Community Forums

Cumminsfan · 01-07-2019, 05:47 PM

I have a 2018 Ram 2500 Tradesman. No Bluetooth, no power seats, no nav. It does have a backup cam. I don't want any of that stuff. I use Google Maps on my for for nav. I find the seats comfortable enough as is. Most of that stuff seems like a waste to me. Yeah those blinged out trucks look great and probably are super cool to drive. For me I wouldn't use most of the bling but on a few trips a year. I'd need to spend $20K more than I did. It just don't seem right.

While getting my oil changed a few weeks back I looked at a 2019 Ram 1500 Longhorn+++ whatever else they can add to the name. Lordy it was sweet looking inside and out. But not for $71K. Yikes and that was $71K on the MSRP bottom line. No special markup crud they do sometimes.
I just can't see spending that much coin when most of my trips are only 1-4 miles each way to Safeway, Home Depot and the gym.

F4Gary · 01-07-2019, 05:52 PM

For me it's the backup camera, the front proximity sensors, and the King Bluetooth hands free phone. And that's just on my '14 Silverado LTZ.

Brad34 · 01-07-2019, 05:56 PM

With backup cameras now required by law, what's the point of rear parking sensors? I can definitely see the usefulness of front sensors, considering the large front ends that trucks have.

tuffr2 · 01-07-2019, 07:50 PM

Normal-Dave - I really like my truck. It is my nature to be kinda humble I guess. You are right, I have a beautiful Ford F-250 Uni-Corn. It is a loaded Lariat 2WD locking rear diff gas truck which was not easy to find.

And I will add a technology that I really like. The solid feel and smooth quiet ride from the high strength steel boxed frame. The technology used to build a very refined, powerful truck.

Anyone with a new(ish) truck is driving the best trucks in the history of this planet.

JDT · 01-07-2019, 08:17 PM

I really like the adaptive cruise on my Ford, especially in heavy traffic. It keeps me at a constant, safe distance from the vehicle in front and adjusts the speed to stay with the flow which I find especially useful when towing. If needed it can apply the brakes before I can and applies the trailer brakes just the same as normal braking.

I understand the attitude of those who say not for me but most of the new technology is to help reduce accidents. As I age I appreciate the help. Maybe it will break someday and maybe not but I have had far fewer repairs in the vehicles I have owned in the past 15 years or so than I did with the ones I owned in the 70's and 80's.

tuffr2 · 01-07-2019, 08:23 PM

JDT - remember the old days when you carried a fan belt and points and condenser as spare parts? I had the hood up on my vehicles twice a week in the 70's. Now I have the hood open twice a year.

69Stang · 01-07-2019, 08:44 PM

My son just bought a 2019 F250. It has the cameras on all 4 corners and gives an overhead birds eye view, which is pretty cool. It also has 1 camera in the bed to help hookup his goose neck and one in the in the tailgate.

JDT · 01-07-2019, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tuffr2

JDT - remember the old days when you carried a fan belt and points and condenser as spare parts? I had the hood up on my vehicles twice a week in the 70's. Now I have the hood open twice a year.

To stay on topic I will say the camera system on my Ford is the berries. I need to squeeze into my garage and the front camera lets me get right up to the back wall. The top view cameras let me get the beast between the lines in the parking lot. The cab mounted camera on the stop light has a centering line that lets me hit the king pin perfectly every time. Otherwise I would never see it.

Now, the fun part. When I got back from VN in 1968 I bought a 69 Chevelle SS396 with 4 on the floor. It would burn rubber in all gears and got me my first and only speeding ticket, but, it required ethyl which seemed to foul out spark plugs every 1000 miles or so. The points and condenser required frequent attention also. But, man, what fun it was to drive. I finally ended my affair with it when the dash came completely loose, only held up by the steering column. Hindsight is worthless but I would love to have that thing back, if I could afford the upkeep.

You open your hood twice a year more than I do. I leave that to the dealer, and instead of every 3k miles it is closer to 8K, or whenever it tells me to change the oil. I call that progress.

vsheetz · 01-07-2019, 09:18 PM

1991 F150.
Orginal AM radio still going.
No cup holders.
No intermittant wipers.
Triangle vent windows.

Open the hood and you can see the ground.

Runs and drives perfect.

tuffr2 · 01-08-2019, 04:20 AM

vsheetz - you da man. Wow, a 1991 still truck'in. Hey, when your truck finally gives up can I have the side vents? Man, I miss those when the sun was hot but the air was cool.

I remember as a kid using the side vents and noticing the chrome metal piece was pitted.

How many miles you got on your 1991 ?

ScoobyDoo · 01-08-2019, 05:49 AM

Let me see, when they quit using solid lifters it sure shortened the time it takes to do a tune-up

I'm not a technology hater, but prefer not to have it on my pickup. I would like to add a question to the OP. How long, on average, do you keep a vehicle? I would buy used 4-5 YO and drive about 10 years. But once everything I wanted to buy had electronic fuel injection, I started buying new. (Replaced the '88 in '05) Most of the time we had other vehicles to drive and work on. Buy a wreck and rebuild it. The gubber on the title don't matter if you drive it 6-7 years.
My phone has voice command, or I can blue tooth thru GPS. But I have never worried about my hand busy, but the mental distraction.
My GPS also has lane departure, and overtake warning, but that is just something to play with while on the dumb side. IMHO, keeping track of your speed in relation to others, and where you are on the road is a pretty basic part of driving. I'm glad so many are testing this in hope self driving cars. Humans are not up to the task.
Navigation? Yes I have the GPS. But if I'm going someplace I look at paper map to plan my route. Then often I use google maps to compare GPS to what I have in mind. (If the street has a name and highway number why not use the highway number?) And like the brake controller, mine is not built in. If it malfunctions, just unplug. If needed, replace.
Judging by my actions, and vehicles I have seen for sale, most people, as a car gets close to what they consider it's useful life, something stops working, you decide fix it, or live without and take a discount when I sell. I wonder how much of the new snot will stop the vehicle from running?
BTW, last time brother's family and mine camped together, he had a bad headache when time to come home. DW drove ours home, and I had no issues pulling his TT with his '48 Suburban. (This was before GM used that name, but describes the vehicle.) GCVW of about 8600, that I6 does a fine job...

Super Thirty · 01-08-2019, 06:15 AM

2014 Ram 3500 CTD

Heated seats, steering wheel and command start are what I like best in winter. Options I appreciate when towing are the integrated brake control, exhaust brake and back up camera.
General options I appreciate are the cruise control, air conditioning, and the storage bins under the floor in the back seat.

Wileykid · 01-08-2019, 07:51 AM

'16 Chevy 2500HD Dmax LT.

Love the backup camera, makes hooking up the trailer a breeze. Ability to put Google maps on the screen (android auto). The integrated cruise control that works with the tranny and exhaust brake.

Bluetooth is great. If the fan is on high and you get a call, it will reduce the fan to low so you can hear the call.

Don't like the auto on headlights, at least the way they are set up in the Chevy. Way to sensitive (not even dealer adjustable), and why can I disable the auto headlights, but not the interior dash lights that dim even when the auto system is disabled.

Should be able to disable the Onstar. Don't use it, or need it. And can't cut it out of the system. If my phone isn't working, Onstar isn't either (both use Verizon cell system).

astrocamper · 01-08-2019, 12:00 PM

I have a 2017 GMC 2500HD SLT. I park my truck in my garage. I appreciate have power folding full size trailer mirrors. It would be a pain to manually fold them in to park in the garage. I like the guidance on the rear camera. I added a monitor to show two side trailer views, rear trailer view and a truck front license plate cam. I use the license plate cam every day. It really helps me see what's directly in front of the truck. I also can see my neighbors cat sneaking in my garage when I am pulling out the truck in the morning.

I have 3 wireless receivers inside the back of my truck's Leer cap. I have three transmitters in the front storage area of my trailer with the 2 side cameras and rear trailer camera connected. I get very high frame rate reliable wireless video from my trailer's cameras because the distance is so short between the transmitters and receivers.