Since I own a VW, I am new vehicle shopping.

Reg cab, 2wd, V8, domestic, and go?

Chevys suck at keeping valvesprings intact, oil rings that seize along with poopy lifters from AFM/DoD, but you can put decent rubber on them and place them on the ground with mega huge swaybars for some curvy fun.

Fords suck at lowering, keeping paint from bubbling underneath, and keeping it longer than 9yrs for parts, but then again, it can be considered a full frame Mustang and make 1k hp.

Dodge, well it's Dodge. That multilink rear end is the cat's ass though for plushness and you can find the above config on almost any dealer lot in the Express model.

SIGH... Choices, decisions...

In reply to Ranger50:

A reg cab is pretty useless for me but they are the only full-size truck that I'd ever get excited about - so I'm with ya!

For me, I'd get the GM, delete the DoD crap, add an exhaust that exits before the rear wheel, and lower it a bit (especially in the back). I'd keep the original steel wheels and put fatter tires on it to give it a similar look/stance as those Police Tahoe's.

The Ford could be interesting with the 2.7 TT, but I'd rather have V8 noises and the 5.0 makes nice ones. I have no interest in owning a Chrysler product so no help there.

In reply to kilgoretrout:

I'm a lifelong Ford guy at heart but I agree with your post.

I wont own a new gm.

What about tundra?

Failing that, go dodge. Im a mopar guy, but they are making dome pretty awesome E36 M3 these days no matter what brand loyalty you have.

In reply to Dusterbd13:

No way on imports. They're ugly and drive just like how they look.

Easy button is to buy the Dodge, but no aftermarket. That's on top of the normal Mopar funkiness they are known for...

Ranger50 wrote: No way on imports. They're ugly and drive just like how they look.

I do not own a Tundra, and I dearly loved my 2500HD for being a ridiculously competent workhorse that was tolerable as a highway cruiser but I would never have chosen to drive it for pleasure if it wasn't pulling 11k lbs.

I can't believe you could make that statement if you have ever driven a Tundra of any vintage. They drive nicer than any of the big three in the same way a Honda Odyssey drives nicer than a mid-60s school bus. That 5.7L is a real sweetheart too. The new ones might even be a better truck than anything below HD duty domestics. Ugly though... I'll grant that.

Ranger50 wrote: In reply to Dusterbd13: No way on imports. They're ugly and drive just like how they look.

The Ram and GM trucks are made in Mexico, while the Toyota is made in Texas and the Nissan Titan is made in Mississippi. Are they really "imports" if they're made here, while the "domestics" are made across the border? Just sayin'.

If I was in the market for a new regular cab, 2WD, V8 short box pickup, I'd be getting a Ram. I think they look the best in sporty form, and the Express package with the Hemi can be had pretty cheaply. With incentives, I've seen new ones in the low $20k range.

There's a lady at my work that drives a fairly new one, and it's a higher trim package (maybe a R/T?) and it looks awesome. Hers is stock, save for a cat back exhaust. It sounds amazing.

FWIW, my dad has a 2008 Tundra. His is a SR5 4 door extend cab (not the Crew Max) with the short bed. It's a 4x4 with the 5.7L V8. It is HUGE. It feels like you are driving a locomotive. And for such an enormous vehicle, it really moves! It is starting to get some rust here and there, though.

I'd get a real stripper of a work truck. Probably Ford but I could be persuaded to the GMC/Chevy side. The Dodge option could only be an option if the price differential was great enough to offset the build quality. I mean they feel nice at first but they don't age as gracefully as the Ford/GM equivalent, IMHO.

A rubber floor is a necessity, not a want. Then throw Mustang 5.0 take-offs at the engine.

Forget brands. Which one fits you and your needs the best.

iceracer wrote: Forget brands. Which one fits you and your needs the best.

This, although stated needs are a bit unclear.

The GM aftermarket would have me going there if you want to go lower and add power. In truck use, even aggressive truck use, would things like your valve springs and oil ring concerns really even be an issue?

If you wanted to race truck, it seems all those issues are pretty easily aftermarket resolvable while upgrading power simultaneously.

STM317 wrote:

Ranger50 wrote: In reply to Dusterbd13: No way on imports. They're ugly and drive just like how they look.

The Ram and GM trucks are made in Mexico, while the Toyota is made in Texas and the Nissan Titan is made in Mississippi. Are they really "imports" if they're made here, while the "domestics" are made across the border? Just sayin'.

Ram, GM and Ford produce trucks in multiple plants to meet demand. Ram also uses Warren Truck in Michigan (my dad worked there in the 70's - 80's) GM produces trucks at Flint assembly in Michigan and Ft. Wayne Indiana, Ford builds trucks all over the country, and last year moved heavy duty truck construction from Mexico to Ohio (F650-750, big stuff). Having said that, it doesn't matter where the truck is built, as long as it does what you want. Good luck finding a regular cab 2wd short bed, those are rare these days, everybody seems to want a quad-cab 4x4 high-zoot pickup. At least that's what they keep in stock in my neck of the woods.

In reply to 06HHR:

Because that is what brings the most $ into the dealership. Every option has 10-30% of profit...

iceracer wrote: Forget brands. Which one fits you and your needs the best.

They all do, but they all have their own shortcomings.

In reply to STM317:

I look at the engineering before assembly. I have worked on them all. I greatly, ummm, dislike Japanese brands, save for Mazda; those rebels. Toyota has never impressed with anything. I don't fit, they don't have good driving dynamics (as much as I have tried to not hate them), and ever changing assembly line engineering- it's maddening.

I was in the same situation. My wife works for GM, so her employee discount helped sway my decision, but I was looking at GM's, anyway.

I bought a black 2014 Single Cab GMC Sierra 1500. (I like the front end of the GMC over the Silverado). Options were the 5.3 L, towing package, Satellite radio option and cruise. The only one in that combination around Texas had the chrome package. (really wanted the black work grill/bumpers and will probably add them later)

Almost 40k miles on it now with zero issues. Things I hate about it:
1) My house has trees and the leaves have a tendency to find their way into the A/C fan. Still trying to find the source to put some screen over it to prevent that.
2) The height. While I understand it's a truck, I had to get side step bars just to climb in the damn thing. I really want to lower it (not much, like and inch or two) but also tow with it and don't want to lose the towing capabilities.
3) The single cab has zero seat leaning room. Now, I've grown up driving small cars and since the bulk of the use of the truck would be my son and I driving back and forth to the track, a single cab seemed just fine and easier to maneuver. However, not being able to lean it back on long trips kinda sucks. But, in typical domestic fashion, going to an extended cab added like $7k to the price.....
4) Weird A/C fan. It will be on high and then drop down to something like half speed. It acts like automatic A/C although I don't have that option.

Other than that, it's been trouble free and I will most likely own it for a very long time. I love the truck and with the 5.3L and a limited slip, it will scoot!!

-Rob