SBT Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 SIL's truck is a Super Crew Cab. Like I mentioned, he bought it with every option available. I thought it was a lot of money, for what he was getting, but it's his money. My only observation to him was that he doesn't use it as a truck, nearly enough, to justify the cost and he agreed. It was one of those "got-to-have-it" purchases that we sometimes do. It's not earning its keep IMO, so I couldn't justify it. That said, I would only buy a truck to use as a truck, so that means it's got to be able to haul and tow, a lot of stuff, on a near-daily basis. Since I'm getting back into vehicle restorations, and starting a homestead, I need a vehicle that can shoulder heavy loads and not groan under them, that has both the power and the under-guts to handle it. That requires torque and a super solid drivetrain/frame to transmit it, and for my buck, that means diesel, which as you've outlined, is why I it's not a waste of money for me. And FWIW, 70mph at 1900rpm, with a properly setup load on behind, is plenty fast enough. Slight tap to the throttle and it's at 2100rpm and pushing 80mph which was the speed limit across Texas. Not many trucks would manage that easily, nor with that kind of mpgs. I'm not a Dodge fanboi, but I am impressed with their older HD 2500 Cummins Diesel pickups. We don't have rust and other "location" issues here, so structural longevity would be a concern if we did. Other trucks of that vintage may be equally impressive, but, like everything else YMMV. - Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuskiTrombone Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 I agree that trucks should be the type you aren't afraid to beat up on. However most people here just buy them to be comfortable on long trips. It is what it is. The diesel vs. gas debate seems to be a wash. What are some of the maintenance items with diesel engines? I know spark plugs isn't one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05GT Guru Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 SIL's truck is a Super Crew Cab. Like I mentioned, he bought it with every option available. I thought it was a lot of money, for what he was getting, but it's his money. My only observation to him was that he doesn't use it as a truck, nearly enough, to justify the cost and he agreed. It was one of those "got-to-have-it" purchases that we sometimes do. It's not earning its keep IMO, so I couldn't justify it. That said, I would only buy a truck to use as a truck, so that means it's got to be able to haul and tow, a lot of stuff, on a near-daily basis. Since I'm getting back into vehicle restorations, and starting a homestead, I need a vehicle that can shoulder heavy loads and not groan under them, that has both the power and the under-guts to handle it. That requires torque and a super solid drivetrain/frame to transmit it, and for my buck, that means diesel, which as you've outlined, is why I it's not a waste of money for me. And FWIW, 70mph at 1900rpm, with a properly setup load on behind, is plenty fast enough. Slight tap to the throttle and it's at 2100rpm and pushing 80mph which was the speed limit across Texas. Not many trucks would manage that easily, nor with that kind of mpgs. I'm not a Dodge fanboi, but I am impressed with their older HD 2500 Cummins Diesel pickups. We don't have rust and other "location" issues here, so structural longevity would be a concern if we did. Other trucks of that vintage may be equally impressive, but, like everything else YMMV. Towing and starting a homestead are both reasons to own a diesel. I only tow a camper and small trailer. The trailer is never above 2-3,000lbs. The camper is around 5k loaded. My 1500 silverado does both of these well. My main use is for hunting. I spend a lot of time in the woods and kill a decent amount of animals. It is nice to have it for the snow but we only get like 1 maybe 2 snow falls a year that are too much for an AWD car. Last year we didn't get any as the snow was minimal but the -60 wind chill killed the snow fall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBT Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 I agree that trucks should be the type you aren't afraid to beat up on. However most people here just buy them to be comfortable on long trips. It is what it is. Oil (3 gallons of it for OCI ), oil and air filter, fuel filter and trans/diff fluids, belts as necessary. 6500mile OCIs, 30K for air filter (or as needed in really harsh enviros), 60K for fuel filter, trans and diff. Other than that, belts and tires, when needed. - Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBT Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Towing and starting a homestead are both reasons to own a diesel. I only tow a camper and small trailer. The trailer is never above 2-3,000lbs. The camper is around 5k loaded. My 1500 silverado does both of these well. My main use is for hunting. I spend a lot of time in the woods and kill a decent amount of animals. It is nice to have it for the snow but we only get like 1 maybe 2 snow falls a year that are too much for an AWD car. Last year we didn't get any as the snow was minimal but the -60 wind chill killed the snow fall. For your uses, it sounds like you have the ideal truck. Though, if I still lived in PA, with the same requirements, I'd have a Jeep GC. Would get me in and out of my hunting and fishing ocales and certainly tow the trailers you mentioned, even a smaller utility trailer for hauling-out the bigger game without the need to heft it into the elevated bed. Much easier to navigate the load into the local butcher shop too. - Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuskiTrombone Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Oil (3 gallons of it for OCI ), oil and air filter, fuel filter and trans/diff fluids, belts as necessary. 6500mile OCIs, 30K for air filter (or as needed in really harsh enviros), 60K for fuel filter, trans and diff. Other than that, belts and tires, when needed. Are they all belt or chain driven? So there's no timing belt to worry about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05GT Guru Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 I agree that trucks should be the type you aren't afraid to beat up on. However most people here just buy them to be comfortable on long trips. It is what it is. The diesel vs. gas debate seems to be a wash. What are some of the maintenance items with diesel engines? I know spark plugs isn't one. Well first off is oil and filters. The fuel filters need to be changed regularly. The Big diesels take anywhere from 10-13 quarts of oil. So if you don't have a warranty that includes changes you are looking at close to 100 bucks to do it yourself and well over 100 for a shop to do it. Diesels eat drivetrain parts even though many parts are more heavy duty. The weigh over 1000lbs more than a 150/1500 in some cases almost 2000lbs more depending on model, options etc. That tends to wear parts faster. Diesels have multiple fuel pumps. If the injector pump goes which is a common thing to replace multiple times if you own your diesel for a long time or buy used with higher mileage. They are anywhere from 900-1500 depending on the truck. Ball joints, wheel bearings, tierods etc are all itmes you should get used to replacing as they will go out often. As I posted on another thread when I help my friend go through his companies paperwork they had around 40k in maintainence between their two fords in about 3 years. Though he keeps these trucks in good shape, parts are replaced when they need to right away and a shop does the work. And those trucks tow and haul everyday of the week. Now they just bought two 2013 dodge HD 3500s, crew cabs, 8ft beds with the bigger diesel engine. So hopefully the warranties save him some money of the next few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuskiTrombone Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Just looked at the prices of some used ones and they are outrageous. I most certainly don't have a need for one and will definitely be looking at an F150 or Tundra as my next truck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05GT Guru Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 For your uses, it sounds like you have the ideal truck. Though, if I still lived in PA, with the same requirements, I'd have a Jeep GC. Would get me in and out of my hunting and fishing ocales and certainly tow the trailers you mentioned, even a smaller utility trailer for hauling-out the bigger game without the need to heft it into the elevated bed. Much easier to navigate the load into the local butcher shop too. It would tow the trailers I mentioned but it wouldn't tow them as nice as a longer vehicle that can handle more load. I don't like putting bloody animals on carpet. And I don't tow trailers through the woods. That is a good way to get caught up on something. I have dragged deer up to two miles out of the woods to trails or roads where I can pick them up with a vehicle. Throwing them up into a bed after that is a cake walk. A truck my size isn't hard to drive or navigate anywhere. Now a 2500/3500 crew cab with the 8 ft bed is another story. To Ruski, As I said they cost more to buy as well. For what you pay for a diesel 2500 with 100-140k on it you could get a 2500 gasser with the same options for the same price with 30-40k on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05GT Guru Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Just saw this, not sure if true or not. Ford fanbois are not happy. Ford will not offer v8s in the mustang or f150 after 2017. http://horsepowerkings.com/sources-ford-to-discontinue-v8-motors-in-mustang-f150-after-2017/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuskiTrombone Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Doesn't surprise me at all. They are all about forced induction engines right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuskiTrombone Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 To Ruski, As I said they cost more to buy as well. For what you pay for a diesel 2500 with 100-140k on it you could get a 2500 gasser with the same options for the same price with 30-40k on it. I don't even need anything that size. I'll be happy with a 1/2 ton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBT Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Are they all belt or chain driven? So there's no timing belt to worry about? Everything is gear and/or chain-driven. No timing belt to worry about - ever. This 03 HD 2500 is a Common Rail Turbo Diesel, so it has the revised injector pump and a heavy duty lift pump to get it from the 35gal tank to the injector. It's been absolutely bullet-proof through the entire 171K miles and ran perfectly all the way to SoCal and back ~6300 miles, without a burp, let alone a hiccup. It rides and drives like a new truck, sans the new-truck support in the driver's seat, which is minor. Started without glowplug warm-up on the 15* nights all last winter and is, in a word, reliable. 700 mile fill-ups is pretty nice too. The tradeoffs I see in the newer trucks (whether gas or diesel), is the weight reductions to the chassis, which results in flex, stress and strain when actually used as a truck. This translates into more wear on suspension components which depend on alignment for proper wear and longevity. This increases COO. Where diesel engines excel, is in their longevity, all else equal. While I can't speak to the GM and Ford variants, the Cummins is easily capable of a 300K mile MTBT and more. There's numerous owners around here with 290-300K on the odo and all they've done is the routine maintenance and replace the wear items. And they work their trucks, put them through their paces every day, IOW, they don't baby them. And they don't give a second's thought about getting in them, hooking-on to a fully-loaded 40' horse trailer, or 20,000lb 40' RV trailer, and driving across the country and back. Most of those are DRW setups, but the internals are essentially the same. Compare the TOC, for a 300K, heavy-use vehicle life cycle, and you'll likely see that the diesel came out ahead. If you're buying one to drive around and take trips in, with the intention of trading-in/-up in a year or so, then a diesel truck is probably not the right choice for you. To the OP's question, it really comes down to what you really need. I can see either of your three choices working for you. Just a case of figuring out which works best for all of your needs and going that route. - Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05GT Guru Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 I have seen diesels go to 400k. I have also seen numerous 5.3 liter gas engines from GM go well above 200k, some approaching 300k. There are more than a few owners with 250k on them with the stock long block. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossil2k2 Posted January 16, 2015 Author Share Posted January 16, 2015 Anybody driven or driven in a Caddy ATS w/ the 2.0 Turbo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05GT Guru Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Someone on here owns one. Can't remember who. You're welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBT Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 One of our members is a CTS-V owner, but that's in a whole other league...especially with the introduction of the 2016 variant - WOW! On the topic of driving an ATS, I have - nice platform, even in the stripped-down version. The faux leather looks nice, the seats are supportive, and the ride is supple but controlled. But the I4T, coupled with the 6AT and the limited rear legroom/tight trunk killed it for me. You can get the I4T in MT, but the dealer indicated that I'd have to special order it, and you could only get it in RWD. To get the AWD package, you have to go with autobox, in both I4T and V6 versions. AWD and MT is not available with the base I4. A lot of people are hedging their bets that the ATS may compete head-to-head with, and even take sales away from, the 3 Series BMW, which would likely also cut into Audi and Mercedes sales for those cross-shopping those marques. - Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris GTO TT Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 The limited rear leg room on many sedans larger than the Legacy is really a major killer for me. I test drove a 2010 Audi S4 and it's back seat was smaller than the Legacy even though it's a larger car. 2003 Baja 5MT 2016 Outback 2.5i Premium w/Eyesight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05GT Guru Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 The limited rear leg room on many sedans larger than the Legacy is really a major killer for me. I test drove a 2010 Audi S4 and it's back seat was smaller than the Legacy even though it's a larger car. The 05-09 legacy gt is pretty much the same length as a s4. My roomate had one and they are pretty much dead on in length. The s4 is the same size as the a4 and the a4 is not a large car. That is why they have the a6/s6 and the a8. The a4/s4 does look bigger though I wil lsay that. The way the audis are shaped makes them look larger than they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris GTO TT Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Overall length is nearly the same but width is almost 3 inches greater and the wheel base is almost 5 inches greater on the S4. That huge increase in wheelbase should equate to more interior room, but it doesn't. 2003 Baja 5MT 2016 Outback 2.5i Premium w/Eyesight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05GT Guru Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 It does have more interior space in cubic feet according to cars.com and edmunds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris GTO TT Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Yeah well try out the back seat lol 2003 Baja 5MT 2016 Outback 2.5i Premium w/Eyesight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBT Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 I think of the A4 being as built on the Jetta Chassis, the A6 on the Passat Chassis, and the A8 on the Group D platform which also undergirds the VW Phaeton and the Bentley Continental GT and the Flying Spur variants - Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredrik94087 Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 1) Save money, suck it up & drive the Celica until it shits the bed or hits a deep enough pot hole to damage a vertebrae This is what my mother would hope I would do. 2) Take insurance and part out money and buy a '08 or '09 LGT w/ moderate to low mileage This will make you do everything all over again (mod-wise), except this time you know what you want. Some guy was trying to sell his low mileage (70K) '09 for $20,000. That is insane. 3) Dip into the piggy bank and and buy a 2011 or newer unmolested WRX I have looked for these as well and they are too costly 4) Finance up to $35k for a low millage '11-'14 F150 EcoBoost FX4 Super Crew w/ all the fixings. I was very impressed with one of these at the dragstrip...all stock except for a tune If I were to finance up to $35K, I'd buy a new STI or a new 2014 WRX, if there was still one around. I won't get into the 2015 WRX vs 2015 STI debate. "It's within spec" - SOA "Depth is only shallowness viewed from the side." - Fredism "So, how much did it cost for your car to be undriveable ." - Stephen (very close friend) "You have done so much it would be stupid to go back." - Sunny of Guru Electronics 2018Q50RS | 2015WrxThread | Shrek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05GT Guru Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 What was the guy at the strip running? Ford really leaves a lot of room left in tuning I hear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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