New Truck recommendation

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rbk777 said:
Thanks everyone. It seems I'm narrowing down to a Titan ($40K new); an SV Frontier ($33K new) or a GM2500 ($47K)--all base models and best prices found. Leaning towards the Frontier, just because I'm done with expensive vehicles. The pause I have is which one will last the longest with fairly light duty--don't mind spending a bit more for real quality. I envision keeping this until I'm no longer on this earth.
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Of those 3 I'd also pick the Frontier. Titans are rare which means pricy parts. HD is way overkill, sucks gas, hard to park, rough ride, expensive tires, etc.
 
rbk777 said:
Hi all. I have a Pilot and a Camry. Recent circumstances require me to get rid of my Camry and replace it with something that has more utility. A pickup truck seems to fit the bill. 80% of the time this will be used for mall crawler duty, but I will need to drive on poor mountain dirt roads occasionally and pull a small trailer (5k lbs or less) on those roads. There will be snow and mud on those roads too. I'm a fairly big boy with long legs, and like my comfort. I'll also need the truck to fit at least 5 people. I typically keep my vehicles for a long time (at least 200K, but typically 250K miles) and hate repairs, so reliability is probably my #1 criteria. I had a 2021 chevy 3.0 diesel for a while, but the noises that thing made WHILE THE ENGINE WAS OFF scared the hell out of me (clicks, whistles and rumbles when I approached it with the key in my pocket), so fearing eventual electrical gremlins I sold it--plus the price of diesel in my area was 25% higher than gas, negating the mpg advantage. F-150s are too dam expensive, Tundra turbos are now junk, and I don't fit in Tacomas. I'm thinking of a 4x4 Frontier SV, or a base model Chevy extended cab with the 2.7L turbo. I know nothing about Ram, other than the fact it's a Dodge made by some someone with a less than stellar reputation. FYI, I have no "little guy, big truck" ego. So, what the heck should I buy?
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Ford super duty with gas 7.3 Godzilla engine. Will last you forever and be more than capable for everything you will ever do. Add the tremor package and you are good for all the mud ruts and snow
 
mco30mco said:
Ford super duty with gas 7.3 Godzilla engine. Will last you forever and be more than capable for everything you will ever do. Add the tremor package and you are good for all the mud ruts and snow
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even the 6.8 would be a good option for op
 
Blueshound said:
O

Of those 3 I'd also pick the Frontier. Titans are rare which means pricy parts. HD is way overkill, sucks gas, hard to park, rough ride, expensive tires, etc.
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The Titans suck gas if you check out their forums. Every so often someone will claim some unreachable mpg-but it is the Internet....The Titans are a great choice for a V8-a poor choice in every other respect.
 
stevejones said:
Are you pricing 2WD models?
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Those are all 4wd prices, for dealers with ratings above 4.0--check out the various car websites (don't buy from rip-off dealers). I just confirmed the price on the Frontier SV, though the dealer does add a $600 doc fee.
 
rbk777 said:
Thanks everyone. It seems I'm narrowing down to a Titan ($40K new); an SV Frontier ($33K new) or a GM2500 ($47K)--all base models and best prices found. Leaning towards the Frontier, just because I'm done with expensive vehicles. The pause I have is which one will last the longest with fairly light duty--don't mind spending a bit more for real quality. I envision keeping this until I'm no longer on this earth.
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It's hard to say on the 2022+ Frontier with the "new" VQ38DD engine and the Jatco copy of the MB 9G-tronic transmission it has. Replacement Nissan engines are crazy expensive for what they are. Same with the new 9spd. Engine/Trans alone are like $13K+ each. Fluid maintenance on the new 9spd is a bit of a chore. I suggest youtoobing that. You might not find anything on the Frontier's 9spd, but you will for the Mercedes Benz 9G-tronic (basically the same trans).

Replacement body panels and plastic is expensive on the new Frontier. I found that out when I had a light deer hit with mine. No aftermarket parts are available (yet) and a bumper cover, grille and headlamp was ~$4K parts, paint and labor.

I average 20-21mpg tank/tank with my Frontier daily driving, which is basically all country and highway. You can fit 5 adults in a crew cab, but the rear seat would not be comfortable for a long trip for an adult. Perfect for kids ranging from car seats to teenagers.
 
rbk777 said:
Those are all 4wd prices, for dealers with ratings above 4.0--check out the various car websites (don't buy from rip-off dealers). I just confirmed the price on the Frontier SV, though the dealer does add a $600 doc fee.
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That leaves out about 98% of Nissan Dealers....(ripoff dealers)
 
I’m irritated with my 2018 f150. It’s not been a hallmark of reliability. It’s also not been bad either. Really, it’s better described as quirky. Kinda like a Volvo. But Volvos are easier to work on with 2 steps higher in material quality. If I buy another truck, ford will not be my first look.

RAM has materials and comfort, but the guys here who run fleets tend to see more repairs in them from what I recall.

I’m not sure the newer GMs are any easier to live with long term. They jam a lot of stuff under the hood and it’s a long reach in.

Oddly enough, I’ll optimistically nod towards the ridgeline as well. A low miles gen 1 would be worth considering too. They are not terribly efficient on fuel, but they are heavy, solid vehicles, with a big open interior space. The drivetrain doesn’t get many complaints - Honda has that engine/transmission combo in a lot of vehicles. Seating in it is good.

The only caveat would be FWD with a 5000 lb trailer would not be ideal if your mountain roads are poor (wet/slick/muddy/rocky) while going uphill.
 
meep said:
I’m irritated with my 2018 f150. It’s not been a hallmark of reliability. It’s also not been bad either. Really, it’s better described as quirky. Kinda like a Volvo. But Volvos are easier to work on with 2 steps higher in material quality. If I buy another truck, ford will not be my first look.

RAM has materials and comfort, but the guys here who run fleets tend to see more repairs in them from what I recall.

I’m not sure the newer GMs are any easier to live with long term. They jam a lot of stuff under the hood and it’s a long reach in.

Oddly enough, I’ll optimistically nod towards the ridgeline as well. A low miles gen 1 would be worth considering too. They are not terribly efficient on fuel, but they are heavy, solid vehicles, with a big open interior space. The drivetrain doesn’t get many complaints - Honda has that engine/transmission combo in a lot of vehicles. Seating in it is good.

The only caveat would be FWD with a 5000 lb trailer would not be ideal if your mountain roads are poor (wet/slick/muddy/rocky) while going uphill.
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Why did you decide on the F150 over another Tundra?
 
drtyler said:
Why did you decide on the F150 over another Tundra?
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At the time we were towing frequently. The tundra we had was really not a great tow vehicle over 3500 lbs though it was rated for 6900. It was noisy, had poor brakes (with the larger rotors and 4-pot calipers), and was thirsty as a DD. Also the lower seat height was sometimes a bit awkward on long trips.

The f150 has done very well at those things. The 2.7L tows amazing and spins low and easy. Frankly, I bought the truck for that engine. Towing with it is in another league ltognether. The chassis is much more anchored to the ground with a load, and it’s a much quieter vehicle (though rattles from the suicide back doors are starting). The 2.7 also excels for mpg … current average is 21.7. So for all the reasons I chose it, I’ve been happy. Where it has started to irritate me is the perceived reliability. Full dashboard removal at 18 months for HVAC. Several nuisance recalls. Transmission literally can’t shift gears right without mechanic in a bottle. This one has me quite nervous as a long term keeper … I’m having a hard time committing to keep the vehicle the way the trans has been acting, but I really need this to last at least another 2 years. Stereo is starting to flake out. First CEL at 69k miles 2 weeks ago. It’s not an easy vehicle to get in there and work on, and by comparison, uses so much more plastic that Toyota.
 
meep said:
At the time we were towing frequently. The tundra we had was really not a great tow vehicle over 3500 lbs though it was rated for 6900. It was noisy, had poor brakes (with the larger rotors and 4-pot calipers), and was thirsty as a DD. Also the lower seat height was sometimes a bit awkward on long trips.

The f150 has done very well at those things. The 2.7L tows amazing and spins low and easy. Frankly, I bought the truck for that engine. Towing with it is in another league ltognether. The chassis is much more anchored to the ground with a load, and it’s a much quieter vehicle (though rattles from the suicide back doors are starting). The 2.7 also excels for mpg … current average is 21.7. So for all the reasons I chose it, I’ve been happy. Where it has started to irritate me is the perceived reliability. Full dashboard removal at 18 months for HVAC. Several nuisance recalls. Transmission literally can’t shift gears right without mechanic in a bottle. This one has me quite nervous as a long term keeper … I’m having a hard time committing to keep the vehicle the way the trans has been acting, but I really need this to last at least another 2 years. Stereo is starting to flake out. First CEL at 69k miles 2 weeks ago. It’s not an easy vehicle to get in there and work on, and by comparison, uses so much more plastic that Toyota.
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The 1st gen Tundra was a good truck, but it was not a great towing vehicle for large loads. The 2nd gen Tundra seemed to fix that (pretty much heftier in every way with a really great 5.7 V8), so that's why I was curious. I had a 1st gen for many years, and bought a 2nd gen a few years ago. It's been a good. Surprisingly the gas mileage is no worse, despite the heavier truck, bigger engine, etc. And the brakes are MUCH better -- four wheel disc that are sized for truck duty. I never cared for the rear drum brakes on the 1st gen Tundra.

I would have a hard time with the F150 and all that going on. I think @CKN recently traded his F150 for a Silverado, and one of the main reasons was the transmission.
 
drtyler said:
The 1st gen Tundra was a good truck, but it was not a great towing vehicle for large loads. The 2nd gen Tundra seemed to fix that (pretty much heftier in every way with a really great 5.7 V8), so that's why I was curious. I had a 1st gen for many years, and bought a 2nd gen a few years ago. It's been a good. Surprisingly the gas mileage is no worse, despite the heavier truck, bigger engine, etc. And the brakes are MUCH better -- four wheel disc that are sized for truck duty. I never cared for the rear drum brakes on the 1st gen Tundra.

I would have a hard time with the F150 and all that going on. I think @CKN recently traded his F150 for a Silverado, and one of the main reasons was the transmission.
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That would be correct. Supposedly the transmission was addressed after August of 2021-the jury is still out. However-to be as unbiased as possible-the 3.5 EcoBoost is a great motor-power for days, and if driven conservatively when you don't need to tow, it returns decent mpg.
The owners with fewest complaints are those with the 2.7. As @meep has said above-the transmission is far from perfect, to be generous....
 
i have the gen 1 10r80, had the cdf drum replacement (under warranty) truck shifts great now. if you haven't had the done then its coming.
@meep
 
b_b said:
i have the gen 1 10r80, had the cdf drum replacement (under warranty) truck shifts great now. if you haven't had the done then its coming.
@meep
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CDF drum and probably valve body on mine, but I’m past warranty. I’m hoping the class action lawsuit finds a way to extend the warranty. All I’d have to do is flush the fluid with just Mercon ULV and it will bang hard every 3rd gear upshift, and worse.

Until that gets released though, IF it does, it gets the magic juice. I’m biting my nails over what an out-of-pocket repair cost would be.
 
meep said:
Oddly enough, I’ll optimistically nod towards the ridgeline as well. A low miles gen 1 would be worth considering too. They are not terribly efficient on fuel, but they are heavy, solid vehicles, with a big open interior space. The drivetrain doesn’t get many complaints - Honda has that engine/transmission combo in a lot of vehicles. Seating in it is good.

The only caveat would be FWD with a 5000 lb trailer would not be ideal if your mountain roads are poor (wet/slick/muddy/rocky) while going uphill.
Click to expand...
The Ridgeline is AWD.
 
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