What truck?

Location
SK
After having mostly GMC's and Chev trucks for years, I bought a 2001 GMC Sierra Denali, my dream truck with the back wheels that steered! Unfortunately the rear wheel steering, although awesome, was a bit unreliable, I crab steered into traffic a few times before I decided enough was enough. GM pretty much quit fixing the rear steering saying something like it was "too costly to maintain". Still an awesome truck, and was great for towing etc. I happened to have the opportunity to trade it on a 2004 Dodge1500 that was my wife's lease return with 100000km on it. I jumped at the chance and have never looked back. That first 2004 dodge is still in use, albeit only for hauling a slip tank at the farm, but it has 420000km. Not bad I'd say! I've now had 4 new dodge/ram half tons and a 3/4 ton. Each one is better than the rest, the last half ton we had had close to 400hp, and got about 10.1 l/100km consistently, and would still tow trailers and smoke the tires if you wanted to. As the family grows though, the latest vehicle is a toyota seqouia, wifes choice,lol.

Long story short, my vote is for Dodge/Ram.

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk
 
As far as ski riders in this forum I think have vehicles in 6 different states.... The lightning Tribute trucks I built are all over the country, from Washington state, to Florida, to New York. People get super crappy service from their local dealer, and that’s my wheel house is customer service.

If I can’t make it the best buying experience you have ever had, then I let myself down.

Maybe I will contact you soon about a truck. I just found out that my mother's Sante Fe can tow the boat and she likes my Azera .. So we're swapping cars and I won't need the truck until September this year when my lease returns. Gives me a little time to stack some cash.
 

bird

walking on water
Site Supporter
It’s better to just ignore a troll.

Yes, I'm a troll. Offiering real facts and numbers about each type of "truck" on the market. I didn't come into this claiming anything was the best. I deduced the best platform for what I need. You have offered nothing, except stating I fix my unknown year of Toyota more than my unknown year of Silverado. As far as I'm concerned you're somewhere near Pluto with Mickey the Mouse.
 
I think the take away from this thread has lead to this:

1. Work truck?
Yes, get a well maintained pick up truck within your budget.
No, go to 2

2. Towing?
Yes, get a real body on frame SUV that is well maintained and within your budget (NOT a crossover)
No, go to 3

3. What oil is best? (what this thread has turned into haha)
 

Big Kahuna

Administrator
Location
Tuscaloosa, AL
Yes, I'm a troll. Offiering real facts and numbers about each type of "truck" on the market. I didn't come into this claiming anything was the best. I deduced the best platform for what I need. You have offered nothing, except stating I fix my unknown year of Toyota more than my unknown year of Silverado. As far as I'm concerned you're somewhere near Pluto with Mickey the Mouse.
Offering real facts does not make you a troll. But posting this Bullchit makes you come across as an ass. "keep drinking the Kool-Aid, underneath every Toyota and Honda lover is the guy who hates his dad. " Sorry man, Mom's and Dad's are off limits in my book.
 

bird

walking on water
Site Supporter
Offering real facts does not make you a troll. But posting this Bullchit makes you come across as an ass. "keep drinking the Kool-Aid, underneath every Toyota and Honda lover is the guy who hates his dad. " Sorry man, Mom's and Dad's are off limits in my book.

This is the internet, congratulations you're part of the "I'm offended" movement, nothing is off the table here. I was simply quoting a movie(Big Daddy), but it must have struck a cord :)

My point stays the same, he made a random claim without even mentioning the year of vehicle he's referencing? In my book, he's in the outer limits.
 

Big Kahuna

Administrator
Location
Tuscaloosa, AL
This is the internet, congratulations you're part of the "I'm offended" movement, nothing is off the table here. I was simply quoting a movie(Big Daddy), but it must have struck a cord :)

My point stays the same, he made a random claim without even mentioning the year of vehicle he's referencing? In my book, he's in the outer limits.
Not part of any movement. dont pay attention to quotes from movies that came out 15 years ago........ Is it summer time yet.
 

Mike W

Infidel
Location
North Florida
Yes, I'm a troll. Offiering real facts and numbers about each type of "truck" on the market. I didn't come into this claiming anything was the best. I deduced the best platform for what I need. You have offered nothing, except stating I fix my unknown year of Toyota more than my unknown year of Silverado. As far as I'm concerned you're somewhere near Pluto with Mickey the Mouse.

Quit dumping on this guys post. You come across as a jackass just so you know.
 

Sanoman

thecolorpurple
Site Supporter
Location
NE Tenn
On a more positive note gentlemen,this thread has been very informative with all the input from different viewpoints! Can we keep it on tract..
 
Heres a question that bridges domestic and import trucks, why the hell cant they make blower motors that you dont have to hack your factory wiring up? Mine went out, gonna be 24 tonight so I stopped at advance auto to get one even though its 40 for a name brand one on amazon. Paid 62 with my shop discount cause its about to get cold and they had it in stock. Got done tonight and went to install it before bed and its a damn wire in model! Nothing I hate more than cutting up factory wiring.
 

bird

walking on water
Site Supporter
On a more positive note gentlemen,this thread has been very informative with all the input from different viewpoints! Can we keep it on tract..

Trying, he won't tell me the year of Silverado he has issues with. I'd like to know. Maybe he has a 4.8 2wd Short box, which would have been a great choice for the poster, since size was a factor and he wanted to tow more than 3k.

Quit dumping on this guys post. You come across as a jackass just so you know.

I've been known to frequent Pleasure Island from time to time, you should come.
 

Mike W

Infidel
Location
North Florida
Trying, he won't tell me the year of Silverado he has issues with. I'd like to know. Maybe he has a 4.8 2wd Short box, which would have been a great choice for the poster, since size was a factor and he wanted to tow more than 3k.



I've been known to frequent Pleasure Island from time to time, you should come.


This is someone else’s post so I don’t think it’s appropriate to babble on about this. If you want to know about the issues I had with my Silverado then shoot me a pm. We dumped on this post long enough.

In a side note, you seem like a weird dude. I think we might be able to be friends. Lol
 
I found out today that the Grand Cherokee's are unibody .. and i'm turned off by that because I will be running a hitch hauler AND towing the boat. Also people say that inline 6-cyl lacks power to pull heavier loads.

but the good news is that I finally found THE truck that fits my every need.. 2003-2008 GMC Envoy with the 5.3L V8. Body on frame, 4WD, 15/21 mpg, 6100lb towing capacity, hitch is standard, commonly found with good options, well under $10k, and doesn't look very old. Length is short at 191" so not difficult for parking in NYC. Now to patiently wait for the right one.

This one maybe.. maybe mileage is too high
https://newyork.craigslist.org/que/cto/d/elmont-2006-gmc-envoy-denali/6790663049.html
 
Whatever you do dont get the one with the sliding cargo roof thing. When it breaks in the open position, you wont be a happy camper.

Noted! That is on the XL version which adds 16" to the length and it makes a big difference when driving around 30 minutes looking for a parking spot!

Only problem these trucks is with the rear air suspension. It's likely that I will convert to springs with air assist soon as that happens.
 
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bird

walking on water
Site Supporter
Noted! That is on the XL version which adds 16" to the length and it makes a big difference when driving around 30 minutes looking for a parking spot!

Only problem these trucks is with the rear air suspension. It's likely that I will convert to springs with air assist soon as that happens.

The air suspension gets a bad rap, but that's because folks are cheap...I went with the Arnott's in my LTZ Autoride. They lasted 5 years, I just replaced them because a bolt got loose and chewed the shock bushing. I had 90,000 on them and they still held air. The air compressors wear out because people don't unhook them once the bags start leaking. Oldsmobile Bravadas used the air compressor as an auxiliary tire inflation device.

The air shocks will keep your rear end from sagging when you put your hitch hauler and 300lb ski on it :)
 

bird

walking on water
Site Supporter
I found out today that the Grand Cherokee's are unibody .. and i'm turned off by that because I will be running a hitch hauler AND towing the boat. Also people say that inline 6-cyl lacks power to pull heavier loads.

but the good news is that I finally found THE truck that fits my every need.. 2003-2008 GMC Envoy with the 5.3L V8. Body on frame, 4WD, 15/21 mpg, 6100lb towing capacity, hitch is standard, commonly found with good options, well under $10k, and doesn't look very old. Length is short at 191" so not difficult for parking in NYC. Now to patiently wait for the right one.

This one maybe.. maybe mileage is too high
https://newyork.craigslist.org/que/cto/d/elmont-2006-gmc-envoy-denali/6790663049.html

Make sure you get the transmission checked out if it's the same tranny as the 4.2 I-6, and do not buy an AWD version. They come with a center differential instead of a transfer case. $$$$$ to fix.
 
I found out today that the Grand Cherokee's are unibody .. and i'm turned off by that because I will be running a hitch hauler AND towing the boat. Also people say that inline 6-cyl lacks power to pull heavier loads.

but the good news is that I finally found THE truck that fits my every need.. 2003-2008 GMC Envoy with the 5.3L V8. Body on frame, 4WD, 15/21 mpg, 6100lb towing capacity, hitch is standard, commonly found with good options, well under $10k, and doesn't look very old. Length is short at 191" so not difficult for parking in NYC. Now to patiently wait for the right one.

This one maybe.. maybe mileage is too high
https://newyork.craigslist.org/que/cto/d/elmont-2006-gmc-envoy-denali/6790663049.html

The 5.3L engines with the active fuel management in that vintage have some serious oil pump issues. I had a 2006 Envoy Denali that went to the junk yard with just under 100K on the clock after the engine ate its bearings following a single no oil pressure cold start.
Also, the 2006 5.3L is not forward or backward compatible with any other model year 5.3L so finding a replacement engine (if you were to find yourself in a similar situation) is quite difficult, if not impossible (unless you want the roll the dice on a junk yard motor). Having the engine pulled out and rebuilt would have cost more than $9000 at the time (2016) so I cut my losses and sent the Envoy Denali to the junk yard.
I will take the bus before owning another GM vehicle.
 
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