D/A

[brad03ca]

Went shopping for a new T/V today. Wow!!!! may have to keep the current one for a while yet. Any one else priced new vehicles lately?

[brad03ca]

Went shopping for a new T/V today. Wow!!!! may have to keep the current one for a while yet. Any one else priced new vehicles lately?

[The Big Kid]

yep,

in the last 2 weeks I have priced a Dodge Ram 3500, an International 4400 LP, and a Freightliner M2.

Characteristics-

4 doors
dual rear wheels
Diesel(for the Dodge anyway)
Manual tranny

The truly scary part is how close together in price they are.

The Medium duty trucks that I spec'd out are significantly LARGER, MORE POWERFUL, and look different, but, if you take them down a few notches and get the performance numbers down, they can be remarkably close.

[Little Kopit]

How did you find each?

Would all serve your needs?

BTW, what do you use a truck for?

[The Big Kid]

Well my simple observations are:

I will outgrow the Dodge 4 door in a couple of years. I am 6'5" and the kids are 10/12, with the drivers seat at my comfortable position, the child behind me has less than 2 inches of legroom. So, it would work for a couple of years.

International and Freightliner, are BIGGER, no headroom issues for me, no legroom issues for anyone else.

Overall, power is increased insanely, parking is only minimally different, if not easier in a MDT due to better front wheel cut angles. Overall dimensions are close. Fuel economy would drop somewhat, but not alot, if gear ratio's are selected carefully.

The MDT would serve my needs for at least 12-14 years. Can a 1 ton do that?

We use a truck for everything. The debate would be based on $$, we are considering buying the MDT, and keeping the Dodge 2500 as the beater truck for daily short runs and such. It would help keep the km down to about 12-20k a year for the next 10, so by then it would just be getting broken in.

so many options, so much $$, it makes a hard decision. 62,000 for Dodge vs 81,000 for the MDT's.

what to do.

[The Big Kid]

or maybe I answered the question wrong -

you might have wanted to know:

I found them because I was actually lost and the wife said if I didn't stop and ask directions she would rip my head off. So, I took the next left and then said, "hey, look at that truck".

[Little Kopit]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I am 6'5" and the kids are 10/12, with the drivers seat at my comfortable position, the child behind me has less than 2 inches of legroom. So, it would work for a couple of years. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I can't resist saying that in 6 years you will need less room. The kids will be doing their own thing, unless they are driving you. Would that be a reason to hold onto the Dodge 2500.

RV wise, what are you using a truck for?

Interesting to see that you think in terms of 12-14 years. How much salt is put on your roads? Last truck I parted with after 11.5 years because it needed quite a bit of body work, which I couldn't do (time as well as skills) and figured $ would be better on new. What else makes you think in terms of 12-14 years?

[The Big Kid]

Normally, you would be right. In 6 years we should need less. But, my parents are hinting that once we are on our own, they would like to travel with us for a couple of years. We plan to travel when the kids are out of the house(and yes they will be).

RV wise, right now we have a Komfort 25 ft fifth wheel. It puts our 3/4 ton Dodge at max gross due to 1700 lb pin wieght. The wife was drooling over some new trailers that are well out of our capacity until Tow Vehicle is replaced.

We also have had a few too many incidents where the other idiots around us, want to see if I really can stop that quickly. The truck gets REALLY REALLY squirrelly in the mountains and corners of BC when you need to panic because the minivan of tourists in front of you decided to stop on a blind curve in the middle of the 2 lane road to look at a goat. You come barreling around the corner trying to hold speed for the steep hill ahead(signs advertised it), and CRAP, there they are. Of note are the real morons that love to pull up to the highway from a side road/pull out, and decide they want to be in front of you, cuz nobody wants to follow the guy with the trailer only doing 5-10 km/h over the limit. So, we think we need a better truck.

Life span, well - I am probably moving back to Halifax next year, but, it won't do a lot of winter driving there. That is a reasonalbe part of the debate as we need to consider all those things. But, right now, if we by a newer 4 door full size pickup, we will be in our same predicament in 2 years. Yes, I could make the kids suffer for a couple more, but that just make life for all miserable. Then, I would be replacing a truck again.

So, looking beyond 10 years is based on thinking of the $$ over the long term. I debated getting a truck that I could put a plow on and get myself some side work during the Halifax winters, with the pure idea of making it need replacing sooner, but, that also goes against my lazy nature.

[Little Kopit]

In Halifax, getting past 10 years will be doing GOOD!!!

Hills out here aren't..... unless you take some of the wonderful roads over here (and we still have some)

Hmm, boondocking. You know it's been made illegal in NS, don't you? But over here, well, there is tooooo much crown land. Too many logging roads. Love gravel pit camping, I do. Good clearance on truck is a good idea.

[The Big Kid]

Overall, I am not worried about doing 10 years in Halifax. I expect to be moving in 4-5 ish.

My current 3/4 ton, I bought Jul 96, Jul 97 moved to Halifax, then Jul 01 back to BC, and I still have it, and there is very little rust.

Keep it protected when in Halifax, wash annually, whether it needed it or not, and it all worked out fine. Had some corrosion issues on the wifes Honda, and the truck, with fuel lines and some other stuff, but no major body rust.

The hills are not much to speak of, I had a buddy who drives "super B's" in BC come out to Halifax for a visit and we touristed around. He had a good laugh at the "steep hill" signs.

I don't think people really need to worry about boondocking in NS. The province only has a land mass the size of Vancouver Island, the politicians must believe that people only do day trips, so people won't need to spend the night. I expressed my opinions on that topic, in that thread.

My big plan though is to make sure I get my new vehicle while I still live in BC so I don't end up paying the NS tax on it. Every % counts. The annual vehicle inspection is frustrating, and the odd concept around registration vs insurance is a little different too.

Either way, we are just plain outgrowing(kids getting taller and taller) the current p/u and with planned expansions, it is time to investigate replacement.

[brad03ca]

My recent trip east made me think more, about the diesel. Gas prices are crazy, and my gasser pulling the 5er didn't impress me. When gas is around 74- 76, like last year, you can live with the extra cost. This year, gaser still performs the same, but at 1.04-1.07 per liter, it gets pretty costly. On the way home I bought gas in Napanee Ontario for .84 How is that price difference justified????? beats Me!!!

[Little Kopit]

Brad,

Back Already???? Man that was a flying trip. That's the nearest I can come to a huh!

Where did you go? Some side roads, I trust!!!

We have 1.048 here. YUK. Can't wait to hit Whycogamagh!!! Though I will tank up before departure. Are you still thinking of new wheels?

Bid Kid, we don't have vehicle inspection, but like NS have hefty sales taxes. Some NL residents go buy new wheels in other provinces!!!

I may agree with you about boondocking. I used to live in NS & I know that law won't bother the locals at all. They know where the crown land is. The ones who are bothered are hanging out in the cities, which ...... camping IMHO. I shall have to check Vancouver Land Mass. I have NS on file, having answered questions about provincial sizes too many times.

Re. sales tax and gasoline prices, are we too complacent to travel minded swallowing the pill and wanting the product?

:

[brad03ca]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Re. sales tax and gasoline prices, are we too complacent to travel minded swallowing the pill and wanting t </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Back Already... Just wanted to see a few things in NB, then do some travel in Ontario. The price of gas there is,a rip off. You Kop, can buy gas cheaper than NB,PEI,NS. Why??? Irving has its own refineries in the Maritimes..Correct?? Why is gas .12-.14 per gallon more expensive there. Seems to me the local gas companies feel the got the travelling public "over a barrel" They do, but tourism in the Maritimes will suffer Im sure.

New Wheels?? Yes I think so...diesel gives more "bang for the Buck", more power, lasts longer.

[brad03ca]

We went to St.Andrews -by-The-Sea, NB. Not really my type of tourist destination...too touristy(read..TRAP) for us. When we get the new truck, we will be heading either NL next year, or BC.