly optioned.?ÿ They have a payload of 1700 lbs.?ÿ That sounds like a lot but we are right at that weight limit.?ÿ You will find a lot of trucks that have less payload, maybe 14oo lbs or less.?ÿ My personal truck is a F150 extended cab (Ford calls is Supercab) and it has a payload of 1940 lbs.?ÿ This truck stickered for about 47k but I got it for more like 37k.?ÿ If I were buying a work truck I would get the same truck I own now but an XL instead of a XLT.?ÿ It would have a payload of a little over 2000 lbs.?ÿ?ÿ I'm guessing a truck like that could be had for around 32k.
YUP, when I ordered my new Survey Vehicle back in 1999, I went with an F-350 instead of an F-250 for that very reason.
Loyal
What gained my interest with Toyota Tacoma with the TRD and towing options was that it gave the truck a 3/4 ton rating.
It will haul and pull more than my F150 and still get better mileage.
So for the past few weeks I have been cruising the Web looking at the trucks and holy molly the price of a bloody truck is outrageous and I have to wonder how in God's name anyone can afford one. I routinely see young folks driving around in by all accounts nearly a $80k truck and that does not even factor in the aftermarket add-ons. It would not surprise me one bit of I were to learn that some of these dually diesels were $100k.
So what do you fellas do for a work vehicle because even the used ones are commanding very high prices.
Around here I gotta tell ya the fee's need to double or triple to get to where they need to be but after looking at the truck prices even that will not be enough.
Have you raised your costs this month? I go up on my fee's tomorrow.
Many of those folks are not affording the $80K vehicle, they are only affording the 6 years worth of $1200/month payments for right now and are just one extra drain on their paycheck from not being able to make that payment.
I'm the sucker who usually buys new for both work and personal vehicles.?ÿ That should be great for someone else down the road to save the depreciation, except that I drive them forever.?ÿ I still have an '04 Ranger with 269K miles that I work out of (although I have been phasing out of it and into my '16 Frontier due to comfort).
Anecdotal - ROUGH CALCS DONE ON THE FLY - My new (when purchased in '04) Ranger works out to about $1800/year cost of only the vehicle.?ÿ No major repairs have been needed.?ÿ A colleague buys very used and has gone through?ÿ four different used vehicles bought for much cheaper, but needed major repairs and caused downtime.?ÿ Rough estimation of his vehicle w/ repairs costs would be about $2200/year NOT INCLUDING DOWNTIME.?ÿ Not a huge price difference, but I've had working air conditioning and no parts hanging off of my vehicle over the years.
If you like your Frontier aside from the size, have you looked at the Nissan Titan??ÿ Online pricing shows MSRP for a 4X4 crew cab SV being about $43K.?ÿ I haven't compared the beds, but the Titan may have more bed room than the Frontier.?ÿ When I bought my Frontier, the price for what I got was a big factor.?ÿ Of course the car reviewers will point out that is because the Nissans are a little dated with minimal new technology added compared to other trucks.
So for the past few weeks I have been cruising the Web looking at the trucks and holy molly the price of a bloody truck is outrageous and I have to wonder how in God's name anyone can afford one. I routinely see young folks driving around in by all accounts nearly a $80k truck and that does not even factor in the aftermarket add-ons. It would not surprise me one bit of I were to learn that some of these dually diesels were $100k.
So what do you fellas do for a work vehicle because even the used ones are commanding very high prices.
Around here I gotta tell ya the fee's need to double or triple to get to where they need to be but after looking at the truck prices even that will not be enough.
Have you raised your costs this month? I go up on my fee's tomorrow.
A nice f350 diesel or Chevy diesel can go upwards of 60k.
?ÿ
The auto dealer sells them with 84 to 96 month financing so the buyer can roll that mortgage down the road whilst paying 120 a week in gas if commuting 60 miles round trip.
All for the sake of looking good?ÿ
Ah yes, we always have to be concerned with appearances. As my favorite rastler Ric Flair would say, Whooo, stylin and profiling whoo.
84 months? 96 months? For a truck? You've gotta be kidding me! I have never went more than 5 years and it kills me to do that.
I hear ya.?ÿ Some of these trucks cost as much as, or in some cases, more than a new vette cost.?ÿ It's crazy.?ÿ Seeing people who would never buy a vette driving around in a just as expensive truck.?ÿ But if you take your time and look around, you can find a deal.?ÿ If you want to call it that.?ÿ I had to bite the bullet last fall after I got T boned in my 06 Jeep with only 80,000 miles on it.?ÿ Totaled.?ÿ My 02 Frontier was also showing its age.?ÿ I found and bought a "new" leftover 2017 Titan XD SV Extended Cab 4X4 with the Cummins engine in the color that I wanted (dark Pearl blue) and I love it.?ÿ I got it for $12K off the sticker price.
Sure, buying a 1 year old leftover brand new vehicle will hurt you if you try to sell or trade it in in a few years, but I plan on keeping it probably longer than my last truck of 16 years.?ÿ So it's not a factor.
